No Surround Sound through Chromecast - Sonos Arc

  • 27 December 2020
  • 6 replies
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Userlevel 1
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Hi, a little help required please.  I’ve an older (2012 KDL46” Sony Bravia TV) hooked up to a Sonos Arc and 2 Play ones as rears. As it’s an older TV we use a Chromecast for the normal catch up services and for our Amazon Prime and Disney+ subscriptions. 
My problem is I don’t think I’m getting 5.1 for anything that goes through the Chromecast. The exact same film watched straight from the TV sounds so much better (full surround) than when I stream from Disney+. I just had the opportunity to flick between a Pixar movie on BBC and  stream the same on Disney+ and the TV broadcast sound was full surround I’d say, the Chromecast just seemed to have an ambient or stereo rear split at a background volume. I’ve fiddled with a number of settings on the TV and the Chromecast but I can’t seem to fix it. Any ideas?


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6 replies

Userlevel 7

Because you have an older TV, you are probably just limited to Stereo 2.0 audio from your Chromecast because your TV cannot pass through 5.1 audio from an external device through HDMI ARC. If your TV has native apps, that may be the only way to get 5.1 audio to play from the TV to the Sonos Arc.

Your other option would be to purchase the HD Fury Arcana.

EDIT: Is your TV equipped with HDMI ARC? Or is the Arc connected with the optical adapter?

Userlevel 1
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Thanks, I was beginning to think that might be the issue. Unfortunately, the TV has hardly any native apps now as they’ve dropped off over the years as unsupported, doesn’t even have the BBC iPlayer, hence the Chromecast. It’s still a cracking TV picture though so I’ll look in to this HD Fury Arcana, many thanks.

Userlevel 1
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Sorry, just seen your edit, yes it’s connected via HDMI Arc but no eArc obviously.

Userlevel 1
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Ok, just had a quick look at the device you suggested, would I be correct in thinking I’d need to put the Chromecast into the Arcana? As it’s the Chromecast/tv interface that’s the limiting factor..

Userlevel 7

Ok, just had a quick look at the device you suggested, would I be correct in thinking I’d need to put the Chromecast into the Arcana? As it’s the Chromecast/tv interface that’s the limiting factor..

Yes, you could connect the Chromecast directly into the HDMI IN port of the Arcana. If you have multiple external devices like a Blu-ray player, Xbox, or cable box, you can connect them all to an HDMI switch and then connect the switch to the Arcana. With the right setup and devices, the Arcana could give you full Dolby TrueHD/Dolby Atmos and multichannel LPCM audio playing through the Sonos Arc.

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Cheers, much appreciated. Not sure the purchase will get past the gatekeeper just yet having splashed out on the Arc! But I guess it’s either that or a new TV 🙄