Contributor I

Answered

playbar and new tv

19 replies
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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?

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User117655Answer

Prodigy II

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!)

Show previous replies

jgatie

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.

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RikkeBrocksAuthor

Contributor I

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

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RikkeBrocksAuthor

Contributor I

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

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.

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RikkeBrocksAuthor

Contributor I

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

Grand Maestro

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.

User117655Answer

Prodigy II

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

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

RikkeBrocksAuthor

Contributor I

Thanks all of you!

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