Help please Samsung UE60JU6800, SkyHD & Sonos Playbar - which optical methord

[disney_cjd]

Dear All

I am hoping for some guidance. I recently purchased a Sonos Playbar, sub and 2xPlay 1's. (I have a few other sonos bits around the house. I am now looking to get a new TV for it. Got a price of £1300 for the Samsung UE60JU6800 60 inch.

I mostly watch ShyHD from my 2TB box and Amazon Instant Video from the Smart TV. Plus we have a BluRay player.

As you may know the Playbar has only one input, a Optical. Sonos say connect it to the TV but that's not great as I wont get the 5,1 from the SkyHD and I wont get it from the BluRay - but will from Amazon Prime.

So then they suggested connect Sonos to Sky box. Again, means I will get 5.1 on most TV viewings but then I wont get any sound from PlayBar from Blu Ray or Amazon prime.

So, what can I do. I presume there is some way around this with a splitter or something for the optical. Or a switch? If so which one and how would they work. I would prefer an automatic setup so a splitter I guess but do you lose any quality etc?

sorry to by a bit thick on this.

Thanks for your help
C

 

[Joe Fernand]

Where you have multiple Sources you require a Switch - you would use a Splitter (Distribution Amp) if you had one Source and multiple TV's!

Most TV's do limit you to 2Ch audio when passing a Source via the TV HDMI Input/Output/Optical sockets.

An HDMI or HDMI + Optical Switch with ARC and Optical Out is the best option with a PLAYBAR - ideally you want a Switch with EDID Management so you can define a 'no DTS' mode (which then requires your BD Player will always Output DD or LPCM).

AUTO Source selection can be achieved though many 'always on' Sources will tend to defeat it these days - an ARC enabled Switch Is by default CEC enabled so your TV remote may allow you to control the Switch via the Input button/menu on the TV (the Sources connected to the Switch show up as 'virtual' Sources on the list of Input options on the TV).

Joe

 

[disney_cjd]

Thank you Joe. That's very helpful. I am now looking at the option of maybe buying the
SONY BRAVIA KD65X8509C Smart 3D Ultra HD 4k 65" LED TV as that seems to pass the DTS signal through the optical as 5.1..... But waiting for Sony to confirm. If that fails and the price of the Samsung looks good at 1299 for the 60 inch what switch would you recommend please?

Thanks

 

[disney_cjd]

Sony where very helpful. They just emailed me this.

In regards to your query, we can confirm that the TV does output through an optical cable 5.1,7.1 and stereo sound depending on the content playing.

The TV was the Sony KD-65X8509C

 

[Joe Fernand]

If only they knew you can't put 7.1 down an Optical connection!

Might be worth double checking the rest of the info!

Joe