Bravia Sync failure with tv and soundbar

[bmeaden]

Hi - I have a KDL 43W805C and a cambridge TVB2 soundbar. I was away for a couple of weeks on holiday and on my return I'm now not getting any sound through the soundbar. I've tried a factory reset, and checked all of the settings. The soundbar doesn't appear on the Bravia Sync device list - in fact none of my inputs come up on the search list (I have sky, sony DB player, and sound bar connected). Software update check is saying it's up to date. 

Any suggestions to the issue? Has there been a software update in the last couple of weeks which has automatically updated and now I've lost connection??

[Peter_S.]

Hi,

Can you please disconnect all devices and perform a second factory reset of the TV?

Then please turn on the TV first and connect one device after the other.

If they're still not recognized please contact service as there might be a technical issue with the inputs.

Cheers

Peter

[bmeaden]

Thanks Peter, I’ve tried this and it only worked for recognising the Sky box. It didn’t recognise the Sony bd player on hdmi2 and as soon as I added in the soundbar on hdmi4 the sky box dropped off. I’ve disconnected the SB and re-searched and the sky box now shows as Playback_3.

Doni need to try and get some support direct from Sony? Is their service any good?

[Peter_S.]

Hi,

Hmm, that sounds a little like a defective soundbar.

Yes, I would suggest to contact a repair service.

Cheers
Peter

[royabrown2]

@bmeaden 

This soundbar has three HDMI inputs. If you plug an HDMI source device in any of these, preferably a device that you know gives audio when connected to the TV with the soundbar disconnected, do you get sound?

This is a simpler basic test of whether the soundbar can still emit sound at all, rather than trying to debug an apparent lack of ARC from the TV, which could be either of the two devices, or the ARC or CEC configuration between them, or what-have-you.

[bmeaden]

Thank you, some very helpful suggestions there. I've just tried plugging an optical cable from sky into the bar and it works fine. Same using a HDMI connection from laptop. I've also connected my laptop to the HDMI4/ARC tv port, and that worked fine. So does this mean that a setting has changed on my TV with a possible auto update?? Or an issue with the HDMI/ARC port on the bar? Which is the more likely? Cambridge don't make the soundbar anymore, and I'm not getting much response from them.

I have;

speakers set to 'audio system'

digital audio output is set to 'PCM'

audio system prioritisation set to 'on'

I've noticed that headphone/audio out is set to 'headphones' (options are headphone/audio out fixed/audio out variable/subwoofer) - should that be set to something else? 

Is it a setting that needs to be changed, or an issue with the ARC port on the bar? Any help or suggestions most welcome!

[royabrown2]

@bmeaden 

Try disconnecting the soundbar. Does your TV output any sound? Does that audio system setting change to TV speakers, or some equivalent name?

Because on this TV I have in front of me (admittedly a Samsung and not a Sony), it runs its speakers, and when I connect my soundbar it then autoswitches the sound, ARC comes up on the soundbar display, and the sound then comes from the soundbar.

Though if I use an HDMI coupler, which doesn’t support ARC, the soundbar says TV, not ARC, but the sound from the TV stops, and doesn’t play anywhere.

Cambridge Audio say this:-

PCM or stereo (I think you said you have it set to PCM above, so that’s OK).

HDMI Troubleshooting Tips
No Audio is produced by the TVB2
 Please make sure the HDMI cable you are using is connected to the HDMI out (ARC) on your TVB2 and HDMI socket labelled ARC on your TV.
 Make sure you have HDMI ARC selected on the TVB2 by pressing the ARC button on the remote.
 Please ensure any additional advance settings on your TV have been applied to enable HDMI ARC playback.

Have you addressed item 2 there?

Apropos of your laptop, does ‘worked fine’ mean that you could play broadcast TV, and your laptop, which supports ARC, would play the sound?

As this is what we have not working here, not video up that cable, which I would expect the TVB2 To be able to do, while playing the audio itself, from (say) a BluRay player connected to the DVB2.

[bmeaden]

Yes, when set to 'tv speakers' content is played through the television's speakers. To be honest, I can't remember how I had the cambridge set up previously as it's been in situ for 4 years, and whether I had to change any tv settings etc. I'm not sure if I had it paired in the Bravia sync setting. However, previously I would turn the tv on, and the soundbar would power up at the same time. Now I have to use the cambridge remote to power up (I assume because it's not detecting sound). So I'm now trying to to discover if the issue lies with the soundbar or a tv setting. 

Unfortunately cambridge aren't very responsive, which is a shame as when I previously had an issue they sent a replacement out immediately, but I think due to COVID and the fact they don't make soundbars anymore, 

[rooobb]

My guess is that the skybox defective hdmicec is the problem here... try disconnecting it and see if it fixes. In this case buy a cecless hdmi cable for the skybox

[Win_88]

+1

My guess is that the skybox defective hdmicec is the problem here... try disconnecting it and see if it fixes. In this case buy a cecless hdmi cable for the skybox