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

Just thought I would share my experiences. 

Same problem as everyone else. UB820, GX, Arc. Can only ever get the UB820 to output PCM 2.0 for DTS soundtracks.

Considering the cost of all of the equipment, it is absolutely not acceptable to have to fork out another £200 for an HDFury Arcana just to be able to use functionality which I have already paid for.

And I bought the UB820 specifically for this setup, to get around the lack of DTS support in the GX and Arc. 

Has anyone contacted LG about this issue yet?

I think I will contact both Panasonic and LG about this because like Surge mentioned above, I don’t want to spend another £200 on a HDFury Arcana. I’m not sure whether the fault lies with LG (C9 tv), Panasonic (UB820) or Sonos (Arc) because dependent upon what I am using I get different results:

PS4/5 & Pc - All play multi channel lpcm

UB820 set to PCM with DTS soundtrack movie (e.g. Gladiator 4k or Lone Survivor) and C9 set to Passthrough- PCM 2.0

C9 set to PCM with a ripped DTS movie soundtrack on a USB memory stick (hence totally bypassing the UB820 since it is plugged directly into the tv) - PCM 2.0

I received my HDFury Arcana today and I have some positive preliminary results to share, certainly in regards to the Panasonic 820 output. I need to do more tests. But so far, success with DTS multichannel to PCM Multichannel into the Sonos Arc while retaining correct Atmos playback in True HD format.

Here is my set up:

Sources:

Panasonic 820 4k Player

Apple TV 4K

Tivo Bolt

(I have a Nintendo Switch, but I have not connected it to the TV to try with this.)

Display: LG 55” C9 (2019)

Audio: Sonos Arc 5.1 set up

All devices are on latest firmware.

The Arcana arrived via DHL from Taiwan. I ordered on Jan 1, it shipped on Jan 4 and arrived today, Jan 8. Product arrives in a blister pack and includes the Arcana, a USB cable and a power plug (with US plug in my case). No documentation - that is all online. Firmware came as .79 (which was released in Nov in parallel with the Arc’s update to support PCM multichannel audio). I updated, via USB stick, to the December release which is .80 and that fixed some Xbox items according to the notes. Arcana build quality is fine. Not super great, but survivable for a part that likely just sits without much interaction. Menus are nicely laid out and easy to read on the OLED screen.

Happily, my theory that I could use the TV as switcher was accurate for the non-820 sources! 

My set up now:

820 via 8k ethernet HDMI cable to the Arcana HDMI in (I doubt I need this high a cable for this, but it is what I had)

Arcana HDMI video out to LG input 2 (ARC port), with a 18 gbps /ethernet cable 

Arcana HDMI eARC output to the Sonos input via 18 gbps ethernet

AppleTV 4K to LG input 1

Tivo to LG Input 4 

(the 820 used to be in 3 on the LG, hence the gap)

820 has Dolby tracks in bitstream format for output

820 has DTS tracks going out via PCM for output

BR Secondary audio is off

From the Hobbit 4k disc, I get Atmos (True HD) to the Sonos - as expected

From the LA Phil 100th Anniversary Disc, I get 2.0 PCM from the 2.0 PCM track AND….

7.1 (but only 5.1 source) from the DTS MA track. (This disc features a 2D and a 5.1 mix.)

From the new Eiger Sanction blu-ray release, I get PCM 2.0 from the DTS MA track (which might be in 1.0 format)

I am sending 4k 4:4:4 picture (native for the Hobbit, upsampled by the Panasonic for 1080 sources). The Arcana can do this too, but I did not see the need for that.

(Note, I tried to adjust the Panasonic to match the disc channels - e.g. 5.1 for 5.1 - but it seems to always want to send 7.1 - even when I changed the down mix settings. I need to tweak more.)

When I switch to the Apple TV on input 1, the LG correctly passes the bitstream back to the Arcana via eARC, which routes it to the Sonos. (I think it’s crucial to the have the Panasonic off for this to work.) I can get 5.1, Atmos (DD+), and 2.0 PCM - all as expected based on the programming source. Picture is 4K Dolby Vision when the source allows.

Here I have a flag on synchronization between the TV and Sonos. I feel like when I watched Rise of Skywalker via Disney+ that the Atmos audio was slightly late which would be attributed to the extra hop through the Arcana. However, when I watched the same movie via my Apple iTunes Movies version, it was in sync. I looked at Rebecca on Netflix which has Atmos, and it seemed in sync or very close. I did run the Wireless Sync on the AppleTV. but I am not sure that impacts wired connections. There are no settings on the TV that I know of to make the picture lag - only to make the sound lag which is not helpful. I tried both Passthrough and Auto for the ARC Out setting (and with bitstream as the format).

I only flipped through a few channels on the Tivo and it all seemed in sync. The Tivo is sending Dolby Digital through and it seemed in sync.

So, I think I have what I want. Great 4k player that can drive the LG and Sonos with any disc I want to play and with the correct channel output and nicely upsample lower res images. Ability to use multiple sources with the LG and not need a switcher as well.

More to follow as I play around more this weekend and watch feature length content. 

And do I think this should be necessary? Heck no! As noted in a previous post, having to spend $200 more to solve a connection problem seems wrong. But if the issue is with the LG CEC, my instinct is that they won’t fix a 2019 problem such as this unless it were impacted a number of players. They might for the 2020 CX line, and perhaps for whatever they announce next week at CES. 

Hope my initial tests prove reliable and repeatable over the next few days!

Thanks for info. Question: can you still output 5.1 LPCM from Apple TV (or another device, such as PS5)? I thought that Apple TV needed to be hooked up to the Arcana for the 5.1 LPCM to work with Sonos Arc and Arcana. 

I was playing around with some settings today and I found another way to get sound from all speakers.

I think the difference this time is that I actually ran the device connector for the HDMI inputs so that my HDMI2 was set to Sonos (by selecting the sound bar manufacturer), and my HDMI 3 was set to Panasonic (by selecting the Blu-ray player manufacturer)

The result in the Sonos App System Info still says stereo PCM 2.0, but I’m achieving sound from all my speakers.  Previously the only way i was able to achieve sound from all speakers was by setting the Audio Downmix in the UB820 to Surround Encoded.  Beyond that every other possible combination of settings would not result in audio coming from all of my speakers.  I believe the Device Connector did something.  

Now I’m not sure if this is true 5.1 or if there is some virtual surround stuff going on here.  Would anybody with an HD fury set up compare what they are hearing by using my method, and then comparing to the HD Fury set up.

TV: LG C9 

Player: Panasonic UB820

Sonos: Arc, Gen 3 Sub, One SL x 2

Audio settings on the UB820

Digital Audio Output - DTS: Bitstream

Downmix: Stereo

Audio Settings on LGC9

HDMI ARC

Digital Sound: PCM or Passthrough

eARC: On

@zad What specific content are you testing?

The easiest way of knowing if you are getting 5.1 audio is listening to the dialogue. It should only be coming from the Arc speakers and not your surround speakers (unless there is a character speaking off of the screen). And when you hear 5.1 audio compared to 2.0 stereo, it will be a dramatic difference.

@GuitarSuperstar I’m testing out Blu-ray’s with DTS / DTS-MA soundtracks.  From what I’m hearing, dialogue is coming from the arc with the surrounds giving me distinct effects.  

Does the audio sound just as good as playing a Dolby TrueHD Blu-ray? If you are getting actual multichannel PCM, it should sound just as good and immersive.