I’ve had a Sonos Beam for several years, hooked up to a system to allow me to play output from my computer. This required a bit of tinkering to get right! I had to:Buy a device that converts USB → SPDIF Get a SPDIF → HDMI converter Connect all that up so that I had USB → SPDIF → HDMI → HDMI into the BeamSince getting that sorted it has worked great! Until yesterday, when suddenly I could no longer get any audio through this setup :(. In all other respects the Beam works fine - I can connect to it through the app and play audio that way, and it correctly makes noises when I press the buttons.Things I’ve tried to fix the problem:Unplug and replug all of the various connections Reboot computer Reboot Beam Fiddle around with the audio output settings from my computer (as far as I can tell they are all fine) Rotate the HDMI-HDMI cableI’m pretty sure that everything is fine as far as the USB->SPDIF converter, because you don’t have an optical cable plugged in you can see the red light that the converter sends down the the SPDIF out. And nothing has happened recently that would explain why the rest of the cabling has stopped working. So I was wondering if perhaps there has been a firmware update of some kind for the Beam that might have broken this.Anyone have any ideas what the cause might be, and what I could try to fix it?

Contributor I

Answered

Sonos Beam Optical input no longer working

58 replies
4893 views

I’ve had a Sonos Beam for several years, hooked up to a system to allow me to play output from my computer. This required a bit of tinkering to get right! I had to:

Buy a device that converts USB → SPDIF
Get a SPDIF → HDMI converter
Connect all that up so that I had USB → SPDIF → HDMI → HDMI into the Beam

Since getting that sorted it has worked great! Until yesterday, when suddenly I could no longer get any audio through this setup :(. In all other respects the Beam works fine - I can connect to it through the app and play audio that way, and it correctly makes noises when I press the buttons.

Things I’ve tried to fix the problem:

Unplug and replug all of the various connections
Reboot computer
Reboot Beam
Fiddle around with the audio output settings from my computer (as far as I can tell they are all fine)
Rotate the HDMI-HDMI cable

I’m pretty sure that everything is fine as far as the USB->SPDIF converter, because you don’t have an optical cable plugged in you can see the red light that the converter sends down the the SPDIF out. And nothing has happened recently that would explain why the rest of the cabling has stopped working. So I was wondering if perhaps there has been a firmware update of some kind for the Beam that might have broken this.

Anyone have any ideas what the cause might be, and what I could try to fix it?

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Corry PAnswer

Sonos Staff

Hi @BoredTrevor et al

In case anyone has not tried this functionality in a while, all Sonos products should now be able to play from an optical input.

If you are still having this problem, please ensure your Sonos system is up to date: Settings icon » Manage » System Updates » Check for Updates

I hope this helps.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

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ManuelH80

Lyricist I

Same here, feeding a playbar using optical from a usb pc sound adapter does niot work anymore since the epic fail update.

This update must be a cybercrime attack against sonos. No company in the world would harm themselve like this.

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Margot82

Contributor I

Same here too :( After the last update my optical connection with my video projector doesn’t work any more. The assistance says that the problem didn’t came from the update, but everything works fine until now. Very disappointed about the support and the fact we can not downgrade to solve a bug they made.

A

AudioRandy

Lyricist I

Optical to HDMI converter is also not working for Sonos Amp. I tried with multiple TVs, multiple Amps, and multiple HDMI cables.

C

ChrisAyoJar

Lyricist I

Thanks for this guys. I feel validated. I’ve spent the last ten days trying to figure out why turntable doesn’t play through my playbar any more. My set up involved a small DAC from the phono pre amp into the optical input on my playbar. I’ve used this set up for the last 4 years flawlessly then 2 weeks ago it stopped working. I’ve tried three different optical cables and three new DACs. I’ve swapped out the record player with another to make sure there’s not a problem with the rca outs. When hooked up to the my analog set up in a different room it’s fine. I thought i was crazy until I read this thread today. It has to be an internal Sonos update issue. I’ll wait another week or two then will have to find another manufacturer. We’ll see.

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Rhodie114

Lyricist III

Having a very similar problem with my Sonos Ray.

Does anybody know of any way to roll it back to a previous software version. As far as I’m concerned, the past few years of working audio I’ve gotten out of my Ray are evidence that optical connection to a DAC is a solved issue. The current software is just too much of a trashfire to include the solution.

I have no interest at all in using the current app. I’d much rather revert my Ray back to a state that functions with my PC, even if it means turning it into a dumb speaker until Sonos fires the managers they need to fire and rights the ship.

A

AndyHiggins

Lyricist I

Same issue. My system worked fantastic for 7yrs smashing out the sound for my projector. Had to do the latest update and instantly the sound stopped. (Optical link, audio out from projector to Playbar)

Spent hours resetting the whole system, still nothing

Not a thing wrong with the hardware because it can stream music but that’s not what I use it for.

Please Sonos, fix this bug, and no, I’m not prepared to wait 185 minutes in your HELPLINE queue as advised today

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Unidreas

Lyricist III

Was on the phone for over 45 minutes today. Same problem here. The toslink adapter that came with the Beam 2 is not working after the update. She said she never heard of SPDIF and the whole convo was literally a struggle. It worked for years and now the beam only works with eARC - which actually could lead to lawsuits if we are loud enough. Most of the products were sold with functions now removed by software. Its like they are eighter pushing half of their customers to buy the new Sonos Port or just want less customers. I’ve never felt more fucked over by a company in years.

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Rhonny

Prodigy III

Was on the phone for over 45 minutes today. Same problem here. The toslink adapter that came with the Beam 2 is not working after the update. She said she never heard of SPDIF and the whole convo was literally a struggle. It worked for years and now the beam only works with eARC - which actually could lead to lawsuits if we are loud enough. Most of the products were sold with functions now removed by software. Is like they are eighter pushing half of their customers to buy the new Sonos Port or just want less customers. I’ve never felt more fucked over by a company in years.

Have you updated to the latest app version from yesterday, and have you also then run the latest firmware update for all your speakers, also from yesterday?

U

Unidreas

Lyricist III

Was on the phone for over 45 minutes today. Same problem here. The toslink adapter that came with the Beam 2 is not working after the update. She said she never heard of SPDIF and the whole convo was literally a struggle. It worked for years and now the beam only works with eARC - which actually could lead to lawsuits if we are loud enough. Most of the products were sold with functions now removed by software. Is like they are eighter pushing half of their customers to buy the new Sonos Port or just want less customers. I’ve never felt more fucked over by a company in years.

Have you updated to the latest app version from yesterday, and have you also then run the latest firmware update for all your speakers, also from yesterday?

Yes. Still no sound with the adapter / toslink. They removed the support. A friend from work (we sell Sonos at our shop) told me they removed support because the toslink adapter «were never intended to work with spdif». So it’s over. Time to look for other sound systems guys.

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Meyers1601

Lyricist III

EASY FIX !!!!!

https://a.co/d/9RG0ZCA

add this to your computer out and your all set. works PERFECT !!

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