Connecting a Lifestyle AV20 or AV35 receiver to a 4K TV

## Why can't 1080p receivers support 4K

The AV20 & AV35 receivers max out at 1080p using HDMI 1.4b. It cannot be upgraded to support 4k using HDMI 2.1 as that is a hardware difference, not a software one.

Reasons:

1. **Before 4k**: This is unsurprising as the receiver was released in 2010 & 4K did not exist then.
2. **1080p Specs**: It appears that some HDMI cables are not compatible with 4K, & that's just a wire with two plugs (this is mainly due to bandwidth requirements). Imagine what it's like when you have GPU's & various other chips involved that need to decode & reencode video/audio signals for a format that it was not designed to work with; well outside its specs. This receiver is essentially a 1080p HDMI decoder/repeater/switch.
3. **Encryption**: Even if (somehow) the system was capable of processing a 4K video signal using HDMI 2.0. Most 4k devices incorporate a new encryption method called HDCP 2.2. This was supposedly created to reduce piracy & is not backwards compatible with TV's or receivers that support encryption using HDCP 2.1 or earlier.
	1. "*Remember, HDCP 2.2 is not something that can be added by a software update. If your TV doesn’t have it, it never will.*"
	2. "*Some of the earliest 4K TVs from 2013 lacked support for HDCP 2.2. Worse, they couldn't be upgraded because HDCP 2.2 requires a hardware update — it’s not fixable with a firmware update. (..) If you run your HDMI connection through a home theater receiver or sound bar, it’ll need to be HDCP 2.2 compliant, as well. Any device in the chain that prevents the HDCP digital handshake from happening will prevent you from seeing a 4K image.*"

Will you get upset when you purchase your new 8K TV & discover your 4K devices don't output in 8K? In a world where cellphones become outdated within a few years, this should not be that surprising.

Now you know that 4K is a hardware difference & it is not software upgradeable:

1. You cannot purchase a new receiver from Bose as their new systems use a wireless bass that is incompatible with the current one you have.
2. This does not mean you have no solutions though & you can still use your system.

There are many ways to connect an AV20 & AV35 to your TV, though depending on your source, using Optical from your TV will not guarantee that you get the best sound (briefly gone over in "Audio Format Support" & "Option 1"). I have made a guide below showing you all the ways you can connect your audio/video equipment to your receiver.

If you want the best solution to send 4K to your TV and to send the best sound to your AV20 & AV35 receiver, I would look at "Option 3".

## Universal Remote

Before I continue, I would probably purchase a harmony remote or something similar that can control the system and everything else connected (there have been Black Friday sales in the past).

But as harmony remotes are pretty difficult to find today, there are other universal remotes in the market which should also be able to control your system and other devices connected to it.

## Receiver Audio/Video connections

The AV20/AV35 receiver maxes out at 1080p and **does not support** 4K, ARC, or CEC (If you don't know what ARC & CEC means, ARC allows for HDMI to send sound from a TV to a receiver. CEC allows you to send commands like change channel, power, etc via an HDMI cable).

So, if you do wish to watch 4K content on your 4K TV using your Lifestyle system. you will have to rewire your current setup or purchase some equipment to make this work.

The difference between an AV20 & AV35 receiver.

## Audio Format Support

I would like to point out what cables can support what formats:

* RCA - Stereo (aka PCM/LPCM 2.0)
* Digital Coax/SPDIF & TOSLink/Optical (as does HDMI ARC) - PCM 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1, & DTS 5.1
* Regular HDMI - All above & Lossless Audio (aka LPCM 5.1, Dolby TrueHD 5.1, DTS Master Audio 5.1, etc.)

**Both** systems mentioned support **PCM 2.0**, **DTS**, **Dolby Digital**, **Dolby TrueHD**, & **LPCM**. So to get the best audio quality I would change all audio settings on your 3rd party devices to **LPCM**.

This way you can listen to Dolby Digital Plus, lossless DTS-HD Master Audio & anything else (aside from 3D positioning on Atmos/DTS:X) supported by your 3rd party device via LPCM without losing any sound quality.

You may see people say that the receivers support **DTS Master Audio "core"**, DTS Master Audio Core means that it will only playback an embedded regular DTS signal.

## Option 0. Keep everything at 1080p

Now a simple solution would be to watch everything at 1080p & not 4K. You won't have to change anything.

The advantage is you won't have to re-wire anything or purchase any adapters, you will still get uncompressed audio (if your devices provide it), & you can still use the Bose remote as you always have.

Know that by doing this, you will sacrifice the ability to watch 4K content on your 4K TV.

## Option 1. Connect everything to the TV

This is the simplest solution. Sadly, this Lifestyle system does not support ARC or eARC (it also does not support CEC) so you would have to use the optical out of your TV to your Lifestyle system. The problem with that is optical cables **only** send PCM 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1, or DTS 5.1. They **cannot** send uncompressed audio formats to the Lifestyle system.

Not only that but a lot of TV's do not output 5.1 for HDMI sources connected to them only PCM 2.0 (be aware that sometimes internal TV sources like apps do output 5.1). So, before you do anything test & see if your TV outputs 5.1 or 2.0 using optic & a source you know outputs 5.1 via HDMI (just know that YouTube still does not support 5.1 as every audio source there is still standard 2.0 including the 5.1 audio test mixes. If you download them onto a computer and check the media info, they are still 2.0. Even the original series that they have to offer there are in stereo).

If you don't care about uncompressed audio & your TV outputs 5.1 you might just want to keep it as it is, but there are better solutions.

### Option 1a: Use the TV's Optical out

For simplicity, you can connect all your HDMI devices directly to the TV and use the TV's optical out to your receiver (I will ignore possible RCA/3.5mm headphone connection on your TV as they will only send stereo to your 5.1 surround sound system). Just remember what I wrote directly above as there is a *chance* that you will not get 5.1 but only stereo.

### Option 1b: ARC converter with an HDMI pass-through

This is a good option if your TV only has an HDMI ARC out and you wish to listen to a device connected to your TV.

This will guarantee that the HDMI device you connect directly to the converter will send 5.1 to your AV20/AV35 receiver. Just remember what I wrote above in "Option 1", as there is a *chance* that using HDMI ARC you will only get stereo from anything connected directly to your TV not 5.1.

To reduce duplication, I have a full list of devices in "**Option 3**".

## Option 2. Send Video to the TV & Audio directly to your Lifestyle system

Some devices support two HDMI outs like this 4K BluRay player. This is a great solution as it will ensure you get full 4k video going to your TV & uncompressed audio going to your Lifestyle system. That is if your source supports them.

Most cable & satellite boxes do not support uncompressed audio for their TV channels. So, HDMI might not be required for uncompressed audio so Digital Coax/SPDIF & TOSLink/Optical would work just fine. The image below this might be a great way to connect everything to your TV. I should mention there is a chance that some apps built into your cable/satellite box might output uncompressed audio, yet you could use your Blu-Ray players' apps for that.

If you are like me & your TV does not output 5.1 but only 2.0 then connect your 4k video to the TV & send the SPDIF/Optical cable to your Lifestyle system.

This is why a universal remote like what I mentioned earlier would make using your system with this type of setup a lot easier.

## Option 3. Get an HDMI switch with 2 HDMI outs

I found a few HDMI switches with 2 HDMI outs that support 4k @ 60hz. I have not personally tested any of these.

*Using this setup will still give you the full 5.1 surround experience you are used to as this is what your Lifestyle AV20 / AV35 system is capable of supporting & allow for 4K on your TV.*

### Option 3a: Multiple 4K devices

This HDMI 4x2 switch features 4 HDMI in's & 2 HDMI outs: [Xolor Space], [Amazon USA]

1. Connect your HDMI devices to the HDMI in's on the switch
	* If you need more than 4 ports there are other switches out there
2. The TV & Lifestyle
	1. Connect "Out A" HDMI ARC to your TV's ARC HDMI port.
		* ARC is a special HDMI port that will send the TV's audio to your Lifestyle
	2. Connect "Out B" HDMI Audio Only to the Lifestyle

If this specific switch is currently sold out, I have found a couple of alternatives.

* 4x2 - Avedio Links 4 Port 4K@60Hz HDMI Switch with 7.1 Audio Extractor : [Amazon USA 1], [Amazon USA 2], [AvedioLinks]
* 4x2 - Generic 4K \* 2K 60Hz HDR HDMI Splitter : [Jumia], [AUS Electronics Direct]
* 4x2 - FeinTech VSW04202 HDMI 2.0 Switch 4x1 : [Amazon UK], [Conrad]

If you want a different HDMI switch please keep a few things in mind:

1. You need a switch with two HDMI outputs:
	1. One HDMI port to the TV that outputs 4K.
	2. The second can be either an HDMI Audio Only port **or** an individually downscaled HDMI port that outputs 1080p, but only on that second HDMI port.
2. Avoid Matrix switches. They allow you to send out different audio/video sources & could make using it a pain.
	1. XOLORspace calls itself a "matrix switch". I believe this is for branding reasons as it doesn't include Matrix features.
3. It looks like the 4x2 HDMI switches with "HDMI Audio Only" are quite often listed as an HDMI 4x1 switch. This is because the HDMI audio-only port isn't counted as a full HDMI out.
4. Encryption needs to be correct. It needs to say it supports HDCP 2.2 or greater.

### Option 3b: A single 4K device or an existing HDMI switch

If you already have a switch you wish to use or you only wish to connect a single 4K device. You could get an HDMI Splitter that features an HDMI Audio only port; typically called an *HDMI Audio Extractor*:

1. Connect your HDMI device to the "Input" on the Audio Extractor
2. The TV & Lifestyle
	1. Connect "Main" to your TV's ARC HDMI port.
		* ARC is a special HDMI port that will send the TV's audio to your Lifestyle
	2. Connect "Audio Only" to the Lifestyle

I have found a few options encase any are sold out:

* HDMI splitters with HDMI Audio out and both eARC & ARC support
	+ 1x2 - HDMI eARC/ARC Audio Extractor
	+ 1x2 - OREI eARC/ARC 4K 60Hz Audio Extractor
	+ 1x2 - 4k HDMI eARC/ARC Audio Extractor HDMI 2.0 HDCP 2.3
* HDMI splitters with HDMI Audio outs and ARC support
	+ 1x2 - XOLORspace 1x2 HDMI Splitter
	+ 1x2 - ViewHD UHD 18Gbps Audio Extractor Support HDMI v2.0 : [Amazon USA], [Shodelsu]
	+ 1x2 - Orei 4K 60Hz 18G HDMI 2.0
* HDMI splitters with HDMI Audio outs and NO ARC support
	+ 1x2 - Egreat H10 Ultra-HD 4k audio/video HDMI splitter : [Tokowakuy], [Amazon UK], [Egreat]
	+ 1x2 - NEWCARE 4K@60Hz HDMI Audio Extractor

## Option 4. Bose Dealer Upgrade

I found this place that **was** offering to upgrade older Lifestyle systems to the Lifestyle 600, what's great about this is that system supports 4K. They briefly wrote about it here. They say they are a Bose Authorised dealer, so I'm guessing that's how they were able to offer this service. If they are not local to you, I would find the nearest Bose dealer and ask them if they still have any Lifestyle 600 upgrades available.

As of 2021, Bose has discontinued all SoundTouch systems, including the Lifestyle 600 upgrade program.

## Option 5. Another system

If the above solutions don't work for you. You might wish to replace your system with a 3rd party receiver-based system, so you can upgrade that receiver with a new one in the future. If that is true, a new Acoustimass 10 series V plus a new receiver might be exactly what you are looking for.

Or maybe a SoundBar would be a better alternative to your existing Lifestyle system. Something like the SoundBar 900 with the sub & rears. If your TV supports eARC so does the SoundBar 900. This way you will get the best experience possible.