Skip to main content
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.
Corry P
Corry PAnswer
Sonos Staff
November 22, 2022

Hi @User29410

Thanks for your post!

I’m afraid you have run into the reason why we do not support grouping of TV audio to other rooms - although it may work, it is heavily dependent on your network conditions.

When grouping for music playback, the speakers can delay playback as much as they want to and they’ll create a data buffer to minimise likelihood of a data underflow, then co-ordinate playing particular “frames” of music at agreed-upon times. All this helps keep playback in sync across rooms and drop-out free.

When you group for TV playback, however, the Beam cannot delay playback as that would result in lip-sync issues with the TV’s picture. The audio data can still be sent across the network, but it can no longer be pre-buffered as much. All grouped-in speakers can do is play as soon as they get the data.

To address the drop-outs, you can try increasing the Group Audio Delay setting (Settings » System » [room with Beam] » Group Audio Delay). Note that increasing this setting will put your Play:1 increasingly out of sync with the Beam, but if you can’t hear both at the same time, this won’t really be a problem.

You can also ensure that both units and your router are free from interference from external sources - they will all like to have at least 1m space between themselves and any other WiFi devices - for which, our Reducing wireless interference help page should assist.

I hope this helps.

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

3 replies

Corry P
Corry PAnswer
Sonos Staff
November 22, 2022

Hi @User29410

Thanks for your post!

I’m afraid you have run into the reason why we do not support grouping of TV audio to other rooms - although it may work, it is heavily dependent on your network conditions.

When grouping for music playback, the speakers can delay playback as much as they want to and they’ll create a data buffer to minimise likelihood of a data underflow, then co-ordinate playing particular “frames” of music at agreed-upon times. All this helps keep playback in sync across rooms and drop-out free.

When you group for TV playback, however, the Beam cannot delay playback as that would result in lip-sync issues with the TV’s picture. The audio data can still be sent across the network, but it can no longer be pre-buffered as much. All grouped-in speakers can do is play as soon as they get the data.

To address the drop-outs, you can try increasing the Group Audio Delay setting (Settings » System » [room with Beam] » Group Audio Delay). Note that increasing this setting will put your Play:1 increasingly out of sync with the Beam, but if you can’t hear both at the same time, this won’t really be a problem.

You can also ensure that both units and your router are free from interference from external sources - they will all like to have at least 1m space between themselves and any other WiFi devices - for which, our Reducing wireless interference help page should assist.

I hope this helps.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
User29410Author
Contributor II
November 22, 2022

Thanks, a little disappointing but understandable given the reasons. Thanks again for the explanation! Now back to some tunes! 

Corry P
Sonos Staff
November 22, 2022

Hi @User29410 

Also worth mentioning is that if you can connect either or both units via ethernet instead of WiFi, that will likely decrease the drop-outs and may allow you to decrease the delay if it’s not at the minimum, but the underlying reasons for both still remain.

You are very welcome!

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