projector recommendations for beam + apple TV

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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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melvimbeAnswer

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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T

Telecart

Trending Lyricist I

Hi - I am trying to set up a home cinema system. The plan is to use an overhead projector, Beam, and 2 X Play:1 speakers. Input will be Apple TV only.

I've read the discussion above about difficulties of getting sound from a projector into the Beam. Keen on a solution that's as wireless as possible although as the house is currently being built there is the option to put wires in the ceiling / walls.

If I have understood the discussion above correctly though I should be able to connect Apple TV straight to the projector, and then use Airplay to get the sound to the Sonos system. Is that correct?

Thanks!

Hey drmikew1,

You have exactly my configuration (sans subwoofer) so I would recommend you look at my set up. Connecting the AppleTV directly to the projector will not produce surround sound with the speakers. My set up works for me flawlessly, wirelessly, with 5.1 surround sound. YMMV but it should be possible with something along these lines:

Beam in front, utilize the provided HDMI to S/PDIF adapter to connect it to this Kanex splitter. One end of the splitter goes to the AppleTV, also up front. The other side of the splitter goes to a wireless HDMI transmitter (mine is placed on top of the AppleTV puck). I actually switched from the IOGear GW3DHDKIT I mentioned above to a new GW4K30GH60 unit that works a lot better for me - no sync issues, no hiccups whatsoever on 60Ghz instead of 5Ghz tech. On the projector side I have the IOGear Receiver unit plugged in. It can be USB-powered from the projector itself. In my setup, there is line of sight between Tx and Rx units, about 15 feet, depending on your specific situation a different wireless HDMI technology may end up working better.

I get perfect 5.1 no sync issues with Sonos and my 1080p projector, and no dangling cables!

D

drmikew1

Lyricist I

Hi - I am trying to set up a home cinema system. The plan is to use an overhead projector, Beam, and 2 X Play:1 speakers. Input will be Apple TV only.

I've read the discussion above about difficulties of getting sound from a projector into the Beam. Keen on a solution that's as wireless as possible although as the house is currently being built there is the option to put wires in the ceiling / walls.

If I have understood the discussion above correctly though I should be able to connect Apple TV straight to the projector, and then use Airplay to get the sound to the Sonos system. Is that correct?

Thanks!Hey drmikew1,

You have exactly my configuration (sans subwoofer) so I would recommend you look at my set up. Connecting the AppleTV directly to the projector will not produce surround sound with the speakers. My set up works for me flawlessly, wirelessly, with 5.1 surround sound. YMMV but it should be possible with something along these lines:

Beam in front, utilize the provided HDMI to S/PDIF adapter to connect it to this Kanex splitter. One end of the splitter goes to the AppleTV, also up front. The other side of the splitter goes to a wireless HDMI transmitter (mine is placed on top of the AppleTV puck). I actually switched from the IOGear GW3DHDKIT I mentioned above to a new GW4K30GH60 unit that works a lot better for me - no sync issues, no hiccups whatsoever on 60Ghz instead of 5Ghz tech. On the projector side I have the IOGear Receiver unit plugged in. It can be USB-powered from the projector itself. In my setup, there is line of sight between Tx and Rx units, about 15 feet, depending on your specific situation a different wireless HDMI technology may end up working better.

I get perfect 5.1 no sync issues with Sonos and my 1080p projector, and no dangling cables!

Hi Telecart,

Thanks very much for the reply and advice.

Would the system you use work if I use the splitter as you describe - but then run an HDMI cable from the splitter to the projector, with the audio going to the Beam? At the moment I have the option to do this by running concealed cables.

T

Telecart

Trending Lyricist I

Hi Telecart,

Thanks very much for the reply and advice.

Would the system you use work if I use the splitter as you describe - but then run an HDMI cable from the splitter to the projector, with the audio going to the Beam? At the moment I have the option to do this by running concealed cables.

Yep! Should be even simpler. The splitter just let's you get the AppleTV (which only has one HDMI-out port) to output audio to the Beam on one hand (a surround sound source!), and send the video to the projector on the other.

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