I have to admit, I'm a little confused. We are moving and thinking about our next configuration. I want to connect a Playbar to a Samsung UN75F6300AF and get 5.1 surround sound out of it. The manual on the Samsung syays the digital output supports 5.1 (though I've read some Samsungs do not). Assuming the broadcast is surround sound 5.1, will the TV pass the 5.1 signal using the digital output and then will the Playbar (and attached pair of Play 3s) play in surround sound?



Thanks in advance.

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I have to admit, I'm a little confused

+1



We are looking at getting a new TV, nothing special just 40" thin (very thin) black surround and the ability to work (fully) with SoundBar in 5.1 mode. Albeit with the purchase of a Samsung DVD player to replace our 2 month old Panasonic that does not converter to 5.1 from DTS.



I saw this thread and thought there might be a definitive list of TV model numbers, but after wading through everything I seem to be no nearer a solution.



Does Sonos publish a list of recommended "compatible" TVs anywhere?? If not why not?



I am a great fan of Sonos since 2007, but they choose to make life difficult (with their chose of input options) so the least they could do is help out with a list of TVs that work!

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TJRL,



I don't think that it is possible to create a truly comprehensive or accurate list of TV's that pass through 5.1. One would need to test the universe of TV's regularly, but even daily testing might not result in an accurate list. Since most of the TV's in question offer online updates, an update could change the processing results for a given model in a few minutes. Plus, there could be running engineering updates for a model that change the situation. For these units the compatibility list information might not apply to dealer inventory manufactured prior to or after the (likely unknown) engineering change date. Dealers and manufacturers would be reluctant to share this information with customers, fearing that they might be stuck with unsellable inventory.



Then there is the question of liability for database errors. And, damage claims could originate from customers who purchased model XYZ TV because it was listed as compatible, but was not -- or from manufacturers claiming that the listing error resulted in lost sales for their model ZYX.



And the situation can become very weird. Recently, I was struggling with a set that displayed an error message when its speakers were turned OFF and an IR Volume command was received. This is annoying and, while it is often relatively easy to train PLAYBAR to use a different set of commands, using the TV's native remote can then become more difficult. Effectively, one is trading one annoyance for another. By accident, I discovered that the TV's speakers could be turned OFF after climbing down two different menu trees. If I used tree 'A' to turn the speakers ON, then used tree 'B' to turn them OFF, the error message was suppressed. I am dreading the next TV firmware update ... .

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Hi Buzz,



I guess my asking for a definitive list of TVs was a bit tongue in check and I was just venting some frustration at how hard Sonos have made it to get the most out of the PlayBar's capabilities!:rolleyes:

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Hello



I have the Samsung UE60F6300 just bought 2 months ago.



Firmware, the latest: 1120



When I connect the HDMI from my sat box to the TV directly the menu of Dolby Digital is not greyed out, so I select it and I see the picture OK, but the optical out then I send it to a reciever (to check if its indeed sending Dolby Digital) and there is no sound coming out from the TV...



Anything I am doing wrong. It seems that it CAN pass the signal to the Digital out (at least from the menu) but then I cant get any audio out...



Any help? Thanks

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Hi all, I'm considering purchasing a Samsung H6400 series TV (a 55" in particular). Does anyone have any experience with this TV and a Playbar? Can anyone confirm that this TV will pass 5.1 audio from it's connected devices (ie. blueray player, sat box etc.) to the Playbar?



Thanks.

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Sony KDL46ex715 will not pass!

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Hi all, I'm considering purchasing a Samsung H6400 series TV (a 55" in particular). Does anyone have any experience with this TV and a Playbar? Can anyone confirm that this TV will pass 5.1 audio from it's connected devices (ie. blueray player, sat box etc.) to the Playbar?



Thanks.



Hi jlogo, I contacted Samsung today to know if their H6400 series TVs support 5.1 through the Digital Audio Out output. Their email reply (translated from French):



[indent]When sound comes out directly from the TV, the "Digital Audio Out" output supports Dolby Digital 5.1.



When you use an HDMI device and wish to use the "Digital Audio Out" output from your TV, sound will only be capable of supportig Dolby Surround and won't support Dolby 5.1.

• Example 1: USB stick plugged in the TV: Digital Audio Out -> Dolby 5.1 (for content supporting 5.1)
  
• Example 2: Decoder plugged with HDMI: Digital Audio Out -> Dolby Surround (stereo)
  

[/indent]

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Does anyone tested the Sony KD-**X8505 TVs?

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Does anyone tested the Sony KD-**X8505 TVs?



or any other current 4k TVs e.g. from Samsung??

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Does anyone tested the Sony KD-**X8505 TVs?



Got an 65x8505 today and yes it can synd out multichannel to the optical port. Both from internal apps and from an input hdmi port (in my case from an HTPC)

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I have a Philips 42PFL7008 and it passes the DD5.1 signal from HDMI (appletv) to optical...

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I recently picked up a Sony KDL42W653A and confirm that this DOES pass 5.1 down the optical from the devices connected to the HDMI. Also from the built in Netflix app but only Dolby Digital 2.0 from the Amazon app even when the content claims to be 5.1 - this is no doubt an amazon issue ! Lastly it passes 5.1 from content coming from a connected usb device.



This is using the latest firmware.



hope that helps !

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I think it would be unrealistic for Sonos to keep a list of compatible TVs. I think due to ever changing firmware. Any update could effect feature sets.

I am a long time Samsung user. I am shopping for a TV to be compatible with my future Sonos home theater system. I went in to best buy and Frys to take a look. I am not interested in 4K TVs. Most reps will tell you "ohh yea, all new 4K TVs will output 5.1 over the optical output". But I think they are just looking to make a quick sale. In Best Buy, they had a Sharp and a Samsung rep. I am looking for anything over 65". The reps said usually anything in that size will output 5.1 over optical, but that is not really the case.

I asked for the remotes on 4 different brands to look at the audio options myself. The only definitive one I could find is from Sharp. The Q+ series. It specifically says "5.1 over optical output and receive device must be compatible". Even the newer high end Samsungs only did PCM. The Sonys had something called "variable", which the sales guy tried to convince me that it was 5.1.

I think for me it will come down to one of the Sharp 70" Q+ series TVs.

-edit. So I spoke with Samsung support and they mentioned that anything "6203" and above would have the 5.1 digital audio out over the optical port. For instance, the UN65H6203AFXZA is one. The option is available on smaller TVs, but just look for the middle numbers and make sure they are "6203" or above.

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So does anyone know if the Samsung 55hu8200 passes 5.1?

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just about to purchase a new tv and soundbar and found this artricle on a 5.1 through optical test (copy into google as cant post links yet)



20-tvs-tested-which-sets-can-pass-surround-sound-to-a-sound-bar/[/url]



looks like most sonys do pass 5.1 but can anyone confirm def for the KD55X8505BBU



i have emailed sony direct to see if they can help!!!

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got this reply from sony today so reckon im going for the 55X8505 :)



Thank you for contacting Sony Support regarding the specification of the KD-55X8505B.







In an attempt to clarify this matter, please note that all our new models TVs do support the 5.1 surround sound, but it has to be a 5.1 content and to be outputted to compatible sound system using either HDMI or an optical cable.

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Can anyone confirm if the new Vizio P-series will pass 5.1 to the Playbar?

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Just out of curiosity:



My ht-setup until recently was receiver with multiple hdmi-sources (apple-tv/dvd-player/ps3/satbox) connected to panasonic plasma (P42G20)

Until I recently decided to change into Sonos 5.1 setup with playbar/sub and play3's.

To quickly find out about the problem this thread was started for...

The tv cannot send true 5.1 DD out to the playbar...



I read through this thread and stumbled uppon the hdmi switches. Which seem a nonlogical solution since I don't want to use an extra setting in this new setup, I was really looking forward to having just one source and sound setting: let the tv do the work for me!



Then I realised that my setup so far worked with hdmi as well: the receiver was hooked up to the tv with hdmi as well, using the arc-channel.

So the receiver took all sound and video from different sources, including the tv sound and would send video to the tv and audio to the speakers.



Then I started to wonder: would it be a solution to use a hdmi to toslink adapter. I imagine that connecting all of my sources to the tv and adding an adapter like this to the arc-hdmi channel of the tv and from that a toslink cable to the soundbar I would be back in business?

I would seem logical that the tv sends audio through that hdmi connector which would be converted to the adapter to light and into the sonos soundbar?



I found a couple on ebay for like $20 so ordering one of those would be not really a problem.



I'll keep you posted on trying out this solution.

When it works I might have to open a store:-)

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pajako,



First post! Welcome to the forums.



Please keep us posted on the results of your experiment.

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In the meantime I have encountered several posts concerning this issue. On this board as well on places all over the web.



I also ordered and returned an hdmi audio extractor. I connected it to my Panasonic P42G20 (hdmi-arc-port) and no sound at all. Straight from the Apple-tv the extractor did send audio to the Sonos so the unit worked.



Seems it would be good if Sonos would develop an hdmi(arc)-adapter that anyone could use which would 'tell' the tv 'I am here, send me the audio' and connect to the optical input of the Playbar…

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Hi jlogo, I contacted Samsung today to know if their H6400 series TVs support 5.1 through the Digital Audio Out output. Their email reply (translated from French):



[indent]When sound comes out directly from the TV, the "Digital Audio Out" output supports Dolby Digital 5.1.



When you use an HDMI device and wish to use the "Digital Audio Out" output from your TV, sound will only be capable of supportig Dolby Surround and won't support Dolby 5.1.

• Example 1: USB stick plugged in the TV: Digital Audio Out -> Dolby 5.1 (for content supporting 5.1)
  
• Example 2: Decoder plugged with HDMI: Digital Audio Out -> Dolby Surround (stereo)
  

[/indent]



I think they (Samsung) may be misleading us here. I think they may only be referring to they behavior of digital out using ARC over HDMI. I have a Samsung H6700 and am watching this thread with interest as I want a playbar, but am trying to get conclusive proof it will pass 5.1 and not watered down dolby surround or PCM stereo. In my searches I am yet to conclude this, but there is definitely evidence that Samsung only support dolby surround (2 channel) via ARC on HDMI.

Just tried my TV tonight with various sources, it difinetily will not decode dolby digital sound from the HDMI on the TV i.e. playing a DD source into the TV via the HMDI. I still haven't tried the pass through (as I have nothing ot pass into) but I do get the dolby digital option on the digital output menu when I play a DD soruce via HDMI.

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I was able to use the service menu option discussed previously (change EDID from PCM to AC3) to get Dolby Digital 5.1 passthrough working from HDMI sources, through the 2013 LG Smart TV (55LA6200), and to the Playbar.



Specifics on how to do this can be pieced together from various online sources. In my case, I was able to access the service menu easily using the Universal remote that came with my UVerse service. When programmed to control my TV (using a code that is common to Vizio as well), the enter button on the Uverse remote calls up the service menu. Once you're on there, I found the EDID_TYPE option under "Tool Option 7" and set it to AC3. Voila!



My windows PC connected via HDMI to the TV now sees Dolby Digital as supported, and I can verify in the Sonos controller that it's receiving 5.1 from all of my HDMI connected devices, both the PC and my UVerse set top box. (I had to change the audio settings in the set top box to output surround first, as it does not seem to auto detect based on EDID.)



It seems most LG TVs are amenable to this (easy) hack, as long as you have a remote control that can pull up the service menu.

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I am seriously considering a Sony right now since I want to change my tv for interior styling reasons anyway:-)

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Further to my post above I can confrim exactly the situation on Samsung, or at least the H6700. As with the post regarding LG TVs above its related to the EDID. When you connect a device to the TV with HDMI it reports that it only supoprts PCM 2.0.

So, if the connected device changes its output format based on the EDID ie PCM 2.0 then the optical pass thru gets exactly that.

However, if the connected device has the option to fix the output format (and effectively ignore the EDID, SKy HD boxes in the UK are an example of this ) then the full dolby 5.1 signal gets passed through the optical output.

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