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Chromecast with Google TV remote stops working with Sonos Beam constantly

  • 15 January 2021
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I'm using Chromecast with Google TV with a Sony Bravia TV and a Sonos Beam. Using Chromecast's remote settings, I've set up the volume +/- keys for controlling the Beam's volume. Technically, this works. But then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, it stops working. I can restart Chromecast and nothing changes. The only way to fix this is to restart the Beam (unplugging its power chord and plugging it in again). Then everything is working again, for some time at least (anything between half an hour and a couple of hours).

I initially thought it had to do with that I used a different audio source with the Beam - but it also stops working while simply watching TV. It is extremely annoying.

Does anyone have any idea? Thanks in advance.

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Best answer by Corry P 24 February 2021, 16:17

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That sounds more like your TV is having trouble with the ARC connection then it does with the Sonos having any issues. I’d double check to see if there are any pending updates to the TV’s software. 

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Thanks for the answer, but like I said, this is with Chromecast, not the TV. The Chromecast software is up-to-date.

 

Also, is ARC involved if we’re talking about IR remote?

Yes, it would be, as the remote is communicating with the TV, and sending the volume commands back along the ARC channel. 

Unfortunately, I have no personal knowledge about how Chromecast sends data to your TV, so I can’t help further. 

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The Beam is not interacting with the Beam at all. This is nothing to do with the Beam. 

I’m not sure what you mean. What is not interacting with what? As I said, the remote does work, until it doesn’t and I have to restart the Beam.

Sorry I realised my misreading of problem and deleted almost instantly.  You must have read it instantly!

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No worries. 

 

As Airgetlam wrote above, it might have something to do with ARC. Though I don’t quite understand 1) why it happens virtually out of nowhere, and 2) if it actually is ARC related, why is the audio itself still working?

Not sure if this will help 

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3402?language=en_US

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/1920?language=en_US

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Thanks John. I tried using the Sonos app remote control setup, which didn’t work with the Chromecast remote. But in order to do that, I had to deactivate the remote setup within Chromecast, and to my surprise the remote volume buttons still work (with the remote not being setup, neither in Chromecast nor in the Sonos app). Also, it doesn’t work via IR, but rather via Chromecast itself (which I assume works via WiFi?) and then possibly sending the volume instructions via ARC. Meaning you don’t have to point the remote.

 

All in all, kinda weird, and I’ll see how long it lasts, but for now this might be the solution. Although I’m fairly certain it’s not the intended one: Chromecast has “Sonos” has a soundbar preset, so I assume there is some other official way to make it work.

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Hi @flasunco 

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

Your Chromecast remote will work like this: a Bluetooth link from remote to Chromecast, then CEC through the HDMI connection to the TV, then CEC from the TV to the Beam, also via HDMI. This is why it works without IR being used. If there was no HDMI used, you’d need to program IR for the Beam.

If issues with Chromecast remote controls persist, first reboot your TV by removing power from it for 30 seconds. This will be enough to reinitialise the entire CEC network. If you continue to have issues, repeat the last step but remove any other HDMI devices from the TV while it is off. Test again, and if things are working, slowly replace each device, making sure you test fully before adding another. If you identify a device that’s causing problems, try to disable CEC on it. If you can’t disable CEC, you can purchase CEC-less adaptors that strip the CEC connection on device’s HDMI link.

Alternatively, give our technical support team a shout and they can get CEC network information via Sonos diagnostics and hopefully address the issue directly.

Personally, I just returned a new Chromecast (without a remote) after a couple of days as I found it’s CEC was far to aggressive and prevented my Samsung TV from selecting other Anynet+ (Samsung’s flavour of CEC) sources (though this was only when the Chromecast was plugged into a Samsung Blu-ray sound system rather than the TV, which was how I wanted it).