Why does my soundbar switch inputs by itself?
Your soundbar may be switching inputs by itself because of incorrectly connected HDMI leads, a demo mode setting, and an enabled CEC setting or an activated HDMI control feature.
Sometimes, an incorrect ARC setting, a missing digital optical cable connection or a pending soundbar reset can also cause the switching inputs on its own problem.
Table of Contents
- Incorrectly connected HDMI leads
- Demo mode setting
- Enabled CEC setting
- Activated HDMI control feature
- Incorrect ARC setting
- Missing digital optical cable connection
- Pending soundbar reset
Incorrectly connected HDMI leads
If the two HDMI leads of the soundbar are connected to its HDMI In and HDMI Out ports, there are chances of the soundbar switching inputs. The HDMI lead connected to the HDMI In port must be connected to the TV.
Demo mode setting
Check if the soundbar has been set to demo mode. This can be done through the Settings menu. If so, deactivating this setting can stop the switching inputs problem.
Enabled CEC setting
Check if the CEC setting on the TV has been enabled. The inputs getting switched by themselves will stop if this setting is disabled. This setting is known by different names by different TV manufacturers.
Activated HDMI control feature
Check if the HDMI control feature has been activated. Deactivating this setting will prevent the inputs from swapping on their own.
Incorrect ARC setting
Check if the ARC setting has been done correctly through the TV menu and turn it ON or OFF as needed. Sometimes, settings can get changed when there is a power failure.
Missing digital optical cable connection
Sometimes, the soundbar will automatically change the input from HDMI to OPT if there is no digital optical cable connection. If the TV has a digital optical output port, you must consider getting this connection done.
Pending soundbar reset
The inputs may get swapped by themselves because of a pending soundbar reset. Once the reset is carried out, the problem will get resolved.
Why does my soundbar keep going to Bluetooth?
Your soundbar is likely to keep going to Bluetooth due to a pairing issue or a turned ON Auto Power Link setting. The soundbar may also go to Bluetooth if either its remote or the unit itself is defective.
The following steps can help you fix the problem of your soundbar going to Bluetooth.
- Disconnect any device that is paired to the TV. There are instances when the soundbar is paired with another device such as a phone or a laptop, the paired device sends signals for switching to Bluetooth.
- Check if the Auto Power Link setting of the soundbar is turned ON. If so, switching OFF this option is likely to solve the problem.
- Check if the soundbar remote or the soundbar by itself is defective and get the defective unit changed. To check if the remote is defective, turn ON both the soundbar and the TV. Set the soundbar input that is connected to the TV as Optical In. Remove the batteries from the remote and see if the input source remains unchanged. If there is no change, it means that there is a problem with the remote. However, if the input keeps changing, the soundbar is likely to be defective.
Why does my soundbar keep switching to TV speakers?
Your soundbar probably keeps switching to TV speakers because of outdated firmware, a loose HDMI cable, or a pending power cycle.
A disabled energy-saving mode, other connected devices or an AUX setting problem can also make the soundbar keep switching to TV speakers.
The steps given below will guide you on how to resolve the problem of your soundbar switching to TV speakers.
- Check if the firmware has been updated to the latest version and do so if needed. Sometimes, a pending software update can trigger the switching issue.
- Look out for a loose HDMI cable connection. Unplug the HDMI cord and push it back in firmly. If you notice signs of defect or damage on the cable, do a replacement. Make sure you use a compatible HDMI cable.
- Do a power cycle of your soundbar by unplugging it and letting it remain that way for about five to ten minutes before plugging it back again.
- Watch out for a disabled energy-saving mode in your soundbar settings and enable it. Activating this setting has, in some cases, fixed the problem.
- Disconnect all other devices connected to the soundbar and the TV. Connect them one by one and see if the problem persists. Avoid connecting the devices that cause the problem.
- Select the AUX setting and keep the Play/Pause button of the soundbar pressed for around five seconds. This may help to stop the soundbar from switching to TV speakers.
How do I make my soundbar default to HDMI?
There is no way you can make your soundbar default to HDMI. However, you can select HDMI as the TV audio input for the soundbar instead of the default predefined optical OPT setting.
- Press the Menu button on the remote control of your soundbar. This will display the menu related to the soundbar on the screen of your television.
- Scroll through each setting until the Audio option gets highlighted.
- Press Enter and continue navigating through the sub-settings until you get to the TV AU
- Press Enter to display the list of inputs.
- Select HDMI from the list of inputs and press Enter once again.
Why does my soundbar have HDMI In and Out?
Your soundbar has HDMI In and Out ports because they have two different functionalities. The HDMI In port helps to receive audio and video signals. On the other hand, the HDMI Out port is feeds the video and audio signals.
The HDMI In port of the soundbar is connected to the HDMI Out port of the TV. This helps the soundbar read and analyze the audio signals produced from the HDMI stream and play them.
The HDMI Out port of the soundbar is connected to the monitor of the television for displaying the HDMI video signals that pass via the soundbar.
What is an HDMI ARC?
The term ARC in HDMI ARC stands for Audio Return Channel. An HDMI ARC input allows you to connect the television with a soundbar using just one high-speed HDMI cable without using an extra optical or composite audio cable.
In other words, the same HDMI port can be used as both an audio output as well as an input. The port supports two-way communication among devices with a single HDMI connection.
To connect your TV to a soundbar, you must ensure that the television is equipped with an HDMI ARC port.
Is HDMI and HDMI ARC the same?
HDMI and HDMI ARC are almost the same with the main difference being the mode of transmission on the receiver side.
HDMI doesn’t support two-way communication. It’s not equipped with the ability to transmit the audio once again to the original source.
AN HDMI cable is primarily designed to support video transmission. With HDMI, you can connect the TV and receiver with an HDMI cable and use another cable to transmit the audio to the receiver.
HDMI ARC facilitates two-way communication with a single cable. Although it’s primarily deployed as an audio receiver, the ARC can be deployed for video transmission as well.
In other words, the HDMI ARC feature allows you to establish the connectivity between an HDMI-connected TV and an A/V receiver using just one cable.
Can you connect normal HDMI for ARC?
Yes, you can connect a normal HDMI cable for ARC. However, the signal flow and the method by which the soundbar processes the signal will be different when compared to using an HDMI ARC cable. You can consider using a normal high-speed cable for your HDMI ARC.
Do I need HDMI ARC for soundbar?
Yes, you need an HDMI arc for the soundbar to work properly. You must also make sure that the TV you plan to connect with your soundbar has an HDMI ARC port.
Having an HDMI ARC port on the TV for the soundbar connection helps you to do away with an optical cable.
The HDMI ARC helps in transmitting downstream audio from a compatible HDMI socket present on your television to a well-matched HDMI ARC socket that is present on the soundbar.
What if I don’t have an HDMI ARC port?
If your TV doesn’t have an HDMI ARC port, you will have to use an optical port to connect the television to the soundbar. You can connect one end of a usual HDMI cable to one of the HDMI ports in the television and the other end to the HDMI Out port of the soundbar.
After this, connect one end of an optical cable to the digital In port of the soundbar and the other end to the optical output port present on the TV.
If you plan to connect an external device to the soundbar and the television without ARC, use an HDMI cable to connect the TV and the external device. After this, use an optical cord to connect the soundbar and the external device.
How to convert TV HDMI to HDMI ARC?
You cannot convert a TV HDMI port to an HDMI ARC port. This is usually hardware installed by the manufacturer at the factory and can’t be changed.
However, if you still want to try and make the change, you’ll have to upgrade the mainboard. This is most often not worth it as it’s not enough for the TV alone to support ARC. The device at the other end must also have HDMI ARC support to use this feature.
Why does my Samsung soundbar keep changing input on its own?
Your Samsung soundbar keeps changing input on its own because of a pending power cycle or an external device that is connected to the soundbar.
You can stop the Samsung soundbar from changing input on its own by carrying out the steps given below.
- Unplug the soundbar from its power supply for half a minute and plug it back in. Turn the soundbar OFF using the remote control and press the Play/Pause button on it until you see the INIT message on the soundbar. Turn ON the soundbar once again.
- Remove any device such as Apple TV connected to the soundbar and connect it directly to the TV. Sometimes, devices fitted onto the soundbar can cause the input to change on its own.
Why does my Sonos soundbar keep changing input on its own?
Your Sonos soundbar keeps changing input on its own due to interfering audio signals or a long overdue reset.
You can try the following tips to fix the problem of your Sonos soundbar changing input on its own.
- Check for the possibility of the soundbar receiving audio signals from other devices in the surroundings. You might want to remove such devices from the surroundings when you use your soundbar.
- Do a reboot of your soundbar. Disconnect the power cord from the power supply for about 10 minutes. Reconnect the power cord to the power supply and turn it ON. It will usually take about a minute for the soundbar to get rebooted.
Why does my Sony soundbar keep changing input on its own?
If your Sony soundbar keeps changing input on its own if the demo mode is activated, the remote control has weak batteries, it’s time for the soundbar to be reset or the input is correctly set.
You can check out one or more of the steps highlighted here to prevent your soundbar from changing input on its own.
- If you have a store display model of the soundbar, you will likely have to deactivate the demo setting to stop the input change. The demo mode tends to reset the settings and inputs periodically to make it ready for a demo if the original setting is changed.
- If the input change takes place when you have the ARC configuration on your TV, you can fix the problem by selecting the HDMI option. To do this, go to AMP Menu followed by Audio and TV Input. Select the TV HDMI option and press OK. After this, turn OFF your soundbar and TV and then turn them ON again. The ARC port of the TV should be connected to the ARC input of the soundbar.
- Change the batteries in the remote control of the soundbar with a new set of the same type. Taking the existing batteries out and putting them back again may not help.
- Try performing a soundbar reset. This can be done by pressing the Power, Input and Vol- buttons together on the soundbar and selecting the RESET
- Set the input to TV mode. This has worked as a fix for some Sony soundbar users.
Why does my Denon soundbar keep changing input on its own?
Your Denon soundbar keeps changing input on its own because the HDMI-CEC setting has been activated. Turning this setting OFF can stop the input from changing on its own.
Often, the soundbar comes with this setting activated. This setting is referred to as Anynet+, Bravia Sync, Viera Link or can be known by any other name, based on the manufacturer.