Please Help Me to Set up The Samsung Q990C Soundbar

MondaySleeper on 23/03/2024 - 12:45
Last edited 23/03/2024 - 14:14 by 1 other user

Hi, I recently bought a OzB favourite soundbar Samsung Q990C. I am finding some issues with the setup and wondering if any of the experts here could help me. thanks.

My set up like this - My TV is a bit old and doesnt support eARC. So below setup is required instead of connecting devices to TV directly for the Dolby ATMOS.

— Android TV Box is connected to the HDMI-1 of sound bar. TV's HDMI-CEC has been enabled so that TV turns on when the Android Box is turned on.
— X-Box is connected to HDMI-2

1) The soundbar has Chromecast built-in. When I cast music TV turns ON. Is it supposed to do that?
2) When I switch to HDMI-2 (x-box), soundbar flashed HDMI-2 for a second and turns back to HDMI-1 (Android box).

Anyone has experienced this and how this was resolved?

Thanks a lot.

Update 1 : Updated that TV doesn't support eARC.
Update 2: Just ran some test with my laptop to HDMI-1 and XBox to HDMI-2. Both Chromecast and HDMI switching are working fine. So it looks like the Android Box with CEC (esp the CEC) is causing the issue - probably sending the signal to each other and waking the TV and other attached devices. (Adding these details here as someone else may also run into the same situation and can refer to this).

• 

  MS Paint on 23/03/2024 - 12:54

  +1

  Run all HDMI accessories (android TV, Xbox) via HDMI ports on the TV. Connect the soundar to the tv HDMI port that has the label arc/earc.

  Obligatory MS Paint diagram

  • 

    MondaySleeper on 23/03/2024 - 12:59

    Thanks Muzeeb. My TV doesn't support eARC. Its a bit old (around 5 years). So all connections to Soundbar and video is passed-through to get the proper DOLBY sound features.

    • 

      Drakesy on 23/03/2024 - 13:29

      Earc and ARC was in my TV from 2018 so it should definitely have ARC or some form of EARC functionality, given it's turning on your TV through the HDMI cable through HDMI-CeC you should have ARC. Have you tried upgrading your HDMI cable? I've had cables that didn't talk to my receiver until i upgraded them to a HDMI 2.1 cable.

      Which model TV is it?

      • 

        spackbace on 23/03/2024 - 13:30

        I missed this on first read:

        TV's HDMI-CEC has been enabled so that TV turns on when the Android Box is turned on.

        • 

          Drakesy on 23/03/2024 - 13:32

          @spackbace: Ooooh it's not a smart TV?

          Drops $800+ on a soundbar and hooks it up to a TV that can't output atmos or high fidelity sound?
          I'm confused.

          • 

            MondaySleeper on 23/03/2024 - 14:02

            @Drakesy: My TV is 75P7 Hisense which is old and supports only ARC/HDMI 2.0. There is no need of upgrading the TV as it works perfectly fine and I am happy with it. Only requirement was to upgrade the sound and hence the new soundbar which is kinda future proof even if I end up buying a new TV.

            I can still connect and pass the audio through ARC as the sound from Netflix, Amazon etc are lossy Dolby Digital Plus which ARC can support.

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  spackbace on 23/03/2024 - 13:25

  +1

  TV's HDMI-CEC has been enabled so that TV turns on when the Android Box is turned on.

  The soundbar has Chromecast built-in. When I cast music TV turns ON. Is it supposed to do that?

  Yes, unless you use bluetooth

  When I switch to HDMI-2 (x-box), soundbar flashed HDMI-2 for a second and turns back to HDMI-1 (Android box).

  Might be worth checking the cable and settings for the xbox

  • 

    MondaySleeper on 23/03/2024 - 14:05

    Thanks spackbace.

    Just ran some test with my laptop to HDMI-1 and XBox to HDMI-2. Both Chromecast and HDMI switching are working fine. So it looks like the Android Box with CEC (esp the CEC) is causing the issue - probably sending the signal to each other and waking the TV and other attached devices.

    Will check this further.

    • 

      spackbace on 23/03/2024 - 14:24

      Use the xbox to play media? What model xbox?

      • 

        MondaySleeper on 23/03/2024 - 14:54

        Its Xbox One S.