Beam: Keeps switching back to ARC from Bluetooth - how to stop?

Me too. Sonos needs to fix this.

Never had a problem CHOOSING the audio output that I wanted to use during a particular TV session (night=Airpods Pro; day=internal speaker) UNTIL I connected Sonos Arc via HDMI Arc port on LG OLED65C9. Now, when I CHOOSE AirPods Pro (connect via Bluetooth), the sound output switches to AirPods Pro for about two seconds, and then reverts to Sonos Arc via HDMI Arc port.  The same happens when I CHOOSE the LG’s internal speaker: the sound output switches to the LG’s internal speaker for about two seconds, and then reverts to Sonos Arc via HDMI Arc port.

Sonos Arc appears to be overriding my sound output selection. The wife is very aggravated (that I’m not using my AirPods Pro! The workaround (unplug the Sonos Arc or its HDMI cable) aggravates me!

Please fix!

@Bill H. Wow. And here I was explaining that:

1. this is within HDMI-CEC spec for the TV (so Sonos can’t do anything about it); and
2. there is a work around (turning HDMI-CEC off temporarily).

As I understand it it is your TV that by HDMI-CEC specification sends the sound to a speaker connected via HDMI-ARC. There’s no need to unplug anything.

@106rallye There’s no way/no setting that I can find (and I’ve looked VERY hard) to turn off SimpLink (a.k.a., HDMI-CEC) on the most recent firmware from LG (which is 05.00.03). I’m left with just one workaround (which itself is a kluge): unplugging either the Sonos Arc power cord or the HDMI cable to prevent the Sonos Arc from grabbing the sound output back from the sound output that I had selected/want to listen via (e.g., AirPods Pro).

This behavior doesn’t seem to be intended. An analogy might be wanting to watch CNN, but having the TV switch to FOX every time you choose CNN.

Others have said in this thread that other soundbars or external speaker systems do not have the same issue. Choose them via the TV, and the sound output comes from and remains from the selected output. Again the “choose this, but get that” behavior does not seem logical or particularly desirable.

In the WebOS/LG TV firmware 5.00.03 you need to goto ‘Settings/Connection/HDMI Device Settings” - Simplink ON/OFF is the second option in the list.

IMHO the issue here is with WebOS/LG I think, as it should prompt to switch off ‘simplink’ whenever a user selects ‘another’ audio-out option.

@Ken_Griffiths Thanks for helping me find that SimpLink/HDMI-CEC on/off setting on the LG C9 TV. It’s exactly where you said it was.

Still--with no disrespect intended towards you or anyone else taking a side here--this sequence of button presses and remote-mouse movements is overly burdensome for anyone but the expert user. The whole thing boils down to: “I keep selecting one thing, but getting another.”

AirPods for some viewing sessions (e.g., don’t wake-up the other members of the household) and Sonos Arc for others (e.g., normal or group or daytime viewing) seems like a pretty modest ask. Yet the number of button pushes and remote-mouse movements is pretty intensive just to switch between the two audio outputs. Makes me want to build a man-cave instead (as yet another workaround to the original problem).

Who knew getting a really nice flat screen TV and pairing it with a really nice soundbar would lead to such disappointment. Very frustrating.

I understand and to some extent I agree, but I see this as being something TV manufacturers in general should fix with their software - the user should be able to select the Bluetooth option and it either switches off CEC, or it simply allows both audio outputs at the same time (my preferred option). I think that is a better solution than perhaps having Sonos fix this.

Same issue here. LG CX, Sonos Arc, and Bluetooth headphones.

After connecting headphones, TV will immediately switch back to Sonos Arc. I have to disable SimpLink for it to stick with the headphones.

Really annoying issue. Does Sonos have few TVs and QA team? I mean according to this thread it's not related to one TV vendor.

It's just strange that Sonos don't wish to confirm this problem and provide some hotfix e.g. button in own app interface or something.

I'm ashamed of you, guys.

SimpLink disabled in my LGC9 and my Airpods now working more then 2 seconds ;) still IN MY OPINION there is some software conflict - thats why ARC or Beam’s doing this. As other devices not doing this on same TV and same Bluetooth set. So Sonos guys don’t get all upset - fix it !!! My wife will not give ma what I want from her for next 2 months as the house was shaking before I found this topic lol !

I have the same problem, brand new LG 65CX OLED with Sony Bluetooth headset, everything was working well before I add my new Sonos ARC plugged with ARC-HDMI. As soon as I put it on my Bluetooth headset it automatically switch back on HDMI ARC… really frustrating. I have to unplugged HDMI ARC each time I use my Bluetooth headset… that’s not normal 

I don’t wan’t to plug the Sonos with IR connection because the sound of my tv won’t be automatically Controlled. 

is there anything to do?