Sony HT-S350 - Sound Bar Troubleshooting Manual

Troubleshooting

If you experience any of the following difficulties while using the Sound Bar, use this troubleshooting guide to help remedy the problem before requesting repairs. Should any problem persist, consult your nearest Sony dealer. Be sure to bring both your Bar Speaker and subwoofer, even if it seems as though only one has a problem, when you request to repair.

Power

The Sound Bar does not power up

• Check that the AC power cord (mains lead) is connected securely.
• Disconnect the AC power cord (mains lead) from the wall outlet (mains), and then reconnect after several minutes.

The Sound Bar is turned off automatically

• The auto standby function is working. Set the auto standby function to off.

The Sound Bar does not turn on even when the TV is turned on.

• Set the Control for HDMI function to on. The TV must support the Control for HDMI function. For details, refer to the operating instructions of your TV.
• Check the speaker settings of the TV. The Sound Bar power syncs with the speaker settings of the TV. For details, refer to the operating instructions of your TV.
• Depending on the TV, if the sound was output from the speakers of the TV the previous time, the Sound Bar may not turn on by interlocking with the TV power even when the TV is turned on.

The Sound Bar turns off when the TV is turned off

• Check the setting of the Control for HDMI function. When the Control for HDMI function is set to on and the input of the Sound Bar is the TV input, the Sound Bar turns off automatically when you turn off the TV.

The Sound Bar does not turn off even when the TV is turned off.

• Check the setting of the Control for HDMI function. When you turn off the TV, the Sound Bar turns off automatically only if the input of the Sound Bar is the TV input. The TV must support the Control for HDMI function. For details, refer to the operating instructions of your TV.

Picture
There is no picture or the picture is not output correctly.

• When there is no picture while TV input is selected, select the TV channel that you want using the TV remote control.

Sound
The Sound Bar cannot connect to a TV with the BLUETOOTH function.

• When you connect the Sound Bar and TV with an HDMI cable (not supplied), the BLUETOOTH connection is canceled. Disconnect the HDMI cable, then perform the connecting operation from the start.

No TV sound is output from the Sound Bar

• Check the type and connection of the HDMI cable or optical digital cable that is connected to the Sound Bar and the TV (refer to the supplied Startup Guide).
• Disconnect the cables that are connected between the TV and the Sound Bar, then connect them firmly again. Disconnect the AC power cords of the TV and the Sound Bar from the AC outlets (mains), then connect them again.
• When the Sound Bar and TV are connected with an HDMI cable only, check the following.
  • The HDMI jack of the connected TV is labeled with "ARC."
  • The Control for HDMI function of the TV is set to on.
  • On the Sound Bar, the Control for HDMI function is set to on.
• If your TV is not compatible with ARC, connect the optical digital cable (supplied) (refer to the supplied Startup Guide). If the TV is not compatible with ARC, TV sound will not be output from the Sound Bar even if the Sound Bar is connected to the TV's HDMI IN jack.
• Select the TV input by pressing TV.
• Increase the volume on the TV or cancel muting.
• Depending on the order in which you connect the TV and the Sound Bar, the Sound Bar may be muted. If this happens, turn on the TV first, then the Sound Bar.
• Set the speakers setting of the TV (BRAVIA) to Audio System. Refer to the operating instructions of your TV regarding how to set the TV.
• Check the sound output of the TV. Refer to the operating instructions of the TV for the TV settings.
• The Sound Bar supports the Dolby Digital and PCM audio formats. When you playback an unsupported format, set the digital audio out setting of the TV (BRAVIA) to "PCM." For details, refer to the operating instructions of your TV.

The sound is output from both the Sound Bar and the TV.

• Change the audio output setting of the TV so that the TV sound is output from the external speaker.
• Set the TV volume to minimum.

The output sound of the Sound Bar is not the same level as that of the TV even though the values of the volume level on the Sound Bar and TV are set to the same value.

• If the Control for HDMI function is set to on, the value of the volume level on the Sound Bar may appear on your TV as the TV volume. The output sound levels of the Sound Bar and TV differ even though the values of the volume level on the Sound Bar and TV are set to the same value. The output sound levels of the Sound Bar and TV differ depending on the sound processing characteristics of each, and it is not a malfunction.

The sound is interrupted while watching a TV program or content on a Blu-ray Disc, etc.

• Check the sound mode setting. If the sound mode is set to AUTO SOUND, the sound may be interrupted when the sound mode is changed automatically according to the information of the program that is being played. If you do not want to change the sound mode automatically, set the sound mode to a setting other than AUTO SOUND.

No sound or only a very low-level sound of the device connected to the Sound Bar is heard from the Sound Bar.

• Press + and check the volume level.
• Press or + to cancel the muting function.
• Make sure the input source is selected correctly.
• Check that all the cables and cords of the Sound Bar and the connected device are firmly inserted.
• If the connected device supports upsampling feature, you need to turn it off.

The surround effect cannot be obtained

• Depending on the input signal and the sound mode setting, surround sound processing may not work effectively. The surround effect may be subtle, depending on the program or disc.
• To play multi channel audio, check the digital audio output setting on the device connected to the Sound Bar. For details, refer to the operating instructions supplied with the connected device.

Subwoofer
No sound or only very low-level sound is heard from the subwoofer.

• Press SW + on the remote control to increase the subwoofer volume.
• Make sure that the status indicator on the subwoofer is lit in green or orange.
• If the status indicator on the subwoofer does not light, try the following.
  • Make sure the AC power cord (mains lead) of the subwoofer is connected properly.
  • Press (power) of the subwoofer to turn on the power.
• If the status indicator on the subwoofer lights in red, try the following.
  • Move the subwoofer to a location near the Bar Speaker so that the status indicator on the subwoofer lights in green or orange.
  • Follow the steps in "Performing the Wireless Connection of the Subwoofer (SECURE LINK)".
• If the status indicator on the subwoofer flashes in red, press (power) of the subwoofer to turn off the power and check whether the ventilation holes of the subwoofer is blocked or not.
• If the input sources contain very little bass sound components (i.e., a TV broadcast), the sound from the subwoofer may be difficult to hear. Play the built-in demonstration music by following the steps below and check that the sound is output from the subwoofer.
  1. Press and hold (TV) on the Bar Speaker for 5 seconds. The built-in demonstration music is played.
  2. Press (TV) again. The built-in demonstration music is canceled and the Sound Bar returns to the previous status.
• Set the night mode to off.

Mobile Device Connection

BLUETOOTH connection cannot be completed

• Make sure that the BLUETOOTH indicator on the Bar Speaker is lit.
• Make sure the BLUETOOTH device to be connected is turned on and the BLUETOOTH function is enabled.
• Bring the BLUETOOTH device close to the Bar Speaker.
• Pair the Sound Bar and the BLUETOOTH device again. You may need to cancel the pairing with the Sound Bar using your BLUETOOTH device first.
• If the BLUETOOTH function is set to off, set it to on.

Pairing cannot be achieved

• Bring the BLUETOOTH device close to the Bar Speaker.
• Make sure the Sound Bar is not receiving interference from a wireless LAN device, other 2.4 GHz wireless devices, or a microwave oven. If a device that generates electromagnetic radiation is nearby, move the device away from the Sound Bar.
• Pairing may not be possible if other BLUETOOTH devices are present around the Sound Bar. In this case, turn off the other BLUETOOTH devices.

Sound of the connected BLUETOOTH mobile device is not output from the Sound Bar.

• Make sure that the BLUETOOTH indicator on the Bar Speaker is lit.
• Bring the BLUETOOTH device close to the Bar Speaker.
• If a device that generates electromagnetic radiation, such as a wireless LAN device, other BLUETOOTH devices, or a microwave oven is nearby, move the device away from the Sound Bar.
• Remove any obstacle between the Bar Speaker and the BLUETOOTH device or move the Bar Speaker away from the obstacle.
• If the Bar Speaker is installed under the TV, move the Bar Speaker away from the TV.
• Reposition the connected BLUETOOTH device.
• Switch the wireless LAN frequency of any nearby wireless LAN router or PC to 5 GHz range.
• Increase the volume on the connected BLUETOOTH device.

The sound is not in sync with the image

• When you are watching movies, you may hear the sound with a slight delay from the image.

Remote Control
The remote control of the Sound Bar does not function.

• Point the remote control at the remote control sensor on the Bar Speaker.
• Remove any obstacles in the path between the remote control and the Sound Bar.
• Replace both batteries in the remote control with new ones, if they are weak.
• Make sure you are pressing the correct button on the remote control.

The TV remote control does not work

• Install the Bar Speaker so that it does not obstruct the remote control sensor of the TV.
• This problem might be solved by enabling the IR repeater function.

Others

The Control for HDMI function does not work properly

• Check the connection with the Sound Bar (refer to the supplied Startup Guide).
• Enable the Control for HDMI function on the TV. For details, refer to the operating instructions of your TV.
• Wait a while, and then try again. If you unplug the Sound Bar, it will take a while before operations can be made. Wait for 15 seconds or longer, and then try again.
• Make sure the devices connected to the Sound Bar support the Control for HDMI function.
• Enable the Control for HDMI function of the devices connected to the Sound Bar. For details, refer to the operating instructions of your device.
• The type and number of devices that can be controlled by the Control for HDMI function is restricted by the HDMI CEC standard as follows:
  • Recording devices (Blu-ray Disc recorder, DVD recorder, etc.): up to 3 devices
  • Playback devices (Blu-ray Disc player, DVD player, etc.): up to 3 devices
  • Tuner-related devices: up to 4 devices
  • Audio system (receiver/headphone): up to 1 device (used by the Sound Bar)

All indicators on the Bar Speaker flash for 10 seconds and the Sound Bar is turned off.

• The protection feature is activated. Disconnect the AC power cord (mains lead) and make sure that the ventilations of the Bar Speaker are not covered and turn on the Sound Bar after a while.

Sensors of the TV do not work properly

• The Bar Speaker may block some sensors (such as the brightness sensor), the remote control sensor of your TV or the emitter for 3D glasses (infrared transmission) of a 3D TV that supports the infrared 3D glass system, or wireless communication. Move the Bar Speaker away from the TV within a range that allows those parts to operate properly. For the locations of the sensors and remote control receiver, refer to the operating instructions supplied with the TV.

The Sound Bar does not work properly

• The Sound Bar may be in demo mode. To cancel demo mode, reset the Sound Bar. Press and hold – (volume) and (power) on the Bar Speaker for more than 5 seconds.

The following message appears

* This screen is an example for English.

• Select the TV program by using the TV remote control.