Calling on HDMI "ARC" / soundbar connectivity experts
Discussion
Hoping for some techy help - I have no experience and have just been googling this.
I have an ARC compatible Panasonic smart 3D TV. The TV has 3 HDMI slots - 1 of which is the ARC compatible slot and 2 normal HDMI slots.
I'm purchasing an ARC compatible Panasonic 3.1 channel Soundbar - the soundbar has 3 available connection slots - 1 HDMI output (ARC) slot, 1 HDMI input (non-ARC)and 1 optical input slot.
I have a sky + HD box and will be purchasing a PS4 for games and 3D blu-ray movies.
I’d like to ensure surround sound (3.1) is transmitted to the soundbar and that the use of the soundbar is integrated into TV/sky/PS4 use.
My research tells me to connect as follows:
HDMI cable between TV ARC slot and Soundbar ARC slot. HDMI cable between Sky box and soundbar HDMI input slot. This leaves 1 empty connection on the soundbar (optical input) and 2 empty connections on the TV (non-ARC HDMI slots).
My question is - when I buy the PS4 and want to watch 3D blu-ray movies in surround sound, how do I connect the PS4 between TV and sound bar? It seems to me that I’d have to unplug sky box and connect PS4 to sound bar. From what I gather if I connect the PS4 directly to the TV non_ARC HDMI slot, the TV will only send sound in 2.0 back to the soundbar, therefore defeating some of the point of having the sound bar for watching movies!
Is there another solution? (other than buying a soundbar with 3 HDMI slots (2 inputs plus ARC output))?
Cheers chaps!!
I have an ARC compatible Panasonic smart 3D TV. The TV has 3 HDMI slots - 1 of which is the ARC compatible slot and 2 normal HDMI slots.
I'm purchasing an ARC compatible Panasonic 3.1 channel Soundbar - the soundbar has 3 available connection slots - 1 HDMI output (ARC) slot, 1 HDMI input (non-ARC)and 1 optical input slot.
I have a sky + HD box and will be purchasing a PS4 for games and 3D blu-ray movies.
I’d like to ensure surround sound (3.1) is transmitted to the soundbar and that the use of the soundbar is integrated into TV/sky/PS4 use.
My research tells me to connect as follows:
HDMI cable between TV ARC slot and Soundbar ARC slot. HDMI cable between Sky box and soundbar HDMI input slot. This leaves 1 empty connection on the soundbar (optical input) and 2 empty connections on the TV (non-ARC HDMI slots).
My question is - when I buy the PS4 and want to watch 3D blu-ray movies in surround sound, how do I connect the PS4 between TV and sound bar? It seems to me that I’d have to unplug sky box and connect PS4 to sound bar. From what I gather if I connect the PS4 directly to the TV non_ARC HDMI slot, the TV will only send sound in 2.0 back to the soundbar, therefore defeating some of the point of having the sound bar for watching movies!
Is there another solution? (other than buying a soundbar with 3 HDMI slots (2 inputs plus ARC output))?
Cheers chaps!!
ARC does support 5.1 DD sound but what's available on specific isndown to the implementation by the maker. Some only do Stereo.
AFAIK last time I checked Panasonic did support 5.1 audio via ARC but you'd need to check in the manual.
In all honesty I think you'd probably struggle to tell the difference with a soundbar. Depending on the soundbar I imagine it will use Dolby Pro Logic ifnfed a stereo signal to simulate proper surround anyway.
AFAIK last time I checked Panasonic did support 5.1 audio via ARC but you'd need to check in the manual.
In all honesty I think you'd probably struggle to tell the difference with a soundbar. Depending on the soundbar I imagine it will use Dolby Pro Logic ifnfed a stereo signal to simulate proper surround anyway.
I'm by no means an expert at this sort of stuff but I was under the impression that there would bbe no need to plug anything other than the TV into the soundbar (via ARC) and then plug the other boxes into the TV.
The TV itself should have options within the sound menu as to exactly what channels you want transmitted to the bar. I have a 6 year old Panasonic plasma and a 4 year old Panasonic soundbar (don't have the models handy I'm afraid as they're in the UK and I'm not) and the setup was fantastically simple.
The TV itself should have options within the sound menu as to exactly what channels you want transmitted to the bar. I have a 6 year old Panasonic plasma and a 4 year old Panasonic soundbar (don't have the models handy I'm afraid as they're in the UK and I'm not) and the setup was fantastically simple.
MacW said:
I'm by no means an expert at this sort of stuff but I was under the impression that there would bbe no need to plug anything other than the TV into the soundbar (via ARC) and then plug the other boxes into the TV.
The TV itself should have options within the sound menu as to exactly what channels you want transmitted to the bar. I have a 6 year old Panasonic plasma and a 4 year old Panasonic soundbar (don't have the models handy I'm afraid as they're in the UK and I'm not) and the setup was fantastically simple.
It should be but it varies what different TVs actually send via ARC for connected devices. Some TVs only send 2 channel stereo so you'd be missing out on proper 5.1 surround, although on the other hand I do question whether you'd actually be able to tell with a soundbar.The TV itself should have options within the sound menu as to exactly what channels you want transmitted to the bar. I have a 6 year old Panasonic plasma and a 4 year old Panasonic soundbar (don't have the models handy I'm afraid as they're in the UK and I'm not) and the setup was fantastically simple.
I don't use the ARC myself but I know my Samsung LCD in the kitchen only supports stereo via ARC for example. My plasma in the lounge doesn't have ARC
Further googling confirms that the TV (panasonic ET60B series) can only output at 2.1.
Is there a way to connect both ps4 and sky box to the soundbar's single HDMI input (whilst maintaining video and audio quality)?
Sounds silly to me that such a basic thing seems to be so complicated!
Is there a way to connect both ps4 and sky box to the soundbar's single HDMI input (whilst maintaining video and audio quality)?
Sounds silly to me that such a basic thing seems to be so complicated!
Thanks for advice - make sense. With the sky box essentially linking to the soundbar twice (direct via optical and indirect via TV-soundbar ARC) will I need to configure it somehow to ensure he 3.1 signals takes primacy over the 2.1 audio being sent back via ARC?
The other option I've come across is a HDMI switch - connect both PS4 and sky box into HDMI switch then connect switch to soundbar (this would negate need for optical cable). Would this work? Is it better or worse than your original suggestion?
Cheers :-)
The other option I've come across is a HDMI switch - connect both PS4 and sky box into HDMI switch then connect switch to soundbar (this would negate need for optical cable). Would this work? Is it better or worse than your original suggestion?
Cheers :-)
Well an extra remote and more complication could be seen as a downside. The switch should work but I've found HDMI to be fairly unpredictable so it could add problems, unlikely but possible.
In all honestly I'd be tempted to try the sky box both in the TV and to the soundbar. Make sure you're watching a channel with 5.1 sound and the HDMI is set to the appropriate mode and see if you can tell the difference.
If you do go with the optical cable it will be as simple as selecting an input on the soundbar, the downside to this is you'll probably find the Mrs will end up watching everything on sky in stereo without noticing.
In all honestly I'd be tempted to try the sky box both in the TV and to the soundbar. Make sure you're watching a channel with 5.1 sound and the HDMI is set to the appropriate mode and see if you can tell the difference.
If you do go with the optical cable it will be as simple as selecting an input on the soundbar, the downside to this is you'll probably find the Mrs will end up watching everything on sky in stereo without noticing.
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