Best answer by chucky999
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Beam: Keeps switching back to ARC from Bluetooth - how to stop?
Hi. I have an LG C8 OLED TV and a Beam, connected Via HDMI Arc. I also have some Sony Bluetooth headphones. Whenever I try and play the TV audio via Bluetooth after 2 seconds it switches back to Arc. Is there anyway to prevent this? I have to pull the HDMI lead out of the Beam, but can it be disabled via the app or some other way? Thanks.
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It’s a ‘feature’ of the HDMI-CEC spec. Connect your Beam via optical, or your headphones, and there won’t be that conflict.
Userlevel 1
I just purchased a new Samsung TV today and a Sonos beam+sub and now have this issue when connecting my Bose Bluetooth headset. The HDMI-CEC workaround is not good/nice, so I really hope that Sonos can fix this issue somehow.
Chucky999’s fix worked for me. I was having same issue on a Samsung TV. When swapping TV audio to Bluetooth headphones with a Beam connected to HDMI ARC, the Beam would hijack the connection back after about 2 secs. Turning off HDMI CEC on the TV “fixed” the issue. However there should be a more elegant solution than this. One “option” is to use the adapter with the Beam and go to the Optical output on the TV instead of HDMI ARC. The Beam won’t hijack audio when connected that way bu you loose some functionality like TV remote control of Beam volume.
Userlevel 1
Note that this “bug” is the way that the HDMI-CEC spec, which includes HDMI-ARC, is written. Sonos doesn’t have the option of changing it.
Completely disagree, every surround sound and other HDMI-CEC device people own manages to do what the OP is asking just fine.
People are experiencing this on lots of different manufacturers’ TVs across different models and are just trying to get the same functionality that they had before - It is 100% a Sonos issue.
Note that this “bug” is the way that the HDMI-CEC spec, which includes HDMI-ARC, is written. Sonos doesn’t have the option of changing it.
I have the same problem as Badgercop. It seems that this is pretty common as shown by these similar threads in the sidebar to this thread. The best, though not optimal, solution seems to be to turn off the HDMI-CEC connection on your TV. It would be nice of SONOS would fix the APP to handle this situation. The problem is not solely with LG systems - both Samsung and Sony are referenced in the other threads.
chucky999
You’re the man! This is in fact the fix for my LG65C8PUA. Annoying that I have to do this, but much better than unplugging the HDMI ARC as Badgercop was doing. Thanks for sharing - you’ve clearly researched the issue.
Userlevel 2
I have the same problem as Badgercop. It seems that this is pretty common as shown by these similar threads in the sidebar to this thread. The best, though not optimal, solution seems to be to turn off the HDMI-CEC connection on your TV. It would be nice of SONOS would fix the APP to handle this situation. The problem is not solely with LG systems - both Samsung and Sony are referenced in the other threads.
Using a Connect to feed a BT transmitter, grouped with the Beam, would not be very satisfactory. In addition to the BT delay -- which can range from acceptable with aptX-LL to annoying with SBC -- you'd have the Sonos ~70ms delay.
The Amazon linked item would certainly work, but something such as this one would make more practical and economic sense. aptX-HD has too high a latency for TV and the additional range of the more expensive model would not be required. You might well be able to tuck the small transmitter away behind the TV, powered off the TV's USB socket.
By the way there should be no 'switching' involved as the TV optical output ought to be live all the time. Just mute the Beam when using the BT. The TV would also need to send PCM to the BT transmitter, not DD, but this setting should be separate from that which controls the ARC output.
The Amazon linked item would certainly work, but something such as this one would make more practical and economic sense. aptX-HD has too high a latency for TV and the additional range of the more expensive model would not be required. You might well be able to tuck the small transmitter away behind the TV, powered off the TV's USB socket.
By the way there should be no 'switching' involved as the TV optical output ought to be live all the time. Just mute the Beam when using the BT. The TV would also need to send PCM to the BT transmitter, not DD, but this setting should be separate from that which controls the ARC output.
Userlevel 7
Hi Badgercop
If you get no help from LG you might try a device like the one in the link. Connect it via the LG's optical out and switch audio to it in the LG's menu. When done switch it back to HDMI-ARC.
https://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Simultaneously/dp/B07BQYYDNJ/ref=sr_1_19?crid=3EXMEAUGZ2AAD&keywords=bluetooth+transmitter+for+tv&qid=1556109842&s=gateway&sprefix=blue+tooth%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-19
Another option which does not require switching outputs; but is more expensive is to purchase a Sonos Connect. You would setup the Connect as a room then connect the BT transmitter to it via optical out. When you want to use your BT headphones you would group the Connect to the Beam. In the Sonos app you'd be able to adjust the audio of the Beam and the Connect separately (i.e. lower the Beam audio completely). Assuming your BT headphones have volume control you would adjust the level accordingly. You could actually leave the Connect and Beam grouped permanently.
Note: Make sure you purchase the Connect from a source that has a liberal return policy. You may have to make adjustments for audio delay. If it proves to be a non-workable solution just return the Connect.
Cheers!
If you get no help from LG you might try a device like the one in the link. Connect it via the LG's optical out and switch audio to it in the LG's menu. When done switch it back to HDMI-ARC.
https://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Simultaneously/dp/B07BQYYDNJ/ref=sr_1_19?crid=3EXMEAUGZ2AAD&keywords=bluetooth+transmitter+for+tv&qid=1556109842&s=gateway&sprefix=blue+tooth%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-19
Another option which does not require switching outputs; but is more expensive is to purchase a Sonos Connect. You would setup the Connect as a room then connect the BT transmitter to it via optical out. When you want to use your BT headphones you would group the Connect to the Beam. In the Sonos app you'd be able to adjust the audio of the Beam and the Connect separately (i.e. lower the Beam audio completely). Assuming your BT headphones have volume control you would adjust the level accordingly. You could actually leave the Connect and Beam grouped permanently.
Note: Make sure you purchase the Connect from a source that has a liberal return policy. You may have to make adjustments for audio delay. If it proves to be a non-workable solution just return the Connect.
Cheers!
What I am asking is - is there any other solution otter then pulling the power or HDMI cable out of the Beam?
At this point I would say your TV manufacturer would be the best people to talk to. Seeing how it's automatically switching where it's sending audio to, they can verify if that's expected behavior from their product.
Chances are your TV or Cable box is still playing and the Beam is set to auto-play. So turn them off when listening to other audio, or check the Beam's room settings and disable auto-play.
Sorry you didn’t understand what I wrote.
I know the Beam isn’t a Bluetooth device, I didn’t say it was. I said I’m trying to play my TV audio via Bluetooth to my Bluetooth headphones. I can’t turn the TV off, because I’m using it with my Bluetooth headphones.
Perhaps I should just start again...
My TV is connected to the Beam via Arc. I’m trying to use my Bluetooth headphone with the TV (late at night, so I don’t disturb the household). When I go into the the TV’s menu and chose Bluetooth as the audio output it plays audio via the headphones for 2 seconds before it automatically switches back to the Beam. This is because the Beam is ‘always on’ (unlike other amps I have used).
What I am asking is - is there any other solution other then pulling the power or HDMI cable out of the Beam? (I know one solution is to change to optical, but I want to stick with Arc is possible).
Well first... it's not switching from Bluetooth. The Beam is not a Bluetooth speaker, but I digress.
Chances are your TV or Cable box is still playing and the Beam is set to auto-play. So turn them off when listening to other audio, or check the Beam's room settings and disable auto-play.
Chances are your TV or Cable box is still playing and the Beam is set to auto-play. So turn them off when listening to other audio, or check the Beam's room settings and disable auto-play.
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