Trending Lyricist I

Please recommend me a solution to this problem

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Hi all,

New owner of Sonos Beam Gen 2 and loving it. However I have a small problem and would like suggestions on the best way to solve it.

I have a Media Player connected via HDMI to my Sony X90J TV and the Sonos via the eARC Port. And, all works just fine.

My problem is that selecting eARC for an output on the TV negates the digial (toslink) output on the TV meaning I now have no where to connect my headphones.

So what is the solution, without costing an arm and a leg. Looked at the Orei HDA-912 but that does not output via the digital or analog outputs with passthrough selected. HDA-927 looks like it might be OK so I don’t have to enable eARC on the TV. But the equivalent FeinTech VAX01202 suggests it does not work with Sonos.

Any other solutions greatly appreciated.

TIA

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buzz

Grand Maestro

The Blaster is convenient for components behind closed doors, but I thought that the handheld could directly emit IR.

gregeehAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

but I thought that the handheld could directly emit IR.

I don’t think the Harmony Elite emits IR. Do don’t have to point it at devices it just transmits wireless to the Harmony Hub and the Hub and its Blasters transmit IR.

buzz

Grand Maestro

I came across an Elite overview claiming that the handheld can emit IR. I have no idea how easy or hard this might be. It’s possible that it is an either/or -- hub/direct IR output. Hopefully, it is on a device basis and you can indicate that BEAM is a direct IR client.

Ken_Griffiths

but I thought that the handheld could directly emit IR.

I don’t think the Harmony Elite emits IR. Do don’t have to point it at devices it just transmits wireless to the Harmony Hub and the Hub and its Blasters transmit IR.

It seems a lot of trouble, just to use headphones. Most people just switch ‘off’ CEC on their TV settings to listen to their headphones and switch it ‘on’ again when choosing to use the connected soundbar.

If you are using a Harmony Hub, or their Elite remote, (see attached) you maybe able to add the TV as a device in the Harmony App (if you’ve not done that already) and simply create an ‘Activity’ to switch CEC ‘on’ & ‘off’ at a press of a button on your Elite remote. Even if you have to create the activity yourself to run a step-by-step macro to do it. Otherwise it should be easy to switch off Bravia link anyway in a couple of clicks or so.

I don’t use personally use Sony, but some TV’s do have the option to switch off CEC using the TV remote so see if that option is perhaps available for your TV model. See what the user manual or Sony Support can suggest to assist.. at least that way you get to keep all the features that come with having HDMI-ARC/eARC.

gregeehAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

but I thought that the handheld could directly emit IR.

I don’t think the Harmony Elite emits IR. Do don’t have to point it at devices it just transmits wireless to the Harmony Hub and the Hub and its Blasters transmit IR.

It seems a lot of trouble, just to use headphones. Most people just switch ‘off’ CEC on their TV settings to listen to their headphones and switch it ‘on’ again when choosing to use the connected soundbar.

Thank you for your reply.

If only it was this easy! The Sony TV does not allow turning OFF CEC once an eARC device is found. That option is greyed out, which is a real shame as your suggestions would have worked and easily solved my problem.

Ken_Griffiths

Thank you for your reply.

If only it was this easy! The Sony TV does not allow turning OFF CEC once an eARC device is found. That option is greyed out, which is a real shame as your suggestions would have worked and easily solved my problem.

I would perhaps double-check that with Sony.

See this link below and the attached image.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00161073

gregeehAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

I would perhaps double-check that with Sony.
See this link below and the attached image.

Here is what I get on the TV. Bravia Sync Control is greyed out.

106rallye

And if you turn eARC off first (just using ARC)?

gregeehAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

And if you turn eARC off first (just using ARC)?

If I change eARC from Auto to OFF Bravia Sync Control is still greyed out.

Ken_Griffiths

And if you turn eARC off first (just using ARC)?

If I change eARC from Auto to OFF Bravia Sync Control is still greyed out.

It will be the first TV that I have ever come across, where it’s not possible to disable CEC control and the connected Soundbar via the TV settings in order to allow the TV to use the headphone output.

I really suspect you still need to ask Sony Support the question about this, just in case.

I have both a Samsung TV & LG TV with Beam and Arc respectively…and both allow their CEC … (called Simplink on LG and AnyNet+ on Samsung) … to be switched off and I’m sure an old Sony TV I had a long time ago, allowed Bravia-Sync to be switched from ‘Auto’ to ‘OFF’ - It would be a big step backwards for Sony not to allow this option for their customers. A lot of users want to use CEC to control devices and use headphones with their TV’s.

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