Audio issue with cable TV and surround system

[Janss]

I have a Samsung HD TV and Samsung blu-ray/surround sound system (installed by professionals). I set TV to external speaker and sound comes out of surround speakers installed in ceiling of RV.

After having a cable TV box added at a seasonal site I'm spending the winter in, I can no longer get sound out of the surround system...only the TV speaker emits sound.

TV has 3 HDMI ports. One connected to blu-ray, one not in use, and one now connected to cable TV box. So even when I change the TV sound setting to "external speaker", no sound comes out of surround speakers.

When I turn on blu-ray device, the TV seems to recognize it and instructs me on screen to connect an optical digital cable to external device (presume it means cable box). However this cable box does not have that kind of port.

So am I just out of luck? Is that the only way I can hear audio out of ceiling speakers?

BTW, I've checked that all cords are securely connected.

[Janss]

Thank you everyone for your help.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I was using the wrong remote for the Blu-ray. Now that I'm using the correct one...When I connect the optical digital audio cable from the TV to the Blu-ray, the sound does come out the ceiling speakers and I can control volume with the Blu-ray remote.

However, I have instead used that optical digital audio cable to connect a hearing aid base station to the TV. This transmits sound from the TV directly into my spouse's hearing aids via bluetooth. I had trouble with this too until I found an obscure bit of information on the internet. That base station won't receive Dolby sound, only PCM. I looked on the TV sound settings and the audio format was in fact set to Dolby. I changed it to PCM and voila! Base station works!

Back to the ceiling speakers and to mike-s' suggestion, since I don't have the optical cord available anymore. Yes, the HDMI-ARC is connected to the Blu-ray, and yes Anynet+ automatically activates when I turn on the Blu-ray (with the TV already on). I tried pushing the "TV Sound" button on the Blu-ray remote, but that did not bring the sound to the ceiling speakers. I tried with the TV speaker setting set to "TV Speaker" and to "Receiver (HDMI)"...neither worked.

By the way, I've not been able to connect with the original installers of this system yet. They are busy and have some personal family issues. Anyway, they knew I was going to connect a cable box and modem to this system and they connected and laid out the proper cords into the cabinet beside the TV. They never said anything about having to connect a digital audio cord, so don't think they intended that I should need to.

Anybody have any additional comment or suggestion to try to get the ceiling speakers working through the Blu-ray? Maybe there's another setting that is not right? Isn't the HDMI-ARC cable supposed to send audio both directions?

[mike-s]

Make sure the Blu-ray is connected to the HDMI port on the TV which is labeled "ARC". If there isn't one, post the TV model number. That lets the TV send audio to your Blu-ray player, which is "all-in-one" system and includes the amp for the speakers. You shouldn't need an optical cable.

Make sure CEC (Samsung calls it "Anynet+") is turned on for both the TV and Blu-ray. Look for "Anynet+" in the manuals

When using the cable box, you need to press the "TV Sound" button on the Blu-ray remote to playback sound from the TV. You should be able to control the volume using the Blu-ray remote.

[Janss]

Something like that, but not exactly. It's the Samsung HT-J4500. It has no HDMI in, no component...just Aux In (L/R).

[TechWriter]

Janss wrote:
I have a Samsung HD TV and Samsung blu-ray/surround sound system . . .

Does it look something like this:

[Janss]

GordonThree...System works great without the cable box...just like you described with the HDMI-ARC cord between TV and Blu-ray/sound system. Yes, the speakers are connected to the Blu-ray. It's only since the cable box was added (which will be temporary while at this RV park for the winter) that I can't get the sound system working.

shastagary...Ok, I connected an optical audio cable from TV to Blu-ray and changed the speaker setting on TV. Turned on the blu-ray and sound is now coming out of ceiling speakers. But...the remote for the blu-ray will not control the volume (up/down/mute) like it did before. I can control volume directly on the blu-ray device. Weird. And the cable TV remote will only control the volume if I use the TV speaker. Of course, I don't want to be getting up every time I want to change or mute the volume. So still a problem.

Regarding connecting the cable box to Blu-ray...Both devices only have HDMI out, not in. Blu-ray has Optical Digital Audio in and Aux in, but cable box doesn't have those out.

[GordonThree]

I would have guessed the professional installers already would have the tv and sound system connected. worth looking into I suppose.

my tv uses the hdmi cable to send sound back to the sound system. I think most modern sound system do the same, it's called HDMI-ARC ... no separate cable required.

[shastagary]

the tv should have a optical audio output on the back that you can connect to the blu-ray surround system. you need a optical cable long enough to reach between them then you should get sound from whatever source you select on the tv going to the surround system.

[GordonThree]

Sounds like the overhead speakers are connected incorrectly, perhaps they are only connected to the Blu-ray system.

Can you connect the cable box to the Blu-ray surround system, instead of the TV?