Sonos Beam and Bose QC headphones in Samsung TV
This is also my only reason for signing up to this forum. I am pulling out the HDMI cable every second night so I can use my headphones. Every time I do it I shake my head at the Sonos engineers and the product development team. Are we customers that irrelevant? This thread has gone on for a couple of years and no fix in sight.
Perhaps try simply switching off HDMI-CEC in the TV settings to listen to the audio through headphones, no need to keep removing the HDMI connection… even if Sonos engineers did do this, they would likely give you a ‘Settings’ switch to toggle off CEC and as it’s already there in your TV settings, you are perhaps best to select that ‘existing’ option.
Thanks, to do that I have to stop watching whatever is showing on my TV, navigate to settings>general >external device manager>Anynet+ and then toggle it off. When I finish, I have to go through the same process to enable the Sonos soundbar again.
To take out the HDMI cable takes one step, and a fraction of the time. It’s like DOS v GUI.
I’m not sure how everyone on this forum can get the message across to Sonos. Maybe there’s someone like Steve Jobs there, who could explain it better to the development team.
No, the Beam is shipped with an optical to HDMI-ARC adapter, so that those who don’t have an appropriate HDMI connection can still use the device.
Seems like an older thread, I was having this issue with a 2019 samsung tv about a month ago, was annoyed and gave up.
Tried again today after a software update from samsung and it is fixed. now watching netflix via headphones with the kids sleeping...
Thanks, to do that I have to stop watching whatever is showing on my TV, navigate to settings>general >external device manager>Anynet+ and then toggle it off. When I finish, I have to go through the same process to enable the Sonos soundbar again.
To take out the HDMI cable takes one step, and a fraction of the time. It’s like DOS v GUI.
I’m not sure how everyone on this forum can get the message across to Sonos. Maybe there’s someone like Steve Jobs there, who could explain it better to the development team.
But you will ‘likely’ end up with having to then find your mobile device, open up the Sonos App, goto ”Settings/System/[Sonos HT Room]” and toggle off HDMI-CEC control to listen to the headphones and have to then toggle the setting back on afterwards. I don’t see the point.
Changing the setting on the TV (with the option that exists for it already) seems the better of the two IMHO.
The other alternative is to use the optical-out Port perhaps (if your TV supports dual audio-out) and connect that to a BT transmitter. I don’t personally see this as something Sonos need to fix, but it’s possibly something the TV manufacturer(s) needs to resolve with the HDM-CEC protocol standard.
Thanks, I have tried the optical output connected to a Bluetooth transmitter. Unfortunately the Sonos soundbar hijacks it away from the optical output too. No dual output.
I could connect the the TV to the soundbar using the optical cable, but then I’m not sure what would happen to the Atmos surround sound, i assume the remote control would still adjust the volume, but some other functions might be lost. Any thoughts on that?
My Setup: 2019 Samsung TV w/ smart remote + Sonos Beam + Sennheiser 185 wireless headphones
Problem: I can't quickly turn off the sound to my Sonos Beam so I can listen to the TV privately using wireless headphones so the rest of my family can sleep.
Methods Tried and Passed On:
I tried most of them... optical switch w/ remote, wireless on/off receptacle plug w/remote, Bluetooth transmitter, etc. I was able to get these various methods to work but they were too cumbersome, too many buttons, and/or took too much time.
BEST SOLUTION FOR MY SETUP
To Turn OFF Sonos Beam and Turn ON Wireless Headphones - Follow Two Steps:
Step One: Using your Samsung smart remote, press the microphone button** and say the following exactly: "Settings Any Net Plus". Say it slowly like a robot. Brief pause between "settings" and "any net plus". It will bring up the correct settings menu. Press select (that's the center round button inside the round navigation ring). Done. You have just turned off the HDMI ARC connection with the Sonos Beam.
Step Two: Using your Samsung smart remote, press the microphone button and say the following exactly like a slow robot: "Sound Select Optical". Immediately upon hearing the verbal command the Samsung TV will makes the switch for you. No button to push. You are done! Sound will now go only to your wireless headphones and sound to your TV speakers is turned off.
**Note: To use the Samsung's smart remote verbal commands button you can't be inside Netflix or Amazon Prime or similar apps. So before you do step one and step two above do this: press the home button on the remote (the button that has a house on it!) and then toggle to the left and select the app tile that looks like a white TV with light blue background. When in this app, you can give verbal commands with no problems. This is the fastest way to get out of an app that won't take verbal commands and into an app that allows for verbal commands.
To Turn Back ON the Sonos Beam - Only One Step:
Step One: Using your Samsung smart remote, press the microphone button and say the following exactly: "Settings Any Net Plus". Say it slowly like a robot. It will bring up the correct settings menu. Press select (that's the center round button inside the round navigation ring). Done. That's it. You have just turned on the HDMI ARC connection with the Sonos Beam. Sonos Beam is up and running automatically.
Commentary
With this method you don't have to buy any additional gadgets. For fun I timed how long this method takes. It takes less than 18 seconds to turn Sonos Beam off and your headphones on and less than 10 seconds to turn the Sonos Beam back on. Hopefully this will help those of you looking for a solution with a setup like mine. Headphone Auto Detect it is not. One button press solution it isn't either. That said, this is a fast and user friendly solution that I can do on a regular basis without having to hit my head against a wall and laugh at the irony of paying extra for an intuitive, user friendly tv/sound system that won't support how I use my TV. I have used this method for a few weeks now and I can report that I am happy enough and there is enough distance between my discovery of this lack of functionality and this workable solution that I can get back to enjoying my Sonos Beam purchase without giving it the evil eye and mumbling under my breath.
The fastest solution is to simply unplug the Beam and then select your BT headphones from the menu. Once done, plug the Beam back in, it’ll steal the audio from the headphones automatically.
How bad is the Sonos user experience if they couldn’t fix this simple issue in two years via a firmware update once they were notified?
In their attempt to “idiot-proof” device setups, they’ve willfully broken the ability for us to use another audio output on our TVs.
Please Sonos, just make it an option we can change. You can keep your dumb feature as default. Some of us with brains can handle it.
The fastest solution is to simply unplug the Beam and then select your BT headphones from the menu.
Actually the fastest solution is to mute the Beam and power on an optical-connected Bluetooth transmitter. Ideally one with a higher quality and lower latency than the BT codecs typically found in a TV.
Also, repeatedly power-cycling the Beam could reduce its lifespan.
LG OLED65C7P
Sonos Beam via HDMI-ARC port
Bose QC35 Headphones
The fastest solution is to simply unplug the Beam and then select your BT headphones from the menu.
Actually the fastest solution is to mute the Beam and power on an optical-connected Bluetooth transmitter. Ideally one with a higher quality and lower latency than the BT codecs typically found in a TV.
Also, repeatedly power-cycling the Beam could reduce its lifespan.
True, if you happen/want to own yet another device.
If unplugging/cutting electricity kills a Sonos product, then that’s what I’d call real product quality… Do you have it on 24/7/365 then?
Thanks again for your valued input though.
I'd be curious to know if the TV turns off all other audio outputs when the ARC connection is active. I might see if connecting a Bluetooth transceiver to the RCA/optical output of the TV will work without manually turning off the ARC connection. You really shouldn't have to do this, but it might be a workaround.
So, got my Beam recently and finally discovered this fun “feature” which led me here.
My setup is a Beam plus Samsung KS8000 (2017 model)
Even Samsung’s “Multi-output audio” accessibility feature is overridden by this damn thing. Connecting an optical to BT transmitter is the only way to go. Fortunately in my case, I already own one of these… but I understand the frustration of being told to go buy something else.
For those that want to solve the issue this way, I recommend this one. It has APTX low latency support and also allows two pairs of headphones at the same time, should you ever want that.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QV77YIC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Can you please advise what functionality we will lose by using the optical adapter? It seems like the way I’ll need to go for now.
+26
If your remote has the option to output IR, you can set it up in the Beam's settings > Room Settings which would work for remote control. The only functions you should lose with the optical are the CEC ones, being able to issue commands to the TV from the Beam.
+21
Same problem as everyone and very annoying - come on Sonos - sort a fix out please!
Just discovered this, what a nightmare. Please just make it optional as a minimum.
Really disappointed
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