Question

Sonos 5.1 and Sky/Apple TV set up

  • 20 August 2017
  • 5 replies
  • 1463 views

Userlevel 2
I'm attempting to set up proper 5.1 on Sonos using applet tv (4th gen) and Sky HD. Ive got the play bar, sub and two play 1's. The system won't work out the box i.e with my tv (Panasonic A47 series) connected via optical to play bar with apple tv and sky connected to tv via HDMI. Very frustrating, thought Sonos was meant to make every thing simple??. Ive looked at the forums and thought that i needed some sort of switch so I bought the Porta HDMI switcher 4 port, 1 out, 4X1, v1.3 with audio toslink and digital coaxial (£27 on amazon).

Set up as follows:

HDMI from apple and sky to the switch then HDMI out to the tv from the switch with TV connected by optical to the play bar. This works for the apple TV and i get 5.1 on netflix etc, its great and makes a real difference. However when switching to sky i get no sound. Ive enable dolby on the sky settings but still no sound. What i have found is that if i take out the sky hdmi cable from the switch then i get the sound in 5.1 from sky but no picture.

If i connect the play bar straight to the sky box via optical from the play bar and hdmi from sky to the switch and then to the tv i get 5.1 and picture. However I want to be able to use the switch to toggle between apple tv and sky without having to mess about with cables every time I switch from sky to apple tv. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Have i bought the wrong switch or have i just set it up wrong? All help very welcome, thanks.

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5 replies

Badge +20
I don't have a Playbar but from what I read the ideal config is to use the TV as the hub, plug everything into the TV via HDMI and use the TV optical out to the playbar. But some TV's will not pass the Dolby signal (when the source us via HDMI) via optical which is an issue.

Some TV's then need their setting adjusted so the audio output is in the correct format and the internal speakers disabled.

In the UK Flexson make a switch designed for the Playbar if your TV will not play ball.

https://www.flexson.com/by-sonos-product/sonos-playbar/switches/flexson-3-input-hdmi-switch-audio-converter-for-sonos-playbar
Userlevel 2
Thanks for your reply. I initially had it set up as you suggest with the tv acting as the hub but it would not play ball and would only pass stereo through. I checked the forums and bought a switch as detailed in my post above, its not a flexon but from checking your link it appears to be very much the same thing, 4 hdmi in, one out and an audio toslink, so does sound like i have the right switch. Im wondering from my original post if i have missed something obvious with the way I have i set it up?
Badge +20
Can you take the audio (optical) from the switch box to the Playbar?

Its possible the switch is faulty? Can you try swapping the ATV with the Sky box inputs to test.
Userlevel 2
Been out most of the day and came back and tried what you suggested, optical from the switch box to the playbar, it works! Thank you very much, now getting 5.1 on ATV and Sky and can switch between the two no probs. What a difference with the 5.1 set up, took me a while to get there adding players over a couple of years but it's great and would recommned. Thanks again.
Badge +20
Excellent, glad it worked.