Soundtouch 300 - HDMI ARC Challenges

[TimmyD22]

I am loyal to Bose and want more than anything to buy the Soundtouch 300 sound bar. However, all of the documented HDMI ARC issues (and Bose unwillingness to acknowledge or fix it) have me considering the Sonos Playbar.

I have an LG OLED tv (B6P) and want to know that the Soundtouch 300 will work as it is supposed to for me when hooked up through the HDMI ARC connection.

Has anyone with an LG OLED tv confirmed that the firmware update released on February 21st fixes the problem? I'm unwilling to shell out the $700 dollars for this product until I know it is going to function properly. I'm also not willing to compromise and settle for optical only connection. If I am going to be forced to go that route I mine as well just get the silly Sonos Playbar.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice to put my mind at ease as I prepare to dip into my son's college savings fund to buy this piece of equipment.

Cheers.

-Tim

[GuyinPA75]

Going to be very honest.  I have all 3 products for the ST300 and it is NOT working as it should and really believe it NEVER will (ARC issues nonstop and after last update it does NOT even detect ARC anymore).  Bose rushed this product out the door before tested properly and ready for prime time.

Would best serve you to wait another year to see if this product is no longer the disaster it is.  At very least within a year another product will come out (most likely from a competitor) that DOES work as it should and not need a bajillion updates to do so.

Regret it very much that I EVER spent money on the ST300 product.

[hbxon]

I have the same TV as your - OLED65B6P. My setup is using the ST300+ Bose Acoustimass 300 bass + Virtually Invisible 300 surround speaker with the latest app and firmware. I can confrim with you that the HDMI ARCH will "NOT" work with the TV. The only way to connect it is the optical audio cable.

Beside, the bass will alway lost connection with the ST300. You either need to restart the bass everytime or run wire to the ST300.

I suggest you to consider other brand if HDMI ARC is a must have feature. I am a long time loyal customer but this ST300 is a disappointment. I am consider to return everything and get other brand like Yamaha YSP-2700.

[Dirk L]

I also have same tv LGoled 55b6 connected via HDMI Arc. I also have virtual reality speakers and bass module. Since last update everything is working perfect and no problems at all. So HDMI Arc is working WELL on this tv.

Only problem is connection light is going off after a short time on module. This problem is known by Bose and will be repared in next software update.

[hbxon]

How you get the HDMI ARC with your OLED TV? How many device the TV connect with? Thank you

[Dirk L]

Hdmi 2 is Arc on tv. All 4 Hdmi are connected. 1 to horizonbox tv tuner, 2 to Bose soundbar, 3 to video/audio mediaplayer( Dune HD media), 4 to Raspberry pi. I own the LGOled 55 b6v since 4 weeks, together with the complete Bose 300 system. Also connected on usb an external harddisk for music playing...also working good. So no problems at all, except the amber comnection light, which should be white. This problem is known by Bose and will be solved in next software update.

[TimmyD22]

Thank you all for the feedback!

As someone who uses Bose products everyday with nothing but complete satisfaction, it is mindblowing to continue to read how bad Bose sh*t the bed with this product...

During the brief periods where you all had a working HDMI ARC connection, were you able to compare the sound quality of the system when hooked up through HDMI compared to when hooked up through the optical cable?

Would it be naive/wasteful of me to get this product and connect it through the optical cable until Bose eventually gets a firmware update out that fixes the connection issues through the HDMI ARC port?

In general, is connecting to a sound system through the optical cable that much inferior to connecting through HDMI ARC? The lure of getting better audio quality through the HDMI connection is the only reason I had ruled out competing sound bars (Sonos Playbar).

Thanks again for the feedback!

-Tim

[James_S]

It depends on the source device. Unless the source device sends different digital audio streams through optical than it does throough HDMI then there will be no difference.

[Bosethusiast]

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@TimmyD22 wrote:
Thank you all for the feedback!

As someone who uses Bose products everyday with nothing but complete satisfaction, it is mindblowing to continue to read how bad Bose sh*t the bed with this product...

During the brief periods where you all had a working HDMI ARC connection, were you able to compare the sound quality of the system when hooked up through HDMI compared to when hooked up through the optical cable?

Would it be naive/wasteful of me to get this product and connect it through the optical cable until Bose eventually gets a firmware update out that fixes the connection issues through the HDMI ARC port?

In general, is connecting to a sound system through the optical cable that much inferior to connecting through HDMI ARC? The lure of getting better audio quality through the HDMI connection is the only reason I had ruled out competing sound bars (Sonos Playbar).

Thanks again for the feedback!

-Tim

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I have a Samsung 4K SUHD. I've had the ST300, AM300 and the VI300s since last November. The HDMI ARC is stable, though, admittedly, I still have the optical plugged in, as well. However, the ARC over-rides the optical (at least it shows up that way in my TV audio settings). I've not experienced any problems and I'm very happy with the system (despite the HDMI ARC issue). The system is evolving with the firmware updates. I have not once regretted purchasing the ST300 set-up. Patience is a virtue with technology.

Best,

Bosethusiast

[TimmyD22]

Following up on this thread in the interest of 'closing it out'...

So against my better judgement, I blindly followed my Bose loyalty and bought this product.

It has been connected to my TV for about 3 days now using only the HDMI cable (optical cable not involved) and has received significant use of those days.

Although a sample size of 3 days is quite small, I am encouraged. The TV and Soundbar have been powering off and on in perfect harmony with only the use of my Comcast remote. This leads me to believe that the HDMI ARC/CEC functionality is working properly - for now. Perhaps the last firmware update resolved this?

The actual sound is VERY good when compared to the internal TV speakers but it is quite underwhelming when compared to some much cheaper full sorroundsound 5.1 systems. BUT that is the nature of a soundbar.

Overall, I am very pleased with the audio performance given the most important criteria for my wife was that we couldn't have speakers (subs, satellites, etc) all over the living room.

I will be sure to post again if I end up doomed like many other have when the ARC/CEC functionality craps out after a few weeks.

Thanks to all for the responses.

Cheers.

-Tim