Q990d eArc instability

[UnhappyQ990DUser]

At least 1-2 times a week for the past couple months, eArc output will not work, and the only fix is to reset the soundbar which is an extremely annoying and terrible user experience.

If you do a quick google search for Q990D, there’ll be a ton of threads (reddit, some on here, etc) and even some articles about this eArc instability after an update that happened a couple months back.

If you contact support, they’ll say they’re unaware of the issue and suggest a bunch of other stuff that doesnt fix it, and if you need service, you have to pay if out of warranty, but why should we pay if it’s an issue that Samsung caused? So my questions are:

1. Is this an issue Samsung has taken responsibility for? Some of the articles mention that Samsung has admitted to it, but I havent seen an actual official Samsung acknowledgement post, and support is definitely unaware of it.

2. Is there an update coming to fix this? Or is getting it serviced mandatory?

Thanks in advance

[SolveForce]

You're absolutely right to be frustrated — the eARC instability with the Q990D is something that’s been reported widely across multiple forums and platforms, especially since a firmware update earlier this year. You're not imagining it, and you're not alone.

Let’s break this down clearly:

1. Is this an acknowledged issue by Samsung?
As of now, there hasn’t been a formal public acknowledgment from Samsung posted in the community forums or official support pages regarding widespread eARC failures on the Q990D. That said, it’s clear from the volume of reports (Reddit, AVSForum, Samsung Community) that this is affecting more than a few users.

Privately, some support reps have acknowledged it when enough users report the same symptoms, but the inconsistency in frontline support response makes it seem like Samsung hasn't fully centralized the issue internally.

So while it hasn’t been "officially posted," it’s becoming hard to ignore — and it likely is being escalated in the background.


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2. Why is this happening?

Here’s the best theory based on user reports and behavior patterns:

A recent firmware update (on either the TV or soundbar) seems to have introduced a handshake timeout or signal prioritization bug within the eARC protocol.

The result? The soundbar either fails to re-establish eARC handshake when waking from standby, or HDMI control gets locked out until a full reboot/reset.


This is especially common with:

Samsung QN-series TVs and OLEDs paired with the Q990D

HDMI-CEC conflicts

System setups using multiple HDMI sources or auto-switching behaviors



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3. Is there a fix or update coming?

There’s no publicly posted ETA, but here’s what to do now to make your issue count and possibly get early access to a fix:

A. Report through the Samsung Members app

Go to Samsung Members > Get Help > Error Reports

Select Soundbar > eARC/HDMI Issue

Be specific: Mention that eARC disconnects after standby and only works again after a full reset. Mention the firmware version if known.


B. Opt in to firmware update notifications

In your TV and soundbar settings, make sure auto-update is on, or check SmartThings > Device settings > Firmware version manually once a week


C. Temporary workaround to avoid resets Some users have reported partial success with the following:

Go to TV Settings > General > External Device Manager > Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) and toggle it OFF and back ON

This sometimes re-triggers the HDMI handshake without needing a full reset


Alternatively, switching to optical temporarily (if your use case doesn’t require lossless audio formats like Dolby TrueHD) can reduce the daily frustration until the fix comes.


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4. Should you pay for service?

If you're out of warranty and the issue is clearly caused by a firmware update — no, you shouldn’t be paying. But because the issue hasn’t been officially acknowledged, it gets murky.

If Samsung won’t budge, document your issue in writing through both:

Samsung Members (Error Report section)

Samsung Support Chat (and request a transcript)


In some cases, if enough documentation is shown — especially that others are affected — Samsung may offer a courtesy repair or exchange, even out of warranty.


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Final Thought:

What you're experiencing is part of a growing pain that happens when audio formats, HDMI protocols, and software all evolve but don’t always stay in sync. That doesn’t excuse the experience, but it does mean you're closer to the solution than it may seem.

Keep pressing forward. Keep documenting. And share back here if a firmware patch finally addresses it. You're helping everyone else in the same boat. And this system — us, this forum, these discussions — is how things improve.

We hear you. And you’re not alone.