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ukncdc
Contributor I
March 11, 2013

List of TV’s that will pass 5.1 from HDMI Sources to Playbar

All,
Would you mind listing your TV and mode/year in this thread if you have tested it and confirmed it will pass DD 5.1 to the Playbar and from what source. This will help those of us in the market for a new TV and playbar.

Thanks

MikeB.
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    370 replies

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    Noreen
    Contributor I
    February 28, 2014
    As I said earlier in the thread, I can confirm that after the most recent firmware update my Samsung PN60F8500AF now fully supports passing 5.1 from an HDMI source through to the Playbar. When I first bought this TV it would not pass 5.1 from any HDMI source but now it all works great without the need for an HDMI switch, etc.
    jjones - are you 100% sure it's passing through via HDMI? I have the same set, running firmware v. 1119.1, and am not getting 5:1.
    perstenmar
    Lyricist I
    March 19, 2014
    Did it work to pass DD 5.1 from your Apple TV to the Playbar?

    I have the Samsung UN60F7100.

    Just spent about an hour on the phone trying to get to a higher up Samsung support person. 1st person knew little so they connected me to the "2nd tier support".

    They gauranteed me that the TV Optical out supports DD 5.1 pass thru over HDMI.

    They said as long as your cable box (Tivo Premiere) is putting out DD 5.1 through HDMI to the TV then it will send out DD 5.1 through the optical out.

    They said I should also have software version 11.18.0 on my TV. But they didn't know if this feature was new to the software or had always existed.

    Unforuntately, I just ordered my Playbar & Sub so I can't test right now.

    My Setup is Apple TV (newest), RCN Tivo Premiere cable box, and a PS4 all with the newest standard HDMI's into the TV with an optical out to the Playbar.

    Let's hope it works. I'm a little bit of a newb but I'm thinking even if I only have a Playbar and a sub it should show DD 5.1. I dont need the two rear speakers for it to show 5.1 right?
    Noreen
    Contributor I
    March 19, 2014
    Except for the TVs listed somewhere on the Sonos site, 5.1 audio will not pass through via HDMI to the Playbar. This is not a limitation by Sonos, but by TV manufacturers. Sony TVs, for example, allow this; Samsung does not. However, they (Samsung) may have a firmware upgrade coming in a few months that could open this up.

    I have no inside information, and have no idea if the firmware update will address this. What I am sure of is that my Samsung TV, with the most recent firmware, does not passthrough 5.1 audio.
    Dr Tchok
    Avid Contributor I
    March 20, 2014
    Except for the TVs listed somewhere on the Sonos site, 5.1 audio will not pass through via HDMI to the Playbar.

    What I am sure of is that my Samsung TV, with the most recent firmware, does not passthrough 5.1 audio.

    You refer to pass through of 5.1 through HDMI to the Playbar. I'm not sure this is correct, as I don't believe that there is an HDMI input on the Playbar

    FWIW, my Samsung UE40F8000 has begun to pass through 5.1 through the optical cable to the Playbar following a recent firmware update in the last few months.

    T
    Noreen
    Contributor I
    March 20, 2014
    Dr. Tchok - sorry I was not more clear, and you are correct. I should have said HDMI input to TV, then optical out from the TV to the Playbar.

    I use that configuration, and do not get 5.1 audio to the Playbar. I have bypassed the TV, and fed the audio directly to the Playbar, and have confirmed that the audio coming from the DVR (TiVo) is, indeed, 5.1. So, it is the TV that is down-converting to 2.1.

    What Samsung Firmware does your TV have? I upgraded the Firmware version on mine about 3 weeks ago (when I got the TV), and am running ver. 1119. 1 (?).

    It's going to be a simple fix to get true 5.1 - I will add either a switcher or Oppo 103. Or wait to see what Samsung does in the coming months.
    Chirosono
    Enthusiast II
    March 27, 2014
    Am I the only one with a Samsung UN60EH6000 or can anyone confirm if this passes 5.1 through optical. It is a 60 inch LCD and not a smart tv but I suppose I could get an update through USB for firmware. Any help is appreciated as I would likely get the Playbar if I knew it worked...
    Noreen
    Contributor I
    March 27, 2014
    Am I the only one with a Samsung UN60EH6000 or can anyone confirm if this passes 5.1 through optical. It is a 60 inch LCD and not a smart tv but I suppose I could get an update through USB for firmware. Any help is appreciated as I would likely get the Playbar if I knew it worked...
    I was told by 2 people on tech. support, and by the person that sold me my Samsung 8500, that at this time, none of the Samsung TVs will pass through 5.1 when they are connected by HDMI. I have no idea if this means any Samsung manufactured at any time, but they were pretty positive that the TVs recently made, do not allow this.
    jjonesx86
    Trending Lyricist I
    March 28, 2014
    I haven't been checking back here in a while, sorry that I missed so many questions. I will do a few things over the weekend and post the details. What I can tell you is that I have the 8500 with a Comcast/Motorola cable box hooked up via HDMI, an Apple TV hooked up with HDMI and a Xbox One hooked up via HDMI. Prior to the Samsung firmware upgrade I could not get 5.1 from my optical output on the TV to the Soundbar. Now I can. The option was grayed out for me before and now it isn't. The Xbox One only recently started working since Microsoft's upgrade to support DD out which was a few weeks ago or so.

    I have the Playbar, the Sub and two Play 1s. I have verified that I'm getting 5.1 on the Sonos App itself and also with my own ears by toggling 5.1 on and off.

    I'm not sure if some magical series of steps has allowed this to work for me but I'm not making it up. I'll post firmware versions, photos, etc. when I get home and have time over the weekend.
    Noreen
    Contributor I
    March 28, 2014
    I haven't been checking back here in a while, sorry that I missed so many questions. I will do a few things over the weekend and post the details. What I can tell you is that I have the 8500 with a Comcast/Motorola cable box hooked up via HDMI, an Apple TV hooked up with HDMI and a Xbox One hooked up via HDMI. Prior to the Samsung firmware upgrade I could not get 5.1 from my optical output on the TV to the Soundbar. Now I can. The option was grayed out for me before and now it isn't. The Xbox One only recently started working since Microsoft's upgrade to support DD out which was a few weeks ago or so.

    I have the Playbar, the Sub and two Play 1s. I have verified that I'm getting 5.1 on the Sonos App itself and also with my own ears by toggling 5.1 on and off.

    I'm not sure if some magical series of steps has allowed this to work for me but I'm not making it up. I'll post firmware versions, photos, etc. when I get home and have time over the weekend.
    Thanks for posting - I would be interested to see what firmware version is on your TV. So, you are not running the audio through the XBox, right?
    jjonesx86
    Trending Lyricist I
    March 28, 2014
    The Xbox One didn't support DD output when it first came out. That, and the fact that I find their HDMI passthrough / TV interface to be too early stage for my liking prevented me from running my cable box through it. Maybe someday when it works more seamlessly, works for DVR management, etc. I will switch but not now.
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