Please add support for DTS for the Sonos Playbar.


Userlevel 2
A hifi homecinema soundbar without dts support seems not up to date for me. Are there any plans to add dts support?

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1190 replies

Userlevel 3
Maybe I am missing something. I have a sky TV cable box as do a lot of people the UK. the sky box connects to the TV with a HDMI lead. The sky TV cable box outputs 5.1 over HDMI and optical.

I also have a Bluray player connected to the TV with a HDMI lead. The Player outputs 5.1 over HDMI and optical.

the following is from the "setting up the playbar" section from the Sonos documentation.Setting Up the PLAYBAR

The PLAYBAR is compatible with Sonos software versions 4.0 and later. If you are adding the PLAYBAR to an existing Sonos system, be sure to check for software updates before adding the PLAYBAR to your Sonos system.

1.Carefully unpack the package contents.

2.Choose a location for the PLAYBAR. Refer to "Selecting a Location" on page 6 for help with this step.

3.Remove the protective cap from each end of the optical audio cable.

4.Connect the optical audio cable (supplied) from your TV’s digital audio out (optical) to the PLAYBAR’s digital audio in (optical) being careful not to twist or bend the cable. The PLAYBAR’s digital audio in and the optical cable are ’D-shaped’—be sure to align for proper insertion.

5.Attach the power adapter to the PLAYBAR and apply power.

I have the Playbar setup as per the sonos documentation. My current older panasonic TV will not passthrough 5.1 from a HDMI external source to the optical output. All the new TV's I have looked into also do not Passthrough 5.1 from an HDMI external source to the optical output. I enquired about Panasonic and Samsung. both companies tell me none of their products will do this.

Sonos, could you please confirm that.

A. I have connected everything correctly as you would recommend.

B. I will not be able to get a 5.1 signal to the Playbar from either the skybox or the bluray player so you would now not recommend me purchasing a Sonos 5.1 setup as per your sales email.

Thank you
I was all set to grab a Playbar, two 3's and two 5's then invite friends and family round to blow their socks off, probably to run off and buy their own. Then I read this DTS issue, checked all my BluRay's... and now back at the drawing board. That's a good £5k of sales Sonos will miss out on, how could this vital aspect of home theatre not be covered by now?
Userlevel 7
Badge +17
Ron, if your TV doesnt pass 5.1 (most dont or its a gamble buying a new one that you hope does) you need to: a) return it all to the store b) buy an HDMI switchbox with optical output - this will pass the picture to the TV whilst sending the appropriate 5.1 signal down the optical to the playbar. Or keep the HDMI connections to the TV and buy an optical switchbox between the devices and the playbar. Either one can be found on Amazon. c) live with Stereo /pseudo surround sound from your old TV for b) if you have a blu ray with DTS audio then your playbar will deafen you with no sound at all. This is the purpose of this 'idea' but no news yet...
Userlevel 7
Badge +17
Chris - yes ! I just discovered this also - saved me 30 click, scroll, click, scroll, click....
Userlevel 2
Another +1 for DTS.
How can I see the recent posts in such a long thread? I see no sorting option.
Userlevel 2
as an aside whilst I wait for Sonos to fix this, with this new style forum can anyone explain to me how I can reach these new comments at the end of this conversation without having to click 'View More' 30 times ?  I'm 'following' this idea but dont receive any mails for it either :-(

I just solved this with editing the "page=XX" part in the URL to "page=28". Multiple tries to get the recent page. Thats annoying beyond believe. Even as annoying as the lack of DTS support. ^^
Userlevel 2
Correct me if I'm wrong but can't one just set the BluRay player to decode the DTS track and output PCM to the tv? Bingo, you'll get audio from BluRay to the Playbar. No, it won't be the bitstream DTS track which is preferable. But at least it's not silence. As to how well Sonos mimics surround sound from this stereo feed, it's a matter of personal taste. I find it adequate. YMMV.
You may be right, but this workaround with the definite loss of sound/surround quality is completely unaccaptable for any modern surround system. Esp. one in this price range.
I dont have the problem, because with the right settings my PS3 outputs even DTS only soundtracks on BluRays as DolbyDigital5.1 and it sounds amazing. But Sonos cant expect all its customers to buy a PS3.......
Userlevel 1
What is Sonos waiting for? Ignoring tends to cause frustration and anger. Please give us an answer.
Please add DTS you know it makes sense!
Please could I ask that you treat your customers with respect as they have spent a lot of hard earned money on your products.

At least have the customer care to say whether you intend to add DTS or not. At least then everyone can make a decision whether to, expand their sonos system or find an alternative product that provides this function
Userlevel 2
Badge +2
This is highly frustrating, they don't even have courtesy to acknowledge their short comings and deliver a honest reply to their loyal customers on what their intentions are w.r.t DTS support!!!!! Feel so annoyed, they have lost all my respect and trust!
Userlevel 2
Just set up my playbar... surprise! no sound...
Come on guys. A soundbar without DTS compatibility isn't really good enough, particularly for a premium product like Sonos. Let's have this sorted please?!
Userlevel 2
I hope you will add this soon.
Hi,

I am looking to purchase the playbar and sub and would like to know if the new playbars came with an update to include DTS?

Many thanks

Jason.
Like so many others, I was about to take the plunge and add the Playbar and a couple of Play 1s to my system.  But I'll not be doing anything of the sort while these issues exist.  I agree that the advertising is totally misleading if the recommended setup (i.e. optical from TV) strips out all the surround capabilities that are being touted in the Sonos literature.  One might even go as far as to say that the product is not fit for purpose under UK consumer law...
Userlevel 3
Badge +3
John M or any other Sonos Rep. With all of these comments over the last couple of days regarding the misleading surround sound advertising, there really should be a response on this issue. Combined with the recent advertising of the play 1 as suitable for use in bathrooms ( should not be allowed in the UK) Sonos marketing seem to be treading a very thin line recently.
I would buy a playbar if it had dts, even though I have a superb yamaha 3300
Userlevel 2
This is pretty pathetic. Advertise a "5.1 system" with a full Sonos setup and it actually supports less than 50% of blurays...
Im getting tired and angry not to hear anything.
Just tell us what the facts are.
9 months off silence now. Enough is enough
I want to buy a soundbar and sub, but won't until I know it supports DTS. 
I tried to get some news from Sonos directly, but the just give me the link to this forum with the comment if here's no news that there is no new !
Userlevel 2
Badge
The only solution is a Facebook and Twitter bombardment so the issue is more public rather than hidden away in here.
Userlevel 1
True, I've already posted on Facebook. You are very welcome to do the same so maybe they'll wake up from their righteous slumber.
Userlevel 2
Badge +2
I also posted on their Facebook page, let's all get together and make our voice heard from these online forums, such a shame on you sonos