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pankaj100887
Contributor I
July 16, 2019
Question

APPLE TV 4k with playbase

Here is the issue in point wise manner:

1:I recently bought sonos playbase, which have only optical audio input.

2: But my TV has regular 02 HDMI and 01 HDMI ARC ports (I don’t want other audio outputs to use be cause of poor audio output quality) and TV has no optical output.

3: I watch content on my TV using Apple TV 4K , which has only single HDMI port as output.

NOTE: I don’t want to use AIR PLAY for SONOS due to audio lag issues.

MY CONCERNS:

1: If I choose a HDMI audio video splitter will it affect my Apple TV video quality.

2: If I choose the splitter should I use it take input from apple TV and then put HDMI output from Splitter to TV and Optical out put to SONOS playbase.

OR

3: I should use Splitter at HDMI ARC as input to splitter and optical out put from splitter to SONOS playbase.

What difference will it make between choosing Option 2 and 3 (of My concerns). Please suggest some good quality splitter also.

SPECIAL MENTION:
I learned that SONOS beam comes with “Sonos Optical Audio Adapter”
to take optical in from TV and provide HDMI ARC at other end to connect to SONOS beam.
I want to ask that if I can use this cable for reverse use like taking HDMI ARC input at one end of this “Sonos Optical Audio Adapter” and plugging other end to SONOS play base.


Regards
Pankaj Kumar
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    22 replies

    Airgetlam
    Airgetlam
    July 16, 2019
    Concerns:

    1) No, it's a digital signal, there's no degradation.
    2) Sure, you can do this.
    3) HDMI-ARC splitters are more expensive. Since the optical and the HDMI-ARC signals are both exactly the same, there's really no reason to go with HDMI-ARC, unless you have money to waste.

    Special mention:

    No, it's a one way converter.
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    Bruce
      AjTrek1
      AjTrek1
      July 16, 2019
      Hi Pankaj Kumar

      What is the brand/model of your TV? I find it odd that it would have HDMI-ARC technology and no type of digital out-put. Could there be a coaxial out-put for audio in the absence of an optical out-put? A picture of the connection panel would also be helpful if you can manage it.

      Cheers!
      Translate
      Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
        pankaj100887Author
        Contributor I
        July 17, 2019
        Concerns:

        1) No, it's a digital signal, there's no degradation.
        2) Sure, you can do this.
        3) HDMI-ARC splitters are more expensive. Since the optical and the HDMI-ARC signals are both exactly the same, there's really no reason to go with HDMI-ARC, unless you have money to waste.

        Special mention:

        No, it's a one way converter.

        Thanks dear for ur prompt support on the issue. after reading ur suggestion i am confused regarding---

        " 2: If I choose the splitter should I use it take input from apple TV and then put HDMI output from Splitter to TV and Optical out put to SONOS playbase.

        OR

        3: I should use Splitter at HDMI ARC as input to splitter and optical out put from splitter to SONOS playbase. "

        are these option thought by me different or i need same splitter/convertors for both these options.

        again can u suggest some good splitters/convertors.

        my tv modal is: Mi LED TV 4 PRO 55

        Socket

        USB：2.0 x 2
        HDMI：3（1 contain ARC）
        AV：1
        Ethernet：1
        S/PDIF out：1
        WIFI： 2.4GHz/5GHz, 802.11 a/b/g/n
        Bluetooth：BT 4.2

        Decoder
        Video decoder
        MPEG1/2/4，REAL，H.264
        Audio decoder
        DOLBY AUDIO, DTS
        Translate
        pankaj100887Author
        Contributor I
        July 17, 2019
        Hi Pankaj Kumar

        What is the brand/model of your TV? I find it odd that it would have HDMI-ARC technology and no type of digital out-put. Could there be a coaxial out-put for audio in the absence of an optical out-put? A picture of the connection panel would also be helpful if you can manage it.

        Cheers!

        Thanks dear for ur prompt support..

        TV Details-https://www.mi.com/in/mi-led-smart-tv-4-pro-55/specs/

        my tv modal is: Mi LED TV 4 PRO 55

        Socket

        USB：2.0 x 2
        HDMI：3（1 contain ARC）
        AV：1
        Ethernet：1
        S/PDIF out：1
        WIFI： 2.4GHz/5GHz, 802.11 a/b/g/n
        Bluetooth：BT 4.2

        Decoder
        Video decoder
        MPEG1/2/4，REAL，H.264
        Audio decoder
        DOLBY AUDIO, DTS
        Translate
        nik9669a
        Senior Virtuoso
        July 17, 2019
        Isn’t the S/PDIF output optical?
        Translate
          pankaj100887Author
          Contributor I
          July 17, 2019
          Isn’t the S/PDIF output optical?

          Yes, but it gives stereo output only.
          Translate
          nik9669a
          Senior Virtuoso
          July 17, 2019
          I can’t see where the spec says this is a stereo only channel. It should be capable of outputting 5.1. Are you feeding the Playbase a 5.1 Dolby Digital signal?
          Translate
            pankaj100887Author
            Contributor I
            July 17, 2019
            I can’t see where the spec says this is a stereo only channel. It should be capable of outputting 5.1. Are you feeding the Playbase a 5.1 Dolby Digital signal?

            So u are saying SPDIF and Optical cable are interchangeable for playbase ? and please read this:

            "They are both digital connections. Optical usually refers to the ADAT protocol over a fiber optic cable (TOSLINK), while SPDIF is usually transmitted over a coaxial "RCA" cable.
            "Usually", optical can carry 8 channels at 44.1/48KHz (or 4 at 88.2/96KHz in certain situations) while SPDIF is stereo (two channels).
            However, optical can also be only stereo because optical can also just carry an SPDIF signal (optical refers to the physical interface, while SPDIF refers to a communication protocol, you need "ADAT" protocol to carry 8 channels over optical)
            It's great to have both: most multi-channel preamp boxes (e.g. Behringer ADA8200, Audient ASP800, Focusrite Octopre, etc) will output 8-channels through ADAT. These are great to quickly add a bunch of channels for drum or full-band tracking (or live recording), while some single or dual channel preamps with digital output will usually output a SPDIF signal over RCA cable."
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            nik9669a
            Senior Virtuoso
            July 17, 2019
            Dolby Digital is a compressed data stream, and the optical S/PDIF interface can carry the compressed 5.1 signal. I think you should have received an optical cable with the Playbase in the box the base came in.

            You may need to set the TV to output DD rather than DTS. The Playbase will not do any conversion: it ONLY accepts a DD input (or stereo/PCM).

            When a DD signal is being sent to the Playbase, fire up your app and go to Settings, About my Sonos System

            There, you'll see info about your system, and in the Playbase section it will include "Audio In: xxxx" If a DD 5.1 signal is being sent to the Playbase, this will confirm it. Or it'll say a stereo, or whatever, signal is being received.
            Translate
              Ken_Griffiths
              Ken_Griffiths
              July 17, 2019
              pankaj100887,

              Just to add to nik9669a's correct comments, that you need to select just “Dolby Digital” output for the TV's S/PDIF's optical port and not “Dolby Digital Plus”, which the TV also supports, I believe.

              Just thought it worth clarifying that matter as the DD Plus codec is not currently supported by Sonos.
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