Beam optical adapter

camillo777 wrote:

https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/beam.html

Sonos Beam plays audio from PCM stereo, Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital 5.1 sources. These are the most popular audio formats for streaming video on demand and watching TV.

I’m specifically referring to the HDMI to optical adapter. I have an OLED with ARC...so I have preordered the beam...but if Sonos upgrades the Playbar anytime in the future, I plan to move the Beam into a bedroom and I’d still like 5.1 sound, however, the tv I have in my room is an older Samsung, with no ARC, so I’d need to use the optical adapter. This is what I found on the product page, so it leads me to believe that the adapter might only support two channels, and would love clarification:

What if my TV supports a codec that isn’t one of the supported by Sonos Beam?
When Sonos Beam is connected to HDMI-ARC on your TV, the TV and Sonos Beam automatically pick the best format that both systems can support. If you are using the Optical Audio Adapter, Sonos Beam will support PCM stereo and Dolby Digital.

Hey there, PJ75. Happy to clarify any confusion. Camillo777 is right on the money. Just like the Playbar and Playbase, the Beam will be able to support Dolby Digital 5.1 with the use of the optical adapter. I will be happy to forward this topic to the team for feedback regarding the confusion.

If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out. Thanks for posting!

Right on! Thank you both!

Of course if your TV refuses to emit DD 5.1 over optical for HDMI inputs, the usual hacks that us Playbar users are well used to will have to be done as well.

Keith - the optical adapter that comes with the Beam. Does it support 24/96 into it when it converts to HDMI.

I know the optical input of the Playbar/Playbase won't accept a 24/96 toslink source … but will this new adapter.

controlav wrote:

Of course if your TV refuses to emit DD 5.1 over optical for HDMI inputs, the usual hacks that us Playbar users are well used to will have to be done as well.

Hi, new user with a Beam so new to this problem. Could you direct me to some information about the usual hacks?

pheur wrote:

controlav wrote:

Of course if your TV refuses to emit DD 5.1 over optical for HDMI inputs, the usual hacks that us Playbar users are well used to will have to be done as well.

Hi, new user with a Beam so new to this problem. Could you direct me to some information about the usual hacks?

If your TV won't pass a DD 5.1 signal then you need to get that DD5.1 directly into the Beam without going through the TV.
So you either need to take the audio via optical direct from the source to the Beam - In my case my Humax satellite box, TV audio, and BT PVR all have their optical outs into a 3-way mechanical optical switch and I manually select the input. The output goes into the Playbar.

The other way is to take the HDMI leads from the inputs into an HDMI multi-way audio splitter. You get an audio out via optical to the Playbar and HDMI out to go the TV. I tried this but whilst it worked it did funky things to the audio and sometimes it took me 10 minutes to get it to output in the correct audio format so I ditched it for the switch above

Stuart_W wrote:

If your TV won't pass a DD 5.1 signal then you need to get that DD5.1 directly into the Beam without going through the TV.
So you either need to take the audio via optical direct from the source to the Beam - In my case my Humax satellite box, TV audio, and BT PVR all have their optical outs into a 3-way mechanical optical switch and I manually select the input. The output goes into the Playbar.

Thanks! Could you recommend a mechanical optical switch for this use?

I bought mine from Maplins which is now closed for good.

But it is the same as this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cable-Tex-OPTICAL-TOSLINK-SELECTOR-SPLITTER/dp/B0036YDUZO