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Conflict between Arc and bluetooth headphones

  • 5 March 2024
  • 5 replies
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A
Userlevel 2
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I have an arc connected to a Samsung ( two year old model) TV via the eARC port . Everything works fine except when I want to use a pair of headphones via blutooth … I need to do this for late viewing to avoid disturbing sleepers ..

The headphones gets paired with the TV without problems . Once connected , it just works fir a few seconds before the Arc reconnects itself . I have spoken to Sonos support a year or so ago but there was no resolution but apparently was flagged up . 
 

Have spoken to Samsung support who says it’s an issue with the Arc . They say there isn’t a problem with their own soundbars and suggested I change over !! 
 

Yeah right …

A cumbersome work around is to connect an Amazon firestick and works with the headphone once paired ..

 

Is this something that can be resolved without needing  the firestick ? 

 

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Best answer by Airgetlam 5 March 2024, 01:04

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5 replies

Airgetlam

This isn’t a Sonos issue, or a Samsung issue, in particular. Both devices use the standard called CEC for connecting audio devices. CEC (an industry wide standard) allows for one audio sink, not two (the headphones and the Arc). 

Try turning off CEC (AnyNet+) when you turn on the headphones.

I don’t know specifically about your headphone connection (you just say Bluetooth), but often TV manufacturers don’t  tie optical outputs with turning off CEC, since it isn’t an electrical connection. If your headphones have an optical port on the base that transmits Bluetooth to the headphones, you might try connecting it to the optical port on your TV, and leave AnyNet+ turned on. 

Bruce
A
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Thanks Airgetlam.  I can see another posting on this subject where the OP has concluded that using a different make of wireless headphones ( Bose ) MAY sort out the problem as it probably uses a variant of the CEC connection protocol.

 

Im using a sony  wh-1000xm1 in this setup but I will try the later model wh-1000xm3 which I also have to hand, to see if that makes a difference .  If not , I guess unless there is conformity across manufacturers on how CEC is implemented, the firestick option appears to be the only solution.

L
Userlevel 1
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Hi Audiosymbol,

I’m having the same issue and wanted to find out if you were able to lock down a pair of headphones where this wasn’t a problem.  Did the later model Sony headphones work?

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

No, because this is not related to the headphones, but to the internal programming of the TV or the Sonos soundbar concerning the use of the HDMI-CEC protocol.

In the future the much rumoured Sonos headphone could maybe be a solution.

S

This answer that this is not a sonos issue is incorrect. I also have this on a LG TV. Samsung’s response is correct.

The cause is that the sonos soundbar ‘auto-configures’ itself on the TV via CEC. This makes the sound bar plug & play and helps people who don't understand how to properly configure an EARC soundbar. 

 

This is all fine for first time installations, but the ARC does this every couple of seconds! So as soon as you change your TV sound settings, the ARC ‘fixes’ this immediately. The only solution on an LG TV is to fully disable CEC & EARC in the TV, but this also disables the HD Codecs.

I hope Sonos can fix this. Either:

  • make a toggle in settings to disable this for expert users who know how to configure EARC
  • only do this when doing the setup or troubleshoot process of the ARC
  • Support bluetooth headphones in the Sonos ARC.

 

Current workarounds:

  • Use another soundbar (like samsung recommends)
  • Disable HDMI-CEC & EARC in the TV (you loose HD audio codecs)
  • Use optical (you loose HD Audio)
  • Disconnect arc HDMI cable when using headphones (not recommended)
  • Unplug ARC power when using headphones

I use the latter with a simple on/off socket switch. Before using BT headphones I turn off the ARC with the socket switch. Then I can turn on BT headphones and use them properly. Afterwards I can turn on the ARC again.

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