Contributor I

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playbar works but surround play 3 speakers don't

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my sonos play bar and surround sound play 3's work perfectly when i play music or apple tv but when on tv nothing comes out of surround sound speakers. all my components are connected into the tv and then the playbar has optical out. so it clearly works as music and apple tv work but normal tv channels only play through the bar. please help

Surround Sound

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Ryan SAnswer

Retired Sonos Staff

Here is my diagnostic report 3311509. I've disconnected the speakers from the surround sound due to the issue but if you can send the update to me I'll reconnect them.

Hi,

Just flagged you for that update. Go ahead and check for software updates under Manage and update your system. Please let us know if you're still having trouble.

Cheers.

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F

FelixMoritz

Lyricist I

Same Problem. Diagnostic number 5289696.

Edward R

Retired Sonos Staff

Standard TV programming may not be encoded with Surround Sound. This would explain why you don't hear anything from the Surrounds when watching TV. For example, the News will only play in Stereo. Then, if you watch a film which you are sure has been encoded with surround sound, the issue would no longer be present. Subsequently, if you want to have everything playing together when listening to normal TV that is, you would be required to remove the surround speakers and simply group everything in together. This is then, of course, not surround sound by definition.

Try searching our articles for help with your question: https://www.sonos.com/en/support

K

kafoster

Lyricist I

I'm also having the same problem...playbar and 2 play 1 speakers work great with music playing, but the play 1 speakers won't work with tv surround sound. Here's my diagnotics number: 5325552

Max P

Sonos Employee

I'm also having the same problem...playbar and 2 play 1 speakers work great with music playing, but the play 1 speakers won't work with tv surround sound. Here's my diagnotics number: 5325552

When watching TV not all channels stream 5.1 audio. Most TV shows are in stereo. The PLAYBAR will do it's best to simulate DD5.1 but it's not also possible.

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E

ElsienJv

Lyricist I

We are experiencing the same issue. Can you try to push us the update to raise the volume of our surrounds. Diagnostic: 5445168

Edward R

Retired Sonos Staff

ElsienJv, can you clarify that you are hearing nothing from the surrounds when watching TV? If so, this is because when in a surround sound configuration, the speakers will not do anything when the PLAYBAR is fed a stereo signal. The update you speak of is 2 and a half years old and already included in the current software.

Try searching our articles for help with your question: https://www.sonos.com/en/support

D

Danwareuk

Lyricist I

Same issue- 5507005

Thanks

Ryan S

Retired Sonos Staff

Same issue- 5507005

Hi Danwareuk,

At the time of the diagnostic, your PLAYBAR was receiving a stereo signal, not Dolby Digital 5.1. When it gets a stereo signal, the PLAYBAR does some conversion to bring audio to the surround speakers, but this sometimes won't be noticeable depending on what you're listening to. The simulated surround will being soundtracks and loud sequences to the rear most often, dialogue and most of the normal audio range will come from the center and front channels.

You can check the audio format you're getting by going into Settings > About my Sonos. From there you can the format under the name of your PLAYBAR.

See here for more details on making sure you're getting surround from your PLAYBAR.

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L

Lambik

Lyricist I

Hi,

I'm experiencing the same issue. My setup is a playbar with 2 PLAY 1's. I get perfect surround sound playing netflix, youtube etcetera, but when I'm watching tv (from a setup box, connected to the tv via HDMI), the rear speakers do not provide any sound. Seems like there's just no upmixing. Some sources providing "stereo" input to the playbar are upmixed, so we get sound from the rearspeakers, just with the tv, we're not getting anything.

Ryan S

Retired Sonos Staff

Hi,

I'm experiencing the same issue. My setup is a playbar with 2 PLAY 1's. I get perfect surround sound playing netflix, youtube etcetera, but when I'm watching tv (from a setup box, connected to the tv via HDMI), the rear speakers do not provide any sound. Seems like there's just no upmixing. Some sources providing "stereo" input to the playbar are upmixed, so we get sound from the rearspeakers, just with the tv, we're not getting anything.

Hi Lambik,

This largely will depend on what broadcast is on the TV. News programs, or just able anything with largely dialogue is going to be coming from the center and front channels in almost all cases. Surround upmixing doesn't send dialogue that should be in the front anywhere else. You should hear soundtracks, action or loud sequences, and at times some other audio as well.

It sounds like everything's set up properly there, though just out of curiosity do you have any other HDMI sources connected? If the set-top box passes Dolby Digital content, and you don't get it on the TV, it's possible that TV doesn't send Dolby Digital content from HDMI sources to the optical connection. Some TVs will only pass over-the-air Dolby Digital content which would be the apps the TV has built in. What is the model of your TV?

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