new AppleTV and hum/buzz

[heboil]

Anyone else having this problem? It appears it is HDMI related. When I unplug the cable, the hum/buzz disappears. Granted, the sound is very quiet, but in silent scenes I can still pick it up. Perhaps it is my cable, but I was just wondering if many other people are hearing it. If so, then I won't bother with trying new cables.

Thanks.

 

[phillipjfry]

Is it coming from the tv or appletv?
Does it make the sound if you turn the tv off?

 

[heboil]

The sound is coming from the TV. No sound if TV is off. Just a minor hum when it is plugged in and connected. If I remove the HDMI cable, hum disappears.

 

[chriso89]

is it a plasma tv? my tv buzzez when it is much light on

 

[heboil]

LCD...

is it a plasma tv? my tv buzzez when it is much light on

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

I just got a plasma tv to use with my 2nd AppleTV (1st generation) I had been using for audio only for several years (with an iPod Touch to control it). I get hum/buzz through my main speakers (which are connected to the analog outputs on it) that disappears when I disconnect the HDMI cable (apparently the same basic issue). I don't get it through the TV speakers (when using the audio from the HDMI cable) because it will take a digital signal over the cable, but the upstairs stereo is purist mid-high-end analog setup (originally just meant for music). I don't know why having an HDMI connection to a TV would cause hum/buzz in the analog audio outputs of the same device, but it's annoying.

My other ATV downstairs is using component output (since my 4-year old receiver only has component switching) and optical/digital output so of course hum is not an issue (and would not be regardless if it was using HDMI because of the optical output to the stereo).

Unless there's some kind of AC hum loop or something I can address (the TV is plugged into a different strip and outlet since the one for the stereo is full so it might be worth trying on the other strip to see if it makes a difference), the only other thing I can think of is to get an external DAC (hum won't transmit over digital optical since there's no electronic path for it). I was eventually going to get a newer HDMI switching receiver for the home theater downstairs (since so many devices are now going HDMI only) and I guess I could use that receiver as a pre-amp (it has pre-out) instead of the one I'm using and that would give me straight in digital, but take up more space and be less of a pure signal setup than this audio-only (with no tuner or anything) pre-amp I've had for numerous years (although it does have dual-zone and Carver's Sonic Holography on it which does a convincing surround/wide soundstage effect for just stereo when turned on).