QUARANTINE! Also not hearing a Twitch TV stream in FULL STEREO! Help us SONOS!

  • 24 October 2020
  • 8 replies
  • 489 views
N
Userlevel 1

This has been going on for years, at least since 2013 when I bought most of my Sonos system.  Many people have requested it here in the community, but I’ve yet to see it done or explained why it technically could not be done.  So today, I made an account to find out.

As a technical person in the IT field for 20 years now, I’ve also dealt with a good amount of audio and home theater equipment over the last 30+ years.   I just can’t imagine it would be that difficult to add a button to the app to allow the TV to play FULL RANGE stereo music to the Playbar/Sub/LS/RS setup.   After all, it is already done for music.  

Maybe it is a limitation of the internal optical sensor or other hardware, or perhaps it is just programming since the optical signal is digitally controlled.   My 2018 LG TV is optical to the soundbar, and the only settings are Auto or PCM, which makes no difference, I’ve tried.

I just got a Chromecast with Google TV over HDMI, and I tried Twitch streaming there hoping I would be able to send 2.1 stereo unlike the Roku.   Well, Google let’s you disable all surround, and still no difference.  Even with TV set to PCM or Auto. 

There could be a limitation of my LG TV I suppose.   Perhaps the input audio format on HDMI is passed directly through to the optical output when in PCM or Audio mode, and not modified with LG output settings.   

But that would not explain why I saw no difference when disabling all surround on the Chromecast with Google TV via HDMI input.    Could also be a bug with the LG TV putting out 5.1 only over optical, but there is clearly an Auto vs PCM switch for optical out.   LG says PCM should be stereo 2.1, but I’ve also read that it could be raw.

It really does seem like the optical input on the Sonos playbar completely disregards any and all input audio formats such as Dolby 5.1 vs 2.1 Stereo, and decides that anything coming from a TV must be 5.1 Surround.  I guess most content these days is encoded with 5.1, but would be good to have a choice for music.

If that is the case, I can’t image it would be a stretch for Sonos engineers and software team to simply provide an app toggle button for TV Full Stereo↔Surround on the front end.  The back end DSP would be instructed to either just play the 2.1 Stereo channel when requested, or a software downconvert from 5.1 to 2.1 might be an option.

So...I’m putting this out there.  If you read this, PLEASE comment, upvote, or whatever to make this post go to the top of the feature request list.  So many of us stream YouTube, Twitch, AXS TV Concerts, and so much more music content here in quarantine.   You spend thousands on a great system, and can’t even enjoy music through your TV at full range on all speakers.

Feel free to copy and paste this where you see fit.   An EECB (Executive Email Carpet Bomb) is one option I may try.   It’s not hard, Google it.   Together we will get this done.   All it needs is the right set of eyes on it with Sonos management to have just a little compassion for all of us stuck at home.

And if it’s not possible, will somebody just say so instead of just ignoring the request for years?   We need this now...more than ever.

Thanks for your help,

Adam

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8 replies

Krishma M
Userlevel 5
Badge +13

Hi @NewOrder1975, welcome to the Sonos Community! We appreciate your feedback and time sharing this with us. If I’m getting this correctly, the Playbar supports stereo sound (PCM) and 5.1 surround sound (Dolby Digital) depending on your content and source if it does support it as well. You can also change the surround audio settings like select the type of audio you want (Ambient - the default setting for surround speakers during music playback and Full - full range audio at the same volume as the home theater speaker) to hear from the surround speakers when listening to music using the Sonos app and the setting does not apply to TV audio.

Let me know if you’re requesting a different feature. We and the community are always here to help.

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting the best answer to your question.
N
Userlevel 1

Hello @Krishma M: 

Thanks for the reply to get additional clarification.  As i understand it, there are two distinct types of audio the Sonos Playbar and System is capable of playing.

MUSIC - Audio from services based internet music streaming such as YT Music, SiriusXM, etc.

TV - Audio from the optical input on the Playbar.

My System Information:

  • Living Room - TV connected to Playbar via Optical with Sub and 2 Surrounds
  • TV Sources (HDMI) - Chromecast with Google/Android TV, Roku Ultra, BlueRay/DVD Player
  • Rest of House - 5 other Play:1 in various indoor/outdoor locations

From here forward, I will ONLY be describing the issue/feature request for the TV OPTICAL INPUT.   I will be as specific as possible. 

  • When playing MUSIC from services, there is currently an option to change the Music Playback to “Full” instead of ambient in Surround Settings.
  • However, when using the TV Optical input, THERE IS NO OPTION to change the Surround Settings to “Full” instead of ambient in Surround Settings.

Many Sonos users such as myself utilize the TV OPTICAL INPUT to stream music based content from the video sources such as these.  

  1. Twitch - Live DJ and club shows with video, audio, and chat.   Sonos does not currently support Twitch in services *minor feature request
  2. Concerts - TV concerts such as the AXS channel on subscription TV Services
  3. YouTube - Watching music videos via app on streaming box or Smart TV
  4. Channels - MTV, VH1, CMT, etc. with music videos
  5. DVD - Concert DVDs or a collection of music videos on a DVD.  Sometimes encoded in 5.1 but it is not always an ideal listening experience.

The lack of such a basic option to allow “Full” sound on the TV OPTICAL input presents the following challenges with those content sources.

  • You are forced to listen to music in Dolby 5.1 in the room with the Playbar/Sub/Surrounds
  • Many music content sources do not encode in this format
  • The Playbar puts out primarily high frequency vocals
  • Currently NO Playbar volume control in Surround settings *add feature
  • Surrounds produce an delayed or echo sounding output, or output is very low
  • Increasing Surround volume just makes them sound worse.
  • The sub produces much less bass
  • Speakers in other rooms also produce low or non-full range audio

If the Sonos Playbar receives content over optical that IS NOT encoded in 5.1, then the Playbar must be using simulated or virtual surround sound.  I can’t imagine it would be difficult to allow an option to turn that off and opt for FULL sound instead.  There is already a similar option for music from services.

Hope this helps - let me know if you have further questions.  I’m in the Beta program if you’d like me to test anything out. Thanks for your time and attention on this request.

-Adam

N
Userlevel 1

Hello @Krishma M 

Just did a quick search on the community, this thread started 6 years ago for the same exact feature to be added with plenty of comments. 

https://en.community.sonos.com/wireless-speakers-228992/full-stereo-option-when-watching-tv-audio-please-6341426

I see the subject of my post was edited.  Feel free to change it again to accurately describe the request, such as “Add option to allow Full stereo playback when using TV input”.   

If there is a way to link or merge all the related topics, you can do that as well.  Here are a few...

https://en.community.sonos.com/home-theater-228993/full-vs-ambient-setting-on-5-1-surrounds-44103

https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/full-music-playback-does-not-work-when-playing-spotify-from-playstation-4-pro-5-1-6808659

I’m puzzled how this has gone on this long without being addressed!

-Adam

N
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

I’ve read the original question here, @NewOrder1975 but I’m confused. You said, “I just can’t imagine it would be that difficult to add a button to the app to allow the TV to play FULL RANGE stereo music to the Playbar/Sub/LS/RS setup.”

Are you saying Sonos speakers don’t play the full frequency range when it’s a tv input? Or that the Beam/Arc/Playbase should know it’s receiving music rather than dialogue when it’s a stereo signal, and send the sound equally to front and surround speakers? Or something else? 

N
Userlevel 1

Hello @nik9669a 

I should have qualified that sentence with “while using the TV Optical Input on the Playbar”.   

The room with the Playbar+Sub+Surrounds does not have an option to switch the Surround Mode from 5.1 to Stereo when using the TV Optical Input AND watching music based content.   All other speakers in the house play the full frequency range just fine.

If the “Full” option was there in the GUI under Surround settings for the TV input, then the front and surrounds in this room would play the full range, just like the rest of the individual speakers around the house.  The option is there for the Music (services) section under Surround Settings, just not for the TV input.

I think my 2nd reply explains it best.

-Adam

Krishma M
Userlevel 5
Badge +13

Hi @NewOrder1975, thanks for the detailed response and assistance, @nik9669a. In this case, TV surrounds will just function the way it is and we can only select the type of audio you want to hear from the surround speakers when listening to music in the Sonos app. If you prefer to hear the same sound on your surrounds from the soundbar, better remove it as surrounds then group it to your preferred rooms to play the same audio at the same time. Still, I’d be happy to share this with the team as for now it will continue to work as designed. 

Just let us know if you need anything. We and the community are always here to help.

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting the best answer to your question.
N
Userlevel 1

Hello @Krishma M,

Let me summarize what you are saying as I understand it so that you may confirm.  If customers have a Sub+Playbar+Surround Room configured in their Sonos system:

  • Under Surround Audio, Music Playback, there is CURRENTLY an option to choose a) Ambient or b) Full
  • There is NOT CURRENTLY a similar option to choose Ambient or Full for TV Playback under Surround Audio. 

You’ve offered to share this with the team, but not much more - other than stating that the system will continue to work as designed.  Let me try once more to illustrate the significant impact to customers in hopes you will better understand and hopefully take more meaningful action.

Many customers like myself have Surround Audio setup in the Living Room, which is often the main or largest room in the house.  We also usually have at least 1 speaker in various other rooms.   

Without this ability to switch from Ambient to Full for TV Audio, here is what our options are when playing Music Content through the TV Audio input on the Playbar will ALL the other speakers in other rooms ALSO playing (Everywhere).

  1. Leave Surround Room in Ambient Mode - While the other rooms produce full range audio (Bass/Mid/Treble), the Living Room with a Surround setup produces concentrated vocals from the Playbar, Echoed sound from the Surrounds, and much less bass from the Sub.   It sounds awful, especially when there is a Play:1 in a nearby room...the Play:1 actually sounds better by itself!
  2. Remove Surrounds from Room and Use in Stereo (Your Suggestion) - You want me to re-configure my system every time I want to hear Music Content via the TV Audio input?   And only on (2) Play:1 Speakers in my large living room?  No bass from the Sub, and no sound from the Playbar?  Wow, why did I buy those again?
  3. Do without playing Music Content from TV - It sounds so bad in Ambient mode, I suppose I could just not play it in this room.  But, what a waste of $2000 to outfit this room with a Sub, Playbar, and Surrounds because Sonos is showing no interest in adding such a basic feature.  Might as well remove the “Everywhere” button too, because I can’t really use this room while being forced to listen to Music content from the TV in Ambient mode ONLY.

Direct Questions:

  1. Is it TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE to program an option under Surround Audio for the TV Playback to be heard in “FULL” or “Ambient (selectable)? Of course with the appropriate firmware changes and App GUI changes. In other words, would the hardware/DSP support it?   This is a YES or NO question that you can easily get from your lead engineers.
  2. Should the answer be NO to the above question, would you please provide a decent explanation on why it is NOT possible.
  3. And if the answer is a YES or MAYBE, then you can do better than a mention to a team.   Most dev or engineering teams have a feature request log.  A good team would prioritize them by age, importance, or times requested.  An outstanding team would tag each request with dates and request numbers, post them public on a website and allow upvoting, assign top requests to quarterly timelines, and maintain some type of blog or discussion posting regular updates to everyone - not just your testers.

Thanks for your continued support on this, looking forward to your response.

-Adam

C
Userlevel 5
Badge +12

I am waiting this as well since the beginning.

On other home theater systems it is called:

 

Full stereo

Or

multichannel stereo

 

Take the stereo output from tv and copy stereo left to surround left and stereo right to surround right.

 

Proposed solution here was to group front and back speakers as indipendent speakers (not surround) but the audio delay is very noticeable.

 

As other people say, for music it is already implemented I guess it only needs some little code to allow to switch on from the app!!!!???

 

Thank you

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