How to create a Surround Sound (Home Theater) Group using Fixed Groups? – The Bluesound Support Crew

BluOS Controller app 4.x.x

Using a Home Theater Group (HTG), you can configure your players to provide Dolby surround sound to your listening space. Refer to our Help Center article for a list of compatible BluOS Players suitable for Home Theater grouping.

Creating a Home Theater Group (HTG)

To create a Home Theater group, perform the following steps:

iOS/Android

Windows/macOS

In the BluOS Controller App, tap the Players tab .
Tap the Fixed Group button in the upper-right corner. The Fixed Groups screen is displayed.
Tap the Create Fixed Group or button. The Create Fixed Group screen is displayed.
Tap Home Theater Group. The Select Players screen appears with the list of available players.
Select the required players and tap Continue.
Enter the name of the Home Theater Group, and tap Continue.
Select the player connected to the TV and tap Next/Continue. One of the rear speakers plays a sample sound (white noise).
Select the corresponding player playing the sample sound (rear-left or rear-right) in the BluOS Controller app, and tap Next/Continue.
Note: If you want to change the rear Player selection, tap the Restart button in the upper-right corner.
Adjust the slider to configure the distance of each speaker from your listening position, and tap Next/Continue.
Tap the Play button next to each speaker to hear a sample sound (white noise).
Adjust the volume to the required set point and tap Next/Continue. The Setup Complete screen is displayed.
Tap Finish to return to the Fixed Groups.
Tap Done to exit. The Players tab lists the Home Theater Group as a single player.

In the BluOS Controller App, click the Player Drawer.
Click the Fixed Group button in the upper-right corner. The Fixed Groups screen is displayed.
Click the button (upper-right corner) or Create Fixed Group. The Create Fixed Group screen is displayed.
Click Home Theater Group. The Select Players screen appears with the list of available players.
Select the required players and click Select.
Enter the name of the Home Theater Group and click Set Name.
Select the player connected to the TV and select Continue. One of the rear speakers plays a sample sound (white noise).
Select the corresponding player in the BluOS Controller App and click Continue.
Use the drop-down distance selector to configure the distance of each speaker from your listening position and click Continue.
Click the Play button next to each speaker to hear a sample sound (white noise).
Adjust the volume slider and click Continue. The All done screen is displayed.
Click Finish. The Player Drawer lists the Home Theater Group as a single player.

Balancing or Adjusting Players in a Home Theater Group

To adjust the Player's Audio Settings in a Home Theater Group, perform the following steps:

Android/iOS - Balancing or Adjusting Players in a Home Theater Group

In the BluOS Controller App, select the Players tab . The list of groups/players connected to the BluOS Controller App is displayed.
Tap the Home Theater Group’s context menu (3 dots) and select Audio Settings.

Windows/macOS - Balancing or Adjusting Players in a Home Theater Group

Launch the BluOS Controller app and select the Player Drawer. The list of groups/players connected to the BluOS Controller App is displayed.
Select the Home Theater Group’s context menu (3 dots) and select Audio Settings.

Edit the Home Theater Group Player's Settings

To edit the Home Theater Group's Player Settings, perform the following steps:

Android/iOS - Edit Home Theater Group Player's Settings

In the BluOS Controller App, select the Players tab . The list of groups/players connected to the BluOS Controller App is displayed.
Select the Home Theater Group’s context menu (3 dots) and select Edit Fixed Group.
Select the required Player to modify the Player settings.

Windows/macOS - Edit Home Theater Group Player's Settings

Launch the BluOS Controller app and select the Player Drawer. The list of groups/players connected to the BluOS Controller App is displayed.
Select the Home Theater Group’s context menu (3 dots) and select Edit Fixed Group.
Select the required Player to modify the Player settings.

Deleting a Home Theater Group

To delete the HTG Group, perform the following steps:

Android/iOS - Deleting a Home Theater Group

In the BluOS Controller App, select the Players tab . The list of groups/players connected to the BluOS Controller App is displayed.
Select the Home Theater Group’s context menu (3 dots) and select Delete Fixed Group.

Windows/macOS - Deletinga Home Theater Group

Launch the BluOS Controller app and select the Player Drawer. The list of groups/players connected to the BluOS Controller App is displayed.
Select the Home Theater Group’s context menu (3 dots) and select Delete Fixed Group.

For information on Stereo Pairs and other Fixed groups, refer to our Help Center article.

For information on non-fixed standard grouping, refer to our Help Center article.

Notes

A Home Theater Group requires a PULSE SOUNDBAR (all models), POWERNODE 2i (with HDMI), or POWERNODE (N330) as the front channels connected to the TV.
A Home Theater Group requires a POWERNODE (any generation), two PULSE FLEX (any generation), or two PULSE M as the rear channels.
Only a Home Theater Group can output Dolby content to the rear speakers. For more information, refer to our Help Center article.
When using POWERNODE models as a rear channel setup, connect the LEFT SPEAKER (+/-) terminal to the room’s left side speaker and vice versa .
Players cannot be added or removed from a Home Theater Group. To add or remove players, you should delete and recreate a Home Theater Group.

BluOS Controller app 3.x.x

Configure Home Theater Group to provide a Dolby Surround sound listening experience using compatible Bluesound players.

To create a Home Theater Group, perform the steps in the following sections.

iOS/Android

In the BluOS Controller App, tap the Player Drawer > FIXED GROUPS. The Fixed Groups screen is displayed.
Tap the + The Create Fixed Group screen is displayed.
Tap Home Theater Group. The Select Players screen appears with the list of available players.
Select the required players and tap CONTINUE.
Enter the name of the Home Theater Group, and tap CONTINUE.
Select the player connected to the TV. One of the rear speakers plays a sample sound (white noise).
Select the corresponding player in the BluOS Controller App, and tap CONTINUE.
Adjust the slider to configure the distance of each speaker from your listening position, and tap CONTINUE.
Tap the Play button next to each speaker to hear a sample sound (white noise).
Adjust the volume, and tap CONTINUE.
The Setup Complete screen is displayed. Tap FINISH to return to the Fixed Groups screen.
Tap X to exit. The Player Drawer lists the Home Theater Group as a single player.

macOS/Windows

In the BluOS Controller App, click the Player Drawer and click the context menu (3 dots) at the upper-right corner. The My Fixed Groups screen is displayed.
Click the + button or Create Fixed Group. The Create Fixed Group screen is displayed.
Click Home Theater Group. The Select Players screen appears with the list of available players.
Select the required players and click Select.
Enter the name of the Home Theater Group and click Set Name.
Select the player connected to the TV. One of the rear speakers plays a sample sound (white noise).
Select the corresponding player in the BluOS Controller App and click Select.
Adjust the slider to configure the distance of each speaker from your listening position and click Select.
Click the Play button next to each speaker to hear a sample sound (white noise).
Adjust the volume and click Select.
The All done! screen is displayed. Click Finish to return to the My Fixed Groups screen.
Click X to exit. The Player Drawer lists the Home Theater Group as a single player.

Notes:

A Home Theater Group requires a PULSE SOUNDBAR (all models), POWERNODE 2i (with HDMI), or POWERNODE (N330) as the front channels connected to the TV.
A Home Theater Group requires a POWERNODE (any generation) or two PULSE FLEX (any generation), or two PULSE M as the rear channels.
Only a Home Theater Group can output Dolby content to the rear speakers. For more information, refer to our Help Center article.
When using POWERNODE models as a rear channel setup, connect the LEFT SPEAKER (+/-) terminal to the room’s left side speaker and vice versa .
Players cannot be added or removed from a Home Theater Group. To add or remove players, you should delete and recreate a new Home Theater Group.