Potential Solution to playing off Hard Drive from TV and also sending HDMI earc from non earc connection

simontompkins

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UPDATE
Hi I've received an email from the 4k Arcana manufacturer - it wont work as hoped so please ignore post . They say that only something like the nvidia shield will work



Hi, I've come across a solution to a problem and want to ask if anyone has any experience of using it (by "it" I mean the 4k Arcana) - particularly in the example I give.

Problem: I put an external hard drive into my TV but the TV only has HDMI arc - therefore it cannot pass True HD Dolby Atmos.

Solution: Nvidia Shield or Android box with HDMI earc which can then pass all the information to an AV receiver

New Solution (and this is what I'm asking for people's thoughts on:

This product seems to be able to take a plain HDMI arc signal and pass on earc information to an AV receiver. The product is $249 on the manufacturer's website and my guess would cost extra through customs to the UK, however, it does seem to be on ebay for a lot less.

So, if it can be got cheaper and I only want a product to pass on True HD for Dolby Atmos from hard drives files, it seems like a potentially cheaper option than the Nvidia Shield Tv or an Android box.
 
Last edited:
A few points worth clarifying in your post.

eARC/ARC - is only relevant to a port on your TV and Soundbar or AVR, your Source devices are not eARC/ARC enabled.

The HDFury Arcana cannot change the capabilities of an ARC enabled TV instead it allows you to connect a Source to the Arcana and then pass full video to your TV/Projector (and route ARC audio from your TV) plus send full audio to an eARC Soundbar or AVR.

The usual use case being a system with an ARC enabled TV plus a Soundbar, such as the SONOS BEAM or Arc, which only have an eARC Input.

Which Sound system do you have?

Joe

PS We have the Arcana in stock in the UK :)

 
A few points worth clarifying in your post.

eARC/ARC - is only relevant to a port on your TV and Soundbar or AVR, your Source devices are not eARC/ARC enabled.

The HDFury Arcana cannot change the capabilities of an ARC enabled TV instead it allows you to connect a Source to the Arcana and then pass full video to your TV/Projector (and route ARC audio from your TV) plus send full audio to an eARC Soundbar or AVR.

The usual use case being a system with an ARC enabled TV plus a Soundbar, such as the SONOS BEAM or Arc, which only have an eARC Input.

Which Sound system do you have?

Joe

PS We have the Arcana in stock in the UK :)

Hi Joe Fernand, thank you for your post.
Please could I ask for a little clarification to help me understand.
1. In the case of a non-earc TV as far as I understand it, I can connect the TV to the HDFury Arcana and then connect a Sonos Arc to the HD Fury and I will get True HD Dolby Atmos - is that correct? I think that's the "usual case" you describe if I understand correctly.
2. "your Source devices are not eARC/ARC enabled." In my case I have mp4 files on a hard drive that have Dolby Atmos audio embedded in the files Are you saying that as the source device is a hard drive which does not have earc - that it is not passing Dolby Atmos information on to the TV? I presume that if I connected the hard drive to an Nvidia Shield it would decode the mp4 file and pass on the True HD Dolby Atmos from the file.
2. If I transferred all the files to a NAS with a HDMI port and passed the files through the HD Fury again, as the NAS is not arc enabled it would not pass on Dolby Atmos information. However, if a NAS had a media server on it would it pass on the Dolby information to the HD Fury and output as True HD Dolby Atmos? (if the mp4 file contained the information)
3. May I ask your thoughts on how the HDFury is different from something like the Nvidia Shield Pro TV - I'm not interested in the Nvidia's games but if has earc can I not just connect that to a soundbar and output the video to the TV? I'm wondering if lip sync problems would be exacerbated if one outputs earc to a soundbar (with the Nvidia) and passed video to a non earc TV? If that were the case then it would seem to make sense to get an Nvidia Shield and a HD Fury?

Thank you for your question, at present I just have an arc only tv. I'm still mulling the benefits and disadvantages of a soundbar system or separates (compactness vs quality of experience) or concentrating on a two speaker audio system (strength towards audio but not as good as TV speakers)


Thank you for your input and advice
 
Hi @simontompkins

eARC/ARC - ‘Audio Return Channel’ allows a TV to send audio to an eARC or ARC enabled AVR or Soundbar via HDMI.

eARC - supports ‘up to’ uncompressed HD and Atmos audio.

ARC - supports ‘up to’ compressed Atmos as DD+

What you can actually send across any eARC or ARC connection is dependent on many variables including; the Source files, the Streaming services you are using, which level of Subscription you have, which language version of content you are accessing, playback capability of the streaming device…

The HDFury Arcana is used as the ‘Hub’ of a three component System 1. ARC or eARC enabled TV, 2. Disc player or Streaming device which is capable of full uncompressed HD and Atmos audio and 3. eARC enabled Soundbar or AVR.

If your TV is ARC enabled it will alway be limited to the capabilities of ARC.

The Arcana ‘typical’ use scenario is where you have an ARC TV plus one of the relatively new breed of Soundbar, such as the SONOS Arc or Beam, which have a single eARC enabled HDMI port.

In the above combination (ARC TV + SONOS Arc Soundbar) if you stream using the TV Apps or any device connected to the TV you are always limited to whatever audio the TV ARC supports.

If you add in a Blu-ray Disc player or streaming device such as the Shield or ATV 4K plus the HDFury Arcana you A. connect the source to the Arcana then B. the Arcana to TV ARC and C. the Arcana to the SONOS Arc.

The Arcana has no playback capabilities it is an advanced HDMI Switch/Hub.

As asked elsewhere which TV and Audio system do you have?

Joe
 
Hi @simontompkins

eARC/ARC - ‘Audio Return Channel’ allows a TV to send audio to an eARC or ARC enabled AVR or Soundbar via HDMI.

eARC - supports ‘up to’ uncompressed HD and Atmos audio.

ARC - supports ‘up to’ compressed Atmos as DD+

What you can actually send across any eARC or ARC connection is dependent on many variables including; the Source files, the Streaming services you are using, which level of Subscription you have, which language version of content you are accessing, playback capability of the streaming device…

The HDFury Arcana is used as the ‘Hub’ of a three component System 1. ARC or eARC enabled TV, 2. Disc player or Streaming device which is capable of full uncompressed HD and Atmos audio and 3. eARC enabled Soundbar or AVR.

If your TV is ARC enabled it will alway be limited to the capabilities of ARC.

The Arcana ‘typical’ use scenario is where you have an ARC TV plus one of the relatively new breed of Soundbar, such as the SONOS Arc or Beam, which have a single eARC enabled HDMI port.

In the above combination (ARC TV + SONOS Arc Soundbar) if you stream using the TV Apps or any device connected to the TV you are always limited to whatever audio the TV ARC supports.

If you add in a Blu-ray Disc player or streaming device such as the Shield or ATV 4K plus the HDFury Arcana you A. connect the source to the Arcana then B. the Arcana to TV ARC and C. the Arcana to the SONOS Arc.

The Arcana has no playback capabilities it is an advanced HDMI Switch/Hub.

As asked elsewhere which TV and Audio system do you have?

Joe
Thanks ever so much Joe, sorry should have answered that my TV is a Panasonic tx-58gx800b, no audio system, currently just using the sound from the TV's speakers.
Thank you very much for clarifying further.
Kind regards
Simon
 
Hi Simon

If you are using the TV speakers then eARC/ARC, surround sound and immersive audio (Atmos) is not really relevant to you :)

Do your files/rips on the hard-drive only include the Atmos soundtrack?

Joe
 
Hi Simon

If you are using the TV speakers then eARC/ARC, surround sound and immersive audio (Atmos) is not really relevant to you :)

Do your files/rips on the hard-drive only include the Atmos soundtrack?

Joe
Hi Joe,
Yes, as you say, at present it isn't relevant. Just that I would like to move to a system where I can play my mp4 video files that have dolby atmos info in them and output either to a soundbar or an av receiver and then speakers.
The files on the hard drive are mp4 files that are movie files that are video with audio.
Thank you.
Kind regards
Simon
 
Possibly best to decide on your preferred streaming device (Video Streaming Boxes & Services) and then look at Soundbar vs. AVR.

Your connectivity would then be Source > AVR or Soundbar > TV and ensure the AVR or Soundbar have 1 x eARC/ARC socket plus additional HDMI Inputs and that the HDMI Inputs can support all of the Video formats your content and streaming device support.

The HDFury Arcana would only be relevant if you choose a Soundbar which only has a single eARC HDMI Port and you want to ensure the ARC enabled TV is not a limitation in terms of the audio you can send to the Soundbar from your streaming device.

Joe
 
Possibly best to decide on your preferred streaming device (Video Streaming Boxes & Services) and then look at Soundbar vs. AVR.

Your connectivity would then be Source > AVR or Soundbar > TV and ensure the AVR or Soundbar have 1 x eARC/ARC socket plus additional HDMI Inputs and that the HDMI Inputs can support all of the Video formats your content and streaming device support.

The HDFury Arcana would only be relevant if you choose a Soundbar which only has a single eARC HDMI Port and you want to ensure the ARC enabled TV is not a limitation in terms of the audio you can send to the Soundbar from your streaming device.

Joe
Thank you Joe
Kind regards
Simon
 

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