SONOS PLAYBAR and OPPO UDP‑203 (DTS to Dolby Digital 5.1)

I have spoken to Oppo UK many times on this over the past couple of years, as i've been wanting the same, and the company eventually updated the 203 firmware so that it would convert DTS to DD5.1 on the fly and output via Optical (SPDIF) for connection direct to the Soundbar. I have asked if they have any plans to update again for the same output via HDMI. I asked them again via their website and they've told me that they have added it to their updates list but cannot guarantee that it will be implemented before they stop updating the firmware for their players. Maybe drop them a request via their website and keep your fingers crossed that they help us out so that we can all enjoy the Oppo's with our Soundbars and TV's. Keep an eye on the support section of their website for news of firmware updates.

This has been helpful to me - thank you! I have a couple of questions though (I've done some research but it's pushing my knowledge so I apologise if they are daft questions)...

Would the oppo 203 successfully transcode DTS-HD MA to Dolby Digital 5.1? I assume it will as DTS-HD MA is still part of DTS family, but as I say it's stretching my knowledge here.

Also, I plan to buy the LG 55" C8, and use it with the playbar. The TV user guide states that if it receives a Dolby Atmos signal, and sound is output through optical cable, then the tv will output it as Dolby Digital, which is great. (As shown in the attachment). So if I watch a 4K blu ray film with a DTS soundtrack, I'll have to output the sound from Oppo via optical cable/optical switch directly to playbar, whereas if the blu ray film has a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, I'd have to connect the Oppo to the TV using HDMI in order for the TV to convert to Dolby Digital. Is that correct? I hope that makes sense! I'd like to end up with a 5.1 surround sound system with Sonos.

As to your first question - to my knowledge the Oppo will extract the DTS core and convert that to DD5.1 for output via optical.
I've no knowledge of the C8 so don't know how it will perform but your attachment certainly seems to imply that it would convert to Dolby Digital.
Please let me know how you get on with the C8 as it may change my planned upgrade, to Sony AF8, later this year.

Thanks for your input, it’s helpful to run things past other people sometimes. I will indeed let you know, although it will be a couple of months yet. I’ll keep you posted!

Thanks for all the reply! Just so I understand, i would need a optical switcher in my setup for the oppo 203 to work since i have everything connected via HDMI to my tv and the optical from the tv to the playbar?

That's correct. Unfortunately due to the Soundbar only being able to accept DD5.1 via Optical input this is the only way to use the Oppo in your setup. I'm personally not upgrading anything until after the much anticipated Sonos launch event on 6th June, where i'm hoping that it's a new Soundbar with HDMI input.

What optical switcher does everyone recommend?

I’ve been trying to search to see if the OPPO 203 will work for what I want it to do. I have reached out to Oppo and cannot find an answer. I want a bluray player that will be able to play in Dolby Vision and HDR.

I recently bought the LG UBK90 and realized it cannot decode a DTS signal into Dolby digital. I will end up returning it but I want to know if anyone has had luck with the OPPO 203 decoding DTS to Dolby 5.1 without it being directly plugged into the sound bar.

I have gathered it will work directly plugged into the Playbar, but I want to know if it will work via HDMI on my tv since everything is hooked up directly to my tv and then the play bar is going into the tv via optical. I have an LG OLED C6. If anyone knows, please let me know since this has been driving me insane since I want both Dolby Vision and HDR along with 5.1 surround sound.

I sold my playbar+sub. Got a propper 5.1 system (also wireless) with hdmi + dts. Then i connected a sonos connect, and now the new system is also a sonos speaker, without the limitations of the playbar. Very happy with my choice, since i had spent more than 300€ on work-arounds to get playbar to push sound with dts sources, which never really lived up to my expectations.

Connect, connect, connect!

What setup did you go with? This is exactly the solution I’m looking for. I’ve had it with the limitations of the playbar. Thanks

I got the heos system, but it dosnt work flawlessly, so i would recommend a different solution - First off i got the heos package for less than 1.100 euro for the big heos bar, big sub, and 2x heos 3. Retail price is well over 2.000 euro here, so this deal makes it worth while. The sound is amazing, but the problem is that heos dosnt switch input source automatically. That means i have to manually go to the heos app, and select "optical in"(the port my sonos connect is at), if i want to listen to music instead of tv, even if tv is off.

I am considering selling my heos system, in exchange for a dedicated soundbar like sony ht-st5000.

The whole deal breaker (as a sonos source) is the fact that it doesn't auto switch input source when ever i start outputting sound from the connect.

On a different matter. The tv sound from the heos is on a whole different level compared to the sonos setup i had before (playbar, sub and 2x play 1). After you hear what a "propper" 5.1 setup can deliver compared to the sonos package, sonos has no real appeal, and that is solely from a sound perspective - add hdmi and dts, and its a no-brainer.

My wife has agreed to an experiment that will be set in motion soon: we are going to try and unpair the two satelite surrounds (heos 3's), and put one in the kitchen, and one in the dining room. And tuck away the sonos speakers for about a week. If things go well, and my wife uses them on a daily basis, we might consider going over to heos - But i dont have high expectations.

Sound is better from heos on all input sources (tv, movie, streaming, local music), but if wife doesnt end up using heos in the kitchen daily, and i mean like several times daily, heos is going back to the tv. And then i most likely sell my heos to highest bidder, and swap for something like the sony ht-st5000 or samsung hw-k950. I cant pull wires for a "normal" surround system, so either wireless satellites, or none at all, is the only thing that works for me.

I could imagine that most dedicated tv sound systems have auto switch - This is the thing to look for - autoswitch! So you dont have to first go to sonos app to play from "sonos connect", and then go to device to change input source. Kills the whole idea of the smooth sonos experience.

I cant stress enough how inferior the sonos movie/tv experience is, even on dd 5.1 input. The heos system is lightyears ahead of sonos in regard to sound and emersion from television. Music wise, sonos and heos are both great, and i think only audiophiles will notice the distinction.

Now if heos sounds so much better than sonos on television, i can only dream about the effect of a propper soundbar, that was made for movies and not music.

BTW, i sold my 3 year old playbar and 2 year old sonos sub for 1.350 Euro, thats a 9% depreciation in resell value - thats just retarded, i mean what modern electronics can be resold after 3 years at 91% original price. I currently have my heos up for sale at a 25% discount compared to retail price, and its less than 6 months old, and no one seems interested. Sonos is the apple of speakers, smooth, sexy, functional, easy but you pay a premium. But i guess if were talking here on the sonos forums, money probably isnt the biggest issue...........

Sorry for crapy english - Non-native 😉