Finally got a smart TV. Why does Disney+ sound like garbage?

[moonbogg]

Got a Hisense H9G and wow, Peppa Pig never looked so good. Anyway, I got a decent pair of powered bookshelf speakers (Edifier R1850db) and a decent powered sub (Polk Audio PSW10). The optical connection sounds the same as using the headphone jack on the TV, so I use the headphone jack so I can control volume using the TV remote. Netflix and Amazon sound pretty good or at least OK most of the time, Youtube sounds totally amazing, and blue tooth music streaming to the speakers sounds amazing. Also, watching FIOS cable TV sounds good. I have gigabit internet with 5g wifi going to the TV. I did a speed test on the TV and it's only getting 40-50mbps, but that should be enough for these streaming services I think. With all of these sources, you can hear details and dialogue as you'd pretty much expect.
However, Disney+ sounds like listening to an 80's cassette player that someone tossed in a metal trash can and put the lid on half way. What the crap? I'm glad I didn't pay for Disney+. I'm trying out a friends account and man does the quality suck. Any ideas? Am I alone?

 

[mindless1]

Disney+ IS garbage, so everything is working right, no problemo.

If you can return your Hisense Android TV for a refund, DO IT!!!!!

Their Android support is garbage and I've had continual lockups requiring wall AC disconnect and reboot for months with my Hisense Android TV.

FYI, my Hisense Android TV seemed fine for a month, till my return for refund period was elapsed, then I was stuck with it and if I sent it in for warranty replacement, there is nothing they can do but return it as working or send me different set with same problem, since it's the Android TV code that eventually locks it up.

It is possible the processor is overtaxed from some different codec Disney is using, so you could try to update the TV firmware from the menu, but learn from my mistake and return it for a refund if possible.

 

[Hail The Brain Slug]

Disney+ on my Xbox Series X and on my Nvidia Shield TV sounds fine. It's not a disney+ issue, unless there's something wrong with the version of the app included on your TV.

I haven't used the shield TV for several months since I got the Xbox, though, so I can't say it's not a newer app version issue on Android TV.

 

[Muadib]

Disney+ on my Xbox Series X and on my Nvidia Shield TV sounds fine. It's not a disney+ issue, unless there's something wrong with the version of the app included on your TV.

I haven't used the shield TV for several months since I got the Xbox, though, so I can't say it's not a newer app version issue on Android TV.

I agree with you. I have Disney+ on both Roku & a Fire TV, and they sound great. I'm not familiar with a Hisense tv, but check the app and see if you have a sound setting. If you do, see if it's set to Dolby Digital, and if it is turn it to stereo.

 

[MrSquished]

Disney+, when I had it for a couple months on my Roku SmartTV was great with the sound. The Mandalorian was wicked in the technical department, just an average show but the visuals and sound were top notch.

 

[mnewsham]

My biggest issue with most of these streaming services is they try to output 5.1 audio to my 2.0 speakers so dialog audio can get lost since most dialog is sent over the center channel in a 6 channel mix. Finally found a way to avoid it by going to my FireTV settings and forcing PCM audio as that forces it to downmix to 2.0

 

[moonbogg]

My biggest issue with most of these streaming services is they try to output 5.1 audio to my 2.0 speakers so dialog audio can get lost since most dialog is sent over the center channel in a 6 channel mix. Finally found a way to avoid it by going to my FireTV settings and forcing PCM audio as that forces it to downmix to 2.0

It seems like this is my issue. It definitely sounds like it's a 5.1 signal and the channels are simply lost going to my 2.1. I'll see if I can find some settings. Thanks.

 

[MtnMan]

Disney+ IS garbage, so everything is working right, no problemo.

If you can return your Hisense Android TV for a refund, DO IT!!!!!

Their Android support is garbage and I've had continual lockups requiring wall AC disconnect and reboot for months with my Hisense Android TV.

FYI, my Hisense Android TV seemed fine for a month, till my return for refund period was elapsed, then I was stuck with it and if I sent it in for warranty replacement, there is nothing they can do but return it as working or send me different set with same problem, since it's the Android TV code that eventually locks it up.

It is possible the processor is overtaxed from some different codec Disney is using, so you could try to update the TV firmware from the menu, but learn from my mistake and return it for a refund if possible.

Android on my HiSense sucks, I only fault HiSense for choosing that platform. The TV itself is great, and nothing really touches it in the price range.

$24 Amazon 4K fire TV stick solved that instantly. With HDMI CEC the TV remote, or Fire remote, or app on phone provide superb control.

 

[mindless1]

^ Not that simple for mine. My Hisense locks up due to Android TV bugs even if I never use any features, just leave it on an alternate HDMI1 input. I have to disconnect from wall outlet then boot Android about once a month, even with almost every Android menu feature disabled and after a firmware update.

Freakin' thing locks up while soft-off (power button "off" used not a sleep mode), while I'm sleeping lol.

 

[MrSquished]

Android on my HiSense sucks, I only fault HiSense for choosing that platform. The TV itself is great, and nothing really touches it in the price range.

$24 Amazon 4K fire TV stick solved that instantly. With HDMI CEC the TV remote, or Fire remote, or app on phone provide superb control.

I recently acquired a free new chromecast device, and from what I've been reading, they are good. So that makes me wonder, maybe HiSense's implementation of AndroidTV is faulty?

I was going to flip the chromecast device on eBay but I'm going to keep it now, with Roku now fighting with YouTubeTV, after Roku being the toughest and longest holdout on HBOMax, not so sure I trust Roku as a platform as much anymore.