Beosound Theatre HDMI Audio only

[MichaelVoo]

Helllo,

I only recently bought my first B&O gear, a Beosound Theatre and 4x Beolab 18s. Overall I’m very very happy with the Sound Quality.

I now have a question regarding using the above setup in combination with Apple Music. Apple Music offers Lossless, Dolby Atmos and High res music. Where I of course can use Airplay to stream to the Theatre, this only allow a 2 channel music stream which is afaik resampled to Airplay 48 kHz (not bit-perfect lossless).

I also own an Apple TV 4K, when using the Apple TV to play Apple Music over HDMI, the Lossless tracks are received by the Theatre in their bit-perfect lossless format (checked in B&O App incoming signal info). Additionally, the AppleTV allow the Music Files available in Dolby Atmos format to be streamed multi-channel to the Theatre (using a Music preset in “Direct” mode instead of TrueImage.).

Now coming to my question: All in all the sound if really good using the above setup but to be able to use the AppleTV as main source to play Apple Music, I need to select the HDMI connection which is only available as a “Video” source and not as an “Audio”. This means that whenever I want to play music via the AppleTV, the screen will automatically be turned On. Is there any way to avoid this? can an HDMI connection be used for Audio only?

[Lavie]

check this out, a lot of people were helped by this: https://www.reddit.com/r/appletv/s/hCzHMc4Kj4

[Millemis]

Since an AppleTV or a Blu Ray player etc all are video sources the tv/the screen will per default turn on.

Before I get into trying to find a solution, first please tell me which tv you are using.

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

[MichaelVoo]

I’m using an LG 77G1 panel and Beoremote One to control.
I understand there are many Devices delivering Audio and Video via HDMI but nowadays there are also more and more delivering just audio. In the B&O app > Theatre > Settings > Sources section I can only find HDMI under “TV” and not under “Music” categorie (not 100% on the translation as I use the app in Dutch language). I guess that limits HDMI to only work with a TV (turns on the TV).

[Millemis]

Thanks!

On every priviously BV there was a P.Mute (picture mute) option in the remote.
This has been missed by some of us and has been reported to B&O as a wish for…
However those of us, who might benefit from this function, are obviously too few for them to get into action.

I have had a workaround for this for a while, that I can live with.

The link to the Reddit page mostly present solutions for those who use the Magic Remote – not for us with a BROne.

However one suggestion can be used:

Going into the Settings and doing this should not be a problem with the BROne.

This means – translated to the BROne – that you must find this entry in the List:

Sorry for the danish language – I am sure you will find it ?

On the screen it then looks like this (please note, that I have deleted all other  entries there….I do not need those.

Pushing ‘Skærm fra’/Picture off does the job ?

A couple of actions, yes – but it does the job……untill maybe someday B&O might reintroduce P.Mute again as an entry in the List of the remote.

Hope that helps.

Note!
This is a general solution of the LG tv, that works for any source, be it internal or external.
My LG version is a C2.

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

[Carolpa]

MichaelVoo wrote:

I’m using an LG 77G1 panel and Beoremote One to control. I understand there are many Devices delivering Audio and Video via HDMI but nowadays there are also more and more delivering just audio. In the B&O app > Theatre > Settings > Sources section I can only find HDMI under “TV” and not under “Music” categorie (not 100% on the translation as I use the app in Dutch language). I guess that limits HDMI to only work with a TV (turns on the TV).

An Apple TV shows moving pictures even with Apple Music! That is were it is made for! (So why shouldn’t you find it under Video?)
If you do not want pictures send, shouldn’t it not be a feature of the Apple TV to reproduce audio only? For example: that’s how my Oppo BR player can be used.

A way around is: switch the TV screen off after starting Apple Music (note: which I use now and then on my LG G2). See MM post.

addition: You can find the Apple Music app on your LG also (at least it is supported on a G2 screen)

[MichaelVoo]

Thank you all for the replies!
For now I download an app called “All black” which give me an…… all black screen when playing Apple Music on the AppleTV.

@Carolpa, If you use your Oppo BR player with audio only, I guess it would still turn on the tv right? although you might get a blank screen, tv is turned on….thats my point. It would help if we could mark the HDMI input as Audio only in the Theatre settings to avoid this.

[Millemis]

MichaelVoo wrote:

It would help if we could mark the HDMI input as Audio only in the Theatre settings to avoid this.

……….and how would you then navigate to the Apple Music app on the ATV ?

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

[Carolpa]

MichaelVoo wrote:

Thank you all for the replies! For now I download an app called “All black” which give me an…… all black screen when playing Apple Music on the AppleTV.

The screen of my LG G2  can be switched off without an app. It is a feature of the TV, so I would expect the G1 has the same feature (somewhere far in the LG settings). See MM post.

@Carolpa, If you use your Oppo BR player with audio only, I guess it would still turn on the tv right? although you might get a blank screen, tv is turned on….thats my point. It would help if we could mark the HDMI input as Audio only in the Theatre settings to avoid this.

Actually the Oppo has two possibilities
1. use the HDMI-audio out of the Oppo (but then you have no pictures what so ever. This seems odd to me with a Bluray player)
2. switch off the screen as a feature of the Oppo (PUC connected to Theatre)

And as described before I can switch off the screen as a LG G2 feature.

 

[MichaelVoo]

Millemissen wrote:

MichaelVoo wrote:

It would help if we could mark the HDMI input as Audio only in the Theatre settings to avoid this.

……….and how would you then navigate to the Apple Music app on the ATV ? MM

Using your iPhone or iPad…..by using the “control other devices” and connecting to the Apple TV allows you to natively navigate the Apple Music app on your iOS device and directly playback on the AppleTV. There is absolutely no need to have the TV On.

[Millemis]

Millemissen wrote:

Thanks! On every priviously BV there was a P.Mute (picture mute) option in the remote. This has been missed by some of us and has been reported to B&O as a wish for… However those of us, who might benefit from this function, are obviously too few for them to get into action. I have had a workaround for this for a while, that I can live with. The link to the Reddit page mostly present solutions for those who use the Magic Remote – not for us with a BROne. However one suggestion can be used: Going into the Settings and doing this should not be a problem with the BROne. This means – translated to the BROne – that you must find this entry in the List: Sorry for the danish language – I am sure you will find it ? On the screen it then looks like this (please note, that I have deleted all other entries there….I do not need those. Pushing ‘Skærm fra’/Picture off does the job ? A couple of actions, yes – but it does the job……untill maybe someday B&O might reintroduce P.Mute again as an entry in the List of the remote. Hope that helps. Note! This is a general solution of the LG tv, that works for any source, be it internal or external. My LG version is a C2.
MM

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Sadly there have been made some changes for the BROne from the side of B&O here.

The new remote SW does not support the above mentioned ‘workaround’ anymore.

If you – as described – go into List there is no entry for Muligheder/Options any more.

This means, that you can no longer have this rather quick access to turn off the screen (as described above in my original post)….which is a pity.

Am I really the only one, who wants to turn off the LG screen, when I listen to a music album (mostly in Atmos) from the Apple Music app on my AppleTV – or when I use my Blu Ray player as a CD player???

How can removing features be progress 😡

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

[syrianos82]

Not completely related ro no screen from an HDMI source but I’m wondering if apple music would be better quality if not streamed through airplay but directly from a Mac mini to the BS Theatre.

My intention is as follows:

Mac Mini M4 Pro (with HDMI 2.1) and link the HDMI into one of the Theatre ports.

The playback would be then sent digitally to the Theatre I assume? The Question is, weather this signal is better quality when the Theatre streams to BL28 and BL8 without the Airplay conversion to AAC 256kbps before sending it to the receiving speakers.

So in the end I hope the Mac mini can output a signal that is one on one received by the BS Theatre over HDMI and sent ‘clean’ in 24/48 or 24/96 (B&O removed the bitrate fro the website specs)

 

Thanks for any advice or sharing your own experiences

[Millemis]

Connecting the Mac Mini to the Theatre this way means, that you’d use the Theatre/tv screen combo as a monitor for the Mac.

(Not having a tv connected to the Theatre – generally speaking* – makes it impossible to control the Mac.
* You could use remote control from another Mac, use ‘continuity’ from another Apple device or other workarounds).

So the output depends on the audio settings on the Mac – have a look here for an explanation how to work with that.

However, please be aware that the internal processing in the Theatre means resampling (24/48) for the DSP to do the job….no matter what signal comes in.

My humble opinion is, that you most likely will not be able to hear a difference (you can maybe messure it, but that is not the same).
The more important thing, when it comes to the socalled ‘audio quality’, are the differences (and flaws) in the audio mastering of the music….no ‘bad audio’ becomes better because of serving it in an ‘audiophile – 24/192 – quality’!

I would not want the hassle of hardwiring a Mac and controlling it for my daily listening – I would prefer the convenience of simply airplaying from a mobile device.
Personally – when I want to listen ‘more seriouly’ – I use the Apple Music app on my AppleTV4 connected to the Theatre/LG combo, which involves no ‘Airplay conversion’!

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

[Carolpa]

syrianos82 wrote:

Not completely related ro no screen from an HDMI source but I’m wondering if apple music would be better quality if not streamed through airplay but directly from a Mac mini to the BS Theatre. My intention is as follows: Mac Mini M4 Pro (with HDMI 2.1) and link the HDMI into one of the Theatre ports. The playback would be then sent digitally to the Theatre I assume? The Question is, weather this signal is better quality when the Theatre streams to BL28 and BL8 without the Airplay conversion to AAC 256kbps before sending it to the receiving speakers. So in the end I hope the Mac mini can output a signal that is one on one received by the BS Theatre over HDMI and sent ‘clean’ in 24/48 or 24/96 (B&O removed the bitrate fro the website specs) Thanks for any advice or sharing your own experiences

Why not install the Apple Music app directly on your TV ?

[Carolpa]

This means, that you can no longer have this rather quick access to turn off the screen (as described above in my original post)….which is a pity.

Am I really the only one, who wants to turn off the LG screen, when I listen to a music album (mostly in Atmos) from the Apple Music app on my AppleTV – or when I use my Blu Ray player as a CD player???

How can removing features be progress 😡

MM

No, you’re not the only one
But I find it even after the update simple.

On the BR1 I have to choose  “list” and then “option”. The LG screen displays the LG setting. The “default” (=last used) then is “Screen Off”.

[Millemis]

@Carolpa

Isn’t that pretty much the same ‘workaround’, that I described in my post here from 29 July 2024 at 16:26?
Still I find it annoying, that you can not do this (P.Mute) directly anymore with the BROne.

MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

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