Connecting Sony KD-55XD8505 to Bluesound Node over HDMI ARC doesn't work

[bbrks011]

Hi all,

Not sure I am at the right board, but anyway I need to try

So, I have as above KD-55XD8505 and Bluesound Node and I want to connect my TV with the Node over HDMI ARC connection in order to get the sound from the TV through my HIFI system.

It shouldn't be a big deal, but it looks like I am missing something on the settings of the TV.

I have managed to get the sound through my HIFI system only once, but as soon as I turn off the TV this connection is lost. As if the TV did not save the settings.

Obviously there has to be a discussion about the proper settings on the TV, but first I would like to know is there anyone out there who has a similar setup, so that we can talk about it

Thank you in advance,

Regards,

Brks

[bbrks011]

Hi, sorry I obviously misunderstood what is happening on this forum. My bad.

Anyway software version is: PKG5.417.0177EUB

Thanks

[HannahEd01]

@ bbrks011,  it's outdated, try updating, the steps are here: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/lcd-tvs-android-xd85xx_x85xxd-series/kd-55xd8505/software...

[bbrks011]

OK thank you. Updated over USB and now TV is on the last possible software version.

Unfortunately problem is still there.

When I connect Bluesound node over HDMI ARC with the TV, speaker setting turn to Audio system and thats it. Result is no sound what so ever.

If I put the speakers setting back to TV speakers and reboot Bluesound Node, connect it again with the TV over HDMI ARC, sound is there but only from TV programs. If I try to get the sound when watching Netflix or HBO MAX, sound is gone.

I have no other option left to try.

[HannahEd01]

@ bbrks011, do you have the luxury to try another sound system?

[bbrks011]

Hi,

Nope, sorry, but I can assure you HIFI system is perfectly fine as it is just suppose to receive a signal from the Bluesound  Node. The problem is between my Sony TV -> Bluesound Node.

I just can't figure it out.

[EUSupport_EN]

Hey @bbrks011, I'd actually recommend performing a factory data reset since you've done all the available workarounds. You can find the reset steps here. Keep us updated with the outcome.

[DrMopp]

bbrks011 - I realise this is an old post, but did you resolve your issue? I have a similar setup with a KD-43XE8005 and a Bluesound Powernode connected via HDMI (ARC).  Audio output is set to PCM and the PCM volume at maximum. Everything working fine until I turn off the TV, but when I turn it on again the TV is silent!

[royabrown2]

@DrMopp 

I couldn’t contribute anything earlier, but I have recently bought a Node.

I haven’t hooked it up to a TV; perhaps I will try this with our 2015 Samsung JS9000, once our guests depart tomorrow.

An immediate few thoughts are first that PCM, which is held down to stereo, is a waste of what the Node can do, so I would be using bitstream. Even if the Node is only feeding a stereo amp.

And second, that the volume should be ordinarily controlled by the TV remote, so ‘setting PCM to maximum’ should be ear-splitting. So either that setting isn’t relevant to HDMI, or you are actually using optical. Or something….

Third, apropos of the earlier posters’ issues, is that the Node does eARC, and with an eARC TV, they would need to ensure they were using an ‘HDMI with Ethernet’ lead, as eARC uses the ‘Ethernet’ strand.

This won’t apply to your 55XD8505 though, or my Sammy, as both are just plain ARC.

I’ll post again when I have tried ARC on the Node.

[royabrown2]

@DrMopp 

OK, success, of a sort.

Hooked the TV to the Node, HDMI4 (ARC) from the TV’s One Connect box to the HDMI (eARC) In on the Node, chose the HDMI input on the Node (it didn’t auto select it, though the TV sound stopped the second the HDMI connection to the Node was made*), and out came the TV sound from the amp the Node is connected to (the amp input was already set for the Node).

So here’s the Sound menu/Additional Settings display from the Sammy (everything else on the main Sound menu is greyed out, apart from the Speaker List setting, where Receiver(HDMI) was automatically selected when the HDMI cable was plugged into Node, as above:-

It turns out that HDMI Audio Format can be PCM or Bitstream, and on both the audio comes from the Node.

BUT Audio Format can only be PCM; if I choose Dolby Digital or DTS Neo 2.5, everything goes silent**.

Going back to PCM, I can play Netflix just fine, quite as well as the broadcast TV I started testing with.

I can also put the TV into standby, and when I take it out again, the audio goes back to being sent over the ARC to the Node.

I don’t know how the audio settings on your TV map onto mine, but the above Audio Format observations may explain your difficulties here; have a play and see if that is perhaps it.

A couple of observations about the Node:-

* I don’t think the Node should grab the ARC output from the TV, causing the TV speakers to mute, unless/until the Node HDMI input is selected. Otherwise, you are doomed to only get the TV output from the Node, and never from the TV again, unless you disconnect the HDMI cable, power the Node off, or manually select the internal speakers again in the TV’s Sound menu.

I consider this a defect of the Node.

** I don’t know if not handling Dolby Digital or DTS Neo 2.5 is the expected behaviour of the Node, but again, if it can’t handle these, it should yield control back to the TV, not go silent.

*** These things might possibly be a defect of the TV (though I don’t think so), but I don’t have another TV to try here. I do have a spare soundbar, though, so I may hook that up to see if it has the same issues as I ascribe to the Node, or not.

[royabrown2]

@DrMopp 

I just found out from the Help option on the Sammy that Audio Format is a setting for the Optical Out, and so shouldn’t affect the HDMI Out at all.

So I suddenly have no idea why changing that setting should silence the ARC 😢