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BoredTrevor
Contributor I
May 16, 2024
Answered

Sonos Beam Optical input no longer working

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 P
    Corry PAnswer
    Sonos Staff
    October 14, 2024

    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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    58 replies

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    Woodrock
    Contributor I
    June 25, 2024

    Great news,

    I will give mine a try tomorrow 

    cheers

    Woodrock
    Contributor I
    June 26, 2024

    Great news,

    I will give mine a try tomorrow 

    cheers

    And just like that it is now working the way it has been for over 12 months with the optical converter 

    thank you Sonos 😊

    EthanCow
    Lyricist I
    July 3, 2024

    The converter I added the link for will 100% work as it has PCM output.  Same as a TV.  

    I still just can’t get mine to work 😓. I bought the exact piece off amazon you linked, have the adapter powered with it connected with my line out port. Going the other way, the adapter is digital audio out to HDMI converter to HDMI to Beam. 

     

    I have a “Realtek USB Audio” output show up when I do this, but nothing plays out of it. Any suggestions?

    EthanCow
    Lyricist I
    July 3, 2024

    The converter I added the link for will 100% work as it has PCM output.  Same as a TV.  

    I still just can’t get mine to work 😓. I bought the exact piece off amazon you linked, have the adapter powered with it connected with my line out port. Going the other way, the adapter is digital audio out to HDMI converter to HDMI to Beam. 

     

    I have a “Realtek USB Audio” output show up when I do this, but nothing plays out of it. Any suggestions?

    Just kidding! Reset the Beam in the app, and setup with optical output! :D

      robenheimer
      Lyricist III
      July 23, 2024

      yeah, the SPDIF input on all Sonos products is complete and utter garbage since whatever update they pushed a couple of months ago. I had zero problems whatsoever setting up multiple devices using optical audio.  then one day they all started acting up, coincidentally coinciding with the last major "feature" update.  holy wow the new version of the app is trash.

       

      finally got it working? don't f***ing touch it, ever.  the best advice I can offer is to recall your youth, trying to get an NES cartridge to work - you just gotta unplug and plug it until the stupid device decides to recognize the input.  

       

       

      MOD NOTE: POST EDITED TO MEET COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

      h474n0
      Lyricist III
      July 24, 2024

      For real,  I've stopped automatic updates for the speakers as I've managed to get them back to how they were for me "pre- update,  pre-app fiasco"

      Not going to let them update until I'm forced to. 

      Jswestha
      Lyricist III
      August 11, 2024

      I’m still having this exact issue with my Playbar. Just started 2 days ago. Anybody have any solves for this?

      Corry P
      Corry PAnswer
      Sonos Staff
      October 14, 2024

      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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