Tech Support Bleg: Setting Up a Sound Bar for the TV
So I got a refurbished Yamaha ATS-1030-R that presumably was tested to make sure it output sound. But I cannot get sound.
The soundbar is turned on. The lights flash.
The dust caps are off the optical cable and firmly clicked into the sound bar and TV.
The input on the soundbar has been chosen that corresponds to the connector on the back. No matter what input I choose I get no sound.
The soundbar volume isn’t muted (I have hit the mute button many times to mute and unmute) and is turned up (I have clicked up button several times).
I have gone into the TV setup menu and disabled the TV speakers. When I try to turn up the TV sound it tells me I am connected to outside speakers, and that I need to adjust the volume with the outside speakers (which, again, I have done).
It is true that on the TV setup menu the optical connection does not show up in the sound menu. I’m not sure if it is supposed to. But I can’t even get the speaker to play audio from my phone with bluetooth. The phone recognizes the sound bar, yet no audio comes out. I have tried the RCA cable to connect it to the TV as well, also with no results.
So: nothing from optical cable, nothing from RCA cable, and nothing even from Bluetooth. No sound at all.
I am wondering if this sound bar is just a dud. But I also wonder if I am overlooking something basic.
Anyone have any ideas?
UPDATE: I figured out how to set up a sound bar!
Step 1: get a sound bar that works.
Step 2: the rest is easy.
Turns out the first one was just a dud. Sometimes it happens.
Besides sending it back, that is.
Patterico (86c8ed) — 11/14/2015 @ 7:33 amFirst thing to try is to turn off the power for one minute and then turn it back on. Your TV also. Either device could need rebooting in order to recognize the other.
I assume the earphones are not plugged in.
nk (dbc370) — 11/14/2015 @ 7:48 amWe have Sony soundbars on two TVs. We could only get them to work if we first turned off the TV sound.
DRJ (15874d) — 11/14/2015 @ 8:12 amBy which I mean not just turning off the speakers but actually turning the volume to 0. It doesn’t make sense but that’s what worked for us.
DRJ (15874d) — 11/14/2015 @ 8:14 amDid you put in new batteries in the sound bar remote?
if you have only used the remote try using the buttons on the front of the sound bar instead. or vice versa.
In case they didn’t include them in the refurbishment package the manual and quick start guides are here: link
or if I messes that up: http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/digital-sound-projector/ats-1030_black_u/
Page 15 is troubleshooting. but about the only thing you haven’t tried is the reset.
My TV Manual says I would have to change the sound output (through the TV menu) to something other than TV speakers.
kaf (ba6093) — 11/14/2015 @ 8:15 amDo you have it plugged in directly to the TV? Is there a cable box or DVD player involved in the set up?
Seems odd that it won’t connect to bluetooth though. Does the volume give you any indication of where it’s set to?
Dejectedhead (89aabe) — 11/14/2015 @ 8:47 amI’m sending it back. It was plugged directly into live TV. I had TV volume at zero. Everything was off last night so I did a reset and even unplugged it and re-plugged it. The batteries for the remote were the new supplied ones, and anyway I operated the device (including input and volume) from the front of the unit as well as the remote. No sound from any selected input. The volume clearly went to maximum at which point all lights would flash, but no sound. I called Yamaha tech support and they had me plug in the device directly to a DVD player with the optical cable. When that didn’t work, he said I should just send it back.
Patterico (86c8ed) — 11/14/2015 @ 8:54 amAt least you get to use your Amazon widget again.
Dejectedhead (89aabe) — 11/14/2015 @ 8:56 amI’m not allowed to use my Amazon widget for my own purchases.
Patterico (86c8ed) — 11/14/2015 @ 8:57 amGuess there’s no silver lining then.
Dejectedhead (89aabe) — 11/14/2015 @ 9:00 amBuy something from an actual audio company; not from a company that also makes lousy motorcycles.
dee (b7ba0e) — 11/14/2015 @ 9:27 am@9– Maybe a straw purchase?? It works fairly well at some gun stores. 🙂
Gramps, the original (bc022b) — 11/14/2015 @ 9:40 amProducts can be defective. We bought our son a computer for Christmas almost 20 years ago, when that was an expensive thing to purchase. It wouldn’t work at all, despite hours of reading the manual and talking to customer support. Turns out it didn’t have a hard drive.
DRJ (15874d) — 11/14/2015 @ 9:46 ami think i have to toss my sound bar cause i lost the remote in the move
it was annoying anyways cause it was all greened up by some polkaudio whore to where if it didn’t have any sound running through it for like 5 minutes it turned off and you had to get the remote
awful awful product
happyfeet (831175) — 11/14/2015 @ 10:01 amSoundbars are overrated. I know it’s inconvenient but a 5.1 amplifier and a small set of speakers (for instance by the company Energy) and an 8 inch subwoofer will give you a much better sound experience.
Koblog (b311de) — 11/14/2015 @ 10:09 amI’ve tried several sound bars, including Yamaha. IMHO, they didn’t help the sound. If I want good sound for a movie, I just port it out to my surround sound music system instead.
Sounds to me like your soundbar is bad.
Also, your setup is flawed, because you don’t mention doing the necessary first step with a sound bar: spending some time imbibing in a regular bar first. 🙂
Arizona CJ (331a26) — 11/14/2015 @ 12:11 pmI’m sure that’s the case, but it’s a small room and I don’t want to spend a fortune.
Patterico (86c8ed) — 11/14/2015 @ 12:52 pmtake it out and blast it with a shotgun…
it still won’t w*rk, but you’ll feel better. 😎
redc1c4, who was pheasent hunting today (0e5599) — 11/14/2015 @ 5:17 pmWe like our soundbars. We use them in bedrooms to get better sound without overwhelming the rooms with equipment.
DRJ (15874d) — 11/14/2015 @ 5:49 pmAmazon makes the return pretty simple. UPS will pick it up at our door, and the replacement is already on the way.
Patterico (86c8ed) — 11/14/2015 @ 5:50 pmI fixed dead sound (none) two nights ago by unplugging the optical sound wire from the TV and then reinserting it. Viola! sound.
Steven (434651) — 11/14/2015 @ 5:56 pmhappyfeet – You should be able to get a fairly cheap universal remote that has codes for your sound bar.
Back when I was working in audio/video I installed a few of the Yamaha sound bars, they were the higher end models (YSP). And I found them very impressive, you could adjust the direction of the sound and get a very accurate reproduction of a true 5.1 system.
MSL (a8c328) — 11/15/2015 @ 7:36 amoh – i got inspired and ended up finding the remote
now i just need a battery
i need to get the tv going by christmas cause of family’s coming for the holiday
i’m worried we’ll need movies or something christmas day… i did get reservations at a nice dim sum place, but i’m still working on what else we can do that day
happyfeet (831175) — 11/15/2015 @ 7:43 amMaybe a dumb question, but . . .
Are you using a digital (versus an analog) sound output from the TV? The Yamaha only accepts digital input.
bobby b (717988) — 11/15/2015 @ 2:18 pmYeah, I did that.
I…don’t know. I plugged the optical cable into the optical output. I plugged the RCA cable into the RCA cable output. Neither worked.
Another one arrives this coming week. We’ll see if I have the same problem.
Patterico (86c8ed) — 11/15/2015 @ 6:25 pmIn some cases the TV will have a specific setting that’s usually difficult to find. Most soundbars have a bluetooth function. I would have tested that first for the sound and then gone back to the optical cable. Generally, if the sound is working on one input (ie bluetooth) then it will work on another if everything is set up properly. If you’re getting a soundbar I highly recommend purchasing a TV that has pass through HDMI as a sound option over the optical which can be temperamental. If you don’t have pass through HDMI for your sound, the optical is your best option. Also I didn’t see what your TV make was but although not necessary, Sony, Samsung, LG and some others (even Vizio) have soundbars that the TV will automatically recognize and connect to. Might try that as well if the replacement is a disappointment.
John (e6b936) — 11/16/2015 @ 1:18 pmUPDATE: I figured out how to set up a sound bar!
Step 1: get a sound bar that works.
Step 2: the rest is easy.
Turns out the first one was just a dud. Sometimes it happens.
Patterico (86c8ed) — 11/16/2015 @ 7:30 pmSounds pretty good, by the way. Have not had a chance to blast it as Mrs. P. is napping.
Patterico (86c8ed) — 11/16/2015 @ 7:31 pm