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Sonos Beam

  • 9 November 2020
  • 9 replies
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  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies

Hi everyone I’ve been having problems getting my Sonos Beam to play anything other than stereo 2.0 via my Panasonic TV. I’ve been on many forums and have accepted that the issue is due to the age of my tv (>5 y). I’m in the market for a new tv and have been looking at the Samsung UE55TU7100. Anyone know of this supports the Beam or will I have further issues. 
 

many thanks in advance. 

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Best answer by Rowena B. 10 November 2020, 01:59

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9 replies

Userlevel 5
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Hi @Pswk, thank you for reaching out to us and welcome to the Sonos community. I appreciate you for bringing this concern to us. Let me help you out.

Sonos Beam requires a TV with an HDMI ARC port in order to use Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant to control your TV. If your TV does not have an HDMI ARC port, you can the Beam to a digital optical audio output using the optical audio adapter. You will not be able to control your TV using voice when using the optical connection.

Sonos home theater speakers support Dolby Digital 5.0 and 5.1 surround sound. Make sure your TV is set to output Dolby Digital or Bitstream audio via the optical or HDMI ARC connection.

The audio formats that are available with HDMI-ARC:

  • PCM (2 channel)
  • Dolby Digital (up to 5.1 channel)
  • DTS Digital Surround (up to 5.1 channel) 

Upon checking Samsung UE55TU7100, it 2 HDMI ports but not classified if it has an HDMI ARC.

We can wait for suggestions and feedback from our Sonos community members, they might provide information about this. You may also contact our Samsung support for more information.

If you need help with any other information, please be sure to let us know.

The post above, while technically correct, can easily be misinterpreted . While HDMI ARC can carry a DTS signal, the Sonos Beam will not be able to process that signal.

However, the nice feature of ARC is it allows the speaker to tell the TV (the hub) what signals it can accept. The TV is then responsible for telling other devices that are connected what kind of signal to send. However, as Rowena suggests, your TV must support ARC. 

Hi thanks for the responses, appreciate it. 
I think the problem I have is the lack of audio options within my current TV (Panasonic 3D Plasma TX-P42ST60B) I’ve tried both HDMI Arc and optical and the Sonos app only ever shows stereo  2.0 (using multiple source material (Blu-ray, Apple TV etc)). 
my tv doesn’t even give me the option to select Bitstream! I’m hoping a newer tv will resolve the issue, it’s a shame because I still really enjoy the Panasonic, plasma is great and I’m still a fan of the 3D

Hi @Pswk, thank you for reaching out to us and welcome to the Sonos community. I appreciate you for bringing this concern to us. Let me help you out.

Sonos Beam requires a TV with an HDMI ARC port in order to use Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant to control your TV. If your TV does not have an HDMI ARC port, you can the Beam to a digital optical audio output using the optical audio adapter. You will not be able to control your TV using voice when using the optical connection.

Sonos home theater speakers support Dolby Digital 5.0 and 5.1 surround sound. Make sure your TV is set to output Dolby Digital or Bitstream audio via the optical or HDMI ARC connection.

The audio formats that are available with HDMI-ARC:

  • PCM (2 channel)
  • Dolby Digital (up to 5.1 channel)
  • DTS Digital Surround (up to 5.1 channel) 

Upon checking Samsung UE55TU7100, it 2 HDMI ports but not classified if it has an HDMI ARC.

We can wait for suggestions and feedback from our Sonos community members, they might provide information about this. You may also contact our Samsung support for more information.

If you need help with any other information, please be sure to let us know.

Hi Thanks for the response. I’ve connected the Beam via HDMI arc and am now receiving Stereo PCM 2.0 according to the Sonos app. My Panasonic sound menu references Viera link I’ve activated every option I can find but I’m still not receiving anything other than Stereo PCM 2.0. I’ve looked on a number of forums but can’t resolve the issue.  
Appreciate any further advise. 

Userlevel 5
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Hi @Pswk, thank you for your response and for updating us. It looks like your Panasonic TV has PCM audio format. Have you tried using the optical cable to connect to your Sonos Beam and your TV?

Let me suggest the common fixes for TV audio issues while using Sonos home theater speakers.

  1. Reboot the TV and audio source
    • Unplug the power cable from your TV and any connected audio source (such as a cable box or video game console). Wait 10 seconds before reinserting the cable and testing TV audio.
  2. Check the cable connection
    • Inspect the Optical or HDMI cable to ensure it’s not bent or kinked and check to see that it’s fully inserted into both devices.
  3. Update the TV’s software (if available)
  4. Adjust the group audio delay - Settings > System > Tap your Sonos Beam > Group Audio Delay and then choose a delay option.
  5. Check for Sonos update - Settings > System > Check for updates.

After performing the steps above and you're still experiencing the same, please submit a diagnostic report and post here the confirmation number to check your system functionality and to further assist you with this. Let us know how you get on with the advice above. We'll wait for your reply.

Hi thanks for the advise. No difference, unfortunately. Diagnostic details; 884276744

Userlevel 5
Badge +16

Hi @Pswk, thank you for your response and for submitting the diagnostic report. Let me check on it. Based on the diagnostic, your Sonos Beam is communicating from your Panasonic TV via HDMI on PCM audio format. You mentioned that you have tried both HDMI Arc and optical and the Sonos app only ever shows stereo 2.0. This could be a TV limitation. I would recommend reaching out to Panasonic to further assist you on this. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have further questions or concerns. We are always happy to help out.

Hi thanks for the response. I was wondering if you could help me explain to Panasonic what I need? 

Userlevel 5
Badge +16

Hi @Pswk, thank you for your response. You may need to consult your TV’s manufacturer for more information on its supported audio formats or you might be receiving an audio signal that is not supported. You may also need to ask them to check for any configuration with the TV ports that may resolve the issue. Please do reach out if you have any questions or concerns about your Sonos system. You may also reach out to our Sonos Customer Care support team to assist you. The Sonos Community is always here to help.