Outdoor TV Wiring Setup - Sonos Integration

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I am trying to optimize an outdoor TV setup for simplicity but also use Sonos sound setup I have. When planning out I did run 2XCAT6 behind the TV but didn't really think through how my Sonos Audio setup is going to work so trying to figure out ARC with Samsung and the HDBase-T setup.

Outdoor:
- TV (Looking at Samsung Terrace) which has HDMIs including HDMI ARC; Also supports HDBase-T but doesn't come with a transmitter only a port on the TV
- Sonos/Sonance Outdoor Speakers connected to Sonos Amp by Pool (4 all on one Amp right now)
- 2 CAT6 runs behind TV
- No other cabling other than electricity

Indoor (Wiring Closet)
- Sonos Amp that powers 4 outdoor speakers
- DirecTV Receiver (Wired via Coax)

Question:
I want to use my Sonos speakers via the Sonos Amp for sound with the Outdoor TV - How do I make sure that I can watch TV from DirecTV Receiver or Apps on the TV and have sound go through Sonos AMP via ARC? The Sonos AMP only has one HDMI port IN for ARC (no Out) and DirecTV only has HDMI out which would need to transmit video not audio.

I looked at getting a balun so I can transmit TV over the HDMI cable as originally intended, but those come with transmitter and receiver (which is fine, but seems like a waste to not sue the built-in HDBaseT). So any advice on how to use the HDMI ARC on the TV with an HDBaseT setup that can plug into Sonos AMP (HDMI)? I'd prefer not to buy a receiver...but I suppose that would work from multiple HDMI inputs and ARC.

Thoughts:
- Maybe a balun that has both optical in/outs could convert from optical to hdmi on the transmitter side?

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Corry PAnswer

Sonos Staff

Hi @jonasmith

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

I think by far the easiest solution (as you’ve already cabled for it) is to make use of HDBase-T - just be sure that the device you get supports ARC - HDBase-T version 2 supports bidirectional ARC (1 does not) and version 3 supports eARC - although the Amp does not support this, you may want to future-proof somewhat. Therefore, you need HDBase-T v2 at least. You will also want to double-check that the TV also supports ARC over it’s inbuilt HDBase-T connector (if it’s HDBase-T v2, it should).

I presume (though you should really make doubly sure of this) that you can connect your sources and the Sonos Amp to this device. The picture and audio would go via ethernet to the TV, and the TV would return it’s ARC feed for the Amp. With the example devices I saw, you’d also need the Sonos Optical Audio Adapter to connect the Amp to S/PDIF, though this will depend on the device.

I highly recommend verifying all of this either with the device’s manufacturers’ technical support or their community forums before purchasing.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

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Corry P

Sonos Staff

A digression out of curiosity: what happens if one can hear the source and grouped rooms at the same time? I ask since I do this all the time when I use that set up and I haven’t notice anything. Mine are always in perfect sync.

Un-sync-ness. Desynchronisation. You probably have a decent router and little - or well-controlled - multicasting.

Please bear in mind that if we ask customers to wire one product they often express themselves, unrestrictedly and charmingly unreservedly, about how Sonos is “supposed to be wireless”. We get complaints that our products have power cables. The last thing we would do is suggest that they wire every Sonos product they own. Installers typically do this, but that’s component devices (Port and Amp and their predecessors) and it’s not the customer that has to sort it all out.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

J

jonasmithAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

Great discussion an ideas!

The good news is that I wired each room with CAT6 homeruns back to the wiring closet and have all Unifi gear (UDM Pro, 24 port Switch) with 1GBe connectivity. I don’t have every Sonos speaker wired via CAT6 but where practical I certainly do.

That said, I do wish I had just forced an HDMI homerun back to the wiring closet or and probably Coax as well (for a wired directv box outside just in case) But, my wife would kill me if I open up another wall (not an easy drop for the exterior wall so had to cut access holes that have been since patched).

I should know in a week or less what works and doesn’t and I may even have an HDMI switcher lying around with optical. With some experimentation I’ll update this thread.

J

jonasmithAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

I took another look at your diagram, and I think perhaps we’re missing a better solution. While I understand that part of the requirement is to using the TV’s apps as a source, and thus HDMI-ARC is a requirement, if you could opt to use a streaming device instead, you could simplify the setup.

In between the Direct TV and the balun box in the closet, you could place a HDMI switch with HDMI and optical output. HDMI goes to the balun and optical goes to the Amp. You can add a streaming box as an input to the switch, and of course, you have room to add more sources as needed. There wouldn’t be an need to get an audio output from the TV

The downside to this approach is control, since all your sources are not in IR remote range of your outdoor area, but I’m guessing the balun can pass IR signals? This would be an issue with DirectTV already, unless it has a brand specific solution for that.

And just as a bonus thought, consider getting an HDMI matrix (multiple inputs and outputs) instead of a switch. Assuming FR is Family Room, you could have your patio and FR TVs be the outputs, with 2 Direct TVs, an a streamer or two as inputs, allowing you to use the same or different sources on either/both TVs. So if you have game on for a party or something, both TVs would play virtually in sync as guests go move between the two rooms. (Then throw a Sonos One SL or Roam in the bathroom so you don’t miss any action on your bio breaks). There are some technical details to consider though if the TVs involved don’t have the same video capabilities (4k, 1080p, HDR, dolby vision)

Full disclosure, I am using a matrix and some splitters in my setup, and I do use it occasionally, but the vast majority of time, I am just streaming to one TV at a time. And for the outdoor TV(s), I tend to just use the TV’s streaming apps. I have a single story home though, and wiring HDMI cables between sources, TVs, and Amps through the attic was pretty easy.

This is a diagram from the Atlona’s site that sounds a bit like what you are suggesting. I will have everything but the AT-JUNO-451 set up soon (except whatever the automation control system does). If I need to play multiple sources from the wiring closet, I could expand later.

J

jonasmithAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

Quick Update:

I need to do more testing, but playing content from the TV Apps (Netflix, etc.) works great and I am getting sound over the optical out channel from the TV through the Altona balun and into Sonos via the optical to hdmi adapter. Only thing I noticed was TV audio sync with sonos might need tuning (or really just mute tv speakers).

I still need to test video in over HDBaseT but I ran out of time to get that going. Will let you know but seems like it should work since I know the return audio channel clearly works.