Getting 5.1 and lossless audio with a SoundBar 500 & 700

If the rear speakers **Do not work** when you **set-up AdaptIQ**, but you can still power them on and add/remove them from the app. Then you need to check the connections to the speakers. Otherwise, there is a chance the system is faulty and you need to talk to Tech support to get a replacement part.

If the rear speakers **DO work** when you **set-up AdaptIQ** but not when you listen to a 5.1 source from your TV. Your TV has an ARC connection and not an eARC one and your TV can only output stereo (some are lucky and theirs can output 5.1 via ARC. Be aware that sometimes internal TV sources like apps do output 5.1).

> "*As great as ARC can be, there is one big issue: 5.1. Technically, TVs aren't allowed to send 5.1 audio over HDMI. In other words, if you're watching a movie on Blu-ray with 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS and it's connected directly to your TV (Setup 1, above) **your receiver might only be able to get 2.0 audio**. TVs that can do this are said to have "5.1 passthrough."*
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> *This restriction isn't fully enforced, so some TVs do it anyway. Other TVs will output 5.1 via the optical output, but not ARC.*"
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One notable difference between ARC TV's and eARC TV's is that eARC TV's can output uncompressed audio while ARC TV's cannot.

> *"The main **differences** between **ARC** and **eARC** lie in **bandwidth** and **speed**. (..) Higher bandwidth also means that digital audio signal doesn’t have to be compressed and is much more detailed, rich and vibrant. As a result, with an eARC channel, you can enjoy the depth of movie-theatre-quality surround sound via formats such as **DTS:X** and **DOLBY ATMOS**. Due to the limitations of regular ARC, only eARC can currently process these formats."*
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If you are wondering, eARC is a hardware difference, not a software one. Unless your TV has HDMI 2.1 hardware preinstalled it will be incapable of outputting eARC. You will have to confirm this with your TV manufacture.

The SoundBar 500 & SoundBar 700 have identical connections on the back. They have a single HDMI eARC connection and an Optical input.

## Audio Format Support:

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

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

The Soundbar 700 can support "*DTS 5.1, DD 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 audio formats it can also support LPCM 5.1 when using an eARC connection. It is only possible to get LPCM 5.1 when using an eARC connection. You would only get LPCM 2.0 with a standard HDMI-ARC connection, as multichannel PCM support requires an eARC HDMI connection.*"

So make sure that your device is properly set up to output in those formats. Please check your device's settings as sometimes you need to enable 5.1. It isn't always that easy for people to understand what a device means when it says Bitstream, PCM, etc for the audio settings. Each manufacture seems to have its own way of labelling it. So please check that device's manual to make sure it is in the correct mode.

With a couple of the solutions below, 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). Though you can use it with the included HDMI switch remote to change sources.

### **Option 1a. TV with eARC connection:**

The SoundBar 500/700 supports eARC and LPCM. So if your TV can pass through LPCM audio, you can easily get the best sound possible out of your system.

Make sure that your connected media devices are properly set up to output in LPCM. Please check your device's settings as sometimes you need to enable surround sound. You should look for an audio setting that says LPCM, PCM, Uncompressed 7.1, etc. Different manufactures might have their own way of labelling it. So please check that device's manual to make sure it is in the correct mode.

### **Option 1b. TV with ARC or Optical connection:**

As stated earlier, a lot of ARC 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 and see if your TV outputs 5.1 or 2.0 using optic and 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. If you are still getting stereo sound, try the next options.

## Option 2. Get an HDMI switch with an optical out:

You might be wondering why I specified an "Optical out", thinking you should purchase an HDMI splitter with two HDMI outs: one for HDMI ARC so Video can go to the TV and a second for HDMI audio to plug into the SoundBar. Please read "Option 3" below to understand why that will not work. There are solutions offered in "Options 3 & 4", but know that this option is far more cost-effective.

You can purchase an HDMI 4x1 switch with an optical out to your SoundBar. This is a great solution if you discovered that your TV does not output 5.1 via optical. I found a few HDMI switches with audio outs that support 4k @ 60hz. This HDMI 4x1 switch features 4 HDMI in's and has an Optical out, but there are many others.

Using an HDMI switch with Optical out will allow you to send:

* SoundBar 500: Dolby Digital 5.1 & PCM 2.0 (the 500 does not support DTS), but as shown earlier Optical does not support LPCM 5.1. So change all audio settings on your 3rd party devices to **Bitstream** or **Dolby** and *avoid* DTS or PCM or LPCM sound options.
* SoundBar 700: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, & PCM 2.0, but as shown earlier Optical does not support LPCM 5.1. So change all audio setting on your 3rd party devices to **Bitstream** or **Dolby** or **DTS** and *avoid* PCM or LPCM sound options.

With this setup, I would highly recommend that you purchase a universal remote (as mentioned previously) to help with ease of use for yourself, your family, and anyone else who visits and uses your system. Though you can use it with the included HDMI switch remote to change sources.

To set this up:

* Connect your HDMI devices to the HDMI in's on the switch
	+ If you need more than 4 ports there are other HDMI #x1 switches out there
* The TV & SoundBar
	+ Connect Output to your TV's ARC HDMI port.
		- ARC is a special HDMI port that will send the TV's audio to your SoundBar
	+ Connect the audio out to the Optical input of your SoundBar (labelled on the HDMI splitter below as Toslink).

But know that using optical, you will only get standard Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1 (on the 700) and you would not be able to listen to lossless sound.

## Option 3. Get an HDMI switch with an eARC splitter:

If you wish to listen to lossless LPCM 5.1, you *might* think that you could get an HDMI switch with two HDMI out's (one for the TV and one for the SoundBar) so that you could have multiple HDMI devices all going through to your SoundBar. I found a few HDMI switches with audio outs that support 4k @ 60hz. This HDMI 4x2 switch features 4 HDMI in's and 2 HDMI out's but there are many others out there.

There is a **MAJOR problem** with *these HDMI switches do not OUTPUT eARC*, there are switches out there that have an eARC input, but none that I have found that OUTPUT eARC. This is because the SoundBar does not work with standard HDMI connections, only HDMI eARC so you will not get any sound.

**Luckily** I found a splitter designed to work with a TV that does not have eARC while your speaker system does. The 4K Arcana 18Gbps. You can use it in conjunction with any HDMI device, even a 4x1 HDMI switch if needed. Simply plug in the splitter and you can send full uncompressed 5.1 directly to the Soundbar.

The only downside is it is currently quite expensive. So you'd have to make up your mind if you'd want to spend that much to get uncompressed 5.1 or use the optical input and make do with standard 5.1.

Either way, if you don't have an eARC TV and your TV doesn't output 5.1 over ARC or optical. I think it is best to use an external switch, with either optical out or using the Arcana eARC splitter, to ensure you are listing to 5.1 if you have already invested in a 5.1 setup.

With this setup, I would highly recommend that you purchase a universal remote (as mentioned previously) to help with ease of use for yourself, your family, and anyone else who visits and uses your system. Though you can use it with the included HDMI switch remote to change sources.

"*Arcana allows ANY HDMI source FULL AUDIO to ANY eARC sound system for up to Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby MAT Atmos, DTS-X, DTS-HD Master Audio and older formats.*"

"This setup will allow the transfer of full audio up to Atmos/TrueHD from several HDMI sources, the ARC signal for audio from the TV, and CEC volume control from the source or TV to [BOSE eArc].

* Connect all your sources to the HDMI inputs of your HDMI switcher and connect the HDMI switcher output to the Arcana HDMI input.
* Connect the Arcana HDMI output to the TV ARC input and the Arcana eARC out to [BOSE eArc]."

## Option 4. Purchase a TV with HDMI 2.1 & eARC:

You could wait until you purchase a new TV that supports eARC. This is a simple, though expensive solution that should solve the problem at hand.