Projector Connections: Sonos and AV Sources

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
March 4, 2020
13 replies
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Projectors in Home Theater are becoming very popular for those with enough wall space or retractable screen. Often questions appear in this community on how to best connect the following Sonos components:

Playbar (Optical)
Playbase (Optical)
Beam (HDMI-ARC/Optical hybrid)
Sonos Amp using 3rd party or Sonos Architectural Speakers by Sonance (HDMI-ARC/Optical hybrid)

I’ve only come across one projector that claims to support HDMI-ARC; that being the BenQ W2700. Since I don’t own a BenQ W2700 I can’t vouch for its HDMI-ARC operational validity. Digital-out (Optical) on a projector is typically not in the traditional output format as one might find on a TV. Additionally, projectors are limited to one; maybe two AV sources.

Households today (to name a few) may have one or more of the following AV sources:

Cable Box
Xbox
PlayStation
AppleTV
Amazon Fire TV Stick
Chromecast

The good news is that all the above AV sources use HDMI as the primary output connection. TV’s with multiple HDMI ports (including HDMI-ARC) have less of a problem accommodating multiple AV sources. Projectors on the other hand have limited HDMI connection options.

Here is my recommendation on how to best connect AV sources along with one of the Sonos devices mentioned above to a projector. *

Purchase a HDMI Optical Extractor similar to the one in the link:

https://www.amazon.com/iArkPower-Optical-Extractor-Splitter-Supports/dp/B01K7BZ1XC/ref=sr_1_14?crid=31FEKT7GMTO8S&keywords=hdmi+optical+extractor&qid=1583328177&sprefix=hdmi+optical+e%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-14

The device in the link; or one like it can accommodate three (3) AV sources. There are more expensive ones on the market with more ports; so let your budget be your guide.

Connections

Connect your AV source via its HDMI-Out to an available HDMI-In on the extractor. From the extractor’s HDMI-Out connect to the projectors HDMI-In.
Connecting to a Sonos Playbar or Playbase use the extractors Optical Out to the Optical-in of the Sonos component.
Connecting to a Sonos Beam or AMP connect the Optical/HDMI adapter to one end of a HDMI cable. Attach it to the Optical-Out of the extractor. Attach the other end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI-ARC port of the Beam or AMP. **
Follow the same instructions in the Sonos app to add Sonos surrounds, sub or 3rd party speakers as surrounds (if employing a Sonos Amp) to complete the setup; the same as if you were connecting to a traditional TV. ***

That’s it! Enjoy your projector with Sonos sound!

* Even those projectors that claim to have HDMI-ARC capability will still require a switch similar to the one in the link to accommodate multiple AV sources. The difference being that the Optical-out would not be used.

** The HDMI/Optical adapter is supplied with the Sonos Beam. It is an optional purchase when used with the Sonos Amp. Click the link for more information: https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/optical-audio-adapter.html

*** The Sonos Amp used to drive 3rd party or Sonos Architectural Speakers by Sonance as surrounds is an additional purchase when used with a Playbar, Playbase or Beam. A second Sonos Amp used for surrounds (optional purchase) is required if already using a Sonos Amp to drive front speakers in a HT setup.

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G

Goffredo

Contributor II

But as I understand it, the TOSLINK fiber optic audio connection is not able to support the bandwidth of the Dolby TrueHD lossless surround signal -- only HDMI can support this bandwidth -- and therfore the Sonos Arc soundbar would see the lesser-quality Dolby Atmos over a lossy Dolby Digital Plus surround signal, instead of the higher-quality Dolby Atmos over lossless Dolby TrueHD surround signal that is achieved in Option One.

@Goffredo… did you ever figure this out ^^^?

I have the *exact* question… I honestly don’t know that my ears will hear, but if I am going to invest so much money into a Sonos system, I’d at least like to get the future-proof option.

I am considering getting the beam instead of the arc because I feel like there is no point to running an Arc if it can’t work with an Apple TV/projector setup.

I believe the weak link in the chain for your audio quality would be your source: The Apple TV 4K can only output lossy (compressed) Dolby Digital Plus. If you want a device that can output lossless (uncompressed) Dolby TrueHD, you would need an Nvidia Shield, for example. You’d also need the software you use to be able to recognize and pass TrueHD through, such as Plex.

Furthermore, lossless Dolby TrueHD can only transmit over HDMI. TOSLINK (fiber optic) doesn’t have the bandwidth. So, a TOSLINK connection would also limit you to lossy Dolby Digital Plus and preclude you from utilizing Dolby TrueHD.

I went ahead and ordered the Sonos Arc soundbar, and a HDFury Arcana which is a fancy HDMI splitter for people who use projectors. Note that both items are backordered til like December. This combination will enable me to send Dolby TrueHD from the Nvidia Shield to the Sonos Arc soundbar over HDMI. (And also allow me to send HDMI to my Projector).

I usually purchase home theater gear once every 10 years, so when I do, I try to get the highest bandwidth between components, to future-proof myself as much as possible. It tends to be worth it, not right away (like, can I really hear the difference between compressed and uncompressed Dolby digital sound? Probably not very well), but like 3-5 years down the road when new formats emerge but only work if you have the bandwidth for it.

D

dexyboy

Contributor I

Ok, new to sonos and been trawling the forum now to figure out how to set up my projector so this is really helpful but i still have a question. So, I have a beam and two symfonisk for 5.1 and its connected via arc on my TV and is working brilliantly. I watch most content through a 4k firestick. This all works great until movie night and I get the projector out (its a cheap no name one but actually pretty good picture) and I still want surround. I now see that I need a splitter to get this to work but I dont want to disturb my TV arc setup which is 99% or my viewing. If I have the SPDIF plugged into the beam at the same time as the TV arc does it get confused, I.e can the beam work with both inputs (not working at the same time obvs :)

D

dexyboy

Contributor I

Sorry if I wasnt clear, I mean If I get a splitter and switch between the tv and the projector, will the beam still work as it already does with CEC etc through ARC when I switch back on the TV from the projector through said switch?

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