I have had the above system for a number of years, set up for me by the Bose retailer, and it always performed well. However, the equipment has been in storage for 18 months while I was living in temporary accommodation but I am now trying to set it up in conjunction with a new tv, a Samsung 8 Series Smart TV.
The tv is working correctly but when I tried to connect the soundbar through an optical cable it identified the equipment as a computer - this is now stuck on my sources list and I cannot remove it. Since then I have disconnected the power, optical & HDMI cables and waited 30 secs before reconnecting the optical & power cables, then the HDMI. The system has now been identified as a Bose Soundtouch Server but without any sound. I have now been able to get sound by pairing the tv's Smart remote with the system. However, presumably because I haven't been able to go through a setup process, the power, source and volume buttons on the Bose remote are the only ones that are working. The setup button on the Bose control unit doesn't take me into a setup process. If the system is switched off the setup button can be used to switch it on but with no sound and a message on the remote's screen saying System Setup see TV, however the source button on the control unit does switch on the system with sound.
Hoping someone can come up with a solution with this problem as I would like to be able to access the UNIFY menu and go through the ADAPTIQ audio calibration process. Also, I would like to be able to use all the functions of the Bose remote once again.
Thank you for reaching out to us! Welcome to the Community!
I'm sorry to hear that you're having some issues with the setup and I will be more than happy to help you!
Can you tell me how you have the system connected to your TV? I ask as you have mentioned both optical and HDMI in your post and I want to make sure I'm on the right page!
Can you also let me know which version of the Lifestyle 135 you have? This will help me be more specific in the advice I give. I have included an identifier HERE, to help you.
Yes, the system is connected both by optical cable & HDMI into the HDMI OUT Video to TV port, as this is how the system was connected to my old tv in my previous house.
I have the Lifestyle 135 home entertainment system version, which I imagine is the first one of this system.
I have looked at both your links and the one for setting up the system is the way that I have tried it, twice, and it didn't work either time. The only way that I have been able to get any sound is with the optical cable connected as well.
As far as programming the remote is concerned, pressing the Setup button does absolutely nothing unless I hold it down until a red light appears on the button but then the sound is lost. When it says "be sure the correct tv input is selected", which input does it mean?
I'm glad to hear that you have the system set up in the way outlined on the link I sent over to you.
By TV input, it is asking to make sure that you have the right source device selected so you can see the menu. In other words, It's asking you to double-check that you have the correct HDMI Input selected on the TV.
I would also recommend heading to the sound settings on your TV and making sure that the TV speakers are turned off and the correct method of sound (e.g optical) is also selected.
The link is for the "installation manual" that I got when I originally purchased the system, but the method they outline isn't working. When I switch on I am not getting any instructions appear on screen.
I think you misunderstood me. I have not got it set up the way your link outlined, at the moment it is set up the only way that I can get any audio but no other features are working.
The correct input is definitely selected but on the Bose remote the only source options are TV, FM & AM. I already had the tv sound setting changed to optical, otherwise I do not get any sound.
You may not be able to get this older Bose system working as you want with a new smart TV. The included instructions may not apply to your TV. It's possible you will have to give up on some features, IDK.
With a smart TV, you can use HDMI ARC or optical to send audio from the TV to a sound system, but you cannot use both. Optical is a one way communication from the TV to sound system. HDMI ARC is a two way communication for both audio and video. Your Bose system probably does not utilize HDMI ARC.
A simple way is to use optical from TV to Bose for audio only. However, if you need/want to send video (and/or audio) from your Bose to your TV, you would need HDMI from the Bose to TV. Don't use the TV's HDMI ARC.
If your Bose does not have HDMI out, you would need some sort of adapter to switch the Bose video out to HDMI in that your TV can accept. You can find just about any adapter you need on Amazon.
You are correct in thinking that my Bose system isn't compatible with HDMI ARC.
The optical cable is connected to the Optical Audio In port on the Bose Control Console. The HDMI lead that I am am using is just an "ordinary" one (ie non ARC) and is connected to the HDMI Out port on the console from one of the non ARC ports of the TV.
All of these connections are identical to the ones that were in use with my old tv, but that was not a smart one just HD & 3D.
Hey Mike. As audio stops when the "Setup" interface is initiated, it sounds like the system believes it is no longer accepting the TV's audio input. The issue at present is the inability to view the on-screen interface for the Lifestyle system.
As other functions of the system operate successfully, I'd like to focus our efforts on the HDMI connection between the systems. Have you tried replacing the HDMI cable, or using a different HDMI input on your Samsung TV? If so and we see no improvement, there could potentially be a hardware fault with the HDMI output port on the Lifestyle system.
We can also try resetting the Lifestyle system. We have two different resets that we can try, a soft reset, and a hard factory reset. Please give both of the following a try, and let us know the outcome of the video status.
To reset the system:
Turn the control console off
On the control console, press and hold Power for five seconds. The red LED will turn off
Release the Power button
Retest the system
Alternatively, to factory reset the system should the above reset not resolve the issue:
Power off your Lifestyle console
On the back of the system console, disconnect the power cord
On the front of the system console, simultaneously press and hold the Source and the Volume - buttons and, while holding them, reconnect the power cord
Continue holding the buttons until the Bose logo appears twice on the TV screen
If successful and video returns to the TV, the remote will need to be re-paired back to the Lifestyle console
I'm certain that you've already tested and checked above, but please be sure that the Samsung TV is set to the Lifestyle "input" on your HDMI input list. All the best.
I have tried 2 different HDMI cables with the same result. Must admit I hadn't tried a different HDMI port on the tv as it is wall mounted & would be a bit of a hassle lol. I had already tried the soft reset, to no avail, but not the factory one.
However, I have just come off the phone from speaking to Bose Technical Support and they tell me that the problem is that the Lifestyle 135 is not compatible with 4K Smart TV's and that I will only ever get the audio, but the remote & console will never give me any of the other menus/functions?
If that's the case, then I either have to put up with only benefitting from the upgrade to audio, which I guess was the real reason that I purchased the system all those years ago, or try to sell it on somewhere like ebay & purchase one of the up to date systems. I don't know whether they will give significantly better sound than my Lifestyle 135 though.
If the sound works and you like it, then I would just enjoy as is. Otherwise, you can purchase a new Bose Soundbar 700 and subwoofer for a reasonable price. A new Bose Lifestyle 650 would be great, but expensive. A Bose Acoustimass 10 speaker system with 3rd party receiver is what I would purchase.
If you decide to try a new system, purchase from Best Buy or somewhere that has a good return policy in case you decide the improved SQ is not worth the price.
After you get a new system and decide to keep it, you can sell your Lifestyle 135 on eBay.
To be honest, I think that for now I am just going to stick with the Lifestyle 135 and see how it goes.
Where I am living now I have an open plan living/dining/kitchen area that is by no means over large so an Acoustimass 10 home cinema speaker system or the likes of the Lifestyle 550, 600 & 650 home entertainment systems would probably be overkill, as well as too expensive in the case of the latter products.
If I do decide to change, I will probably look at the 500 & 700 soundbars or even the Bose TV speaker, which if the performance is all that the website says is extremely good value for money. I have a Bose outlet store about a 30 minute drive from me so when things like lockdown have eased off a bit I think I will go and have a listen to some of those systems 👍.