No sound from FIOS media server

[wepeccant1]

Okay, I’m throwing in the towel and will admit that I need help and ideas.

As part of my FIOS service, I have an Arris VMS1100 media server with a few media client boxes.  Everything was working fine until a few weeks ago when the sound on the media server stopped working.  Picture yes, sound no.  The sound *works* on the media client boxes.

Did the following pretty much in this order to try and diagnose the issue. (1) checked sound settings on the TV and the media server, (2) cold power restart of the media server, (3) verified that the TV sound was working by playing a DVD, (4) switched HDMI cable for a known good composite video cable.  No sound.

Moved on to (5) swapping a media client box with the media server box.  Media client box produces sound with the TV and cables that were previously used by the media server.  The media server, now in place where the media client used to be and produced no sound.

(6) Found a reference to the secret configuration set up on the media server.  Hit power off on the media server and then left arrow to get to the secret configuration setup on the media server.  Went to the user setup screen, then to additional HDMI settings and set audio to the other options (Auto, LPCM and pass through).  No sound.

(7) Did a cold power restart of the ONT and the Gateway Router.  No sound on the media server.

So as unlikely as it sounds, I come to the conclusion that there’s a problem with the media server.  Verizon sends me a replacement media server.  I hook it up.  No sound.  I repeat all of the tests that I did above.  No sound with the media server.  Media client boxes work fine.

Does anyone have an idea on what I might do next, other than spending a lot of time on the phone trying to reach and then working with Verizon support?

[clem21]

I know you probably tried this, but in the main menu on box, under audio do you have the volume set to fixed or variable?

[wepeccant1 · Accepted solution]

Close and the fix is related to what you wrote, clem53.  Verizon support said that they sent out an update and the update reset some settings.  That would explain why the sound was working before on the media server and suddenly stopped one day.  If this happens to you, try this sequence, menu on the remote, settings, audio&video, audio, set-top box volume.  Use the up and down arrow keys to set the volume and press OK.

Things that aren't explained, not that I really care.  Why did this setting only affect the media server and not the media client boxes?  Why was the setting on the replacement media server also reset?  If, when the new media server was powered on, some system at Verizon sensed that it needed the updated too, why isn't the issue I reported affecting a lot of subscribers?

[clem21]

I've seen the updates affect several settings in the past, no real rhyme reason. If you get an update on any box and something suddenly changes, check all the settings for any changes. Could affect main and minis, you never know. Sounds like the replacement box you got had old firmware and updated when you first set it up.

[F75]

One thing I would add is that the volume control is either fixed or variable.  If you use a sound system this needs to be set to fixed.