3.5mm sound out LED Screen to Sonos ARC

Hello @Fats25, welcome to Sonos Community!

Since there are no requirements for 5.1 or Dolby Atmos, I can see this working but it is not guaranteed as there are a lot of variables that take effect.

Something to mention is that there is going to be a delay between the sound and the video because of the converter, but it might not be enough to notice.

I recommend ensuring you can get a refund on your convertor if it doesn't happen to work with your Sonos Arc. If the converter you shared doesn't work, another similar one might.

I hope this helps.

Which converter? ADC or optical-to-HDMI?

I’ve yet to encounter an ADC or DAC which added any noticeable delay at all. 

I think you would be better off ignoring the analog output.  What is this setup used for? What does the rest of the system look like?  What sources are used, and what is the sink (typically TV or projector)?    It’s possible that whatever is being used to display the video has an HDMI-ARC connection, or an optical output that could connect to Sonos Arc.  Even if that’s not the case, an HDMI-optical convertor would be better than analog to optical.

If you must use the analog output for whatever reason, I would scrap using Sonos Arc.  It’s really the not the right tool for the job.

Is too late to ignore the output I am afraid.   The components have all been purchased, and the Sonos has been used (and is being well received and used extensively already for music within the office).  

The issue is the source only has an analog output (is one of these - the TB60 model - https://www.novastar.tech/products/nova-cloud/multi-media-player/taurus-series/) and the vendor has already confirmed they do not offer any option other than analog audio out, so it cannot be unfortunately “ignored”.

The right tool for the job in hindsight would be an AVR and speakers, but no space, doesn’t look cool enough, and no appetite to spend further.   Have ordered the A-D converter in post above and will see how that responds.

The only other thing I have just thought of is that although the TB60 has the ability to play media, it is a bit if a faff with the way you have to publish media, and most of the time this will not need sound (will just be repeated videos).   The majority of other items displayed on this screen (where sound is needed) will be via Airplay via an Apple TV 4K . 

I realise this is getting a little off track here - and having never owned an apple product in my life I may be asking a stupid question.  The Apple TV box with Airplay (https://www.apple.com/apple-tv-4k/specs/) appears to only have one HDMI out (I thought would have optical too but alas does not), and this is going to the LCD screen (TB60).  Is there anyway to split this output so sound goes to the Arc, and picture to the TB60.  I don’t think this is possible, but is worth asking.

If not I will just see how this gets on with the converter first, before they have to bite the bullet on additional complexity and expenditure.

You can AirPlay to the Arc. Hopefully the Apple TV will take into account the AirPlay delay and adjust the video to suit. This would be stereo only.

If you wanted to go the wired route then simply insert an audio extractor into the HDMI line to de-embed the audio to S/PDIF optical. This would be good up to DD 5.1.

To deliver the full range of audio codecs to the Arc you’d need to use something like the HDFury Arcana, which would generate an HDMI-eARC that the Arc could receive directly. Possibly expensive overkill for this application though.

We tried to airplay from an IPAD both to the ARC (hoping for sound) and the Apple TV (hoping for picture) simultaneously, but without success.   Is that what you mean?   

I think your second point “audio extractor” is same as I reference with regards to the Analog to Digital converter?  If something different please correct me.

That HDFury looks like it could be the solution.  I assume this is taken from Apple TV out to the HDMI in, and then the split is done, and the audio goes to via E-Arc to the Sonos, and via HDMI IN to the LED screen. 

I was referring to the Apple TV being the primary source, with its audio sent over AirPlay. I confess I’ve not done this to Sonos speakers myself.

No, not the same. An HDMI audio extractor doesn’t need to convert to analog. It extracts the audio digitally and exports it digitally over S/PDIF.

Yes, that’s the way it works. There’s full details on the HDFury site.

The Apple TV was the source but not the primary source!   What I mean is there was an IPAD playing a video, over Airplay (provided by Apple TV), and we were trying to select two sources Sonos Airplay for sound, and Apple TV airplay for picture (and sound but no connected speakers).   This did not seem to work.

I think what you mean is playing a video direct from Apple TV, and toggling an option to play audio over airplay?   This is not something likely will be needed, and its too complex for the average user to understand what to do,

I think you mean one of these:- 

https://www.amazon.ae/Microware-Audio-Extractor-Converter-Splitter/dp/B0183FQAXO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=hdmi+audio+extractor&qid=1699541673&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

Put between the Apple TV and the LED Screen (via HDMI) and use the TOSLINK (with the $25 Sonos adapter to HDMI) to the ARC.

The more and more I look at this, I think this solution works perfectly (providing the kit works as stated).   Again will not give me any sound from the LED Screen, but I can live without that.  They can provide everything from Apple TV over Airplay (or I will get them a media server for custom videos) and play through Apple TV direct.

I appreciate your responses by the way, as this is really helpful.   I was looking at solving the issue from analog to digital from the projector, and I should have been looking at the Apple TV for sound only.

@Fats25 
Note you can airplay A/V from an iPad to an Apple TV and still set it to output the audio to the Sonos Arc - goto the Apple TV ‘Settings/Video & Audio/Audio Output’ and select a temporary audio output to any Airplay speaker on the same network subnet - just select the Sonos Arc from the list. 

You can then AirPlay the video from the iPad to the Apple TV and get the sound out to the Sonos soundbar.

Another alternative option is to select both the Apple TV and Sonos Arc as the target Airplay devices from the iPad. 

I’ve just tried both methods mentioned above and either one should work for you.  

Also there are tools within the Apple TV settings under ‘Video & Audio/Calibration’ called ‘Wireless Audio Sync’ that cater for bringing the speaker audio output into lip-sync with the video on screen. So you Perhaps might find that feature helpful too.

You could use the extractor anywhere in the ‘chain’.  So yes, you could put it between Apple TV and ‘LED screen’, but you could also place it between the HDMI output on the TB60 and whatever you’re using to display video that 

I’m confused by what you’re referring to as ‘LED screen’.  The TB60 looks to just be a processor with no screen attached to it, from a quick internet search, so  I am assuming there is actually is a TV/projector of some sort that accepts HDMI input.  

Hopefully, I’m not causing confusion, but the HDFury is really only going to be better than an optical audio extractor if your wanting atmos audio, which does not seem to apply here?

It is a processor, but it has no Digital Audio out.  Only TRS 3.5mm out.   So what I mean is put the extractor between Apple TV and Processor (which displays on LED screen), and Sonos,   This is the option I am going to follow initially.   

I may be mistaken but as the processor only has one HDMI in (which is coming from ATV), and the HDMI Out is for Loop only, I do not think I can place here and split the audio.  I see no reason I would do this or need to do this, as the sound from the media hosted on the processor is never going to come through this port regardless.

Not causing confusion at all, and noted on the atmos being a benefit I do not need.  The bigger issue I have is that the ARC that was delivered was missing the Sonos Toslink->HDMI adapter which is needed for the SONOS ARC which I need for the extracted audio.

At the moment it is quicker to source the HDFury than it is the Sonos cable in UAE!   Admittedly 10x the price, but that is for business to decide how quickly they need this.

I’ve used an HDFury Arcana for over 3 years, sending video to a less-than-smart TV and audio to a Beam/gen2. It’s worked fine.

This is interesting, I was onsite last night, and this would not work.   It was all a bit of a rush and I was called as an emergency last minute before a big business presentation, and it may well have been a subnet issue as there are many VLANS, and I did not check which one IPAD, ATV and Sonos were on.   I have a suspicion that the ATV was on a different VLAN to the other devices.   I am going to have a look over weekend (this is a favour to a friend) and will test this again.

Nice to know that my idea wasn’t mental, but it didn’t work last night.

We ended up (and it went ok in the end remarkably) with streaming the video to Apple TV Airplay, and Sound to Sonos Airplay, with some very fast fingers on the play button 😁.   Just about got away with it, but not sustainable long term!

I really appreciate the feedback from everyone on this thread, as this is not my bread and butter (although am a keen home user), and has helped direct me in the right direction.   I was looking to solve the issue from the processor (Option 1), and should have been from the Apple TV (Option 2 or 3).

I think it looks a really smart piece of kit.   Something I would look to use personally when I eventually have a need to upgrade from my PlayBar to Arc.   I sort of hoped I couldn’t fix the issue they are seeing, and I would have got the ARC on the cheap from my mate! 😁.

There is nothing worse than a thread with an issue, and the originator does not update the thread with the solution.   I went into the office today and got this working.    

Basically Option 1 (analog to digital converter) worked in drawing above.   This was with stereo PCM only (as expected).

Option 2 did not work (HDMI Audio extractor), it would not display the picture or provide sound (note it could have been lack of capability for the extractor I purchased as per above link, from Apple TV.  It was trying to do it, but could not succeed).

Option 3 I am sure would have worked too, but have not gone that route yet.   In fact if they go option 3 I will recommend keeping Option 1 as well, and split it with an HDMI splitter, as Option 1 worked so well.

Just FYI - the Sonos Toslink/HDMI cable is not what I expected it to be.   The HDMI part is female (in my head it was male, and would plug straight into the ARC), so it requires an additional HDMI cable too.

Thanks everyone for all of your assistance, as this now works well.

That sounds rather like a failed HDMI negotiation. Maybe the ATV was fussy.

The adapter is designed to go on the end of the HDMI cable, to then be plugged into a TV that only has optical output.