wish I had know before buying
+1you have most probably been asked this a 1000 times have a playbase and two ones, my tv a panasonic TX-L42ET60B doesnt pass 5.1 digital out through my optical output. The only way I can get 5.1 is to plug my Virgin v6 box direct to my playbase but this isnt ideal what spitter box do I need to purchase to get around this thank you
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.
+20Do you play from sources other than the V6 box? If not, you could just connect the V6 optical out directly to the PlayBase.
Assuming you have more than one source and they all have optical out, a cheap digital optical switch (you need a switch, not a splitter) would do. I used to use one made by ViewHD and I have seen one by CYP. Otherwise you need an HDMI switch with optical out. To get the OTA TV audio out,the HDMI switch needs to support HDMI-ARC.
+20Thejam wrote:
I use an Amazon fire stick and stream through Cromecast also
Sorry, I should have read your original post properly.
Something like this, then:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00N2MGTTE
+1Thank you for your help, I just don’t understand how it works, I’m guessing I plug my optical cable directly from my play base to it, on the other end I connect my V6 box via HDMI or optical, how do I connect my tv if I plug it direct from my optical on my tv it still won’t pass 5.1,
+1Maybe I should just buy a new tv, I have been looking but on there description it says optical digital out on the description of new TVs does this mean it passes 5.1,
Thejam wrote:
Maybe I should just buy a new tv, I have been looking but on there description it says optical digital out on the description of new TVs does this mean it passes 5.1,
+20Ok, so neither your Fire TV stick nor your ChromeCast have optical outputs, so the optical switch is not the correct approach.
Buying a new TV, checking that it supports 5.1 pass-through over its optical out is one option, albeit expensive and disruptive. Worth doing only if you actually want a new TV.
Alternatively, you could try an HDMI switch that includes an optical output. This would let you switch between HDMI inputs, with the audio signal split out and sent to the PlayBase. Perhaps something like [1].
The V6, Chromecast and Fire TV stick would plug into the HDMI inputs of the switch. A single HDMI output from the switch would go to a single HDMI input on your TV. The audio optical output from the switch would go to your PlayBase.
You would then need to switch HDMI inputs using the HDMI switch control, not the input selector on your TV remote.
[1] https://www.amazon.co.uk/Switcher-AudioToslink-Digital-Coaxial-Support/dp/B00DZIXIMQ
Buying a new TV, checking that it supports 5.1 pass-through over its optical out is one option, albeit expensive and disruptive. Worth doing only if you actually want a new TV.
Alternatively, you could try an HDMI switch that includes an optical output. This would let you switch between HDMI inputs, with the audio signal split out and sent to the PlayBase. Perhaps something like [1].
The V6, Chromecast and Fire TV stick would plug into the HDMI inputs of the switch. A single HDMI output from the switch would go to a single HDMI input on your TV. The audio optical output from the switch would go to your PlayBase.
You would then need to switch HDMI inputs using the HDMI switch control, not the input selector on your TV remote.
[1] https://www.amazon.co.uk/Switcher-AudioToslink-Digital-Coaxial-Support/dp/B00DZIXIMQ
Great advice @pwt. I am not sure that particular example supports HDMI-ARC. I think it would need this if the TV's own audio were one of the sources. I'm not totally sure about that. If so then the TV would need to support ARC and so would the switch (??)
+20John B wrote:
Great advice @pwt. I am not sure that particular example supports HDMI-ARC. I think it would need this if the TV's own audio were one of the sources. I'm not totally sure about that. If so then the TV would need to support ARC and so would the switch (??)
True. I was inferring from the presence of the V6 box (Virgin Media cable) that the internal TV tuner or tuners are not being used. I don’t know anything about HDMI outputs from TVs, so I’ll defer to others on that.
+20Thejam wrote:
It’s so confusing
Do you have a local AV shop that might be able to help you out?
Enter your E-mail address. We'll send you an e-mail with instructions to reset your password.