OceanDad Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 So - as previously discussed on the forum, I wanted to move to using a soundbar with our master bedroom TV. We have been using KEF ceiling speakers wired to our 8 zone C4/Triad amp, but TV dialog was sometimes a challenge at night. On the recommendation of @msgreenf I installed a Denon DHT-S716H soundbar, and I'm very happy with the performance. Dialog enhancer really helps with speech clarity. Here's the problem. Previously, it was easy for us to connect our bluetooth headphones at night, just switch on and they were paired and ready to go. Great if either my wife or I wanted to spare each other the TV audio if one was watching something and the other was reading etc. Now with the Denon soundbar, there is no way of getting audio from the headphones unless you go into the Bravia TV Sound settings, and switch from 'Audio System' to 'TV speakers' as the output. It's a pain, and beyond the patience levels of my dear wife... The problem is the same whether we connect directly to the TV bluetooth or we connect to a bluetooth transmitter that's plugged in to the TV Digital Audio in. Both will work - but only when the Bravia is set to 'TV speakers'. The soundbar will only work when 'Audio System' is selected. There is no option to have both working simultaneously. Video/audio routing is via C4 HDMI matrix. HDMI out of the Leaf receiver goes to HDMI1 in on the Denon soundbar, and HDMI OUT on the soundbar goes to HDMI3 IN (ARC) on the Sony Bravia TV (it's an XBR series 65" from late 2017) TV is being controlled via IP - I can't find any commands in the driver to control this TV Speakers/Audio system setting - I was thinking of setting up a custom button for Headphones/Soundbar. Any ideas ? Either a way to set up the soundbar so that headphones will work at the same time as the soundbar (just turn the soundbar volume down when we want to listen via headphones) or to set some workaround in Control4 programming. Video endpoint is obviously the TV. Video's Audio endpoint is now set as the soundbar, Volume also with the soundbar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Csn you pair the headphones to the soundbar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanDad Posted March 21, 2021 Author Share Posted March 21, 2021 8 minutes ago, msgreenf said: Csn you pair the headphones to the soundbar? No - you can only pair a bluetooth source to be played through the soundbar - in other words the soundbar can be a Bluetooth receiver but not a transmitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 28 minutes ago, OceanDad said: No - you can only pair a bluetooth source to be played through the soundbar - in other words the soundbar can be a Bluetooth receiver but not a transmitter. Dang. Wasn't sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mujtaba.khokhar Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Why don’t you connect the HDBT Transmitter directly to the tv, and then the soundbar on the arc Input. (Guessing soundbar supports ARC) Should solve your issue. When the soundbar is off, the audio should start playing on the tv and vice versa. Bluetooth headphones should also then work. Thanks Muj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanDad Posted March 21, 2021 Author Share Posted March 21, 2021 That’s how I have it now. Bluetooth tx is connected via optical to the TV optical out. Soundbar HDMI out is into the TV HDMI ARC input. No dice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xc420 Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Connect the HDMI directly to the TV. Split the optical from the TV, one to the soundbar and the other to a bluetooth transmitter. sonic30101 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BraydonH Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Or just pony up and get these headphones instead. Problem Solved. https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-pro-wireless MattK2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanDad Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 18 hours ago, xc420 said: Connect the HDMI directly to the TV. Split the optical from the TV, one to the soundbar and the other to a bluetooth transmitter. This could work perfectly - I tried optical before HDMI but was getting significant audio delay. I tried it again today, and everything worked fine. Whatever, but that's great. HOWEVER... The soundbar doesn't switch off with the TV without HDMI. Presumably CEC is doing its thing when the soundbar has an HDMI connection to the TV. I thought I could just program a power on/power off command in C4, but there doesn't appear to be any provision for power commands in the HEOS driver. The only device commands are Play/Pause/Stop/SkipFwd/SkipRev/Clear Queue. Am I missing something ? Surely there is a way to integrate a power command ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lippavisual Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 You could split the incoming hdmi with a 1x2 splitter that also has audio output. Current connectivity would be the same. Then you’d just use the audio output directly to your headphone transmitter. Or just a hdmi audio extractor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanDad Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 If I can find a way to issue a power command to the soundbar, then optical without HDMI to/from the soundbar is definitely preferable. Once HDMI is introduced, I always have to go into the TV settings to change the sound option from ‘external audio system’ to ‘tv speakers’ before audio can play through the BT headphones. With just the optical connection, the headphones audio is present immediately when they are powered on, and they auto pair. Surely Denon didn’t put a driver out there without a power command. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Custom button? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanDad Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 Custom button is fine, but is there an IP power command ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 there is a toggle command for mute? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanDad Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 3 hours ago, msgreenf said: there is a toggle command for mute? Yes - that's no problem. Volume/mute is all running as it should. But I would like the soundbar to power off (and on) with the TV. I don't want to leave it powered on 24/7. How do you have yours configured ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 6 minutes ago, OceanDad said: Yes - that's no problem. Volume/mute is all running as it should. But I would like the soundbar to power off (and on) with the TV. I don't want to leave it powered on 24/7. How do you have yours configured ? I am pretty sure it is getting powered on and off automatically. But it's really just standby mode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanDad Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 It runs fairly warm which is another reason why I would like it to power down. Just seems odd to me that there's no power command in the HEOS driver. First world problems, I know, but it's frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanDad Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 Just did a bit of digging in the manual. As long as this is true, then it's probably OK. 20 minutes of inactivity on the optical or ethernet should put it into standby at least. Ethernet After around 20 minutes of no operation and no network access after playing music via Ethernet. Wi-Fi After around 20 minutes of no operation and no network access after playing music via Wi-Fi. USB After around 20 minutes of no operation and no network access after playing music from a USB memory device. AUX IN After around 20 minutes of no operation after AUX cable is disconnected. OPT IN After around 20 minutes of no operation after optical device is put into standby. COAX IN After around 20 minutes of no operation after coaxial device is put into standby. HDMI IN Play the HDMI device, such as a Blu-ray player, connected to this unit. Around 20 minutes after HDMI device and TV are put into standby. HDMI OUT (ARC) Connect this unit and the ARC compatible TV with HDMI cable and play TV. Around 20 minutes after TV is put into standby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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