Sony Bravia TV and Sony Soundbar HT-A3000 are not compatible, even if the TV has eARC??

[Chewbacca3000]

We have a three year old Sony Bravia TV KD-49XH8096 and used to have a Samsung Soundbar. Using the Samsung was not perfect as it was obviously not supported by the TV, so using two remotes was a must. One month ago, we bought a Sony Soundbar HT-A3000 because on Sonys site, this soundbar was under the TVs product info as a suggested accessory, the TV has eARC and also the retailer said they work perfectly together.

So they did, for three weeks. A couple of days ago, the Soundbar did not give any sound, and the TV did not recognize it. On the TV the Home Theater control used to show settings for external speakers, but now it only shows a list of compatible soundbars and home theatres, and the HT-A3000 IS NOT INCLUDED ANYMORE!?!?!?

The HT-A3000 was not the most expensive one, but on this list there are WAAAY more inexpensive models so I do not understand what Sony is doing? Anyone else?  

Now we paid Sony some money, and have a Soundbar that is inferior to the Samsung, that also needed a digital cable for sound and where we had to use to remotes. Pffft....

[SatoruGojo]

@Chewbacca3000 Was that list there before? Is the HT-A3000 software up to date to Version 1.468 ? 

[Chewbacca3000]

When we bought the HT-A3000, the setup was straight forward and in the "Hometheatre Control" of the Sony Bravia TV, the setup options for sound systems were visible. After only a couple of weeks, the Sony Soundbar suddenly needs an optical cable to be used with a Sony TV. Apparently, this happened after a software update? So Sony basically downgraded a product that we bought, without our consent. The software version is indeed 1468.

The local Sony helpdesk claim that the Soundbar never supported eARC and that it never should have worked with our TV. But it did, and it still has the eARC option. But it does not work as intended anymore. We changed from a Samsung Soundbar to a Sony Soundbar to get ONE REMOTE operation and HDMI eARC connection, something the Samsung obviously did not have,

IF WE HAD KNOW, we would have gladly shelled out 150 euros more and bought the HT-A5000 instead.

This is UNACCEPTABLE, shame on you Sony. If Sony thinks we are going to upgrade our SONY TV or Soundbar due to this, they might be right. But then the brand will not be Sony anymore!

I´ll wait for an answer from Sony Helpdesk next week, after that media will make a case of this.

[Chewbacca3000]

I find it totally unacceptable that a product that works at first, gets an "update" that renders is worse than it was. IF it had not worked as intended from start, I would have returned it and bought a HT-A5000 instead. Now it worked for a couple of weeks and then Sony decided to "upgrade" it.

[royabrown2]

@Chewbacca3000 

Call them out on it:-

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/sound-bars/ht-a3000#product_details_default

HDMI

NUMBER OF INPUT/OUTPUT Input / Output: - / 1 (eARC / ARC) EARC Yes

BRAVIA SYNC Yes HDMI CEC Yes

Sony should not be employing people who talk billhooks 😢