How to use a Soundbar without Audio from Television

Recently I bought a new soundbar for my Samsung television. I connected it with TOSLINK/SPDIF (digital audio) to my Samsung television. I didn’t like using the second remote control of the soundbar, so I used the “Learn” functionality from Yamaha to ‘learn’ the volume and power functions of my Samsung remote control. After a quick setup I found out that - of course - when you use the television remote to control the volume, both the television and soundbar will adjust to this. My Samsung television lacks the possibility to turn the audio off while still using the volume buttons. After brainstorming I found a nice workaround for this. Just connect a headphone jack into the headphone output of the television. You can use the headphone jack of your old in-ears if you want. Now your television should think that you’re listening through the headphones instead of the television audio which will:

• Enable you to control the volume of the television (and the soundbar - because of the ‘Learn’ functionality)
• Audio will go through the soundbar and through the headphone jack.

This was a great workaround for me. Hope this helps you too. Cheers.