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LG C9 + Arc + UB820 / Multichannel PCM for DTS Blu-Ray discs

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I’m running an LG C9 with a Panasonic UB820 Blu-ray player, Sonos Arc + Sub gen 3 + One SL surrounds. The lack of DTS support on the Arc has been frustrating for non Dolby encoded Blu-ray discs, so I have been eagerly awaiting the multichannel PCM update.

It’s finally arrived (thanks, Sonos!) and I tried playing a DTS encoded Blu-ray and… no dice. Still stereo PCM 2.0. Has anyone running a similar set-up managed to get 5.1 PCM output from the Arc?

The C9 supports eARC and multichannel PCM, I’m using 48gbps HDMI cables that support up to 8k60Hz, all of the devices are up to date, I have the C9 set to PCM with eArc enabled, DTS output set to PCM on the UB820… I’m really at a loss here. Any ideas or suggested settings?

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Scotty01

Lyricist II

@Surge My UB820 is connected from the HDMI audio/video out port to the HDFury Arcana and I get multichannel PCM audio playing out of the Arc.

I too am also getting 7.1 audio from the 820 through a DR 4K HDMI through my LG to my Sonos Arc. The only time I get 2.0 audio is when the source material is in 2.0 format.

After Panasonic asked for more info on my ticket, they have not further responded.

Hi I'm also getting 7.1 using the arcana. I've noticed today there has been an update on the c9. 5.00.30 not sure if it's anything to do with this though.

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maxwood

Lyricist III

@Surge My UB820 is connected from the HDMI audio/video out port to the HDFury Arcana and I get multichannel PCM audio playing out of the Arc.

I too am also getting 7.1 audio from the 820 through a DR 4K HDMI through my LG to my Sonos Arc. The only time I get 2.0 audio is when the source material is in 2.0 format.

After Panasonic asked for more info on my ticket, they have not further responded.

Hi I'm also getting 7.1 using the arcana. I've noticed today there has been an update on the c9. 5.00.30 not sure if it's anything to do with this though.

Found this.

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/2019-c9%E2%80%93e9-owners-thread-no-price-talk.3057634/page-879#post-60623628

I’ve got a CX, not sure if there’s an update for me.

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JamesU2021

Contributor II

Question for the group.

I’ve followed the advice, set DTS to PCM within the UB820, plus set the downmixing to Surround, turned off Secondary audio etc. LG settings as standard.

The ‘Playback Info’ bar within the UB820 is showing DTS-HD MSTR, but within the Sonos app it’s showing as Stero PCM 2.0.

However, I am getting full surround sound across my rear SLs. With dialogue coming purely through the centre Arc.

What do we think is happening here?

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GuitarSuperstar

Lead Maestro

@JamesU2021 That’s interesting. Do you mind posting a screenshot of the Playback Info screen and the title of the movie you are testing?

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Silverthorn

Prodigy II

I believe the Panasonic adds some surround info into the stereo PCM mixes and with the changes for the Arc PCM support they started using I think. Certainly my 4k blurays with DTS tracks seem to get a much better up mix than previously with my Playbase.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_Pro_Logic

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zad

Lyricist III

Question for the group.

I’ve followed the advice, set DTS to PCM within the UB820, plus set the downmixing to Surround, turned off Secondary audio etc. LG settings as standard.

The ‘Playback Info’ bar within the UB820 is showing DTS-HD MSTR, but within the Sonos app it’s showing as Stero PCM 2.0.

However, I am getting full surround sound across my rear SLs. With dialogue coming purely through the centre Arc.

What do we think is happening here?

This is just a virtual surround, I had the exact same experience as you and documented it earlier in this thread. If your bluray has several audio tracks (like different languages) usually track 1 is English DTS - MA, followed by foreign language tracks in dolby digital 5.1. Use the audio button on the remote to change the tracks on the fly and you'll very clearly hear the difference between a proper multi channel output and the virtual surround. I used the 4k of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

Additionally my LG C9 got the 5.00.30 update and I can confirm that it did not fix any of the hdmi handshake issues with the Panasonic UB820. I'm still getting 2.0 pcm instead of multichannel LPCM when outputing DTS.

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Silverthorn

Prodigy II

@zad

Have you set downmix to surround encoded on the Panasonic? Some time after the Arc was updated for better PCM support I put Divergent on and immediately noticed a vastly improved up mix with the DTS-X track with my Playbase. Not quite as good as the Atmos tracks on the sequels admittedly but very good. DTS-HD tracks needed a little bump in volume in the rear surrounds but still much improved. There must be some Pro Logic type of info the Panasonic is adding to the stereo output that Sonos wasn’t looking at previously. I’m not bothered by the lack of DTS support now and will be buying some more 4k release with DTS tracks that I put off buying. I was particularly pleased with 2001. The score sounded much better with the changes being mixed into the rear surrounds.

Ideally people would want to get LPCM rather than PCM for the best result but the TV is probably also a factor in that maybe?

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Z

zad

Lyricist III

@zad

Have you set downmix to surround encoded on the Panasonic? Some time after the Arc was updated for better PCM support I put Divergent on and immediately noticed a vastly improved up mix with the DTS-X track with my Playbase. Not quite as good as the Atmos tracks on the sequels admittedly but very good. DTS-HD tracks needed a little bump in volume in the rear surrounds but still much improved. There must be some Pro Logic type of info the Panasonic is adding to the stereo output that Sonos wasn’t looking at previously. I’m not bothered by the lack of DTS support now and will be buying some more 4k release with DTS tracks that I put off buying. I was particularly pleased with 2001. The score sounded much better with the changes being mixed into the rear surrounds.

Ideally people would want to get LPCM rather than PCM for the best result but the TV is probably also a factor in that maybe?

Oh yes I've tried that, I've spent hours trying to find the magic configuration. The issue is an HDMI handshake issue between the Panasonic UB820 and the LGC9, the Panasonic literally won't pass the LPCM signal to the television. I've used other devices that can pass through LPCM / covert DTS to dolby on the fly (xbox) with no issue.

Fake surround is OK, but it's not really the experience that I was expecting from this system. I'm just waiting to get my hands on a Xbox One X, and the Panasonic will go up for sale. It's a fine player but it doesn't work with my system. And nobody seems to be listening at customer support, we haven't seen a firmware upgrade in 2 years, I don't suspect we'll ever see one.

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iBoyley

Trending Lyricist I

Fake surround is OK, but it's not really the experience that I was expecting from this system. I'm just waiting to get my hands on a Xbox One X, and the Panasonic will go up for sale. It's a fine player but it doesn't work with my system. And nobody seems to be listening at customer support, we haven't seen a firmware upgrade in 2 years, I don't suspect we'll ever see one.

Hmm i have a Xbox series X and UB820. I certainly wouldn’t be jumping ship to play my movies on the xbox. Have you looked at any of the comparison videos from the likes of John Archer? The UB820 is still one of the best 4K players on the market and there is a considerable difference in image quality over something like an xbox/PS5.

The XSX also can’t and unlikely will be able to play dolby vision from 4K disks for some reason. Which is strange considering that they are moving towards dolby vision being used in games.

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S

Silverthorn

Prodigy II

@zad

Have you set downmix to surround encoded on the Panasonic? Some time after the Arc was updated for better PCM support I put Divergent on and immediately noticed a vastly improved up mix with the DTS-X track with my Playbase. Not quite as good as the Atmos tracks on the sequels admittedly but very good. DTS-HD tracks needed a little bump in volume in the rear surrounds but still much improved. There must be some Pro Logic type of info the Panasonic is adding to the stereo output that Sonos wasn’t looking at previously. I’m not bothered by the lack of DTS support now and will be buying some more 4k release with DTS tracks that I put off buying. I was particularly pleased with 2001. The score sounded much better with the changes being mixed into the rear surrounds.

Ideally people would want to get LPCM rather than PCM for the best result but the TV is probably also a factor in that maybe?

Oh yes I've tried that, I've spent hours trying to find the magic configuration. The issue is an HDMI handshake issue between the Panasonic UB820 and the LGC9, the Panasonic literally won't pass the LPCM signal to the television. I've used other devices that can pass through LPCM / covert DTS to dolby on the fly (xbox) with no issue.

Fake surround is OK, but it's not really the experience that I was expecting from this system. I'm just waiting to get my hands on a Xbox One X, and the Panasonic will go up for sale. It's a fine player but it doesn't work with my system. And nobody seems to be listening at customer support, we haven't seen a firmware upgrade in 2 years, I don't suspect we'll ever see one.

The thing is it’s not really fake surround its most likely using the technology Dolby used to put surround information in stereo soundtracks on 35mm film, back in the day, for those theatres that had their technology. Those that didn’t just got a plain stereo playback. The more I think about it the more likely I think it is that Sonos just wasn’t looking at the info in PCM sound that had it until after the Arc came out.

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"I saw the Stooges and the MC5"

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