Answered

Beam/TV Volume Controls no longer separate

  • 24 February 2020
  • 5 replies
  • 1559 views

I just made some changes to my AV setup, and now the volume controls for the Beam are stuck connected to the TV remote.

Before:

Audio output: Beam connected to LG smart TV via Hdmi/Optical audio adapter.

Video input: Chromecast, PS4, Nintendo Switch

Status: When directing TV audio output to Beam, was able to control volume using TV remote. When audio output is through TV speakers, the remote will have no effect on the Beam (i.e. playing music out of the Beam while using the TV for video games)

Now:

I just set up the Altice One cable box, which has replaced the HDMI port used by the chromecast. This device also replaced my wifi router, so I had to reconnect the Sonos system to the new network. I also had to update the app (Sonos Controller) to the latest version. Now, when I am listening to music on the Beam via Sonos app and have TV audio set to TV speakers, the TV remote will still control the Beam, even though the Beam is not receiving TV audio. I have tried using the remote while the TV is set to a different HDMI input, and the problem persists. It seems like there is maybe a signal not getting through to the Beam to tell it to ignore the remote’s IR signal while not receiving TV audio.

 

This is insanely frustrating. Anybody have any ideas how to fix this?

 

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Best answer by Chris 24 February 2020, 23:33

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5 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +22

It sounds like you didn’t have the IR setup on the Beam in the past and the TV was controlling the Beam volume via the HDMI ARC connection.

I would try going into the Beam settings in the Sonos app and uncheck the use IR setting.   I think then the Beam will not respond to your remote anymore (but the HDMI ARC Controls will allow the beam volume to be changed via the TV).

 

 

It sounds like you didn’t have the IR setup on the Beam in the past and the TV was controlling the Beam volume via the HDMI ARC connection.

I would try going into the Beam settings in the Sonos app and uncheck the use IR setting.   I think then the Beam will not respond to your remote anymore (but the HDMI ARC Controls will allow the beam volume to be changed via the TV).

 

 

Hi Chris, thanks for the idea, but I tried it and this was the result:

• Turned off IR control on Sonos app for Beam

• Switched TV audio output to Beam

• TV remote can not control Beam volume

 

So, I believe I was using IR control the whole time. My TV does not have HDMI-ARC. My Beam is connected to my TV using HDMI/Optical Audio adapter, as mentioned in the OP.

Userlevel 7
Badge +22

So yea if your TV isn’t using HDMI-ARC it can’t control volume (unless there is some variable setting in the optical out of TV).

So if you were using the IR of the Beam all along the remote should have always controlled the volume of the beam no matter if it were TV or music.

Could you have been using the remote from position before that the IR port was being blocked?

Not sure why you would have experienced otherwise previously.   I didn’t know personally of any update in behavior as I always thought the remote controlled the Beam volume even if not playing TV sound.

The Beam hasn’t moved. Just last night (before getting this new cable box) I was using the TV & Beam like so:

Music playing from Beam via Sonos App

TV set to HDMI input (PS4) with sound-out to TV internal speakers

I turned down the TV volume using the TV remote, and changed the Beam volume using the Sonos App. There was no overlap here, control-wise.

 

I know the simplest answer is that the IR control was always like this, but I am 90% sure I would have noticed before (including last night, fresh in my memory...)

Userlevel 2
Badge +1

It seems like the beam volume can be controlled by TV remote when:

1) tv is playing video and source.

2) when tv is off and music is playing from alternative source like Spotify

BuT

3) when tv is on and picture is paused AND you play music from alternative source like Spotify, then you CANNOT control music..

 

Please help? Quite irritating (using arc hdmi connection btwn beam and Samsung s7 tv)