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Answered

playbar and new tv

  • December 15, 2025
  • 19 replies
  • 240 views
R

Hi 

I have a playbar with an optic output but my new Samsung TV only has an HDMI output and no optical. I tried connecting the playbar with an original Sonos Optical Audio Adapter with a male optical cord to the playbar and HDMI to hdmi input in the other end for the arc entrance on the TV - but it does not work. Sonos support can not help as they do not have a cord the works between the optical in Sonos and the hdmi in the TV. They say I might need a female optical to connect to the original optical/optical cord - with a HDMI input the other end (playbar male optical to female optical to hdmi to tv) but they do not know it it will work. Any suggestions? 

Best answer by User117655

You do need a splitter that will handle ARC/eARC.

Basically the TV will output any audio on the Audio Return Channel (ARC) equipped HDMI port. This is usually the only thing output on HDMI by a TV, all other HDMI ports being input only (communication layer(s) excluded).

The splitter will then take the audio on the ARC and pass it to the Play Bar via SpDif controlled TosLink optical. The Play Bar then decodes and plays the audio.

The TV will probably not recognise the Play Bar (unless a splitter tells it it is external audio - unlikely). TV will therefore need configuring to know an audio device is on the port and to turn off its internal speakers.

Generally there is no volume information in the optical toslink spdif communication layer. In line with this the Play Bar (via Sonos App ect.) will need to be configured be be controlled by the TV remote.

Interfacing the old Play Bar tech with modern TV tech has loads of potential for issues unfortunately. For example, if the TV remote is RF (many are nowadays) then the IR Play Bar will not recognise volume commands. Also the TV may not allow appropriate configurable internal speaker management…

(I am happy to be corrected on any of the above, my understanding is not perfect by any means!)

 

19 replies

jgatie
  • jgatie
  • December 15, 2025

The Sonos adapter is optical to HDMI, not the other way.  You need a generic HDMI to optical converter, like this:

avedio links HDMI ARC Audio Extractor Converter 4K@60Hz, HDMI to Optical Toslink SPDIF

    R
    • RikkeBrocks
    • Author
    • Contributor I
    • December 15, 2025

    The Sonos adapter is optical to HDMI, not the other way.  You need a generic HDMI to optical converter, like this:

    avedio links HDMI ARC Audio Extractor Converter 4K@60Hz, HDMI to Optical Toslink SPDIF


    thanks - I’ll try that. Is it a suggestion or do you know if I actually works? 

      R
      • RikkeBrocks
      • Author
      • Contributor I
      • December 15, 2025

      thanks - I’ll try that. Is it a suggestion or do you know if I actually works? 

      jgatie
      • jgatie
      • December 15, 2025

      thanks - I’ll try that. Is it a suggestion or do you know if I actually works? 

       

      I have no personal experience, but according to the product description, it should work.

        R
        • RikkeBrocks
        • Author
        • Contributor I
        • December 15, 2025

        Thank you very much. I’ll try 

          U
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          • User117655
          • Prodigy I
          • December 15, 2025

          ​@RikkeBrocks I have no experience of that particular converter but I used a very similar one to split out the optical from HDMI for many years on my PlayBar and it worked a treat 👍

            106rallye
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            • 106rallye
            • December 16, 2025

            For future readers; the Playbar has an optical input, not an output.

              R
              • RikkeBrocks
              • Author
              • Contributor I
              • December 16, 2025

              Thanks guys - i found these two to ship here in Denmark - are they the same/the right ones (output/input-wise)? 
              https://www.av-cables.dk/billedkabler/hdmi-kabel/hdmi-extractor/delock-hdmi-lyd-extractor-4k-60hz


              https://www.av-cables.dk/billedkabler/hdmi-kabel/hdmi-extractor/hdmi-ekstraktor

               

              Quite a big difference in price and size and I need to hide it behind the tv  


              Thanks in advance - and sorry if it is obvious - I’m just not so much into tech….

              U
              Forum|alt.badge.img+6
              • User117655
              • Prodigy I
              • December 16, 2025

              ​@RikkeBrocks They look OK, for reference, but no longer available, this was the one I used (from 2015 to a couple of months ago):

              LINDY HDMI 4K Audio Extractor…

              https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00SAYO8Y2?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

              R
              • RikkeBrocks
              • Author
              • Contributor I
              • December 18, 2025

              I got the converter but I can’t seem to make it work. Took the optical male and put it into the soundbar. The other male optical into the converter and the HDMI attached originally on the converter into the ARC on the TV. The TV will not register the soundbar. 
              there is an extra female HDMI on the converter - do I need an extra wire from that to the TV…? 

               

              jgatie
              • jgatie
              • December 18, 2025

              That’s an HDMI extractor, which extracts digital audio from the HDMI source  You need an HDMI-ARC extractor, which extracts from the HDMI-ARC signal.  Or if you have an external streaming device, place that extractor between the streaming device and the TV.

                R
                • RikkeBrocks
                • Author
                • Contributor I
                • December 18, 2025

                Jeeezzz I understood in the previous answers that this was the right device…..

                what is an external streaming device? 
                 

                my issue is the the soundbar has optical and the TV has hdmi eARC so for now I can’t use the soundbar….

                 

                would any of these work as I understand there is also a difference between ARC and eARC ? 
                 

                https://www.avxperten.dk/hdmi-lyd-extractor/nedis-digital-audio-converter-hdmi-earc-extractor.asp

                or 

                https://www.av-cables.dk/billedkabler/hdmi-kabel/hdmi-extractor/hdmi-ekstraktor

                 

                or 

                 

                https://cdon.dk/produkt/nordic-hdmi-arc-til-rca-spdif-toslink-coaxial-og-stereo-hdmi-arc-konvertare-dac-5e991a0de3704c69/?tduid=c48b4ed6fbf5d56a5e51237b926a7c9c&affId=3037358&utm_source=tradedoubler&utm_medium=cpo&utm_campaign=tradedoubler_3037358_Silver&utm_content=tradedoubler_3037358_Silver_SHOPIA+DK

                 

                 

                 

                R
                • RikkeBrocks
                • Author
                • Contributor I
                • December 18, 2025

                Would one of these work then? 
                 

                https://cdon.dk/produkt/nordic-hdmi-arc-til-rca-spdif-toslink-coaxial-og-stereo-hdmi-arc-konvertare-dac-5e991a0de3704c69/?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20568680634&gbraid=0AAAAAD8vgkJhQsnUe-2c1-6bx_jWCQeJ4&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6Y7KBhCkARIsAOxhqtOzdXR5KzM64Z5ZGrXihP3Na3cb4wVSXlMgoGDPi7u5erxK65GEU_waAjaKEALw_wcB

                 

                https://www.av-cables.dk/billedkabler/hdmi-kabel/hdmi-extractor/hdmi-ekstraktor
                 

                 

                jgatie
                • jgatie
                • December 18, 2025

                Can’t speak for those in particular, but they state they convert HDMI-ARC to optical, which is what you need. 

                By external streaming device, I mean something like an Apple TV or Amazon Fire Stick, instead of using the streaming apps built into the TV.

                  R
                  • RikkeBrocks
                  • Author
                  • Contributor I
                  • December 18, 2025

                  I have an Apple TV I just didn’t think I needed to use anymore as the TV had the apps - so if I connect that how would that work then soundbar-cable-wise?

                  Stanley_4
                  • Stanley_4
                  • Lead Maestro
                  • December 18, 2025

                  Go from the Apple TV, to extractor, to TV input, select that input, then from the earc out to Arc's input.

                  Might get voice sync issues and will only work for the device connected to the extractor. 

                  It is confusing that Arc, eArc and HDMI all use the same looking plugs and sockets.

                  U
                  Forum|alt.badge.img+6
                  • User117655
                  • Prodigy I
                  • Answer
                  • December 18, 2025

                  You do need a splitter that will handle ARC/eARC.

                  Basically the TV will output any audio on the Audio Return Channel (ARC) equipped HDMI port. This is usually the only thing output on HDMI by a TV, all other HDMI ports being input only (communication layer(s) excluded).

                  The splitter will then take the audio on the ARC and pass it to the Play Bar via SpDif controlled TosLink optical. The Play Bar then decodes and plays the audio.

                  The TV will probably not recognise the Play Bar (unless a splitter tells it it is external audio - unlikely). TV will therefore need configuring to know an audio device is on the port and to turn off its internal speakers.

                  Generally there is no volume information in the optical toslink spdif communication layer. In line with this the Play Bar (via Sonos App ect.) will need to be configured be be controlled by the TV remote.

                  Interfacing the old Play Bar tech with modern TV tech has loads of potential for issues unfortunately. For example, if the TV remote is RF (many are nowadays) then the IR Play Bar will not recognise volume commands. Also the TV may not allow appropriate configurable internal speaker management…

                  (I am happy to be corrected on any of the above, my understanding is not perfect by any means!)

                   

                  Airgetlam
                  • Airgetlam
                  • December 18, 2025

                  Optical (TOSLink) is a one way format. There is no way for the TV to ‘understand’ what is connected to an optical connection. CEC/ARC on the other hand, is a two way connection.

                  Bruce
                    R
                    • RikkeBrocks
                    • Author
                    • Contributor I
                    • December 18, 2025

                    Thanks all of you! 

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