Issue with TV ARC connection on two Samsung TV's and soundbars

[corneileous]

Hello everybody, new to the forum. Just have an issue with the TV arc connection on both my Samsung MU8000 and my Samsung QLED65 TVs with their Samsung soundbars. I can't remember the model number on the Samsung soundbar that's connected to the 50 or 55 inch MU8000 but its pretty much the same as the soundbar connected to the 65" QLED which is the HW-M550 if that helps.

This has actually happened quite a few times where all the sudden I’ll go to turn the TV on and the sound bar will go from displaying "TV ARC" to “D.IN” and so far, the only way to fix that is to unplug the TVs and the sound bars from the power outlet and reconnect them. Can anybody tell me why this happens at random and what to do about it? Thanks.

 

[Trebdp83]

Hello and welcome. Make sure Anynet+ is enabled in both TVs. Here are some instructions for the HW-M550 that may be helpful to you.

 

[corneileous]

Thank for that and the welcome. I do have that Anynet enabled but sometimes at random, and it may not happen for a long time but sometimes it just loses the TV ARC connection for some reason and I’ve never been able to figure out why.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Trebdp83]

You are not alone. Anynet + and ARC are buggy. An optical connection is far more reliable than ARC because ARC is reliant on HDMI-CEC(Anynet+) and has been a mess for a decade. If you have them, try optical cable connections. You might try the Bluetooth connection as well and see how you like it.

 

[corneileous]

Dang. What’s the best connection for the best sound, anyways? All I have for components is just Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime being streamed on the TV itself and then a non-4K PS4, a Samsung UHD Blu-ray and a Amazon fire stick 4K.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Trebdp83]

You wouldn’t hear a difference with the optical connection and it would be stable. You can adjust sound output settings within each TV. You want dolby digital over PCM as PCM comes over at lower volume. You may have DTS Neo 2.5 option with the MU TV as well.

 

[corneileous]

Right now I’m just using the PCM on the input and that DTS Neo 2:5. I’ll give the optical cable another try and really the only reason I’m using the HDMI Arc is because Samsung’s tech always says that’s the best connection.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Trebdp83]

Connected to a receiver with dolby atmos and an atmos speaker setup, ARC would be preferable so as to get atmos metadata from dolby digital plus streams but is not crucial when connected to soundbars.

 

[corneileous]

Connected to a receiver with dolby atmos and an atmos speaker setup, ARC would be preferable so as to get atmos metadata from dolby digital plus streams but is not crucial when connected to soundbars.

Hmm…. I’ve never heard it explained that way but I’m curious….. what’s the difference in quality between the Bluetooth connection and the optical connection? It’s been awhile since I used the fiber optic cable but I really wanna say the last time I used it, I lost the ability to power on and off, and control the volume of the soundbar with the TV’s remote…. I may be making that up but I knew there was something undesirable with that optical connection.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Trebdp83]

Yes, there are trade offs when using optical. It's stable but ARC with HDMI Control allows for source changes, audio volume and power control for all compatible devices. It would be the perfect solution all of the time if not so buggy. Bluetooth has bandwidth limitations to optical and ARC. But, you may not notice a change in the quality of audio using a particular soundbar with a particular TV. Sometimes, when ARC acts up, you can sort it out by going into the TV Smart Hub and selecting the SOUND tile and switch sound output from ARC(Receiver or Soundbar) to TV Speaker, then Optical and then back to ARC and it can do what it is supposed to do again. This is easier than pulling the plug but sometimes you just gotta' pull that plug. I've done it with my Samsung TV more times than I can count.

 

[Trebdp83]

If you like experiments, you can try something. ANYNET+ works over other HDMI inputs though ARC only works via ARC labeled inputs. I use HDMI-CEC with my devices but noticed that when combining it with ARC, things got messy with this TV. So, I connected the receiver to another HDMI input on the TV and also ran an optical cable to it. I still have control of devices via ANYNET+ using the TV remote control and have a more stable audio output connection with optical for Smart TV apps. Audio codecs on Samsung Smart apps are all over the place and I use the DTS Neo 2.5 selection and it sends a 5.1 signal out no matter the audio codec of the source and I set the receiver to DTS Virtual:X. Not sure how this scenario would work with your TVs and soundbars but you could try it and see if you retain control via ANYNET+ while using optical for audio. You may need to keep to ARC labeled HDMI inputs in your case but you should be able to switch to optical from the TV settings and still retain HDMI control. Good luck with it all.

 

[corneileous]

If you like experiments, you can try something. ANYNET+ works over other HDMI inputs though ARC only works via ARC labeled inputs. I use HDMI-CEC with my devices but noticed that when combining it with ARC, things got messy with this TV. So, I connected the receiver to another HDMI input on the TV and also ran an optical cable to it. I still have control of devices via ANYNET+ using the TV remote control and have a more stable audio output connection with optical for Smart TV apps. Audio codecs on Samsung Smart apps are all over the place and I use the DTS Neo 2.5 selection and it sends a 5.1 signal out no matter the audio codec of the source and I set the receiver to DTS Virtual:X. Not sure how this scenario would work with your TVs and soundbars but you could try it and see if you retain control via ANYNET+ while using optical for audio. You may need to keep to ARC labeled HDMI inputs in your case but you should be able to switch to optical from the TV settings and still retain HDMI control. Good luck with it all.

Whoah, lotta information there….lol.

I just have a soundbar, no other receiver. Everything I mentioned earlier is just connected to the TV HDMI inputs with that one HDMI cable for the soundbar in the ARC input.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[corneileous]

Well, I tried an optical cable and everything works, even still have my ability to control the soundbar volume with the tv remote. Unsure if I can turn the bar on and off with the remote as I haven’t tried that yet but I’m assuming if I can control the volume, the power function should be the same but currently I’m still using the PCM on the input and that DTS neo 2:5 on the output. Is that about the best one to use?

Thanks for your help btw…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[snakeeyes]

I think my Samsung KS8000 has audio format DTS Neo 2:5 It’s not called Neo 2.5

Has Audio Formats: PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS, and DTS Neo 2:5

 

[Trebdp83]

Yeah, I always forget if it's 2:5 or 2.5.

 

[corneileous]

New question….

My other tv is a UN55MU8000F with a HW-KM45C. Both Samsung. The issues with the “TV ARC” connection is worse on this combo so but unlike with my 65” QLED and soundbar we were talking about before, it seems as though the only way to control the soundbar with the tv remote is to have the ARC connection active with the HDMI cable and when I use the optical cable, there is no control over the soundbar from the tv remote. Is there a way to change that or am I forced to use the TV ARC or the TV connect which is basically the Samsung to Samsung Bluetooth connection? That way works, but only for the volume control.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Trebdp83]

Full functionality of TV SoundConnect may not be available with some TVs. See if this helps at all.

 

[BMXTRIX]

...in this weeks episode of Why ARC Sucks we have @corneileous ....

ARC is buggy. It has been buggy, it will remain buggy. eARC is supposed to be a bit better. Maybe. The best solution for those with ARC issues is to use optical.

 

[lovinthehd]

Using just one remote really depends on the remote to an extent, too. My avr remotes generally can do at least the tv but its kinda hit or miss on the codes. Personally I found universal remotes better than using ARC or an avr remote, tho Harmony line has been discontinued unfortunately.

 

[corneileous]

Full functionality of TV SoundConnect may not be available with some TVs. See if this helps at all.View attachment 48933

Turning the Bluetooth power on solved the issue. Just have to use the tv sound connect from now own.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk