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kyronius
Contributor I
May 8, 2020

Sonos ARC and PC Gaming and Dolby Atmos - Ouch

  • May 8, 2020
  • 15 replies
  • 10520 views

Hi everyone

 

First post here - I pre-ordered the ARC fully knowing that it only has 1 HDMI-eARC port and its gonna be mega pain for PC users to Dolby Atmos to it unless you are gaming on a TV with eARC.


So let’s start trying to find solutions…. I have started a new petition (as futile as it may be...) at nvidia to ask them to natively support hdmi audio only output on the gpus (given most of the monitor us PC gamers using gsync (or freesync-compatible) would have a spare HDMI slot) - please go sign here if you wish: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/feed/377326/native-hdmi-audio-support-sonos-beam-and-sonos-a/

As for my main question, has anyone tried using an audio extractor and successfully extracted a dolby atmos audio stream? Given that the ARC hasn’t been released, i figured someone out there must have tried it on an Atmos AVR. 

Ps. i’m really excited for the ARC to arrive. Can’t wait to sit in front of it to game. 


 

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15 replies

Sjoop1985
Sjoop1985
May 8, 2020

Most, if not all, audio extractors output the extracted audio over optical, which cannot do Atmos.

Until now, I've come across one person who was found a device that will re-embed an extracted stream into ARC.

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans (John Lennon) --- Living room: Arc, Sub, 2x One - Kitchen: One - Bedroom: Play 3 - Office: Beam - Bathroom: Play 1
    melvimbe
    melvimbe
    May 8, 2020

    Hi everyone

     

    First post here - I pre-ordered the ARC fully knowing that it only has 1 HDMI-eARC port and its gonna be mega pain for PC users to Dolby Atmos to it unless you are gaming on a TV with eARC.

    Welcome.  The Arc actually supports ARC as well as eARC, which is on almost all modern TVs.  ARC can handle DD+ which can carry the Atmos signal.  You really would only need an eARC capable TV if the content coming from PC to TV is in TrueHD.  I don’t know what format PC games are in, but TrueHD is most commonly on bluray disks, as I understand it.

     

     


    So let’s start trying to find solutions…. I have started a new petition (as futile as it may be...) at nvidia to ask them to natively support hdmi audio only output on the gpus (given most of the monitor us PC gamers using gsync (or freesync-compatible) would have a spare HDMI slot) - please go sign here if you wish: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/feed/377326/native-hdmi-audio-support-sonos-beam-and-sonos-a/

     

     

     

    Pretty sure this wouldn’t work as your expecting.  The Arc (and Beam, Amp) can’t accept a straight HDMI signal, only the ARC (Audio Return Channel).  Technically, the HDMI port on the Arc is HDMI output, with the audio coming in opposite the normal flow.   So for the graphics card to work with the Arc, the HDMI port on the card needs to be an HDMI input essentially, simulating a display device, and generating audio to send over the return channel.  Maybe that’s something that can be done through an upgrade to the card, but as you said in your nvidia post, the current port on the card is HDMI output.

    As for my main question, has anyone tried using an audio extractor and successfully extracted a dolby atmos audio stream? Given that the ARC hasn’t been released, i figured someone out there must have tried it on an Atmos AVR. 

     

     

    I don’t think such a device exists.  Atmos has to be carried over DD+ or True HD, essentially, which has to be through HDMI.  It can’t be done through optical, so there really isn’t anything to extract.  What would be needed, is a device that can take in an HDMI input, and then simulate what a TV does, taking the audio out and sending it over the ARC/eARC channel of a second HDMI input channel. A third HDMI port, output this time, to send video to the display device.  It sounds counter intuitive, but that’s what would need to happen, and exactly what ARC/eARC capable TVs are doing.

     

    Yes there are many splitter/extractor devices that are labled as ARC compatible right now, but they only pass signals between source and display devices.  The can’t generate and ARC signal that it didn’t receive from a display device.


    Ps. i’m really excited for the ARC to arrive. Can’t wait to sit in front of it to game. 
     

     

    Me too, though through an xbox, not PC.

    Danny
      kyroniusAuthor
      Contributor I
      May 8, 2020

      Most, if not all, audio extractors output the extracted audio over optical, which cannot do Atmos.

      Until now, I've come across one person who was found a device that will re-embed an extracted stream into ARC.

      I've emailed Orei which makes a couple of extractors with hdmi audio out to ask and I'll post the results here if they reply. Based on the current specs they have listed it technically could output dolby atmos as well but it doesn't specifically state so. Not gonna link it cause I realized I got sent on alot of dead ends during the research to outdated products and this one isn't verified suitable yet. 

        kyroniusAuthor
        Contributor I
        May 8, 2020

        Hi everyone

         

        First post here - I pre-ordered the ARC fully knowing that it only has 1 HDMI-eARC port and its gonna be mega pain for PC users to Dolby Atmos to it unless you are gaming on a TV with eARC.

        Welcome.  The Arc actually supports ARC as well as eARC, which is on almost all modern TVs.  ARC can handle DD+ which can carry the Atmos signal.  You really would only need an eARC capable TV if the content coming from PC to TV is in TrueHD.  I don’t know what format PC games are in, but TrueHD is most commonly on bluray disks, as I understand it.

         

         


        So let’s start trying to find solutions…. I have started a new petition (as futile as it may be...) at nvidia to ask them to natively support hdmi audio only output on the gpus (given most of the monitor us PC gamers using gsync (or freesync-compatible) would have a spare HDMI slot) - please go sign here if you wish: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/feed/377326/native-hdmi-audio-support-sonos-beam-and-sonos-a/

         

         

         

        Pretty sure this wouldn’t work as your expecting.  The Arc (and Beam, Amp) can’t accept a straight HDMI signal, only the ARC (Audio Return Channel).  Technically, the HDMI port on the Arc is HDMI output, with the audio coming in opposite the normal flow.   So for the graphics card to work with the Arc, the HDMI port on the card needs to be an HDMI input essentially, simulating a display device, and generating audio to send over the return channel.  Maybe that’s something that can be done through an upgrade to the card, but as you said in your nvidia post, the current port on the card is HDMI output.

        As for my main question, has anyone tried using an audio extractor and successfully extracted a dolby atmos audio stream? Given that the ARC hasn’t been released, i figured someone out there must have tried it on an Atmos AVR. 

         

         

        I don’t think such a device exists.  Atmos has to be carried over DD+ or True HD, essentially, which has to be through HDMI.  It can’t be done through optical, so there really isn’t anything to extract.  What would be needed, is a device that can take in an HDMI input, and then simulate what a TV does, taking the audio out and sending it over the ARC/eARC channel of a second HDMI input channel. A third HDMI port, output this time, to send video to the display device.  It sounds counter intuitive, but that’s what would need to happen, and exactly what ARC/eARC capable TVs are doing.

         

        Yes there are many splitter/extractor devices that are labled as ARC compatible right now, but they only pass signals between source and display devices.  The can’t generate and ARC signal that it didn’t receive from a display device.


        Ps. i’m really excited for the ARC to arrive. Can’t wait to sit in front of it to game. 
         

         

        Me too, though through an xbox, not PC.

        Years ago Asus made a hdmi only audio card which is something I would invest in if it was still viable. Sadly the drivers for it are dead and no windows 10 support is available.

        Windows already can output atmos via hdmi (via dolby access app) so now it's just up to Nvidia to just do some programming wizardry to make its hdmi output transmit audio that is compatible with the sonos EARC hdmi input. One can only hope /fingers crossed. 

         

        Maybe I should petition Intel and amd to update their motherboard's hdmi too.... I'll gladly upgrade to eithers' new boards if it works. 

         

         

        Airgetlam
        Airgetlam
        May 8, 2020

        Windows already can output atmos via hdmi (via dolby access app) so now it's just up to Nvidia to just do some programming wizardry to make its hdmi output transmit audio that is compatible with the sonos EARC hdmi input. One can only hope /fingers crossed. 

         

        Note that there’s a difference between outputting Atmos, and outputting Atmos on an eArc or HDMI-ARC channel. I think you do, but just in case other readers don’t recognize it, I wanted to call it out. 

        Bruce
          Lalligator
          Lyricist III
          May 8, 2020

          Windows already can output atmos via hdmi (via dolby access app) so now it's just up to Nvidia to just do some programming wizardry to make its hdmi output transmit audio that is compatible with the sonos EARC hdmi input. One can only hope /fingers crossed. 

           

          Note that there’s a difference between outputting Atmos, and outputting Atmos on an eArc or HDMI-ARC channel. I think you do, but just in case other readers don’t recognize it, I wanted to call it out. 

          Well, a PC is never going to output atmos on an ARC channel, as the ARC channel is something that is between the display and the audio device, not the source. The critical elements here are a display that supports earc (rare) and a computer than can output ALL audio as truehd, not just pass a truehd track through.

            Airgetlam
            Airgetlam
            May 8, 2020

            I agree. Most people aren’t aware of that issue. 

            Bruce
              kyroniusAuthor
              Contributor I
              May 9, 2020

              Most, if not all, audio extractors output the extracted audio over optical, which cannot do Atmos.

              Until now, I've come across one person who was found a device that will re-embed an extracted stream into ARC.

              I'm curious why aren't more people interested in this device? Its about 100usd (with shipping) and seems like it can extract/embed dolby truehd arc signals (silent about atmos). I've email SCT to ask about atmos and whether it's EARC compatible.

              Orei seems to be a dead end though. They are responding but probably their engineer to chime in and not just their Email support agents. 

              Naekyr
              Enthusiast II
              May 9, 2020

              I dont see how you’re going to get Atmos from your PC into the ARC.

              Considering how most products output audio, like a GPU/GameConsole/Apple TV Box/Sattelite TV Box etc - your best chance at ARC working for you is to plug into it directly. Because there is only a single port - it means the ARC soundbar was design to be used with a TV where the TV is also the source, i.e you are playing content using your TV’s built in apps, so not using a GPU/GameConsole/Apple TV Box/Sattelite TV Box

              Everything else you try falls outside this products’s intended use and will either not work or be extremely difficult - it then comes down to is your TV capable of  re-processing your source into the source content ARC wants (i.e can your TV do the job of a AV Receiver) and yeah... well goodluck with that bro.

               

               

               

              SONOS ARC | SONOS Sub | SONOS Play 1 x 2 | LG C9 OLED | PS5 | RTX3090 Gaming PC | Sennheiser GSP600 Headset | Audio Pro T8L Desktop Monitors
                kyroniusAuthor
                Contributor I
                May 9, 2020

                I dont see how you’re going to get Atmos from your PC into the ARC.

                Considering how most products output audio, like a GPU/GameConsole/Apple TV Box/Sattelite TV Box etc - your best chance at ARC working for you is to plug into it directly. Because there is only a single port - it means the ARC soundbar was design to be used with a TV where the TV is also the source, i.e you are playing content using your TV’s built in apps, so not using a GPU/GameConsole/Apple TV Box/Sattelite TV Box

                Everything else you try falls outside this products’s intended use and will either not work or be extremely difficult - it then comes down to is your TV capable of  re-processing your source into the source content ARC wants (i.e can your TV do the job of a AV Receiver) and yeah... well goodluck with that bro.

                 

                Thanks! It’s likely to be mission impossible… but maybe if we can draw Sonos attention to their being a market for such a device that can encode/embed ARC audio signals (without a TV)… It seems at least one company is doing it, so it can’t be that far away.

                When the Arc arrives i’ll just use optical and live with DDL. Will then spend sometime slowly acquiring the sub the ones for surround before trying to figure out Atmos on the pc. Hopefully by then someone industrious can figure this and let me throw my money at them for the solution <^_^.

                 

                 

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