Avid Contributor III

Answered

Multichannel PCM on Arc

328 replies
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Are you really not supporting multichannel PCM on the newly announced Arc?

Why? It’s not a licensing issue this time.

It seems like there is always something missing with your home theater products.

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DitteAnswer

Hi all,

We hear you. With a software update today, Arc now supports multi-channel LPCM, bringing new immersive sound experiences for gaming, Blu-ray discs, and more. To get support for multi-channel LPCM on Arc, download the latest Sonos S2 update from the app store and then update your system in the Sonos S2 app. After updating the app, go to Settings > System > System Updates > Check for Updates.

All the best,

Ditte

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Naekyr

Enthusiast II

… It doesn’t look like this is even a technical issue, as the device supports Dolby MAT, which is multichannel PCM and additional dolby metadata on top. I mean, I’m not sure how it’s even possible to not support multichannel PCM in this case? I’m starting to hope that this is just a press error, considering how fatal an omission the lack of multichannel pcm would be for a device of this type that does not have DTS support.

Originally Dolby MAT was used for transporting TrueHD. When atmos was released, they allowed MAT to unpack both DD+ and TrueHD to multichannel PCM. So its possible sonos are supporting TrueHD MAT but not PCM MAT. God knows why not.

Understood, thanks. Still is the difference between getting and not getting one when one has an earc equipped system with anything more than Netflix.

ARC use case = plug Arc into TV, turn TV on and open Netflix. That’s it, dont try anything else

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Sardan

Contributor I

This seems a strange omission. The Beam can do multichannel PCM but the Arc cannot? This might save me some money and prevent me from buying an Arc as I would want surround sound from the Nintendo Switch.

Sjoop1985

The Beam can only do stereo PCM (and DD5.1), at least for now.

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans (John Lennon) --- Living room: Arc, Sub, 2x One - Kitchen: One - Bedroom: Play 3 - Office: Beam - Bathroom: Play 1

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Lalligator

Lyricist III

The Beam can only do stereo PCM (and DD5.1), at least for now.

I’m pretty sure the ARC in Beam cannot support 7.1 multichannel PCM, unlike the eARC in Arc. There can be a functional reason why Beam doesn’t support multichannel PCM, but there should be none for (e)Arc. It’s a short-sighted artificial limitation that significantly limits the useability of the Arc: both a significant amount of consoles, blu-rays and UHD movies on disc are rendered incompatible until it is fixed, hopefully very soon, ie. the second S2 debuts.

(Hey Sonos, how did nobody think of the amount of confusion the limitations of “ARC” in Beam vs. the features of “Arc” are going to create?)

Sjoop1985

My "at least for now" was more directed at the fact that hardware wise, the Beam does have the capability to potentially support DD+ and Atmos over DD+. Multichannel uncompressed is indeed not possible over ARC.

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans (John Lennon) --- Living room: Arc, Sub, 2x One - Kitchen: One - Bedroom: Play 3 - Office: Beam - Bathroom: Play 1

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Kcooperman

Lyricist II

I'm so annoyed they dont support muti channel PCM...I agree that there is always something missing with sonos.

One reason I hate my playbar is huge lag while bitstreaming xbox one to Dolby and lack of support for Nintendo switch.

Even if I buy the ARC and a new TV it will still not solve the above problems... complete waste of time!

jgatie

I'm so annoyed they dont support muti channel PCM...I agree that there is always something missing with sonos.

One reason I hate my playbar is huge lag while bitstreaming xbox one to Dolby and lack of support for Nintendo switch.

Even if I buy the ARC and a new TV it will still not solve the above problems... complete waste of time!

It's a "complete waste of time" to not buy something which is unfit for your purpose? :thinking:

K

Kcooperman

Lyricist II

I'm so annoyed they dont support muti channel PCM...I agree that there is always something missing with sonos.

One reason I hate my playbar is huge lag while bitstreaming xbox one to Dolby and lack of support for Nintendo switch.

Even if I buy the ARC and a new TV it will still not solve the above problems... complete waste of time!

It's a "complete waste of time" to not buy something which is unfit for your purpose? :thinking:

Ok, waste of time probably not the right word to use. What I mean is it is a wasted opportunity in sonos not addressing these shortcomings.

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Lalligator

Lyricist III

I'm so annoyed they dont support muti channel PCM...I agree that there is always something missing with sonos.

One reason I hate my playbar is huge lag while bitstreaming xbox one to Dolby and lack of support for Nintendo switch.

Even if I buy the ARC and a new TV it will still not solve the above problems... complete waste of time!

It's a "complete waste of time" to not buy something which is unfit for your purpose? :thinking:

It’s a complete waste of time to release a product that has significant compatibility issues due to dependence on eARC (which few TVs have) and a lack of support for fundamental codecs (that the enthusiasts who have eARC TVs would probablyneed). ;)

jgatie

It’s a complete waste of time to release a product that has significant compatibility issues due to dependence on eARC (which few TVs have) and a lack of support for fundamental codecs (that the enthusiasts who have eARC TVs would probablyneed). ;)

That’s not what my comment was about, but thanks for the rant.

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