Contributor I

3.5mm sound out LED Screen to Sonos ARC

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
November 8, 2023
16 replies
985 views

I am working with a company that have asked for assistance with an issue they have with Sonos. Having looked at it today I do not believe is a Sonos issue at all, but am wondering if there is a remedy.

They have an LED/Multimedia processor (Taurus TB-60) and have recently purchased a Sonos Arc for the sound. The reason for purchasing was they believed the TB60 had HDMI-ARC, but it doesn’t. It has HDMI loop, and I think this is where the confusion has been made in specification. It has a TRS Balanced 3.5mm output jack, and no optical connection either.

I am not an audiophile, but my understanding is that the 3.5mm stereo audio connector would be analogue. Therefore I would need to convert from Analogue to Digital before presentation to the Sonos ARC. Is that correct?

Understanding the Sonos ARC only has HDMI in, would the purchase of these two items allow the processor to output sound and the ARC to be able to play it? Note there is no requirement for Dolby/Atmos etc, or any 5.1 requirement. is very simple ARC and Sub setup.

1. An analogue to digital convertor like this:-

https://www.amazon.ae/Digital-Converter-Optical-3-5mmAUX-Soundbar/dp/B0C1NTZFJ7/ref=sr_1_4?crid=OQELGXUO4LDV&keywords=analogue+to+digital+converter&qid=1699460098&sprefix=analogue+to+digital+convertot%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-4

2. An optical to HDMI converter - like this:-

https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/optical-audio-adapter

Thoughts most welcome please.

Many Thanks.

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Fats25Author

Contributor I

I think you mean one of these:-

https://www.amazon.ae/Microware-Audio-Extractor-Converter-Splitter/dp/B0183FQAXO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=hdmi+audio+extractor&qid=1699541673&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

Put between the Apple TV and the LED Screen (via HDMI) and use the TOSLINK (with the $25 Sonos adapter to HDMI) to the ARC.

You could use the extractor anywhere in the ‘chain’. So yes, you could put it between Apple TV and ‘LED screen’, but you could also place it between the HDMI output on the TB60 and whatever you’re using to display video that

I’m confused by what you’re referring to as ‘LED screen’. The TB60 looks to just be a processor with no screen attached to it, from a quick internet search, so I am assuming there is actually is a TV/projector of some sort that accepts HDMI input.

It is a processor, but it has no Digital Audio out. Only TRS 3.5mm out. So what I mean is put the extractor between Apple TV and Processor (which displays on LED screen), and Sonos, This is the option I am going to follow initially.

I may be mistaken but as the processor only has one HDMI in (which is coming from ATV), and the HDMI Out is for Loop only, I do not think I can place here and split the audio. I see no reason I would do this or need to do this, as the sound from the media hosted on the processor is never going to come through this port regardless.

The more and more I look at this, I think this solution works perfectly (providing the kit works as stated). Again will not give me any sound from the LED Screen, but I can live without that. They can provide everything from Apple TV over Airplay (or I will get them a media server for custom videos) and play through Apple TV direct.

I appreciate your responses by the way, as this is really helpful. I was looking at solving the issue from analog to digital from the projector, and I should have been looking at the Apple TV for sound only.

Hopefully, I’m not causing confusion, but the HDFury is really only going to be better than an optical audio extractor if your wanting atmos audio, which does not seem to apply here?

Not causing confusion at all, and noted on the atmos being a benefit I do not need. The bigger issue I have is that the ARC that was delivered was missing the Sonos Toslink->HDMI adapter which is needed for the SONOS ARC which I need for the extracted audio.

At the moment it is quicker to source the HDFury than it is the Sonos cable in UAE! Admittedly 10x the price, but that is for business to decide how quickly they need this.

ratty

I’ve used an HDFury Arcana for over 3 years, sending video to a less-than-smart TV and audio to a Beam/gen2. It’s worked fine.

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Fats25Author

Contributor I

@Fats25
Note you can airplay A/V from an iPad to an Apple TV and still set it to output the audio to the Sonos Arc - goto the Apple TV ‘Settings/Video & Audio/Audio Output’ and select a temporary audio output to any Airplay speaker on the same network subnet - just select the Sonos Arc from the list.

You can then AirPlay the video from the iPad to the Apple TV and get the sound out to the Sonos soundbar.

Another alternative option is to select both the Apple TV and Sonos Arc as the target Airplay devices from the iPad.

I’ve just tried both methods mentioned above and either one should work for you.

Also there are tools within the Apple TV settings under ‘Video & Audio/Calibration’ called ‘Wireless Audio Sync’ that cater for bringing the speaker audio output into lip-sync with the video on screen. So you Perhaps might find that feature helpful too.

This is interesting, I was onsite last night, and this would not work. It was all a bit of a rush and I was called as an emergency last minute before a big business presentation, and it may well have been a subnet issue as there are many VLANS, and I did not check which one IPAD, ATV and Sonos were on. I have a suspicion that the ATV was on a different VLAN to the other devices. I am going to have a look over weekend (this is a favour to a friend) and will test this again.

Nice to know that my idea wasn’t mental, but it didn’t work last night.

We ended up (and it went ok in the end remarkably) with streaming the video to Apple TV Airplay, and Sound to Sonos Airplay, with some very fast fingers on the play button 😁. Just about got away with it, but not sustainable long term!

I really appreciate the feedback from everyone on this thread, as this is not my bread and butter (although am a keen home user), and has helped direct me in the right direction. I was looking to solve the issue from the processor (Option 1), and should have been from the Apple TV (Option 2 or 3).

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Fats25Author

Contributor I

I’ve used an HDFury Arcana for over 3 years, sending video to a less-than-smart TV and audio to a Beam/gen2. It’s worked fine.

I think it looks a really smart piece of kit. Something I would look to use personally when I eventually have a need to upgrade from my PlayBar to Arc. I sort of hoped I couldn’t fix the issue they are seeing, and I would have got the ARC on the cheap from my mate! 😁.

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Fats25Author

Contributor I

There is nothing worse than a thread with an issue, and the originator does not update the thread with the solution. I went into the office today and got this working.

Basically Option 1 (analog to digital converter) worked in drawing above. This was with stereo PCM only (as expected).

Option 2 did not work (HDMI Audio extractor), it would not display the picture or provide sound (note it could have been lack of capability for the extractor I purchased as per above link, from Apple TV. It was trying to do it, but could not succeed).

Option 3 I am sure would have worked too, but have not gone that route yet. In fact if they go option 3 I will recommend keeping Option 1 as well, and split it with an HDMI splitter, as Option 1 worked so well.

Just FYI - the Sonos Toslink/HDMI cable is not what I expected it to be. The HDMI part is female (in my head it was male, and would plug straight into the ARC), so it requires an additional HDMI cable too.

Thanks everyone for all of your assistance, as this now works well.

ratty

Option 2 did not work (HDMI Audio extractor), it would not display the picture or provide sound (note it could have been lack of capability for the extractor I purchased as per above link, from Apple TV. It was trying to do it, but could not succeed).

That sounds rather like a failed HDMI negotiation. Maybe the ATV was fussy.

Just FYI - the Sonos Toslink/HDMI cable is not what I expected it to be. The HDMI part is female (in my head it was male, and would plug straight into the ARC), so it requires an additional HDMI cable too.

The adapter is designed to go on the end of the HDMI cable, to then be plugged into a TV that only has optical output.

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