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For dependable TV power and volume control, connect Sonos Beam Ultra to the television’s HDMI port labeled ARC or eARC, then enable the TV maker’s HDMI-CEC setting. Configure Beam Ultra in the Sonos app before playing TV audio. Dolby Atmos requires the same ARC/eARC connection plus an Atmos-capable TV, source device, and streaming service. When an Atmos signal reaches the soundbar, the Sonos app shows an Atmos badge on its Now Playing screen.
What you need before changing settings
Beam Ultra must be added and configured in the Sonos app before it can play television sound. Have the included HDMI cable ready and identify the television’s HDMI-ARC or HDMI-eARC socket. A normal HDMI input is not the correct port for TV audio return to the soundbar.
Reliable control and Atmos playback depend on different parts of the chain, so check all of these requirements:
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- The television has an HDMI-ARC or HDMI-eARC port. Sonos notes that some televisions provide neither, so consult the television manual if the labels are unclear.
- Beam Ultra is connected to that labeled port with HDMI.
- HDMI-CEC is enabled on the television. CEC is the control system that lets compatible devices exchange power and volume commands; each television manufacturer may give it a different on-screen name.
- The television, physical source device, and streaming service or app support Dolby Atmos when Atmos is the goal.
- The television’s digital-audio output is not locked to stereo or another format that removes Atmos.
Connect Beam Ultra to the correct HDMI port
- Place Beam Ultra in front of the television with its speakers unobstructed.
- Plug one end of the included HDMI cable into Beam Ultra.
- Plug the other end into the television socket marked HDMI-ARC or HDMI-eARC. Do not use an ordinary HDMI input.
- Open the Sonos app and follow the room setup flow to add and configure Beam Ultra. The soundbar needs this app setup before TV audio will play.
- Turn on the television and select its external, receiver, or HDMI audio output option rather than the built-in speakers. The exact label varies by television.
ARC and eARC are both valid connection types for Beam Ultra. Use whichever labeled port the television provides; if it has both, eARC is the appropriate choice for an eARC-equipped system, while the ARC port still meets the documented Beam Ultra connection requirement.
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Enable HDMI-CEC for TV power and volume
CEC is separate from the audio format. A system can produce sound while CEC is disabled, but the television remote may not switch the TV on or off or adjust Beam Ultra’s volume. In the television settings, enable the manufacturer’s HDMI-CEC control feature, then leave Beam Ultra attached to the ARC/eARC port.
Sonos describes the requirement this way: “To use these commands, Beam Ultra must be connected to your TV’s HDMI-ARC or HDMI-eARC input and your TV needs to have HDMI-CEC enabled.” CEC naming differs by manufacturer, so search the television manual or settings search for HDMI-CEC, device control, external-device control, or a similarly named option.
After enabling CEC, test with the television’s own remote: change volume, put the television into standby, and turn it on again. If audio works but these commands do not, keep the HDMI cable in place and troubleshoot CEC rather than replacing the audio settings first.
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Set up the path for Dolby Atmos
Beam Ultra must use HDMI ARC or eARC to play Dolby Atmos content. The cable alone does not create Atmos: the television, source device, and service or app must all deliver an Atmos-capable signal.
Check the source device and service
Verify that the physical source device is configured for an audio mode that preserves Atmos and that the service or app and its subscription tier actually provide Atmos for the program being played. If a source device is connected through a switch, adapter, or other intermediate component, that equipment can interrupt the format handshake. For the first test, use the simplest route that keeps the source and television compatible, and temporarily remove intermediate devices if necessary.
Check the television audio output
Open the television’s audio settings and choose the external receiver, HDMI-ARC, or HDMI-eARC output. Do not force digital audio to PCM stereo or another non-Atmos mode when testing. The wording and available choices vary by television, so use its manual if the setting is not obvious.
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Confirm the signal in the Sonos app
Start Atmos content and open the Sonos app’s Now Playing screen. An Atmos badge indicates that Beam Ultra is receiving an Atmos signal. Sonos also provides the displayed TV audio format in the app’s settings, which lets you distinguish a source-format problem from a speaker or volume problem.
If the badge is absent, test a known Atmos title only after confirming the source, service, television, and cable path. A title that is merely available in a surround format is not proof that an Atmos stream is being delivered.
Choose the correct height-audio setting
Beam Ultra’s height controls are in the Sonos app. Open Settings, select the room containing the Atmos-capable home-theater product, then choose Sound > Height Audio.
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Height Level
Height Level changes the volume of the height channels. Raise or lower it to balance overhead effects with voices and other front-channel sound; changing this control does not alter the HDMI signal or make a non-Atmos source into Atmos.
Simulated overhead sound for limited clearance
Sonos documents a simulated overhead mode for Beam Ultra and recommends it when there is less than 4 inches of clearance above the soundbar. In that mode, simulated overhead playback replaces playback from the top of the speaker. Use the mode when the television stand, shelf, or wall leaves insufficient space above Beam Ultra for its normal height-channel operation.
With more than 4 inches of open space, use the normal height-channel behavior unless your room or listening preference calls for another setting. Keep the soundbar’s top surface clear; objects directly above it can affect the intended height effect.
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Connection options compared
| Connection | Dolby Atmos capability | TV power and volume control | Installation and clearance considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI-ARC | Supported when the TV, source device, service, and signal path support Atmos | CEC available when enabled on the TV | Use the included HDMI cable and the TV’s labeled ARC port; normal or simulated height mode depends on space above Beam Ultra |
| HDMI-eARC | Supported when the rest of the system supplies Atmos | CEC available when enabled on the TV | Connect to the labeled eARC port; use the same height-clearance guidance |
| Optical | Not an Atmos path for Beam Ultra because Sonos requires ARC/eARC for Atmos | Unavailable: optical cannot provide CEC or voice TV control | Audio-only fallback when ARC/eARC is unavailable; it does not provide the integrated TV controls |
| Regular HDMI input | Not the documented TV-audio connection | Not the documented CEC control path for Beam Ultra TV commands | Move the cable to the port explicitly labeled ARC or eARC |
Diagnose missing Atmos, volume control, or power control
Work through the checks in this order so each test isolates a different part of the system.
- Reseat the physical connection. Remove and firmly reconnect the HDMI cable at Beam Ultra and at the television’s ARC/eARC socket. Confirm that the port label is ARC or eARC, not just HDMI.
- Check the television output and CEC. Set audio output to the external receiver or HDMI-ARC/eARC option, and enable HDMI-CEC. If sound works but TV power or volume does not, CEC is the primary suspect.
- Validate the Atmos source. Confirm that the program, service or app, subscription, and physical source device support Dolby Atmos. A compatible soundbar cannot display Atmos when the source is delivering stereo or another format.
- Read the Sonos status. Look for the Atmos badge on the Sonos app’s Now Playing screen and inspect the TV audio format shown in the app settings. This identifies what Beam Ultra is actually receiving rather than what the source is expected to send.
- Remove intermediate equipment. Temporarily bypass switches, adapters, or other devices between the source, television, and Beam Ultra. Retest over a direct ARC/eARC path to rule out format-handshake or pass-through problems.
- Separate control from audio. If television sound and the Atmos badge are present but power or volume commands fail, revisit HDMI-CEC and the ARC/eARC port. Do not switch to optical as a control fix; optical cannot carry CEC or voice TV commands.
When the television has no ARC or eARC
Check the television manual before buying cables or changing software. Sonos notes that not every television includes ARC/eARC. Optical may provide basic audio in that situation, but it removes CEC and voice television control and should not be expected to deliver Beam Ultra Atmos.
When a longer or replacement cable is needed
Beam Ultra includes an HDMI cable, so replace it only when the supplied cable is too short or damaged. Use a cable long enough to avoid strain at either connector and keep the connection direct to the television’s ARC/eARC port. After replacing it, repeat the physical-connection, CEC, and Atmos checks rather than assuming the new cable changed the television’s settings.
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- Beam Ultra is configured in the Sonos app.
- The HDMI cable runs from Beam Ultra to the television port labeled ARC or eARC.
- The television uses external/receiver audio output.
- HDMI-CEC is enabled for power, volume, and supported voice commands.
- The television, source device, and service support Dolby Atmos for the content being played.
- The television does not force stereo or another non-Atmos digital output.
- The Sonos app’s Now Playing screen shows the Atmos badge during Atmos content.
- Height Audio is adjusted under Settings > [room] > Sound > Height Audio, with simulated overhead mode used when clearance above Beam Ultra is under 4 inches.
Once these conditions are met, ARC/eARC supplies the TV audio route, CEC handles compatible television commands, and the Sonos app provides the confirmation that an Atmos signal is reaching Beam Ultra.
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