HDMI eARC — CEC Works, But No Audio Output

ROSE Products RS520
#1

Hi there,

I’m having a persistent issue with HDMI eARC audio on my RS520 and am hoping for guidance or a fix.

My setup:

  • Apple TV 4K (latest software)
  • TCL TV - Roku OS (also fully updated)
  • RS520 (latest firmware)
  • Apple TV → HDMI 1 on the TV
  • TV eARC output → RS520 eARC input
  • We use the Apple TV remote to control everything, including volume

The issue:

At this point, audio no longer plays through the RS520 at all, even though:

  • HDMI-CEC and volume control are clearly working — when I use the Apple TV remote, I see the volume interface change on the RS520, the Apple TV, and the TV itself
  • The RS520 input is set to “eARC In”
  • All HDMI cables are high-quality and securely connected
  • Audio plays fine through the TV speakers when selected

Background:

  • When I first installed the RS520 (replacing a WiiM Ultra), HDMI eARC worked intermittently — audio would sometimes drop, but I could usually get it working again with power cycling or input switching
  • Now it never works, despite all devices appearing to “see” each other properly
  • With the WiiM Ultra in the same setup, we had no HDMI eARC problems at all, which leads me to believe this is a compatibility or reliability issue specific to the RS520

I’ve tried:

  • Power cycling all devices and fully disconnecting/reconnecting HDMI cables
  • Forcing Dolby Digital 5.1 on the Apple TV
  • Toggling HDMI ARC/eARC and CEC settings on the TV
  • Manually switching inputs on the RS520
  • Swapping HDMI cables

Questions:

  1. Is this a known HDMI eARC issue with the RS520, particularly with Roku OS TVs?
  2. Are there any advanced settings or hidden options I should be adjusting?
  3. Is this something that could be addressed in a future firmware update?

I’d really like to avoid workarounds like HDMI extractors or optical — the setup should be simple, and all other components are working as expected.

Thanks y’all!

#2

@dashoon

When I read your post, I think you’ve checked most of it.

Please check one more thing.
Even if you change the optical output to PCM in the audio output settings on your TV, the sound is still not output?

#3

Most of the Times You have to have to make a Audio Downmix to only 2 chanels Stereo at your TV

Cause Rose RS520 is a 2 Chanel Amplifire.

#4

Hi

Thanks for getting back to me and for your suggestions. I was able to get eARC input working again, though I’m not exactly sure which combination of settings fixed it.

However, I’ve encountered a repeatable issue: When I switch to a different input and later return to eARC to play audio from the TV, the audio is gone again. What I’ve found is that fully power-cycling the RS520 (not just putting it in standby, but turning it completely off and on again) restores the eARC input, and audio works as expected.

This behavior is very frustrating from a high-end device like this and makes the (otherwise great) RS520 a lot less family-friendly. Is this a known issue?

#5

@dashoon

This is the first time we’ve encountered this problem.
Please confirm a few things.

  1. Please tell me the version information of your RS520.
    RS520–>Settings–>System info–>System version info
  2. After changing your HDMI cable, do you have to turn off and on your RS520 to solve the problem?
  3. Does the same symptom occur even after you initialize your RS520?
    There may be a software problem in your RS520.
    RS520–>Settings–>System settings–>Factory reset