Sonos Playbar 2 with HDMI and other additional features

olly79 · 2014-02-07T07:38:00+00:00

I completely understand the problem to add DTS re-coding to the current Playbar due to the fact of introducing audio delay. And since the Sonos Playbar is only responsible for audio, this delay can't be added for video as well. Therefore, I would like Sonos to make a Sonos Playbar 2 or Sonos PlaybarHDMI which takes care about audio and video. DTS and other sound formats could be easily re-coded into a supported audio format and the audio/video sync could be kept. But it could also address other improvement possibilities: - Display "Volume" onscreen - Support IR remote controls (and others as well) to adjust night mode and speech enhancement - Multiple HDMI inputs / HDMI switch - Display currently played music (while not in TV mode) - Possibility to steer music with basic controls via IR (Play/Pause, Next track, Previous track, radio stations) - Possibility to add two front channels (Playbar + 4x Play:1 + Sub) - Possibility to increase width of Playbar to fit it to the size of the TV

No support?!

This could be so great! The only reasons I haven't bought a Playbar are because my SmartTV don't use IR, it doesn't support DTS and HDMI ARC. Great idea with 4 Play1s, center Playbar and Sub. I hope Sonos will produce such a product or similar soon 🙂 Best regards Kenneth

I would believed that using the optical cable for audio is still the best option rather adopting a hdmi approach. I have blue ray player, playstation and an apple tv occupying 3/4 of my tv hdmi ports and keeping the last port for some other device. Best if SONOS could support more audio formats. The grill cloth collects dusts pretty easily and it is difficult to clean and it is non changable.

And you're listening to all but the TVs integrated tuner in a pseudo surround sound effect. With HDMI inputs all your devices would supply 5:1 audio to the Playbar.

I would believed that using the optical cable for audio is still the best option rather adopting a hdmi approach. I have blue ray player, playstation and an apple tv occupying 3/4 of my tv hdmi ports and keeping the last port for some other device. Best if SONOS could support more audio formats. The grill cloth collects dusts pretty easily and it is difficult to clean and it is non changable.

Not many TV's output 5:1 or passthrough the sound from devices --> TV --> Optical Out. Most TV's downsample it to PCM 2.0 Stereo and from that signal, Sonos will try to make surround again. It works, but not as good if it were a direct line from device to Playbar

I know that Sony do passthrough and some LG's can do it after a change in a service configuration.

@Sonos, please build this, it will sell. Other playbars for the same price are offering 2+ HDMI ins, a connected subwoofer and IR support. I will buy this INSTANTLY once it hits the stores.

I agree - instant purchase, and currently not purchasing out of the small hope that Sonos will get their act together on this 5.1 sound issue. Just purchased a $2,300 4K TV and willing to drop the same amount of cash on sound if only the desired features were available on a product with the sound quality of Sonos. Have not spent enough time looking at other systems and already own a couple Sonos pieces in other rooms in the house -- but getting itchy to set something up, Sonos or not.

I too am holding out for a playbar with HDMI support. Can I overcome the fact that my TV (Panasonic VT-30) does not provide 5.1 over optical for HDMI inputs? Sure, add an HDMI switcher or AV receiver. But this would not provide the type of seamless, easy to use experience for my whole family, that I've come to expect from Sonos.

I could not wait. I have bought a Sonos Connect, a Denon x1100w and a Raspberry Pi.

Okay the setup are sounds more advanced than it is. In the Pi, I have developed a Java service (it can also run on some NAS or Server) which watches the Connect. When it goes from off to on it will turn on the Denon, sets the input to Sonos and the volume at a specified level, as I control the volume on the Sonos app.

It does it through the network as the Denon has an api and I could add more receivers, if they have an api to control them.

I call the service The little helper  If others are interested I could go public with it...

+1 to instant purchaser.

+1

Sonos please reconsider this! Else a lot of Sonos Costumers have to look for alternatives that are not from sonos ... Also a lot of people are searching for one solution and not for a mix, the playbar is not sufficient for a full home cinema solution.

In my mind are two options: lower the price of the playbar (it's mainly a stereo sound solution) or make a playbar 2 :)

I don't believe that the current playbar does not support DTS due to delaying issues. Sonos is not implementing the DTS support only not to have to pay DTS licenses... Sonos thinks that DTS is currently not essential for the playbar. They will probably support it in the future...

Idea of playbar2 to get only dts support is not fair! I paid over 600€ for the playbar and it is fair to expect that sonos enables it in the current version.

I read a bit over the playbar and the sound formats. I'm not sure but I think there is missing a chip in the playbar for using dts. Also the toslink needs more bandwidth to support things like dolby digital plus ... so I'm not sure if the playbar 1 ever will get an update to support directly 5.1 or more (expect dolby digital 5.1) ...

I don't believe that the current playbar does not support DTS due to delaying issues. Sonos is not implementing the DTS support only not to have to pay DTS licenses... Sonos thinks that DTS is currently not essential for the playbar. They will probably support it in the future...

Idea of playbar2 to get only dts support is not fair! I paid over 600€ for the playbar and it is fair to expect that sonos enables it in the current version.

Playbar cannot and will not be able to support dd+ due to the limitation of the tos link it is using. However, there is no need for a special chip to decode either dd, dts, dd+ or dts+, as the decoding can be done in software...

So, if sonos pays the license fees, play 1 can support at least the dts 😉

Is a new playbar to be expected in 2015? I am willing to wait a couple of months because I really like the ease of use of the Sonos sytem, but the current issues (DTS etc) stops me from buying the current version. If it takes too long I'll have to look for something else.

me too ... if there are no plans for 2015 I will choose a solution with an soundbar with hdmi.

Is a new playbar to be expected in 2015? I am willing to wait a couple of months because I really like the ease of use of the Sonos sytem, but the current issues (DTS etc) stops me from buying the current version. If it takes too long I'll have to look for something else.

Another soundbar with the necessary dolby support can be bought around $350. The only problem is that you'll have two systems. The whole point about using Sonos is, that I do not want two systems. I am certainly not going to spend $1500 on an already outdated system.

Is a new playbar to be expected in 2015? I am willing to wait a couple of months because I really like the ease of use of the Sonos sytem, but the current issues (DTS etc) stops me from buying the current version. If it takes too long I'll have to look for something else.

There are solutions of multi room streaming with an playbar with hdmi, just take a look to the sonos competitors (especially the new ones). You'll get one system for all. So now it's sonos turn to announce that we will deliver a complete system ...

I would believed that using the optical cable for audio is still the best option rather adopting a hdmi approach. I have blue ray player, playstation and an apple tv occupying 3/4 of my tv hdmi ports and keeping the last port for some other device. Best if SONOS could support more audio formats. The grill cloth collects dusts pretty easily and it is difficult to clean and it is non changable.

or buy a spdif splitter, to have direct feed from blue ray, or any optical out audio device, works great , only downside is that you have to manual switch from 1 to other device.