NUC11TNHi5 HDMI audio issue on Ubuntu 22.04

NathanB1 · ‎04-26-2022

I'm noticing that HDMI audio is dropping out on my NUC to my TV on occasion.

This issue arose when using Ubuntu Linux 20.04, but even after upgrading to 22.04 the issue persists.

The loss is only for a few seconds or so, and the sound comes back afterwards. It happens on every application I have tried, so I'm suspecting that it's a hardware related issue. It's incredibly annoying to be watching something, only for the sound to cut out for a second and then come back on.

I don't blame the HDMI cable. It is certified HDMI2.1 (so should support 8K), but I am only displaying to a FullHD TV in 1080p. I have tried other HDMI cables and the audio drops there too. Additionally I had a NUC5i5RYH before upgrading to the NUC11TNHi5, and I had no audio dropouts with that device with the same TV set.

When I purchased the NUC, I immediately upgraded the firmware to the latest (TNTGL357 - 0064), so I don't know if the firmware has caused this.

The HDMI cable is plugged into HDMI port 1

Any ideas as to what's going on?

I am going to try it out on another monitor, in addition to seeing if Windows has the same issue.

DeividA_Intel · ‎04-27-2022

Hello NathanB1,

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities. I am sorry to know that you are having issues with your Intel® NUC 11 Pro Kit NUC11TNHi5.

In order to better assist you, please provide the following:

1. Provide the Intel® System Support Utility for the Linux* Operating System for more details:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/18895/intel-system-support-utility-for-the-linux-operating-system.html

2. Have you performed any changes to the BIOS?

3. Have you noticed any errors or yellow marks at the device manager?

4. What is the brand and model name of your TV?

Regards,

Deivid A.

Intel Customer Support Technician

NathanB1 · ‎04-27-2022

Hi, please see SSU results attached.

The TV is an LG 47LS5700-TB (firmware updated to the last version)

The only change I made to the BIOS settings in the NUC was to disable wifi, as the NUC is connecting to the network via ethernet.
HDMI audio is enabled by default.

Given that I am using Linux, I'm not going to see anything in the device manager

NathanB1 · ‎04-27-2022

Hi, please see SSU results attached.

The TV is an LG 47LS5700-TB

DeividA_Intel · ‎04-28-2022

Hello NathanB1,

Thanks for the information provided. Please, bear in mind that our drivers (generic) are meant for Windows. I recommend you to check with the Linux distributors for graphics drivers customized for the operating system.

Linux* Support for Intel® NUC: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005499/intel-nuc.html

However, in order to help you, please try the following:

1. Load the BIOS to defaults:

Press F2 during boot to enter BIOS Setup.
Press F9 to load defaults.
Press F10 to save and exit BIOS Setup.

2. Perform a BIOS recovery:

BIOS: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19698/bios-update-tntgl357.html
Steps (BIOS Recovery by the Power Button Menu): https://downloadmirror.intel.com/724499/NUC-AptioV-UEFI-Firmware-BIOS-Update-Readme.pdf

3. Were you able to test Windows 10?

Regards,

Deivid A.

Intel Customer Support Technician

NathanB1 · ‎04-28-2022

Hi,

So far I've managed to load default BIOS settings, and install Windows 10 and all relevant drivers.

Even Windows 10 experiences occasional sound dropouts (roughly every few minutes or so)

Only thing left to try is doing a BIOS recovery, but clearly this is starting to look like a hardware issue.

NathanB1 · ‎04-28-2022

Ok, I've completed a BIOS recovery, but this hasn't resolved the issue.

Sound still drops out every couple of minutes.

Next thing for me to try is the NUC with a monitor to see if I can reproduce the problem with something other than my TV

DeividA_Intel · ‎04-29-2022

Hello NathanB1,

I am sorry to know that the issue persists on Windows 10. To try to help you further on this matter, please try the following:

1. Update your graphics driver:

2. Do you see any errors or yellow marks on the device manager?

Also, you can find more information related to this issue in the following link:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000006796/intel-nuc.html

Regards,

Deivid A.

Intel Customer Support Technician

NathanB1 · ‎04-30-2022

Yes I updated to the latest graphic drivers in Windows 10 and checked the device manager before doing any tests.

Sounds still cut out after a while.

I had a look at the link provided, but nothing there seems to be the problem.

As stated, the HDMI cable is a certified HDMI2.1 cable capable of 8K support, but I have also tried several other HDMI cables and have experienced the same issues. I initially suspected a bad quality uncertified HDMI cable, but usually they only fail when outputting to greater than 1080p.

When I got this certified certified 8K cable, I still get the drop outs.

One thing I did notice with my TV is that if I booted the NUC with the HDMI input selected for it on my TV, the computer would boot but it would have no sound at all. When I turned the TV off and back on again, the sound would come back - although it would cut out every few minutes for a few seconds. When I booted the NUC with the TV on another input, changing over to the NUC would result in sound.

The only thing left for me to test is the NUC with a different monitor or TV, however it makes no sense that I had an earlier NUC (NUC5i5RYH) which had no problems at all with my TV. It is as if the newer NUCs have worse HDMI compatibility or something.

NathanB1 · ‎04-30-2022

OK, so I have tried the NUC with the same 8K cable on a 4K monitor and there are no sound issues.

So the issue can be traced to the TV set, but it still makes no sense that the NUC is not fully backwards compatible with it.

I have tried a whole pile of different sound settings on the TV, assuming that one sound feature may be cutting the sound up, but there's no change.

Either way, it makes no sense that the NUC is not compatible with older TV sets, and if this isn't fixed somehow, I will have to get a new one for no good reason.

DeividA_Intel · ‎05-02-2022

Hello NathanB1,

Thank you for the information provided

I will proceed to check the issue internally and post back soon with more details.

Best regards,

Deivid A.

Intel Customer Support Technician

DeividA_Intel · ‎05-05-2022

Hello NathanB1,

Thanks for your patience. Based on the information provided and the investigation performed, this could be a compatibility issue.

The NUC11TNHi5 features HDMI 2.0b while the LG 47LS5700-TB is HDMI 1.4a, it should be backward compatible but this could be part of the problem and we may not be able to do much about it if this is the case.

My last recommendation would be to try a USBC adapter to HDMI, this may work but we can't guarantee anything.

Best regards,

Deivid A.

Intel Customer Support Technician

Stonto1 · ‎07-20-2022

I have 2 NUC devices, a NUC11TNKi3 (full version with USB-C) and a NUC11TNKi30Z “Lite” (version without USB-C) and I have the same issue as NathanB1 with the “intermittent” sound over HDMI from NUC11 devices:

My monitor is a Logik L43AUE21 which can be configured as advertising the HDMI inputs as HDMI 1.4 or 2.0, neither of which solves the issue. I also had the same issue with no sound at all after booting the NUC until my TV/monitor is reset. I believe I have fixed this “power on lack of sound” with a Fueran EDID “emulator/pass through” from Amazon (that I happened to have to try to fix a different issue a number of years ago). This suggests perhaps some kind of timing clash on initial setup/power on - the emulator might provide information from the monitor sooner than the monitor provides it itself which might work better with the NUC (maybe doesn’t wait long enough before interrogating the TV/monitor or something similar?????)

I still have the same issue as NathanB1 with sound “popping/breaking” every few to a number of seconds when using the HDMI port(s) on either device. On the “Full” NUC I believe the issue doesn’t exist if I connect to HDMI via a USB-C to HDMI adapter BUT this is not a solution on the “Lite” version of the NUC as it doesn’t have USB-C.

I have exactly the same issue with Ubuntu (22.04) AND ChromeOS Flex.

When I spotted the problem with the “full” NUC I checked manually for BIOS updates and found 0062 is the latest despite the fact that, like NathanB1 I had updated to 0064 shortly after purchase (both machines, April 2022 so also similar timescale). I assumed 0064 not being available meant there was an issue with 0064 and so I attempted to reverse to 0062 on the “full” NUC. Unfortunately the BIOS update failed and I completely lost ANY display output and even BIOS Restore using the “jumper method” did not succeed. As a result my supplier (Scan computers in the UK) have just replaced the “full” NUC.

I can’t remember if I had the issues with BIOS 0062 on this now failed NUC.

I have tried various suggestions from the web for similar issues like maximising the memory windows for the graphics, I tried turning off HDMI audio output in the BIOS, rebooting, turning it back on and rebooting, tried lower graphics resolutions and refresh rates, different amounts of memory, with both a single SODIMM or dual SODIMMs fitted (the latter which I know increases bandwidth and “helps out” with integrated graphics), all with no effect.

So

I’ve seen the issue with NUC11TNKi3 on HDMI with Ubuntu 22.04 (NUC now replaced) BIOS 0064

I don’t believe I had the issue on the NUC11TNKi3 on HDMI via USB-C with Ubuntu 22.04 (NUC now replaced) BIOS 0064

I’ve seen the issue with NUC11TNKi30Z on HDMI with Ubuntu 22.04 BIOS 0064

I’ve seen the issue with NUC11TNKi30Z on HDMI with ChromeOS Flex BIOS 0064

My replacement NUC11TNKi3 arrived has just arrived and has BIOS42 and seems to work.

So I’ve gone back to the “Lite” NUC and tried it again and it seems to work also….

(By work I mean no interrupt every few seconds like I’ve seen before - don’t know yet if there might be issues after minutes as NathanB1 reports in Windows….)

During setup of the new NUC I had to switch to the HDMI port FURTHEST from the power connector to view the BIOS output at some point (also and maybe at the same time, to get my 64GB of RAM recognised it seemed like I had to install a single 4GB SODIMM and try again with the 64GB after which it worked!) and it was on that port that it worked. So back on the “Lite” I tried moving (back) to my more normal use of the HDMI port NEXT to the power connector and the issue returned (but fortunately moving back to the FURTHEST port all seems good again).
So, at the moment

I have Ubuntu 22.04 working on the "Full" NUC on the HDMI port furthest from the power connector

I have ChromeOS Flex working on the "Lite" NUC on the HDMI port furthest from the power connector

It would seem, assuming I'd don't get the less regular dropouts NathanB1 reports with Windows that the issue may be just with one of the HDMI ports which means, since I am only planning on a single monitor (at least for now) that I can work with either device as long as I use the HDMI port furthest from the power connector.

I haven’t re-investigated the issue with having to reboot the monitor after powering up the NUC to see if that issue is also on the HDMI port I’m now using - I will over time but hopefully at least the different behaviour between the 2 ports is something Intel may be able to work and report on.

I’m tempted to leave the new “Full” NUC on BIOS 0042 for now unless I come across any issues. On the “Lite” NUC I’d like to step back to 0062 (from 0064) as the latest “currently recognised” BIOS by Intel but given experience with the other device, I don’t want to risk it. Can you let me/us know whether there are any notes with the 0064 BIOS (seemingly now removed) which say you can’t step back to 0062 as I know that can sometimes be an issue - and since it’s not there, I can’t check! (I see NathanB1 has done a BIOS recovery but not sure if it was a downgrade or just a refresh of the same 0064)

Regards,

Mark

Stonto1 · ‎07-20-2022

A bit more info.

With or without the EDID pass through using the HDMI port FURTHEST from the power connector and only trying more with Chrome OS Flex (on the "Lite" NUC with BIOS 0064) so far:

I haven't had the issue with completely losing sound and needing to reset the TV/monitor

I haven't had the popping/intermittent sound corruption issue in a seconds timescale

BUT

there seem to be some issues when switching between graphics "screens" such as from BIOS screen to boot splash screen to login screen (which is sometimes not displayed - though i can login "blind"). I had seen issues around the login screen in Linux with BIOS 0064 with the now replaced NUC. With the EDID passthrough there seem to be less issues but I see lots of screens full of noise/random data on switching between completely changing output screens - so maybe another pointer towards Intel finding and fixing the issues.

I'm kind of hoping for a BIOS "0065" since 0064 seems to have been withdrawn and there seem to be some issues around sound/video on HDMI in particular coincidentally(?) when my NUC failed to update the BIOS it still seemed to be alive (e.g. get flashing LED with no RAM installed, as an example) but I had apparent complete loss of graphics output.

FYI: the EDID pass through is an older version of this one which I believe sets an initial resolution of 1920x1080 but then allows switching up to 4K (which is the resolution I use normally with the TV specified). It is item B072JC9443 on Amazon.co.uk (part number doesn't work on the US site). I believe it then has some form of memory of previous settings which may be what is making the operational difference with the NUC (but I'm no EDID expert!)

Regards,

Mark

damonc · ‎09-12-2022

In short, I'm having similar issues with a new NUC11 and HDMI audio running on Linux Mint. I'm using a TV and HDMI cable that I've been had no audio problems in the past with my previous miniPC.

I hope someone has seen this problem fixed/improved.