Sonos Arc and LG OLED C8


I’d like to order the new sonos arc and pair it with my LG oled C8PUA.
 

it seems LG is not going to update these tvs to the eArc standard (bums).  What exactly does that mean?  Im i just throwing money away here?  I’d live to get a good solid Dolby atmos surround sound system going.  Will the experience be any good?  I’m not a super audiophile- but i do live a great sounding movie.  I mostly watch from Netflix/amazon.

 

thanks!


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Hello everyone, first post on this forum, but I have been battling trying to get Atmos working on various devices for probably 3 years now.

 

It started with a Vizio 65 of some sort, ARC, and a Samsung HW-K950.  Atmos worked, but there was an incompatibility between the Vizio and Samsung where the audio would “hollow out” periodically.

 

So, I went to an LG OLED C8 and an Apple TV 4k and an Samsung HW-Q90R and get pretty consistent Atmos if its available, but the sound’s never awesome; the sub on Q90R now sounds like its dying and becoming raspy and its not 2 years old yet.

 

Why do I mention this on the Sonos forum?  After reading several threads here along the vein of ‘will Atmos work’, I cancelled my Arc, One SL pair and Gen3 sub order because this sounds like more of the same that I have battled over the years.

 

I was under the impression that Sonos would have these things worked out, but it really looks like they’ve hung their hats on eARC and that’s a battle I’m not going to fight.

 

I see where people have claimed to get ATV4K → LG C8 → ARC → Sonos Arc and get Atmos, but they are either underwhelmed/uncertain they’re getting real Atmos or experience audio lip sync issues.

 

I am here on the hope that multiple someone(s) can confirm that ATV4K - LG C8 - ARC - Sonos ARC actually produce a trouble-free experience, though I assumed the grass was greener on the Sonos side of the fence and it seems it isn’t, unless I want to augment the 2k Sonos theater setup with another 4k eARC-capable TV.

 

Either way, thank you forum members from saving me a ton of buyer’s remorse after pulling my hair out over a 3rd year trying to get decent Atmos sound!

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Heres an update. Bought the Arc and have had for about more than a month. Frankly it underwhelms coming from a Vizio 36512-F6 which had Atmos, but rears and a sub too. It does sound good, but at this price point it’s a disappointment. I have Apple TV → C8 —> Arc. The S2 app reports I’m getting atmos. Works on D+, Netflix, and Apple content. 
 

My living room setup is not optimal for Arc’s side speakers. But the worst issue is the lip sync audio delay. When I first set it up I noticed a very minor sound delay. Disappointing, but I probably would have forgotten about it. But over time the delay gets worse. Can’t isolate why, but the sync is off by maybe a second. Unwatchable. Restarting Apple TV or just the offending app usually returns to default minimal delay. No adjustment on C8 or ATV (very few available) improves this. 

i see posts saying you can’t get atmos in this setup, others that there’s no sync issue, and still others say the sync issues are across TVs and even with eARC. Not sure what to think. I’m waiting for contact from Sonos support. Right now I’m thinking of returning it. Tremendously disappointed. 

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I don’t think you will get a ‘decent’ Atmos effect from any soundbar. The dolby demos may trick you visually into hearing things ‘around’ you from soundbar, don’t set your expectations too high for Atmos from a soundbar, and you wont be disappointed. With Sub, I’m happy with sound for movies, but even when I’m happy, I could be happier :)

 

 

Has anyone tried the C8 / E8 buil-in Netflix app with the new Sonos Arc playbar? Any sound delay with atmost? Also when playing atmost content from the USB-drive, any delay?

I have an LG E8 (arc only) and will only use it with the native netflix app+USB content, and not sure if the Arc would work with that or not for atmos without lipsync issues.. 

No (current) noticeable lipsync issues from builtin Apps with Arc on my Series 8 (DD 2.0, DD5.1 DD+ & ATMOS). Some ‘just about’ tolerable issues with ATV4k, but I use builtin Apps mostly.

 

Thanks, thats reassuring - I might just go for it then! I will have to blind buy it though, no way to test it in my country. Are you happy with the sound? Do you get a decent atmos effect from Netflix stuff?

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Has anyone tried the C8 / E8 buil-in Netflix app with the new Sonos Arc playbar? Any sound delay with atmost? Also when playing atmost content from the USB-drive, any delay?

I have an LG E8 (arc only) and will only use it with the native netflix app+USB content, and not sure if the Arc would work with that or not for atmos without lipsync issues.. 

No (current) noticeable lipsync issues from builtin Apps with Arc on my Series 8 (DD 2.0, DD5.1 DD+ & ATMOS). Some ‘just about’ tolerable issues with ATV4k, but I use builtin Apps mostly.

 

Has anyone tried the C8 / E8:s built-in Netflix app with the new Sonos Arc playbar? Any sound delay with Atmos? Also when playing atmos content from the USB-input, any delay?

I have an LG E8 (arc only) and will only use it with the native netflix app+USB content, and not sure if the Arc would work with that or not for atmos without lipsync issues.. 

So, you did have sync issues, I take it. I am not familiar with that sound system but I guess you connect everything to it and then send the picture to the TV set?

I can confirm that all sync issues have been resolved by switching to the Sony ht-st5000...bye bye Arc. Clearly the direct audio route is the only option to avoid sync issues between the sky q and the LG oled. 
Shame the Arc didn’t work as it was a good one box solution...just had to make sure the Sony subwoofer is hidden.

 

Hi! I am getting the Arc as soon as they can deliver it here in Sweden. I am partly getting it because I can not get audio to sync on my Playbar. Sound is behind picture even at minimum delay. How is that working for you on a C8 and Arc? Thanks, Johan

Yes. Only the Apple TV 4K can output Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD.

Are you saying that only in relation to the Apple TV 4th gen vs Apple TV 4k? My Nvidia Shield Pro specs indicate DD+ and Atmos support. That said I have it setup with my LG C8 and Sonos Beam right now (plus sonos sub and play:1’s in the rear) so I can’t yet say I have 1st hand experience with knowing whether I would get Atmos sound on the Sonos Arc until I buy one.. I am definitely tempted to try it but damn, the Arc is double the price of the Beam so a bit hard to justify :/ 

Yes. Only the Apple TV 4K can output Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD.

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I second this. I get dd+ atmos with Apple TV 4k → LG C8 → Sonos ARC.

What are your settings? I can’t get it to work with Amazon Prime or ATV+. But it works with Sky Q and “Das Boot” in UHD.

 

Do I need a Apple TV 4k for this? I only have a Apple TV 4. gen.

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Yes it should though it is dd+ atmos not true HD atmos but it still blows me away!
Even 5.1 is improved IMHO 
Hope you enjoy it 👍

I second this. I get dd+ atmos with Apple TV 4k → LG C8 → Sonos ARC.

Does anyone have any experience of any non-Sonos soundbar connected to LG Oled and Sky Q combo? Am interested to know if the pass through audio direct to the soundbar and then into the tv fixes the sync issues from the sky box. I have now had a Beam and an Arc and both have the same sync problem 

TIA

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Yes it should though it is dd+ atmos not true HD atmos but it still blows me away!
Even 5.1 is improved IMHO 
Hope you enjoy it 👍

I currently have the LG C8, Apple TV and a Samsung Soundbar...the LG passes Atmos to the Samsung, so I assume it will pass it to the Arc….my Arc was shipped on Wednesday!

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I have the LG B8 getting atmos/dd+ from my apple tv and on Netflix but Disney+ not working on the inbuilt app or the apple tv.
Big improvement over the playbar IMHO

I also get atmos on tidal so keeping my tv 😊

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Pretty sure my 2018 LG C8 is also 2.0(a). <sigh> I think I read elsewhere that no update is going to be available from LG. xkcd: excellent as always.

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@Saguaro7 If this article (https://hdguru.com/firmware-updates-for-earc-begin-to-arrive/) is to be believed, then yes, eARC IS firmware upgradable…. IF the TV supports HDMI 2.0(b) and IF the manufacturer built it to be upgradeable: 

So what is eARC? It was originally introduced as one of seven core features that will be included in the upcoming HDMI 2.1 standard, but while that standard continues to await chipsets and testing protocols for implementation in commercial products (probably starting to arrive in the second half of 2019), the eARC portion can be added now to some HDMI 2.0b based devices via a firmware update, provided manufacturers have made this part of the equipment design.

 

Poking around, I see that, of course, my TV’s HDMI port is 2.0(a). 

How any of these standards groups or consumer electronics manufacturers think that consumers should be able to keep track of any of this is beyond me. I know it’s not the same thing, but I can’t help but be reminded of this old xkcd cartoon: 

 

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@Saguaro7 Those articles are interesting reads to be sure. Not knowing enough about how HDMI functions (hardware vs software) I have to wonder if eARC is legitimately a hardware upgrade or if it could potentially be firmware updatable - e.g. reconfigure the firmware to send these signals using these pins via this protocol. I’m sure some engineer will read this and laugh their head off at my ignorance but it does make me wonder (although all of the other features in HDMI 2.1 make me think maybe it is hardware but what do I know). At the very least it’s probably a chipset change but even then that still makes me wonder if it could be firmware updatable. 
 

Alas, this is all just conjecture and speculation and TV manufacturers aren’t in the habit of adding new features to old TVs because they, of course, want to sell you a new TV. But since I’m not going to be in the market for a new TV for quite some time, a fella can dream 😎

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@Highfalutintodd I endorse your comments completely. At the $700+ price point, a second HDMI port with pass-through seems a necessity, especially on a soundbar that’s interned to be used without an AV Receiver!

I may wait a bit to see how this shakes out. But. if it had another HDMI, I’d be buying the Arc right now instead of complaining here.

Regarding ARC/eARC: I’m no audio engineer, but the problem is probably hardware related. ARC was an ad-on to HDMI, eARC provides not just more bandwidth, but different protocol. (HDMI is so locked-down! Devices verify the capability of the device at other end when establishing a connection.) Similar to the difference between 100Mbps and 1000Mbps ethernet. If your hardware don’t support it, you’re SOL.

Ah-ha. I knew I’d read about this somewhere. This is a good explainer on ARC/eARC and has a table that says eARC requires HDMI cable with Ethernet! Didn’t know that.

https://www.whathifi.com/us/advice/hdmi-arc-and-hdmi-earc-everything-you-need-to-know

Bonus. though I can’t vouch for this info.

https://www.trustedreviews.com/how-to/hdmi-earc-sonos-arc-4035031

 

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Thus Sonos’s design approach isn’t going to work for most people, without buying a new TV. Sonos doesn’t sell TV’s. so it’s not like they’re trying to up-sell new equipment... They’ve just locked out everyone who doesn’t have an Atmos-capable TV (only available from 2018). I can’t really understand their approach.

While I absolutely love pretty much everything I’ve read about the Arc and it looks to be almost exactly the soundbar solution i’ve been looking for for a while, I agree wholeheartedly with this even though Sonos obviously doesn’t. TVs aren’t disposable commodities for most people, even those of us lucky enough to have disposable income to spend on expensive toys like 4K TVs.

I just bought my new TV (a 4K Visio E70-F3 w/Dolby Vision and HDR10) late last year. I didn’t know or care that it was a 2018 model and even though I agonized over the features (OLED vs. LCD? Is Dolby Vision worth it or is HDR10 good enough? Number of local dimming zones? VA vs IPS panel type? etc.) and I’m a technology enthusiast (much to my wife’s and bank account’s chagrin) I had absolutely no idea that “eARC” was a thing coming down the pike that I should even be considering. Hell, after doing a little research I found out that not a single Vizio TV from either 2018 OR 2019 supports HDMI 2.1 / eARC (can’t tell about the 2020 models and they’re not even out yet anyway).  

And since this TV was a replacement for a glorious old Sony KDS-60A3000 that I absolutely loved and had for over 10 years before the light engine went kaput, my wife would be rapidly dialing divorce lawyers if I told her I wanted to ditch our beautiful new TV and buy a new one just because of a soundbar. 

I certainly understand Sonos’ stance - they want ultimate simplicity and they’re building for the future. Unfortunately, right now, “ultimate simplicity” and “bleeding edge technology” aren’t exactly compatible with each other. 99.9% of consumers aren’t going to understand literally any of what will be required at the moment to make this work correctly. And maybe they won’t care. Probably they won’t care. But the people for whom this IS appealing and are willing to spend the $$$ to make it happen do care - a lot. And having just one extra HDMI port to act as a passthrough would fix just about every issue that this type of customer (myself included) is worried about. 

But I’m not Sonos product development and they didn’t ask me. Plus, I’m buying one anyway to see if/how it will work with my system (Apple TV 4K / Vizio E70-F3), so they’re getting my money either way (at least for a little while). 

Guess we’ll all see shortly how it all works out! 

Side rant: I would love for some engineer to explain to me why there isn’t enough bandwidth on the Audio Return Channel for HDMI 2.0(a) to support just about any audio format ever when there IS enough bandwidth for HDMI 2.0(a) to support pushing a 4K image (over 8 millions pixels) with over a billion possible colors per pixel 30 times (or more) per second from one device to another. That limitation blows my mind. 

 

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I’m no expert, but based on some Reddit threads and Apple’s support info, the *usual* way many 5.1 soundbars have been working is to connect the Streaming Box (ATV or Roku or whatever) to an HDMI In port on the sound bar. Then, connect an “HDMI-OUT/ARC” port to the HDMI-ARC port on the TV. This how all streaming boxes (including the Vizio bar I have) have had to do this because previously there was no such thing as eARC.

Thus Sonos’s design approach isn’t going to work for most people, without buying a new TV. Sonos doesn’t sell TV’s. so it’s not like they’re trying to up-sell new equipment... They’ve just locked out everyone who doesn’t have an Atmos-capable TV (only available from 2018). I can’t really understand their approach.

Ah, then you want it to be an HDMI pass through device, and not be an HDMI ARC device. I understand.

How many HDMI input ports should it have? Just one output port? Does that mean the Arc and Sonos software would need to support a selection method for which HDMI port is in use? How does your Vizio handle this? 

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Because it’s not an HDMI port, it’s an HDMI ARC port? How many TVs would you want to connect to a single Arc?


It’s not about # of TVs; it’s compatibility with existing devices. At this price point, it should have pass-through, as does my crappy Vizio. The lack of HDMI-In seems to greatly limit the audience for the Arc.