Sonos Arc keeps losing TV connection and shows connection issue


Every time I turn on my TV, the Sonos Arc doesn’t switch to the TV input (it is set to do so automatically). When I try to do this manually in the Sonos S2 app, the following error message shows:

Connection Issue

We’ve detected an issue with your HDMI connection. We’ll help you fix it.

Cancel | Fit it

When I click “Fix it”, the TV connection wizard starts with the following steps:

  1. Please run on your TV è It is on already so I click “My TV is on”
  2. Connecting with HDMI-ARC è Continue
  3. Look for the ARC port on your TV è I found the ARC port
  4. Connect your Arc to ARC è I’m connected to ARC
  5. Connecting… è We are not getting a signal
  6. Try again starts over with step 4 resulting in step 5
  7. Try again, but now I set my TV’s output to HDMI2 (i.e. my HDMI-ARC port). I see the Sonos groovy 50’s lines and when I now click “I’m connected to ARC” the message shows “TV setup complete”
  8. Click done
  9. Set my TV to any source to play some content and the Arc plays music (and the Sonos App shows it’s connected)

But as soon as I turn off my TV and turn it on again, I need to do the same setup process over and over. The fun thing is that it worked flawlessly with my Playbar and Sonos Beam which I had previously with the same TV and rest of the setup.

My TV is a LG OLED 55B6V

Please advise, because this is getting really annoying.

Diagnostiscs:

  • 942656442 – TV on, no sound from Sonos Arc, Arc still set to music
  • 1693472006 – TV on, sound is now working.

 

 


26 replies

Userlevel 4
Badge +12

Hi @riesm, thank you for reaching out and getting our attention to this.

We understand the frustration and I would like to inform you that we have an on-going investigation on the Arc losing the TV signal.

When I checked the diagnostics, the Arc detects the cable connection on both but the ARC is disabled when the Arc has no sound coming out.

To make sure that this is not a different issue from the one currently under investigation.

Please check the HDMI Cable if there are some creases and if the cable is firmly connected on Both ends. Also, make sure the HDMI connection isn’t strained(e.g. too much pulling or twisting forces).

If the cable is secure and fine, check if the optical connection is more stable than the HDMI. If the Optical connection is fine, your issue is related to the reported issue that is under investigation.

The workaround present, for now, is to reboot both the TV and the Arc by unplugging both from power. Rebooting the TV first before the Arc. 

The option is to use the Optical connection until our Engineers can resolve the issue.

If you have other concerns, feel free to reach out.

Hi Kyle, the problem is resolved and seems to be related to a LG setting. I got this from another message in this forum (https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/hdmi-cec-interference-6843271) and tried it myself and it works!

  1. Go to Settings
  2. All Settings
  3. General
  4. Quick Start+
  5. Toggle it to “On” (or try a few times)

Somehow that setting also interferes with HDMI-CEC. Anyhow, my Arc now detects sound output and functions like a charm.

Userlevel 4
Badge +12

Hi @riesm, thank you for the update.

I’m glad one of our community users was able to help you with their suggestions.

If you need further assistance, feel free to reach out.

The community is here to help.

I’m having the same issue.  The Sonos Arc worked flawlessly with my 7 year old Vizio.  I recently replaced it with Sony OLED XBR77A9G and ever since I lose audio from the Arc intermittently, especially if I leave it unused for say overnight and come back, no audio.  I have to completely power cycle the TV to get it to work.  
 

To eliminate the TV being the culprit I put my playbar in the Arcs place attached to the Sony via arc connection with hdmi.  No issues.

 

I also tried three different hdmi cables.

 

tried a plethora of sound settings on the Sony TV without luck.

 

called Sony and they troubleshooted with me for 3 hours and determined it was not the TV output since it worked fine with a different device using hdmi arc.

wondering if this has anything to do with the hdmi version being used and the arc needs a firmware update.

 

odd that the original poster also had an OLED set—LG makes both panels—for Sony and LG sets.

 

Sonos Diagnostic Confirmation: 897939381

 

other devices connected via HDMI:

  • AppleTV 4k
  • FireTV Cube
  • TiVo Stream

 

thanks!

 

I’m having the same issue.  The Sonos Arc worked flawlessly with my 7 year old Vizio.  I recently replaced it with Sony OLED XBR77A9G and ever since I lose audio from the Arc intermittently, especially if I leave it unused for say overnight and come back, no audio.  I have to completely power cycle the TV to get it to work.  
 

To eliminate the TV being the culprit I put my playbar in the Arcs place attached to the Sony via arc connection with hdmi.  No issues.

 

I also tried three different hdmi cables.

 

tried a plethora of sound settings on the Sony TV without luck.

 

called Sony and they troubleshooted with me for 3 hours and determined it was not the TV output since it worked fine with a different device using hdmi arc.

wondering if this has anything to do with the hdmi version being used and the arc needs a firmware update.

 

odd that the original poster also had an OLED set—LG makes both panels—for Sony and LG sets.

 

Sonos Diagnostic Confirmation: 897939381

 

other devices connected via HDMI:

  • AppleTV 4k
  • FireTV Cube
  • TiVo Stream

 

thanks!

 

Any fix? Same issue. Sony TV. 

I’m having the same issue on a Samsung UE50JU6875. “… I have to completely power cycle the TV to get it to work.”. Any solution? 

I’m having the same issue on a Samsung UE50JU6875. “… I have to completely power cycle the TV to get it to work.”. Any solution? 

 

I’m now getting exactly the same as SKG_SE on a Samsung QLED. Worked absolutely fine for months but now for the last 3 days it’s not connecting. Have to power off at switch to get to work - then fine until turn off TV - then same problem again until hard power reset again. Any ideas?

Funny it’s only started on Samsungs at the same time?

 

Very frustrating

I have exactly the same problem with philips 65OLED754/12 for about 4 months now. Frustrating and neither sonos nor philips can help

Hi @Leht001 and @Icouldrey due to a reply from doddy1000 in another topic here in the sonos community the problem may be fixed for some. As him I also have a cromecast, and now when unplug there has not been an issue with the arc lossing conection. If you dont have a chromecas I'm sorry for giving your hopes up, but if i could not leave you hanging as i now this problem is so frustrating.

 

 

Had the exact same thing regarding the TV only connecting when unplugged/plugged back in. I'm glad disconnecting the Chromecast worked for  used too.

I too also use my Chromecast rarely so it's not the end of the world, but, it is still slightly frustrating for when I will want to use it. 

Have you contacted Samsung about the issue? I have done so several times and they refuse to admit fault. They have admitted that there is something strange happening. However, they want me to fork out the bill for this as my TV is no longer in warranty! How nice of them! 

-doddy1000

Unfortunately don’t have a Chromecast - the issue has literally only been there constantly for 3 days and never happened before. Checked Samsung TV software status-up to date, last update 2019-so nothing new there to trigger it

Im having the exact problem with my Samsung Q95T tv I got last week. The HDMI-earc connection keeps dropping. Even though I have not changed a thing and the only thing I did was turn off the tv & start again.

 

I think it’s definitely a Sonos problem and not a Samsung one. The issues had settled down and not happened for a while….. until my wife touched a button on top of one of the surround Play1’s a couple of weeks ago -now problem back, every day now for 10 days! Getting ridiculous. Am now changing out my Sonos gear around the house for other alternatives-enough is enough!

Just got the Sonos Arc SL and having the same issue connected to a Vizio tv. It works fine but if I turn off the tv or switch to another device and back to the tv it quits working. I have to unplug all other hdmi cables and reboot the tv and plug the hdmi cables back in. Can’t believe we have to deal with this after spending $800 bucks on a soundbar 

I’ve got two Arcs, both connected to Vizios of various vintage, and am not experiencing this issue on either set. 

I’d be checking to see if there is an update to the firmware on the Vizio, and then if that didn’t fixit, I’d be testing removing of devices connected by HDMI, one at a time, and then testing, to see if you can identify which device feeding the TV is the issue.

It sounds like you’re having CEC issues, and some devices don’t have it implemented properly. If you can, you might possibly turn off CEC on all devices connected to the TV, leaving just the TV’s CEC turned on, which it uses to connect to the Arc. 

I am having the same problem with my Samsung tv. Works great for awhile, then the Arc Sldisconnects from the tv for no apparent reason.

I am having the same problem with my Samsung tv. Works great for awhile, then the Arc Sldisconnects from the tv for no apparent reason.

Sorry to hear that-that’s exactly what I was getting, plus the failing to connect when turn TV on. Only fix was power everything off at mains.

It feels a bit naughty Sonos can’t throw any useful light on it. I have now returned my Arc, and bought the Samsung Q900T instead-I think it’s actually better than the Arc-and it actually works! 

Maybe if everyone started returning them Sonos might acknowledge there’s an issue. Shame really!

Yeah, I would return my arc as well if it wasn’t already outside the return window. I’m having the same connection issue with my Sony tv all of a sudden. Worked fine for about 6 weeks before this started happening. 

Sonos Arc working fine, and upon returning home after five days, Arc won’t connect to Sony XBR75X900E. Replaced HDMI cables, reset Arc, checked all settings and gone through setup process multiple times, but Arc won’t connect. Sonos Support unable to resolve. This just HAS to be a software issue. Why can’t Sonos figure this out? Very frustrating. 

Same issue with my QLED. Looking back I read and ignored the warnings about the Arc losing sound and connection. I would avoid until they find a fix for this issue. Way too much money spent to have to deal with this many problems.

BKBarclay,

Have you rebooted the TV?

In other online communities there have been reports of difficulties with SONY TV’s and audio output, not only when used with SONOS. Various “solutions” have been reported, ranging from TV factory reset, TV firmware update, switching to the optical connection, and replacing the SONY TV’s motherboard.

Have you tried using the optical connection between the TV and ARC?

While I have no proof, I would place this issue with SONY. I don’t know if SONOS can come up with a work around. With HDMI in general there can be issues with “EDID”. EDID is a protocol where HDMI devices share their capability with each other. When EDID works, it prevents box ‘A’ from sending an unsupported audio or video format to box ‘B’. Unfortunately EDID is notorious for getting mixed up or not reporting anything between the boxes. You can force renegotiation by momentarily interrupting the HDMI connection. This issue is common enough that there are accessory boxes that can added in order to force EDID renegotiation by remote control.

I have a Vizio TV and a Sonos Arc. I have all of the issues with intermittent outages detailed by others on this forum.

 

I’ve rebooted everything dozens of times to no avail.

The only device I have connected in addition to the TV and the Sonos is my Comcast cable box.

 

When it’s just the TV streaming Netflix or Amazon Prime, no issues whatsoever with the Sonos.

 

When it’s just the TV and the cable box without the Sonos, no issues whatsoever.

I have tried putting a CEC-less adapter simultaneously at each end of the HDMI cable to the Comcast box. Still doesn’t help with the intermittent wonky behavior.

Odd. I have two Arcs, both connected to Vizio TVs of different vintages, but no Comcast connection, just DirecTV and Apple TV, with an occasional Xbox thrown in. No dropouts or wonkiness whatsoever. 

What did Sonos support say when you submitted a diagnostic and called them? 

Could you kindly provide the link to how to provide diagnostic and call them? I can try that Tuesday.

Here you go: 

submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of experiencing this problem, and call Sonos Support to discuss it.

Thank you, Bruce. Much appreciated. Will do.

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