Connection of Hearing Aids

  • 19 April 2024
  • 8 replies
  • 70 views

This may not be directly related to the Sonos product but I am hoping one of the Sonos community has had the same issue and been able to resolve it.

I have Oticon Minirite 1 hearing aids that use a streaming device to connect to the optical output on a TV to stream the audio from the TV to the hearing aids via bluetooth.

I have an LG G3 TV and a Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar.

If I connect the Beam Gen 2 via the eArc connection the TV locks out all other audio outputs (bluetooth and Optical). The result is I can’t have my hearing aid streamer and the soundbar connected at the same time.

I have contacted LG and everything they recommended I try didn’t work. In the end they advised that this is how eArc works as it is the best audio output so all other outputs are disabled.

I have an older LG that has Arc and if it is connected to a soundbar all other outputs still operate.

Has anyone had the same experience and found a resolution?

Thanks

Regards

Ralph


8 replies

Userlevel 2
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Have you searched this forum for Opticon.

 

There are already some posts that might help

 

 

Steve

I did look through and there was one but the info wasn’t of help to me. If you know of one can you send me the link and I’ll go straight to it.

Thanks

This is a ‘feature’ of the CEC specification. Manufacturers choose how strictly they implement it, and can vary from model to model, as different chipsets are used. 

Most TV’s I’ve heard of don’t bother to turn off the optical output, since it normally isn’t part of the CEC system. You haven’t mentioned all the things LG suggested you try, just that you tried them all, so I have no idea if this would be something you’ve already done. But I would try, at least, turning off CEC in the settings in the TV’s audio area. It’s possible, I suspect, that the Sonos Arc will continue to work via CEC HDMI-ARC/eARC, but the optical output may be turned on when you turn off CEC. No guaranty, mind you, but if you haven’t tried this, it might be worth it. 

Airgetlam,

Thanks. I tried what you suggested. This TV doesn’t have the CEC selection. My older LG does but the newer one doesn’t.

There are many selections for different audio outputs and combinations of audio outputs but as soon as you connect the eArc the output defaults to eArc amnd all other combonations won’t activate.

Regards

Ralph

Sorry to hear that. Seems like you may have an issue with LG, for not properly supporting/implementing CEC. Although IMHO, CEC is a particularly bad standard for people in your situation. I suspect the engineers who came up with this industry wide specification didn’t give much thought to those who might need to have multiple audio devices Installed. 

Airgetlam,

Thanks.

I have been onto LG a few times now and it was supposedly escalated to their engineers.

It is really strange that my 5 year old LG leaves the optical output functional yet the newest one doesn’t. Progress???

Have a great day.

Regards

Ralph

You probably already know this, but LG renames CEC “Simple Link”.

What inputs are you using on your TV? Are you using TV Apps?

All the inputs are HDMI. The Sonos bar is HDMI eARC.

My hearing aid streamer is optical.

I was looking for CEC or Simple Link but there is no such selection once you plug in the soundbar via the HDMI eARC output. Also you can select other sound output options but it immediately defaults to HDMI eARC for the soundbar.

I looked at an LG Forum website and there are others with the same issue.

LG in the end after many contacts admitted that this is the way it works when the HDMI eArc is used to connect to a soundbar.

I am not using any of the Apps just Foxtel, Fetch and Live TV.

I’ll have another look later today in case I missed something but I am not hopeful.

Thanks

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