Connections, Connections, Connections

Spartan88

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Looking for ideas of how to connect multiple devices.

Summary:

Wall mounted 4K TV with an HDMI cable routed through the wall. Poor planning means room for only one HDMI cable in this conduit without disruptive work to increase space.

HDMI currently connected from ARC return channel to NON-4k receiver. PS4 PRO connected to receiver.

PS4 is noisy when playing Blu-ray so considering dedicated player so may as well purchase UHD player.

Obviously connecting through non-4K receiver will not give me the benefit of 4K/HDR on UHD player and or PS4 PRO.

Is there a way of utilising my one HDMI connection from the TV and connection my equipment to allow me to get a 4K/HDR feed to my TV and maintain the ARC connection to receiver that doesn't involve the purchase of a 4K capable receiver? I can minimise cost and I can minimise disruption, but is there a workaround that minimises both.

If the only option is to connect PS4 and UHD Blu-ray player to receiver for audio then switch HDMI cable back and forth between PS4/UHD player/receiver(for ARC) then so be it. All slightly complicated by the fact that I'm hoping to move next year and already have a LOT of work to do in the house so avoiding significant extra cost/disruption here would be useful.

Thanks in advance for any responses.
 
Can you get a couple of Cat6 cables in the conduit and use a couple of HDBaseT 4K transmitter / receivers, between the devices and the TV ?
 
Can you get a couple of Cat6 cables in the conduit and use a couple of HDBaseT 4K transmitter / receivers, between the devices and the TV ?

There are 2 Cat5E cables in the conduit. One serves the TV for internet services the other is attached to a free port.
 
Any available solutions will be nearly as expensive as a new budget 4k AVR that I can think of, sorry.
 
Any available solutions will be nearly as expensive as a new budget 4k AVR that I can think of, sorry.

No problem. Thanks for the reply.

I've had a thought.

I've got an HDMI extender (over CAT -5e).

Could I connect TV via ARC connection to AV receiver with that? It would mean connecting to the port behind the TV which would connect to a switch under my stairs which would then connect back to a port behind the receiver. Does add a 6-8 meter run of cable with a switch in between but if it can connect TV to receiver as of now, I can at least connect UHD Blu-Ray player to TV directly via HDMI and serve audio from player direct to the receiver.
 
That would work but you 'want to use your switch. You would want an RJ45 coupler to directly connect the two cables together. Not sure how it will faire with 4k over a joined CAT5e but you can try as you will have nothing to lose.
 
No problem. Thanks for the reply.

I've had a thought.

I've got an HDMI extender (over CAT -5e).

Could I connect TV via ARC connection to AV receiver with that? It would mean connecting to the port behind the TV which would connect to a switch under my stairs which would then connect back to a port behind the receiver. Does add a 6-8 meter run of cable with a switch in between but if it can connect TV to receiver as of now, I can at least connect UHD Blu-Ray player to TV directly via HDMI and serve audio from player direct to the receiver.

That would work but you 'want to use your switch. You would want an RJ45 coupler to directly connect the two cables together. Not sure how it will faire with 4k over a joined CAT5e but you can try as you will have nothing to lose.

Thanks

I can connect the CAT 5e cables using a coupler. Is it two CAT 5e cables to carry the HDMI signal?

If so I could connect TV to router via WiFi.

HDMI over CAT5e would just carry 1080p and audio to/from receiver to TV.

This will free up the HDMI cable for a connection direct from UHD player to TV. Could a 4K HDMI switch be used so that both PS4 and UHD player could serve the TV direct? Only one would ever be used at a time.
 
ARC is flaky, especially if it's tied to CEC which it is in a lot of cases. Your situation is a bit complicated because switches and 4k HDR quite often don't play nicely together. Throw in ARC and 🤷‍♂️. HDBT might work but it's more reliable with solid core, UTP, CAT-6 (non-CCA/CCA and not pre-terminated etherenet) cabling. As mentioned, all you can do is try and see what happens. Good luck.
 
ARC is flaky, especially if it's tied to CEC which it is in a lot of cases. Your situation is a bit complicated because switches and 4k HDR quite often don't play nicely together. Throw in ARC and 🤷‍♂️. HDBT might work but it's more reliable with solid core, UTP, CAT-6 (non-CCA/CCA and not pre-terminated etherenet) cabling. As mentioned, all you can do is try and see what happens. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. I shall give it a go.

On the subject of ARC being flaky. My TV Samsung QE65Q70RATXXU occasionally warns me that I am using an HDMI connection not capable of ARC and to use HDMI 4. It is HDMI 4 that I am using and ARC appears to work without issue.

I am tempted to get a new 4K receiver. My only hesitation is that I hope to move next year and kit out a full dedicated home cinema so stuck as to whether to pay for something now and then need an upgrade. Perhaps a stopgap 4k receiver from the classifieds is the way to go.
 
How many 4K/HDR capable source devices in total do you need to connect to the TV+AVR?

Joe
 
Then the only connection that is capable of ARC is HDMI 4 on your tv and that will have to be connected to the HDMI port on the other device that is dedicated to ARC as well. If not, the HDMI port will function just like any other HDMI port.
 
There is a Firmware option for the HDFury Integral2 or Vertex to enable you to split the Source signal (2 Inputs) to a 4K HDR Display plus a non 4K capable AVR and also route ARC audio via an Optical Output to the AVR.


Joe
 
To update:

I tested my HDMI extender (over CAT -5e). It works.

Unfortunately on of the ethernet ports behind my TV doesn't work. I have no idea whether the cable is damaged or not terminated correctly.

Confusingly, the cable coming to the same point along with the working cable (I'd expect them to be a pair from the same socket is labelled as coming from another socket (since disconnected).

To check will involve taking the TV off the wall and inspecting the cabling. I think I'll avoid doing that as it was a struggle to mount it.

Looks like a 4k capable receiver is the simple answer. It also allows me to keep the TV on a wired ethernet connection.
 
There is a Firmware option for the HDFury Integral2 or Vertex to enable you to split the Source signal (2 Inputs) to a 4K HDR Display plus a non 4K capable AVR and also route ARC audio via an Optical Output to the AVR.


Joe
Thanks for the suggestion.

Does routing ARC via an optical cable mean an optical cable from TV to receiver or from HDFury Integral2 or Vertex to the receiver?

Using either the HDFury Integral2 or Vertex, does that allow for the connection of a PS4 and UHD Blu ray player to the TV, bypassing the receiver but allowing the receiver to still be connected to ARC and additional sources (DVD player, DVD recorder, PS3) to be connected through the receiver also?

Edit: All with only one HDMI cable (and no others, from the TV).

Edit 2: Will the signal received by the TV carry HDR10/HDR10+?
 
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Hi Spartan88

Where you have an ARC enabled TV plus a non ARC enabled sound system you can connect one of the Outputs on the Vertex or Integral² to the TV ARC socket - you can then pull ARC audio back from the TV (plus any Source device connected to the TV) and Output the audio via the 3.5m or Optical Out on the Vertex to your sound system.

If you connect the PS4 and UHD BD Player to the Input side of the Vertex or Integral² you can pass 'HDR up to HDR10+, HLG or Dolby Vision (including LLDV)' to the TV.

Where you have an eARC enabled TV plus an non ARC/eARC audio system which is capable of HD audio via its HDMI Inputs the Vertex² is also an option - it has four HDMI Inputs plus two HDMI video (with audio) Outputs plus a dedicated HDMI Audio Output to connect to your legacy AVR to give you higher bit rate audio than the Optical out on the Vertex or Integral² caters for.

Joe
 
Hi Spartan88

Where you have an ARC enabled TV plus a non ARC enabled sound system you can connect one of the Outputs on the Vertex or Integral² to the TV ARC socket - you can then pull ARC audio back from the TV (plus any Source device connected to the TV) and Output the audio via the 3.5m or Optical Out on the Vertex to your sound system.

If you connect the PS4 and UHD BD Player to the Input side of the Vertex or Integral² you can pass 'HDR up to HDR10+, HLG or Dolby Vision (including LLDV)' to the TV.

Where you have an eARC enabled TV plus an non ARC/eARC audio system which is capable of HD audio via its HDMI Inputs the Vertex² is also an option - it has four HDMI Inputs plus two HDMI video (with audio) Outputs plus a dedicated HDMI Audio Output to connect to your legacy AVR to give you higher bit rate audio than the Optical out on the Vertex or Integral² caters for.

Joe
Thanks

I have an ARC enabled receiver but would presumably only be able to pull ARC back from the TV to the Vertex or Integral² and to the optical input on the receiver.

Will I also be able to pass HD audio from the PS4 and UHD BD Player to the receiver using the second HDMI output on the Vertex or Integral²?

Can buy a UHD BD Player with a separate HDMI audio out so really that would be just for PS4.

If I can achieve this with only one HDMI cable between the Vertex or Integral² and the TV it could work.
 
ARC and eARC will not 'cascade' through an intermediary device so the intermediary device has to decode the audio and output it via something other than an ARC or eARC connection.

The Vertex and Integral² can decode up to DD+ and output via a 3.5mm Stereo jack or Digital Optical - the Vertex² can decode up to full uncompressed Atmos and Output via an HDMI audio socket to a suitable AVR or Soundbar.

You only require a single HDMI cable between the Vertex, Integral² or Vertex² and the TV - you then have an Optical or HDMI cable between the HDFury device and your AVR.

Joe
 
I now own the HD Fury Vertex2.

UHD player connected via HDMI 0
Connected to TV via HDMI TX1 TX0
Connected to AV Receiver via HDMI Audio out.

Audio passed to receiver from UHD player but not receiving any Audio from my TV via ARC.

What am I missing?
 
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I have. As far as I can tell the option is ON or OFF. Connected to the right HDMI port. I've used ARC previously without issue.

Graham.
 

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