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lightmove
Contributor I
October 13, 2018
Answered

projector recommendations for beam + apple TV

I currently have two Play:1 speakers and an Apple TV and would like to purchase a projector to use as my TV.

Can you please recommend any HD projectors that I can use as my TV that will be compatible with with any of the Sonos products that will allow me to connect to apple TV (Play:5, Beam, or Playbar)?
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    melvimbe
    melvimbeAnswer
    October 19, 2018
    Typically speaking, the playbar/playbase/beam/sonos amp (sonos speaker) should connect to your TV/projector. Therefore, your TV/projector needs to have either a optical output or HDMI/ARC, with passthrough of dolby digital 5.1. We often see that projectors don't meet the requirement, in which case you can connect your sonos speaker directly to the Apple TV, if it's the only video source you intend to use.

    All that said, I can't say I've seen a specific projector that I would recommend. It might be better to just find one that meets the video quality requirements you're looking for, and then just handle audio directly from the source (apple TV) to the sonos speaker.

    As far as avoiding wiring between your projector area and where you want to place a sound bar, the best thing to do if possible would be to have wires behind the ceiling/walls. Of course that usually isn't practical. The other thing I've seen is to use wireless HDMI to send the audio/video from the projector area to the sound bar. You will likely then need a convertor to change from HDMI to optical audio into the soundbar. In general though, I'd say projector and soundbars don't mix well.
    Danny
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    23 replies

    Telecart
    Trending Lyricist I
    October 19, 2018
    I have the same ask, and also, is there any way to avoid a long dangling cable from the projector to the Beam/Playbar/etc?
    melvimbe
    melvimbeAnswer
    October 19, 2018
    Typically speaking, the playbar/playbase/beam/sonos amp (sonos speaker) should connect to your TV/projector. Therefore, your TV/projector needs to have either a optical output or HDMI/ARC, with passthrough of dolby digital 5.1. We often see that projectors don't meet the requirement, in which case you can connect your sonos speaker directly to the Apple TV, if it's the only video source you intend to use.

    All that said, I can't say I've seen a specific projector that I would recommend. It might be better to just find one that meets the video quality requirements you're looking for, and then just handle audio directly from the source (apple TV) to the sonos speaker.

    As far as avoiding wiring between your projector area and where you want to place a sound bar, the best thing to do if possible would be to have wires behind the ceiling/walls. Of course that usually isn't practical. The other thing I've seen is to use wireless HDMI to send the audio/video from the projector area to the sound bar. You will likely then need a convertor to change from HDMI to optical audio into the soundbar. In general though, I'd say projector and soundbars don't mix well.
    Danny
      AjTrek1
      AjTrek1
      October 19, 2018
      Hello lightmove and Telecart

      Projectors are not Sonos compatible or in-compatible. As long as the proper connections are available and you're trying to connect the right Sonos gear (i.e. Playbar/ Playbase that require optical or Beam that can use either) the brand of projector is up to you.

      Typical connections would be:

      AppleTV HDMI to Projector
      Audio Out from Projector to Playbar/Playbase/Beam. You may have to purchase a coaxial to optical converter.

      Unfortunately, there's no way you can avoid the cables :(

      Cheers!
      Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
        Telecart
        Trending Lyricist I
        October 19, 2018
        wondering if his set up could work to avoid the cables:

        assuming AppleTV is only source, I split its HDMI out to S/PDIF and HDMI with something like this:
        https://www.kanex.com/hdmi-optical-audio

        AppleTV is in front of room, which you want for the remote anyway I assume?

        I then plug the S/PDIF directly to the Beam/Playbar/Playbase (probably Beam for me)
        and plug the HDMI end to HDMI transmitter thing like this:
        https://www.iogear.com/product/GW3DHDKIT/
        (they even have a version that'll do 4K though I don't care much about that and doubt I can afford a 4K projector anyway)

        the receiving end of which I plug to a projector in the rear of the room.

        Beam is the brain of Sonos HT, so I can set up two Play:1s and sub and get surround and voila?
          AjTrek1
          AjTrek1
          October 19, 2018
          @Telecart

          The Beam will not accept Optical direct it must be via the Optical converter (supplied with the Beam) connected to the HDMI cable (supplied with the Beam).

          Therefore you might as well go HDMI AppleTV to Projector and Audio-out Projector to Beam (most likely requiring coaxial converter to optical and the same would apply for Playbar/Playbase).

          As far as wireless transmitting AV to projector I've not heard pro or con. However, that's a lot of data sent wireless.

          Cheers!
          Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
            melvimbe
            melvimbe
            October 19, 2018
            @Telecart

            The Beam will not accept Optical direct it must be via the Optical converter (supplied with the Beam) connected to the HDMI cable (supplied with the Beam).

            Therefore you might as well go HDMI AppleTV to Projector and Audio-out Projector to Beam (most likely requiring coaxial converter to optical and the same would apply for Playbar/Playbase).



            AjTrek1, I'm not seeing how your plan is better than Telecart. In both cases, you're going to use optical.. In your case though, you're going to have two wires between the front and the back of the room.
            Danny
            melvimbe
            melvimbe
            October 19, 2018
            @Telecart

            The Beam will not accept Optical direct it must be via the Optical converter (supplied with the Beam) connected to the HDMI cable (supplied with the Beam).

            Therefore you might as well go HDMI AppleTV to Projector and Audio-out Projector to Beam (most likely requiring coaxial converter to optical and the same would apply for Playbar/Playbase).



            AjTrek1, I'm not seeing how your plan is better than Telecart. In both cases, you're going to use optical.. In your case though, you're going to have two wires between the front and the back of the room.
            Danny
            AjTrek1
            AjTrek1
            October 19, 2018
            @Telecart

            The Beam will not accept Optical direct it must be via the Optical converter (supplied with the Beam) connected to the HDMI cable (supplied with the Beam).

            Therefore you might as well go HDMI AppleTV to Projector and Audio-out Projector to Beam (most likely requiring coaxial converter to optical and the same would apply for Playbar/Playbase).



            AjTrek1, I'm not seeing how your plan is better than Telecart. In both cases, you're going to use optical.. In your case though, you're going to have two wires between the front and the back of the room.

            melvimbe, I'm not saying the plan is better...just that he can't run straight optical into the Beam as he was planning. IMO it's 6 in one hand and 1/2 dozen in the other. :? Unless he can somehow hide the wires as you suggested. Overhead Projectors installed after-the-fact are always a dicy proposition as far as looking clean.
            Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
            Telecart
            Trending Lyricist I
            October 19, 2018
            Thanks @AjTrek1 - I didn't realize Beam won't accept S/PDIF direct; that may be a point in favor of Playbar in that case, esp. since I think the AppleTV will give me my Airplay2 anyway.
            The problem with the solution you suggest is it doesn't save me the long dangling cable from the projector to the Beam.
            Couldn't I connect the Beam Optical Converter to the Kanex splitter though?

            edit to add: or maybe a splitter to two HDMI streams like this?
            https://www.hdfury.com/product/avr-key/
            AjTrek1
            AjTrek1
            October 19, 2018
            Telecart

            I can't comment on your connections (which on paper sound feasible) other than to say that the more gadgets that are substituted for a direct connection as intended the more likelihood you are to run into problems (i.e.video and/or audio). Wireless connections are especially iffy since you are already dealing with a wireless product (i.e. Sonos Playbar/Playbase/Beam to send data to Sub and/or Surrounds).

            Eliminate Dangling Cables:

            Attach the AppleTV to the projector (velcro or something) and use an adapter to supply power to it and the projector. Get a short HDMI cable to send AV to HDMI of Projector. Run coaxial cable (assuming the audio out is digital) along the ceiling over to and behind the screen if possible and terminate with the Optical adapter to HDMI supplied with the Beam. I assume there is power where either the Beam and or Playbar/Playbase is placed. Voila'..no dangling cables. Just zip tie those for the projector and AppleTV. Of course if you have a drop ceiling you can remove panels and run the wiring or drill hole in ceiling if below attic.

            That's my suggested solution for better or worse :8

            Cheers!
            Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
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