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BluJay
Contributor I
November 18, 2015
Question

How to connect tv, playbar & DTS converting bluray player together to get DD output

  • November 18, 2015
  • 20 replies
  • 11276 views
Hi, just purchased the playbar recently and feeling ripped off to be honest as I asked the salesman for the best product for surround sound without going down the full home theater path. Now I realize the playbar does not accept the DTS signal that my TV (Samsung UA55JU7000W) is outputting on blurays and to make full use of my $1000 bar I must outlay more cash and hunt down a new bluray player that decodes DTS to DD.

Before I do this, I want to know exactly how this would be connected up to provide DD on blurays whilst still outputting stereo on normal tv viewing.
Does the setup remain the same? i.e bluray HDMI > TV > optical cable > playbar
Or do I need more cables and a different setup?
My tv has only one optical port and I'm trying to keep this as simple as possible. Having to go to this trouble and expense is an absolute joke for a "top of the range" soundbar and I feel like an idiot for buying it.
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20 replies

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Leroi908
Contributor I
November 5, 2016
I like the reply--thorough and relevant to my situation with Sony BDP. I guess the one thing I don't get is how you connect your cable box (or other inputs) without a switcher that takes HDMI inputs. Do you just run video directly onto the television and sound separately via the switcher? That would mean switching the input setting twice when you move from cable/sat to another device, right? Please tell me if I'm misunderstanding. Also do you think the sound you're getting now was worth the time and money? Thanks!
Steerpike
Trending Lyricist I
November 8, 2016
I have Virginmedia TiVo and this is connected to the TV using the HDMI cable and when VM deliver 5.1, for example on Sky Sports, it works fine. I think that there is an optical out on the TiVo but I don't know if it works and I didn't connect it as it works as is.

Yes, it was worth it because the sound is good now and I found it very irritating staring at the Play 1's standing there idle.

Interestingly, there was a massive firmware update for the BDP recently (I think it was about 137MB) and I couldn't help wondering if Sony had fixed the issue but I haven't yet experimented to see if they have.
Steerpike
Trending Lyricist I
November 8, 2016
Just to confirm the cabling.

TV - optical cable - switch port 1
BDP - coax cable - converter - optical cable - switch port 2
Switch output - optical cable - playbar
TiVo - HDMI cable - TV

Switch port 3 is spare and could be used for TiVo if necessary.
The converter comes with a power supply and the switch gets power from a USB cable connected to the TV.
The switch also has an IR receiver cable and remote control.
amazd
Lyricist III
December 17, 2016
Appreciate the help here. Can't overstate how ridiculous this whole DTS issue is. Thanks to this thread I went into my Sony BluRay player audio settings and set the Dolby D Compatible Output setting to "on" to convert all DTS signals to DD. Thanks to living in a townhome I don't really get to pump up the volume and appreciate the full sound of DTS anyway.
amazd
Lyricist III
December 18, 2016
Appreciate the help here. Can't overstate how ridiculous this whole DTS issue is. Thanks to this thread I went into my Sony BluRay player audio settings and set the Dolby D Compatible Output setting to "on" to convert all DTS signals to DD. Thanks to living in a townhome I don't really get to pump up the volume and appreciate the full sound of DTS anyway.

One more audio setting needed adjusted in the Sony BluRay player: Digital Audio Output needs to be set to "PCM" instead of Auto.
Steerpike
Trending Lyricist I
February 23, 2017
Found this useful article on the subject:

http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/How-to-Get-5-1-Dolby-Surround-Sound-from-a-SONOS-PlayBar.shtml
    tom12
    Enthusiast II
    February 24, 2017
    Appreciate the help here. Can't overstate how ridiculous this whole DTS issue is. Thanks to this thread I went into my Sony BluRay player audio settings and set the Dolby D Compatible Output setting to "on" to convert all DTS signals to DD. Thanks to living in a townhome I don't really get to pump up the volume and appreciate the full sound of DTS anyway.

    Can you tell us which Sony Player you have? Is it the new 4K player - UBP-X800?

    The only other 4K player I've heard that has this "downmix" feature is the Samsung 8500.
    amazd
    Lyricist III
    February 27, 2017
    Appreciate the help here. Can't overstate how ridiculous this whole DTS issue is. Thanks to this thread I went into my Sony BluRay player audio settings and set the Dolby D Compatible Output setting to "on" to convert all DTS signals to DD. Thanks to living in a townhome I don't really get to pump up the volume and appreciate the full sound of DTS anyway.

    Can you tell us which Sony Player you have? Is it the new 4K player - UBP-X800?

    The only other 4K player I've heard that has this "downmix" feature is the Samsung 8500.

    Sony - BDPS6500 – Streaming 4K Upscaling 3D Wi-Fi Built-In Blu-ray Player; purchased Nov-2015
      tom12
      Enthusiast II
      February 27, 2017
      Appreciate the help here. Can't overstate how ridiculous this whole DTS issue is. Thanks to this thread I went into my Sony BluRay player audio settings and set the Dolby D Compatible Output setting to "on" to convert all DTS signals to DD. Thanks to living in a townhome I don't really get to pump up the volume and appreciate the full sound of DTS anyway.

      Can you tell us which Sony Player you have? Is it the new 4K player - UBP-X800?

      The only other 4K player I've heard that has this "downmix" feature is the Samsung 8500.

      Sony - BDPS6500 – Streaming 4K Upscaling 3D Wi-Fi Built-In Blu-ray Player; purchased Nov-2015

      Thanks Amazd.
      I'm waiting for the Sony UBP-X800 to be released. If your model Sony player has this option then I think there's a good chance the UBP-X800 will also.
      sophialiu
      Lyricist I
      August 15, 2017
      Play bar is good.So does Blu-ray player. http://www.f2fsoft.com/blu-ray-player/
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