ARC facility & integrated TV programmes

[Raigmore]

If both the TV and the HDMI connected Home Cinema system have ARC facility, then is that enough for audio from integrated TV channels like Freeview, Netflix, Amazon Prime etc to reach the soundbar or is a separate Optical cable link still necessary?

[shteve]

Yes, it's the audio from the TV that's being sent down that cable, doesn't matter what's generating it. I use it on my parent's TV to send audio from their media PC/ bluray player back out from the TV to their amp.

[Raigmore]

Originally Posted by shteve

Yes, it's the audio from the TV that's being sent down that cable, doesn't matter what's generating it. I use it on my parent's TV to send audio from their media PC/ bluray player back out from the TV to their amp.

OK thanks. So theoretically, the Sky Q Box and/or a 4K BD player can be connected by HDMI to the TV instead of the soundbar and as long as the HDMI 'out' from the soundbar is plugged to the TV the audio options are same due to eARC? If that is the case, with the above connection would mean the soundbar's HDMI 'out' is acting more like an 'in'. Also, the limitation of HDMI inputs in many of today's upmarket soundbars (for example, the Samsung HW Q90R has only two) is less of an issue because with the eARC working, those 2 HDMI input numbers can be virtually added to all but one of the TVs own HDMI input numbers. Is that correct?

[Raigmore]

Originally Posted by shteve

Yes, it's the audio from the TV that's being sent down that cable, doesn't matter what's generating it. I use it on my parent's TV to send audio from their media PC/ bluray player back out from the TV to their amp.

Sorry to ask this again, but I need further clarification. Sorry if I appear naive but I am new to this ARC business and want to understand how it works.

I understood from what you guys said above that when there is an HDMI ARC facility between the TV and Soundbar, any integrated TV programme like Netflix will use that facility to generate audio through the soundbar.

But from what Shteve says above, can I assume that an older BD or DVD player connected by HDMI to the TV can then use the ARC facility between the TV and soundbar to get audio and there is no need for a separate Optical cable going from the player to the soundbar?

[kanedaa]

Originally Posted by Raigmore

But from what Shteve says above, can I assume that an older BD or DVD player connected by HDMI to the TV can then use the ARC facility between the TV and soundbar to get audio and there is no need for a separate Optical cable going from the player to the soundbar?

Yes.

[shteve]

Pretty much:

https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-t...ed-works-care/

[kanedaa]

Yes in theory.

There will be exceptions - As I said in another thread Samsung do not pass DTS on their TVs since 2018 (be it via optical or ARC) - they say this very clearly in their manuals.

I know the LG 2019 OLED range are on your list and something I found out recently is the eARC functionality is lacking 5.1 LPCM pass-through, though in that case they've said it will be added in a firmware update next year (2nd quarter was the vague time frame given).