topic Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup in Android TV

Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

bluedayve — Sun, 16 May 2021 14:00:45 GMT

Hi, can someone please advise the correct way to connect a sky box, bravia tv and sound bar?

I have followed the quick setup instructions to connect sky box to sound bar (HDMI in) and soundbar to tv (using e-arc/hdmi). Sound settings on tv also set to audio system speakers.

Sound is perfect when watching the sky picture, with sound bar indicator on HDMI, but when trying to watch anything else on the tv such as bt app or Netflix I get no sound whatsoever...through the soundbar or the tv, unless I go back in and change the sound settings back to tv speakers.

Surely there is a set up that allows both the sky box and tv to project through the sound bar?

All advice gratefully received.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

royabrown2 — Sun, 16 May 2021 20:25:58 GMT

@bluedayve

HDMI showing as the input on the soundbar means that the soundbar is still listening for a signal from the Sky box.

When watching something from the TV, you need the soundbar to be showing eARC, which you should be able to switch to with whatever setting on the soundbar, or its remote if it has one, does this.

Like me, you probably think that if the Sky box is off or on standby, and stuff is coming over the eARC link, then the soundbar should automatically switch inputs; but it looks as if, like my kit (which is not the same as you have) it doesn’t.

So switching this manually on the soundbar or its remote every time you change inputs should be one way of solving this. But it’s a faff.

My streamlined solution was to put the thing connected directly to the sound bar - in your case the Sky box, in mine a UHD BluRay player - onto one of the TV HDMI sockets instead, so everything goes over eARC to the soundbar, and I now don’t have the problem with the soundbar going to HDMI,

Make sure, though, that the audio on the TV is set to bitstream, not PCM, or your Sky 5.1 sound will be busted down to stereo. But on bitstream, the sound sent from the Sky box to the soundbar over eARC should be every bit as good as when it was directly connected to the soundbar. (Something that was not true for plain old ARC, for which the audio had to be compressed).

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

ksaro1 — Mon, 17 May 2021 14:31:38 GMT

I have a Bravia KE-55A8 with the HT-X8500 soundbar and a Sky Q main box. My Sky Q main box's HDMI output goes into the HT-X8500 HDMI In and the HT-X8500 e-Arc HDMI goes to the Bravia's e-Arc input.

On the Bravia I have Audio Output -> Speakers -> Audio System. I get sound from all Sky Q menu options and from all of the in-built Bravia options as well.

I've been experimenting with Dolby ATMOS sound and you can get that as well, as long as this is selected on the Bravia and the content is outputting this (which is as rare as hen's teeth) and the HT-X8500 sound mode is set to Dolby ATMOS (you will see the ATMOS LED lit up if the soundbar is set for ATMOS and the content is indeed ATMOS). Intergalactic on Sky is one show that does output audio in Dolby ATMOS, so it's a good one to use to test your setup.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

bluedayve — Mon, 17 May 2021 16:13:10 GMT

Thanks, but I think that is the same set up I have at the moment, with sky mini into soundbar (hdmi) and soundbar to tv via eArc. Even switching the soundbar to tv doesn't seem to pick up the tv apps

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

bluedayve — Mon, 17 May 2021 16:14:12 GMT

Thx, I'll try that combo and see if things work any better.

Do I need to factory reset the tv and go back to total setup again?

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

Joe_Dohn — Tue, 18 May 2021 16:20:16 GMT

I don't think a factory reset would be necessary here. That said, have you tried connecting the Sky to the TV directly instead of through the soundbar? It shouldn't affect anything (unless you have all the ports taken ofc) and will solve the issue between Sky "ghost-sending" a signal to the soundbar.

Hope this helps!

- JD

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

ksaro1 — Wed, 19 May 2021 08:00:08 GMT

@bluedayve - Oh I forgot to mention that the HT-X8500 is set to TV input for me. I notice you mention a Sky mini box. I have my HT-X8500 connected to my main Sky Q box. There may be issues with the mini box versus the main box. Have you tried the Sky forum?

Have you tested the sound from your TV running any apps, like Netflix, natively? BTW - if you use Netflix via your Bravia you get some content with Dolby ATMOS where Sky doesn't provide that same content with Dolby ATMOS. Amazon Prime does have Dolby ATMOS content both natively and via Sky though.

Have you checked that the eArc function is enabled? The manual for the HT-X8500 states the following:

The default setting of the eARC function is on. If the eARC function is set to off, press and hold SPORTS for 5 seconds to set the eARC function to on. The HDMI and BLUETOOTH indicators flash when the eArc function is set to on. The Dolby ATMOS and DTS:X indicators flash when the eArc function is set to off.

Finally - I didn't factory reset neither the TV nor the soundbar when testing my soundbar and changing any settings on it and the TV.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

bluedayve — Sun, 23 May 2021 13:01:40 GMT

This allows me to listen to sky broadcast on the tv, as well as bravia in built apps, but no soundbar connections will work for both...really getting frustrated here....sounds like sky only via soundbar and tv via tv speakers is the only way to go?

Help!

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

ksaro1 — Sun, 23 May 2021 14:10:31 GMT

@bluedayve afaik there is only 1 HDMI port on the Bravia that says eArc. Have you double checked that that is the port that the cable to the soundbar is connected to? This will pass the audio From the TV To the soundbar.

The audio going from the TV to the soundbar should not be affected by what else is connected to other HDMI ports. So it appears really odd that if the Sky box is connected to an HDMI port that the sound then works from your TV to the soundbar.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

royabrown2 — Mon, 24 May 2021 06:42:13 GMT

@bluedayve

My current hypotheses are one or more of:-

that you are using the wrong HDMI input on the TV for eARC;

that you have a faulty HDMI cable;

that the Sky input on the soundbar is preventing anything else working;

that you have a faulty soundbar.

There may be other hypotheses I haven’t thought of.

First, check @ksaro1 @‘s suggestion, and make doubly sure that the HDMI cable between TV and soundbar is plugged in to the one HDMI port on the TV that supports eARC. Since the other three don’t.

Does this fix things?

If not, let’s simplify things a little.

Disconnect the Sky box from the soundbar, and put the soundbar and the TV in standby.

Then switch the TV on, and play something, maybe BBC1.

Does the soundbar switch on?
Does it say eARC?
Does the TV sound now come through the soundbar?

Or is it on the TV speakers?

Or is there no sound at all?

Your answers will determine where we go from here.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

bluedayve — Mon, 24 May 2021 07:06:46 GMT

I'll maybe try that again at the weekend? I spent another 2 hours yesterday playing with connections and setups.

As ksaro says, there is no earc indicator on the soundbar, you only know that it is on by holding the sports button and seeing which lights flash - it is definitely on.

I have no terrestial tv aerial, so other than sky I have the inbuilt tv apps for netflix and bt sport mainly, and considering also connecting a freeview box as a back up to sky.

When I connect sky directly to the tv, the only sound I get is through the tv when audio system is switched off, when sky goes through the soundbar, and earc from sb to tv all seems fine...if I want bt sport then I have to switch sound bar off and change settings to tv speakers.

Other than a faulty cable and a factory reset of the tv, I'm fast running out of options.

Thanks for al comments, I'll feedback later.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

royabrown2 — Mon, 24 May 2021 08:06:21 GMT

@bluedayve

That the soundbar is set to eARC does not mean that the soundbar is connected to the one eARC HDMI input on the TV.

When the Sky box, plugged in to the soundbar, which is in turn connected to the TV by HDMI, is working for both audio and video, eARC does not come into play; the video will go over any HDMI input to the TV.

Everything you have described so far, I think, is consistent with you not having the soundbar plugged into the eARC HDMI input on the TV, but rather into one of the other three.

The only thing that would be inconsistent with that would be that if:-

while listening to the sound on the TV speakers OK, with the soundbar off;

that turning the soundbar on would result in silence on both TV and soundbar.

Which would indicate a different problem.

But I’m not sure if you have reported that.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 10:24:48 GMT

Here is illustration on where the eARC HDMI port is located on your soundbar.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

bluedayve — Sun, 04 Jul 2021 18:27:46 GMT

Thanks all...at the last attempt of repeating everything you all had suggested, I decided to try an alternative hdmi cable and hey presto...sound from everywhere going through the soundbar. Looks like a dodgy cable was thr culprit.

Thanks for all your help...got there in the end!

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

MaccaJim — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 12:58:23 GMT

Any hints on why action sequences are loud & following action when actor speaks, the dialogue is low?

I've an HDMI lead coming from bluray player into above soundbar (x8500) after attempting optical from tv to soundbar (same issues). I have an hdmi (arc) input on tv but unsure connection wise & with only 3 hdmi plugs on tv, they're all being used.

HDMI 1 - Virgin box

HDMI 2 - Bluray player

HDMI 3 - Xbox

Should I plug hdmi lead into Hdmi (arc - socket) & feed soundbar with optical lead?

Ready to throw soundbar in bin, instructions are poor too.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

royabrown2 — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:35:29 GMT

@MaccaJim

You describe the BluRay player variously as being plugged into the soundbar, and into HDMI 2 on the TV. it can’t be both (unless you are running two BluRay players!), so which is it?

And your 49-XH9505 (sic) has four HDMI inputs - you missed the one on the side 🥲

But you need the HT-X8500 to be connected to the TV by an HDMI cable between its HDMI Out into the eARC HDMI input on the TV - HDMI 3. And ensure you are using an ‘HDMI with Ethernet‘ cable, as this is needed to get the full benefits of eARC.

Because with your current setup, as described, you aren’t getting any benefits from the soundbar for anything plugged into the TV, or any TV programmes played on it, or any apps it has - just from the BluRay player you said was plugged into it.

And no, don’t use optical; eARC is sonically better, passing Dolby Digital Plus where Optical can’t, and operationally better, with seamless volume control. And you will find the fourth HDMI input on the TV when you take another look, and you anyway have a fifth HDMI input you can use, on the soundbar itself.

Finally, regarding the sound varying between action scenes and dialogue, you have several options; if you set Night Mode on the TV and/or the soundbar, this will compress the dynamic range so there is not such a contrast in the level of sound. Or there is a Voice Mode setting as a sound option instead of Night Mode on the soundbar, which should selectively push up the voice range frequencies on the speakers of the soundbar to enhance voices, as generally this is where dialogue comes from, of the 2.1 Left, Right, and Subwoofer speakers.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

MaccaJim — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 16:16:35 GMT

Thanks for reply, could you be more specific in exactly best places to connect hdmi cables. I have an hdmi cable going from dvd player to tv for visuals, one for Xbox & one for Virgin box so no sockets left for another HDMI to go into tv. Do I run one HDMI (out) from dvd player to soundbar then one onwards to tv - what about visuals?

How many presses on 'night mode' or 'voice' do I have to perform? Last attempts at these buttons achieved zero effect to remedy.

Sorry for perhaps silly questions but getting old lol.

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

royabrown2 — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 17:14:02 GMT

@MaccaJim

I realised after posting that you had added to an existing thread, so you maybe don’t have a 49-XH9505 TV there, and maybe you do only have three HDMI inputs on your TV. And maybe only ARC, not eARC. And now, your ‘travelling’ BluRay player has morphed into just a DVD player, perhaps?

So what model of TV do you have?

But provisionally :-

(i) an ‘HDMI with Ethernet’ cable from whichever HDMI input on the TV is labelled ARC or eARC, to the HDMI Out on the soundbar;

(ii) an HDMI cable from the BluRay/DVD player to the HDMI In on the soundbar;

(iii) an HDMI cable from the Virgin box to one of the remaining HDMI inputs on the TV (doesn’t matter which one);

(iv) an HDMI cable from the Xbox to the remaining HDMI input on the TV.

You get the visuals on the two things connected directly to the TV by choosing the relevant HDMI Input, and the visuals from the BluRay player by choosing the eARC HDMI Input on the TV.

In all cases, the soundbar should handle the sound from whatever you choose without you having to do anything.

If the soundbar is worth its salt, then it should switch itself to the BluRay player input as soon as you start playing it, and may even set the TV to the input labelled ARC. If not, you may have to choose one or both of these inputs, one on the soundbar and the other on the TV, to get the BluRay player putting sound out on the soundbar and video out on the TV.

As far as the Night Mode and Voice Mode buttons go, as far as I know it is one press to select each - or maybe you choose one or the other, I don’t know - but certainly not multiple presses. And though you might hear the difference on Voice Mode if you are playing some dialogue when you select it, Night Mode is much more subtle, and you would have to play an action scene going into a dialogue screen to hear this, and I hope you would hear that there was not such a big volume contrast between the action scene and the dialogue screen any more.

So, please tell me what model of TV and BluRay/DVD player you have, and I will see if I think the above needs changing in any way, though I hope not.

NB: Though I can scarcely believe it, I am myself 76 😛

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

MaccaJim — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 12:14:46 GMT

Thanks so much for your lengthy, informative & detailed reply. I'm going to attempt in a few hours time to follow your comnnections & will feedback results.

My bluray dvd player is - Sony UBP - X800M2

Television - Samsung UE55MU6100k

3 hdmi connections on tv with one showing (ARC) beside socket.

Many thanks

Re: Having trouble with a Bravia 49-HX9505 and HT-X8500 soundbar setup

royabrown2 — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 13:42:09 GMT

@MaccaJim

OK, 3 HDMI ports only confirmed. So my advice above stands, with nothing changed, except that as the TV has only ARC, not eARC, this confirms that the device with the most audio capability, the BluRay player, should be the one connected directly to the soundbar.

Less importantly, it now does not matter if the HDMI lead between the soundbar and TV is not the ‘with Ethernet’ type. (The strand of these HDMI cables once intended for Ethernet is now used as part of eARC, but isn’t needed for ARC).

Good luck, and keep us posted as to how you get on!