Second generation playbar?

  • 14 January 2018
  • 27 replies
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Any word on a possible second generation Playbar in 2018 or 2019? Seems like it is past due for a facelift if it wants to compete in today's home theater market. Thoughts?

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27 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +19
Hey there, Bheelan. Thanks for posting! No word on a second generation PLAYBAR to share. Are there specific improvements you would like to see on the PLAYBAR? Feedback is always appreciated.
Userlevel 5
Badge +12
Hey there, Bheelan. Thanks for posting! No word on a second generation PLAYBAR to share. Are there specific improvements you would like to see on the PLAYBAR? Feedback is always appreciated.

White color
Full tv audio/multi channel stereo in a surround setup
Hdmi ports for input apart from optical
Decode more audio formats (dd+, mpeg-h, atmos, dts)

Or add to the lineup a little upgradable device just to extract audio from hdmi, decode it and send to Sonos (like a chromecast dongle).
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
YES! Sonos absolutely must add HDMI as in input and support the very, very common DTS codec.
Personally, I am fed up with the very limited DD5.1 codec being my only option with this system. Otherwise, the Sonos 5.1 configuration is outstanding.
I have to say, if there's no new Playbar announced by the end of 2018 (with these features), I'm going to replace mine with one of the many. many other choices out there.
Hi all. New to this forum.
O.k here is where i am at, i have a tv with optical connection, ps4 and a youview box (England) all of which i get dolby 5.1 surround sound using playbar, sub and 2x play 1s through optical connection to which is our only option.

So i am reasonably competent geekwise.

I have only realised this evening that after reading various Sonos related forums DTS dvds are not working through our systems.
Batman dark night, full 5.1 dolby great i am happy, Will Smiths "I am legend" full 5.1 playing through blu ray on Ps4.

Onto Star wars force awakens, dvd box states 7.1 dts english, BUT if i can understand and like dubbed Hindi Great my Sonos plays 5.1 surround sound.

Is Sonos the 5.1 problem?
7.1 surround dts, do i want speakers in my ceiling and floor no thanks!
Earlier mentioned whilst experimenting put star wars force awakens blu ray into ps4, no sound! Changed ps4 blu ray languge settings to Hindi I got full 5.1 surround sound.

WTF !!!!!!!!
Might be worth digging in to the licensing for DTS, and the costs associated with it?
WHAT !
This is shear Racism !
Why can a Hindi get 5.1 through his system, yet English spoken individuals can but cannot understand a single word except Jedi. DTS has a problem Luke! or Dolby or dvd makers.....
Why does the language one speaks have anything to do with race?
Userlevel 4
Badge +1
Hi all. New to this forum.
O.k here is where i am at, i have a tv with optical connection, ps4 and a youview box (England) all of which i get dolby 5.1 surround sound using playbar, sub and 2x play 1s through optical connection to which is our only option.

So i am reasonably competent geekwise.

I have only realised this evening that after reading various Sonos related forums DTS dvds are not working through our systems.
Batman dark night, full 5.1 dolby great i am happy, Will Smiths "I am legend" full 5.1 playing through blu ray on Ps4.

Onto Star wars force awakens, dvd box states 7.1 dts english, BUT if i can understand and like dubbed Hindi Great my Sonos plays 5.1 surround sound.

Is Sonos the 5.1 problem?
7.1 surround dts, do i want speakers in my ceiling and floor no thanks!
Earlier mentioned whilst experimenting put star wars force awakens blu ray into ps4, no sound! Changed ps4 blu ray languge settings to Hindi I got full 5.1 surround sound.

WTF !!!!!!!!


You are running into the issue we are all dealing with. If the Blu-ray disc is only encoded in DTS (which is very common now) or Atmos then the hugely expensive 5.1 Sonos system you now own will only do 2 channel stereo. According to Sonos, if you don't like it - too bad. As a Sonos rep posted here a while back - "they are only interested with the modern viewer that streams their movies and doesn't use a Blu-ray disc".
Your only solution to get surround sound to work with the thousands of Blu-ray titles out there, is to buy (yes, lay out more money) for a Blu-ray player that will down-sample DTS on-the-fly- to DD 5.1. As far as I know there are only 2 that do this. The Samsung K8500 and the Oppo UDP-203.

There are many long threads on this forum about this enormous issue. But, so far Sonos doesn't seem to be at all inclined to do anything about it. It boggles the mind since even a inexpensive, entry level sound bar will decode DTS. As you discovered the current Blu-ray discs use the more archaic (more compressed too) DD5.1 for the alternate multi-national languages. This is just yet another example of how DD5.1 is being quickly deprecated.
Only one race can understand, race is not a colour.
This is racist and i feel discriminated against.
I put my star wars movie in ps4 and do not get dolby 5.1 surround in english spoken languge via sonos setup,
Yet if i change dvd language to Hindi i benefit to full dolby 5.1 surround sound on my Sonos.
This is discriminatation.
How is this not racist?
This is racist and i feel discriminated against.
I put my star wars movie in ps4 and do not get dolby 5.1 surround in english spoken languge via sonos setup,
Yet if i change dvd language to Hindi i benefit to full dolby 5.1 surround sound on my Sonos.
This is discriminatation.
How is this not racist?


Because it is not racist. Technological limitations in first world luxury products are not racist, they are technological limitations. Furthermore, saying something as silly as this is racist takes away from the horrible things in this world that actually are racist. So dial it back a little.
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
Moderation note: Let's cool it with throwing around the "r" word. It's unproductive and not going to make any friends, also way off topic.

As to your question, @Devonnick, the PLAYBAR will play any Dolby Digital 5.1 or Stereo PCM source you send it, no matter what language that source is in. You just need to make sure the right audio stream is getting to it. If your Blu-ray only has DTS formats, you may be able to use your Blu-Ray player to transcode from DTS to Dolby on the fly, and then should be all set to enjoy surround.

For the PS4, I believe these steps will do the trick:
Access “Settings” by scrolling to the top right with your PS4 remote.
Select “Sound and Screen.”
Select “Audio Output Settings.”
Select “Primary Output Port.”
Select “HDMI Out.”
Set the “Audio Format (Priority)” to “Bitstream (Dolby).”

I've heard that there's a chance recent updates changed their ability to do this, but I haven't gotten that confirmed just yet. Let us know how it goes.
Seriously? Are you saying Sonos is not aware of the basics of the market demands these days? Comon
What about not adding Bluetooth connection?
Ease of casting local musics from cellphones and other devices
Builtin chromecast option
More input options
More audio formats
I am hearing about Google Assistant which had hold you back from the market advancement in terms of being smart. Yet, you have lag in pushing the market towards smart players.

To me it more seems that Sonos feels that it can keep the users like hostage to whatever its production policy or idea produces. You may have been one of the wireless multi-room sound system pioneers in the market. But it is long past due buddies, not anymore. And you make quality stuff. But watch out, there are lots of wireless, smart, multi-room sound system products, with lots of input options, and also working with all the current audio formats. If you do not hear your customers (which you are past due so far) and do not accommodate and address market driven demands, beside your own ideas of innovation, you will be just a looser. And, I see that coming for Sonos. To me, you have just got stubborn with whatever your preferences and policies are. Just remember the huge business brands that were lazy in adjusting themselves and addressing the market, and they do not exist anymore they are gone. Leave the idea of holding users to your framework and agenda. bring smartness, and choosing options and ease of use to the users, lets them remember you as the market leader and follow you.

Hey there, Bheelan. Thanks for posting! No word on a second generation PLAYBAR to share. Are there specific improvements you would like to see on the PLAYBAR? Feedback is always appreciated.
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
You just need to make sure the right audio stream is getting to it. If your Blu-ray only has DTS formats, you may be able to use your Blu-Ray player to transcode from DTS to Dolby on the fly, and then should be all set to enjoy surround.

For the PS4, I believe these steps will do the trick...

Xbox One consoles also have a setting to output only Dolby Digital audio, regardless of the source format... Samsung Blu-Ray players do too (though according to Samsung's manual, it only applies to Blu-Ray movies, not DVD movies)... I'm sure there are others out there too.
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Wanted to ask what others best guess for a second generation playbar? Inside of 6 months or more like 6-12 months? Or greater than 12 months?
Given that they just released the PLAYBASE recently (in the last 12 months, give or take), I would guess (unhappily) longer than 12 months. I'd be extremely delighted to be proven wrong.
Userlevel 7
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I'm with Bruce on the timing, but for a different reason. But my reason is based on rumor, not fact, so I'm not willing to share it. Because we all know what spreading rumors can do. 🙂
Userlevel 5
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I would say: "be quick or be dead"!

https://www.whathifi.com/news/yamaha-reveals-new-musiccast-wireless-speakers-soundbars-and-sub
I would say: "be quick or be dead"!

https://www.whathifi.com/news/yamaha-reveals-new-musiccast-wireless-speakers-soundbars-and-sub


Funny you should say that, because every one of Yamaha's former attempts at multi-room music (2, or was it 3?) are dead. I'm not sure if I would want to invest in a company taking it's 3rd or 4th kick at the can.
Userlevel 5
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New! Home theater Sonos product will be presented June 6!
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With HDMI ! 🙂
Userlevel 1
Given that they just released the PLAYBASE recently (in the last 12 months, give or take), I would guess (unhappily) longer than 12 months. I'd be extremely delighted to be proven wrong.

I think we'll find out on Thursday. Have a sneaking suspicion a new Player is coming out with HDMI !
I'd agree with you.... at the time I wrote that, I was unaware of the upcoming announcement. And I have to admit I confused the date...in another post, I think I said it was happening on 6/4, I had conflated it in my mind with the WWDC keynote, for reasons I'm unsure of.
Userlevel 5
Badge +7
With HDMI ! :)

And now we know it may as well not have included it - the Beam has HDMI but does not make use of any features that HDMI gives you, it's still using 20 year old optical audio codecs, no high res codecs are supported which is the whole point of HDMI