How to connect Sonos Playbar with Samsung TV that has no digital optical output?

  • 2 February 2023
  • 14 replies
  • 1912 views

My Samsung TV does not have a digital optical port for me to connect the Sonos Playbar to. How can I connect my TV to my Playbar? I’ve been searching around that others said to use HDMI to digital audio adapter but what adapter do I get?

TV Model #: UN65KS850DFXZA

Thank you for answering my questions. I appreciate any help here. 


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14 replies

If it’s this TV see (LINK) I̶t̶ ̶s̶e̶e̶m̶s̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶H̶D̶M̶I̶-̶A̶R̶C̶ ̶p̶o̶r̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶e̶n̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶A̶n̶y̶N̶e̶t̶+̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶T̶V̶ ̶s̶e̶t̶t̶i̶n̶g̶s̶. The manual does mention it has an optical port too, but maybe check the link and see if it matches your TV. If not, then perhaps provide a link to your precise TV model user-manual online.

 

@Smokymcbear
Oh sorry, I’ve just re-read your post and now see you’re referring to the older Sonos Playbar - that does not support the Sonos optical to HDMI adapter, nor does it support an HDMI-ARC connection - but the user manual mentions that TV has an optical port, so check if that is indeed the case and just use that port. See the link provided in my earlier post to locate the optical port.

@Smokymcbear 
If that user manual link proves to be incorrect and there’s definitely no optical port seen, or mentioned in the Samsung TV settings, then there are HDMI ARC-to-Optical converters like these (see LINK), just as an example, on Amazon and other online stores, but I’ve never used one and not sure if they may cause any delay to the audio, but it’s something you could consider trying perhaps, as a last resort. Note: you may find some (not all) such audio converters may provide stereo output only in some setups.

@Ken_Griffiths 

The only ports I can see on the back of my TV are:

  • Ex-Link
  • USB (IoT Extend)
  • LAN
  • One Connect

:( 

@Ken_Griffiths

The only ports I can see on the back of my TV are:

  • Ex-Link
  • USB (IoT Extend)
  • LAN
  • One Connect

:( 

From the user manual, what do you see on screen you follow the steos - (is this option showing in the TV settings as being available?) 

  • Connecting a device using an optical cable does not automatically turn off the TV speakers. To turn off the TV speakers, set Select Speaker (n) > © Settings > Sound > Select Speaker) to Audio Out/ Optical.

If so it ‘may infer’ there is an optical connection option - Also, might you perhaps need to add a box to the TV, like the ‘One Connect’ to allow devices to connect to the Samsung TV? See this video link:

 

Userlevel 7

There will be an Optical out port on the One Connect box rather than the back of the TV

There will be an Optical out port on the One Connect box rather than the back of the TV

Thanks for chiming in here @Mr. T👍 - I wasn’t certain if that was perhaps the case, but thought it might be a possibility.

I guess the OP needs to next consider whether to use a ‘One Connect’, or to use an ‘HDMI-ARC to optical’ converter in this instance.

I can only guess Samsung hope that their customers will purchase their add-on box. However…

That leads me to a further thought and that is I think I’ve read somewhere that the Samsung ‘One Connect’ box may also contain the TV’s infrared transmitter/receiver and that the Samsung ‘TV remote’ might need that box to ‘universally control’ equipment using infrared. If that is the case, then the ‘One Connect’ maybe required for the Playbars’ volume control too. (My knowledge of Samsung TV’s though is limited, so I’m not sure if that is perhaps the case here?)

Userlevel 7

There will be an Optical out port on the One Connect box rather than the back of the TV

Thanks for chiming in here @Mr. T👍 - I wasn’t certain if that was perhaps the case, but thought it might be a possibility.

I guess the OP needs to next consider whether to use a ‘One Connect’, or to use an ‘HDMI-ARC to optical’ converter in this instance.

I can only guess Samsung hope that their customers will purchase their add-on box. However…

That leads me to a further thought and that is I think I’ve read somewhere that the Samsung ‘One Connect’ box may also contain the TV’s infrared transmitter and that the Samsung ‘TV remote’ might need that box to ‘universally control’ equipment using infrared. If that is the case then the One Cinnect maybe required for the Playbars’ volume control too. (My knowledge of Samsung TV’s though is limited so I’m not sure if that is perhaps the case too)?

Hi @Ken_Griffiths, I checked my old Samsung One Connect box that I have in the spare room. I don’t think I ever used that optical port as I fed optical leads from Sky box etc through an optical switch to the Playbar.

I don’t think the One Connect box contains the IR transmitter as my One Connect box was hidden behind the TV. Never had any problem controlling the volume with any remote, which I assume transmitted from the Playbar to the IR receiver in the TV’s actual frame.

edit: The One Connect box comes with the TV @Ken_Griffiths, it also houses the HDMI ports rather than having them on the rear of the TV.

I was hoping I had things wrong @Mr. T, but this is one example I just came across in a quick search…

I’m sure I’ve also read a similar post in recent weeks, where a user had to use an infrared blaster from their ‘One Connect’ to get a Sonos Ray to work, as the IR transmitter was not built into their ‘TV remote’, but formed part of their ‘One Connect’ instead. I guess its me misreading things, but thought it worth mentioning here, just in case.

I also didn’t realise that the ‘One Connect’ is packaged with the Samsung TV either, so either way the OP will hopefully now use that with their TV and be able to resolve the issue here anyway.

Thanks again @Mr. T. 👍 

D’oh! yes there is a digital optical port on the One Connect. My Dad had something else plugged into it already which is why I couldn’t see it initially :facepalm: 

I have to get an adapter to increase more digital optical ports for other speakers so I’ll report back once I order those and try it out. 

Thank you, thank you <3  @Ken_Griffiths  @Mr. T 

Userlevel 7

Not sure where you are based but this was the optical switch I previously used with the Playbar.

LINDY 70435 4 Port Optical Audio Switch

Userlevel 7

@Ken_Griffiths - I had one of the early Connect boxes so design may have changed in later versions. I always thought the point of the Connect box was to hide it out the way, rather than being out on show ie, needing line of sight for IR. I cant even remember if my Samsung TV remote actually worked for volume control. I always used the Sky remote for that.

What is a car parking game, and what does it have to do with this thread?

Userlevel 7
Badge +23

What is a car parking game, and what does it have to do with this thread?

Its a spam post. The first bit is likely AI-generated (and wrong, as the Playbar doesnt support Arc) and the second is the actual spam nonsense.

And the account was opened today.