Automatic Switching to Sonos AMP (External Speakers) using ARC

  • 14 February 2024
  • 4 replies
  • 128 views
C
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My Sony TV (77" A80CK series) is connected to an Amp via ARC, which works fine. It uses the on-screen External Speakers control for sound.

When I set the audio output on "TV Speakers," it starts playing through the TV Speakers, but then a few seconds later it says "switching audio to external speakers" and it plays the audio only through the External Speaker, which is my Sonos Amp. The Amp doesn’t seem to relinquish control back to the TV. 

I’ll say that for a few months it worked just fine. Seemed to stop working after a Sonos autoupdate - I since switched off auto updates and now only manually update Sonos.

I’m going to setup an old receiver here instead of the AMP to test it. Has anyone tried this? I doubt this is an issue with a normal amplifier but I’ll find out. My current workaround is to unplug the HDMI cord to the AMP, but I’ll likely need to add an HDMI splitter.

 

We need a discussion on this and Sonos needs to confirm what they can do to fix. This is a issue that others have repeatedly posted about (see below links) and it is not limited to Sony TVs. When I posted a support question to Sonos they pinned it on Sony. When I reached out to Sony, they said it was Sonos. If it’s a communication (CEC issue) then Sonos should work that out with the manufacturers.

 

Simlar posts here:

(Samsung) 

(Sony) 

(Sony)

(Sonos and LG -- a splitter eliminates the Sonos connection as a fix)

(Samsung)

(LG) Workaround:  Pull power cord off the Arc SL and then switch sound output on TV

 

4 replies

G
Userlevel 7

Have you tried disabling Bravia Sync before switching to the TV speakers?

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
Airgetlam

This isn’t really something for Sonos to fix. It’s a ‘feature’ of CEC, the standard for HDMI-ARC, which only allows a single audio sink at a time. As @GuitarSuperstar suggests, turning off HDMI-CEC should resolve the issue. 

I don’t recall who is on the board that controls HDMI-CEC, I’d imagine that you’d have to find the Wikipedia article, and click through several links to find out, but it isn’t a change that would likely be easily done, as much as I think it is necessary for the next version approved and implemented of HDMI-CEC…which means that TV manufacturers will need to update the computer that controls CEC. I don’t know if that would require new hardware to run the update, or not. 

Sonos is merely a recipient of the ARC connection from the TV set. It’s the TV that controls any audio sinks that are involved. Some manufacturers (most? Not something I’m sure about) have separated the optical output from the CEC system, since it is not electrical. It makes it an ideal signal to connect additional audio devices to, where possible, and then not have to turn off CEC. 

Bruce
106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

Since this feauture/complaint has been around for a long time I doubt this should ever have worked for you. Sonos seems to feel the system is meant to do this (alway revert to the best sound) and I can see their reasoning. The solution is to turn Bravia Sync off temporarily.

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I’ll try turning off Bravia Sync and report back, but in all honesty this is a clumsy approach that I consider a workaround. Going into the settings (and multiple sub menus) is something most users will not be able to do. 

The use case I’m looking for seems to be what the TV manufacturers have supported, which is to utilize the on-screen controls to switch (at-will) between internal and external speakers. My blouetooth device is also here so that I can easily switch to earpods. I don’t always want to broadcast my TV to my ceiling speakers (especially at night). In all honsety it worked for some time where I would switch using the on-screen control and I would broadcast sports games on connected sonos devices and go back to TV when needed. 

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