Question

Sonos Arc (Dolby Atmos) with 4K Projector vs. TV


I have been waiting to upgrade my old Gen 1 Play:5s, and when the new products were launched yesterday I used my upgrade 30% off discount to preorder a pair of Sonos Fives and the Arc Surround Set.  Our home has a theater room that I have been waiting to build out, and now the time has come.

 

Originally I had thought about installing a 4k projector since we have enough room for it, however I’m unsure how the eARC connections and Dolby Atmos would work in this type of a setup.  It seems like I would have to buy some type of receiver to handle all of my inputs and ideally output eARC to Sonos and a video signal to the projector—not sure if this type of a setup exists.

 

It seem like the easier route would be to go with a TV with eARC support like the LG C9 where everything can connect to the TV and the Dolby Atmos audio goes to Sonos.

 

Does anyone have recommendations on the best setup to take advantage of Dolby Atmos with Sonos Arc?


This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

34 replies

Hi all,

Thought I’d share how I’m getting on with my new Arc and trying to get it working with a projector (optima uhd40).  I’ve had some success albeit a little messy.

Sony Bly-ray player (ubx700) HDMI AV out to projector for visuals. Secondary HDMI Audio our to HDMI input on Sony TV (KD 55S).

HDMI ARC out from telly to Sonos Arc.

Seems to work and sync is fine.

Main issue is telly has to be on and it annoyingly has graphics on it saying video is output on one channel and video on another.  Screensaver doesn’t help as it cuts audio.

Also, no atmos but will save that faff for another time / telly upgrade / HD Fury Arcana.

Good luck!

 

 

 

 

 

My assumption is that it has to be (or Sonos wants it to be) eARC because it’s a sort of data protocol that negotiates playback in order to be synced with the video. I could be wrong. However yeah, very few TV’s out there support Atmos over eARC. So it’s rather misleading for Sonos to say it supports Atmos, when this is only true if your TV has eARC with support for Atmos. I have a late 2018 model and it only has regular ARC with Dolby surround as the highest compatible so a real bummer!

I hope the HDFury device works out. Personally I don’t like the idea of sending the signal through a switch then through the HDFury, and then finally the TV, is there signal degradation or quality loss? But I think it will be fine.

Sonos seemed to favor simplicity but just adding a output or two on the soundbar would have really helped avoid all these compatibility issues.

I have a new optoma 4k projector and I was unable to make it work with Sonos Arc.

 

I have a Sony blu-ray player (this is my source system), in the back of the player I have two HDMI outputs (one audio/video, and one audio only), both can be used simultaneously.

 

The HDMI audio/video goes to my projector (works fine).

 

The HDMI audio goes to ARC. For some reason it doesn't recognize this as an audio source, and doesn't play any audio. 
 

To make sure this setup works, I tried connecting the HDMI audio cable to my TV as an input (it doesn't have video, just audio), but it works.


The issue is with the Sonos ARC... it won't let me setup the Sonos ARC (using the app) because it expects an audio return channel signal from TV (which I don't have).

So, what I did was to set the Sonos ARC with my tv directly using audio return channel and it works.

Then, I unplugged the TV and go back to my original setup (notice this time the Sonos Arc is succesfuly setup in the app), however it won't play audio. Now, if I use the optical cable to hdmi adaptor from blu ray player to the sonos arc it works, but i don't want to use optical.

Why sonos arc doesn't support HDMI audio only? Why does it has to come through a eARC source only?

Userlevel 2

HD Fury is now taking preorders for a product that will give eArc abilities to projector setups!

https://www.hdfury.com/product/4k-arcana-18gbps/

Certainly worth a try. There’s no reason I can think of that the signal from the TV would be any different whether or not you had a projector attached. It’s not part of the equation, from the Sonos side of things. 

Is it possible to pass the video content through a projector and the audio through a tv connected to Sonos arc. I thought of using a hdmi matrix to use projector and tv as a video and an audio output respectively and 4K laptop as an input.

I don’t think so, I think it is because the way ARC or eARC outputs the sound. For reference what I did, which is really kludgy is take a Samsung TV I had that had eARC (tu8000) then ran a HDMI matrix splitter with two outputs. One to projector and one to Samsung, then Samsung eARC back to the Sonos Arc. It works for Atmos, but is messy.

Dang. That was my biggest fear. Thanks for the heads up. Here’s to hoping they have some kind of fix for this soon. Trying to determine what to do once I get a PS5 with my projector, currently using a playbar and some 1s for surrounds, might just have to look for something else.  

Userlevel 1
Badge

I don’t think so, I think it is because the way ARC or eARC outputs the sound. For reference what I did, which is really kludgy is take a Samsung TV I had that had eARC (tu8000) then ran a HDMI matrix splitter with two outputs. One to projector and one to Samsung, then Samsung eARC back to the Sonos Arc. It works for Atmos, but is messy.

 

 

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-1155w-7-2-ch-with-dolby-atmos-4k-ultra-hd-hdr-compatible-a-v-home-theater-receiver-black/5761206.p?skuId=5761206
 

Would this receiver potentially work? I’m guessing no, but trying to find a creative way to make my current home theater setup work with an Arc (it really sucks how few options there are for people with projectors who want Sonos systems). 

 

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-1155w-7-2-ch-with-dolby-atmos-4k-ultra-hd-hdr-compatible-a-v-home-theater-receiver-black/5761206.p?skuId=5761206
 

Would this receiver potentially work? I’m guessing no, but trying to find a creative way to make my current home theater setup work with an Arc (it really sucks how few options there are for people with projectors who want Sonos systems). 

The Sonos Arc isn’t what needs an update. It works fine. It is looking for an HDMI ARC signal, unless you’re using the optical cable connected to the adapter that the Arc comes with. You can’t feed a normal HDMI signal to the Arc using any splitter, as that would be just the normal HDMI signal, not the HDMI ARC signal the Arc is looking for. 

Hold off Just for now.

Its the 17th of June 2020 and I purchased an arc last week and it is so far no go.

The Arc may not work with a projector

My config is this

A Yamaha receiver. A Sonos Arc. A Epson HD projector

Before last week I had a Yamaha receiver with surround sonud passive speakers powered by the Yamaha, and the Epson projector. all has worked fine for years

The problem

We cannot get any signal from the receiver to be recognised by the Arc.

First try

The Yamaha has a single HDMI ARC output, so I used a 18GBPS splitter to send 1 signal to the projector and one to the arc. The projector works on either of the splitter outputs, but the arc does not recognise any signal from any output. during the sonos arc setup its says “no signal found”

 

Second try

The dealer I purchased the sonos arc from gave me a new $6000 Dual HDMI Output receiver to try. I took it home and no luck. Again the projector works in either HDMI output, but the sonos arc says “no signal during the setup. The receiver has eArc outputs

 

What does work?

I can successfully complete the wireless setup and get music through the sonos arc. but thats it. In the last week I have gone through the factory reset process about 20 times but no luck

 

What next?

I have returned the sonos arc to the dealer and they are working on it. A senior onsite engineer was there and said that it probably wont work, as the TV pass thru senario is different than the splitter or 2 hdmi output senario and new HDMI protocols are really tricky

I’ll keep you posted

My guess is the Sonos Arc will get a firmware update later down the track, but don’t expect the projector and Sonos Arc to work right now

 

Glad i found this thread. I was also hoping to go for atmos in my setup with projector and Arc but doesn’t look possible yet. Thanks for info.

Understand where you’re coming from. My Vizio won’t pass Dolby Digital Plus either, but even with regular old Dolby Digital, I’ve found the Arc to be an upgrade from the PLAYBAR. I’m waiting on the new device too, but enjoying the Arc in the meantime. 

HDMI switches don’t currently create either ARC or eARC signals. They do split off an optical signal from an HDMI input. But that is maxed out at Dolby Digital (5.1) due to bandwidth on optical. 

There is a device being worked on to create eARC signals, being discussed here, but it isn’t to market yet. 

Any HDMI switch with an optical output must be fed a Dolby Digital signal to work with Sonos. They can’t transcode a DTS, Dolby Digital Plus, or Atmos signal. 


Thank you.  Guess I’ll be waiting for a solution or sticking with Playbar and 5.1.

HDMI switches don’t currently create either ARC or eARC signals. They do split off an optical signal from an HDMI input. But that is maxed out at Dolby Digital (5.1) due to bandwidth on optical. 

There is a device being worked on to create eARC signals, being discussed here, but it isn’t to market yet. 

Any HDMI switch with an optical output must be fed a Dolby Digital signal to work with Sonos. They can’t transcode a DTS, Dolby Digital Plus, or Atmos signal. 

Badge

Glad I found this thread - was just about to click buy on an Arc.  From what I’ve read above I can’t get Atmos - is this correct?

Current set up is:

Devices into a 4x2 Matrix.

Matrix HDMI 1 out to 4k projector.

Optical out to Sonos Playbar.

The matrix has a second HDMI out so I thought I’d be able to pump that into the Arc HDMI, but from what I now understand this won’t work as it doesn’t carry eARC.

Is this correct?  Thanks

 

Regarding the HDMI,Is it regular ARC or no ARC at all?

Glad I found this thread - was just about to click buy on an Arc.  From what I’ve read above I can’t get Atmos - is this correct?

Current set up is:

Devices into a 4x2 Matrix.

Matrix HDMI 1 out to 4k projector.

Optical out to Sonos Playbar.

The matrix has a second HDMI out so I thought I’d be able to pump that into the Arc HDMI, but from what I now understand this won’t work as it doesn’t carry eARC.

Is this correct?  Thanks

Badge

 

I have both a LG OLED TV and the LG HU80ka Projector and have been doing tests over the weekend.

The TV is amazing. Everything worked on Atmos, the sound is amazing and you are able to watch it with light during the day.

The Projector is were I enjoy the movies the most. 120”, and very good quiality if there is no light in the room. Regarding Atmos, from the FireStick I get Atmos on DIsney Plus, Tidal and Prime. Not on Netflix or AppleTV. There are 2 possible workarounds for Netfix. Buying the Cube form Amazon or installing Kodi and the add-on on the Fire Stick. The AppleTv does not detect immersive sound so all I can get from it is 5.1

Hope this helps.

newbie here but been looking to hook up 4k ultra short throw projector with the new Sonos ARC to achieve atmos.  Projectors like the Vava 4k (https://www.vava.com/products/4k-ultra-short-throw-laser-projector-1) and Optoma P1 (https://www.optoma.co.uk/product-details/uhz65ust) have eARC HDMI connections. 

Would these not allow for Atmos pass through say from an Apple TV 4k box > into the projector > and then into the Sonos ARC?  I’ve seen the Vava website says it doesn’t support ATMOS but it’s not clear if that refers to the native built-in HK soundbar vs passthrough via eARC…

 

I’ll take a look at it.  By way of an update - new ARC speaker arrived yesterday and I can’t get it to work even using the hdmi to TOSLINK (optical) adapter they include in the box.  Makes no sense.  My prior setup was an HDMI in, to an optical and hdmi out splitter (hdmi going to projector and optical to playbar).  Not sure why it wont work now when all I did was add the adapter to the optical out.  Frustrating!

It doesn’t create the ARC Or eARC signal, it just passes the one created by the TV. 

Would something like this not work? It’s not technically splitting the audio from the video signal, but if you sent the regular hdmi out to the projector and the ARC hdmi out to the soundbar would that not work to get an atmos audio signal to the soundbar and an image to the projector?

 

https://www.amazon.com/NEWCARE-HDMI-Matrix-Switch-Splitter/dp/B07ZNKF7C8/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=hdmi%2Baudio%2Bvideo%2Bsplitter%2Barc%2Bdolby%2Batmos&qid=1591905756&s=electronics&sr=1-11&th=1

 

Lovely.  I just got notice that my ARC has shipped.  Doesn't look like I’m going to get the upgrade over the playbar, I’m currently using, that I was hoping for.  

Nope. Passthrough just means it can forward audio on the normal audio channel. ARC isn't even mentioned, and that is what is needed.

We need a switch that can do what a TV does - take the incoming audio channel on one HDMI-IN, and return it over ARC on another HDMI-IN, to which the Arc is connected. So far, there is no such thing.

would an hdmi switcher like this not work?  Not sure of the price and may not be worth it as I know these can be pricey.  But it says it splits hdmi audio and video and “supports audio pass-through up to dolby ATMOS”.   

 

https://muxlab.com/pro-digital/6x1-2-0-multimedia-presentation-switch