Help with Audio formats and home theater

[SANAFABICH]

Hello everybody! Thanks in advance for any help provided.

I'm planning on buying a new AIO home theater since the one I have is a little dated (I've had it for almost 15 years now), since it doesn't support Dolby Digital Plus. I pinpointed this lack of support as the culprit for all the noise, cracks, pops and loss of audio signal when watching 5.1 content on netflix and Prime Video. Blu Rays are OK, but I think Netflix and Prime Video use some sort of dolby digital plus / dolby atmos hybrid that causes this problem.

Anyway, I tracked down a AOI home theater that supports Dolby Digital Plus, The Sony BDV-E2100. I'm currently watching Netflix via the Roku Stick, and have an optical cable connecting the TV with the home theater. And this is where I need assistance: The manual for the Sony Home Theater states that Dolby Digital Plus is not supported if I use the optical audio in:



Is that really so? Does this mean I will hear no audio at all, or the same noise and static I hear with my current home theater?
Is it a limitation of the optical audio? All DTS formats seem to be supported via optical cable. What gives?

As far as I know the only way I can get the 5.1 signal from the Roku Stick is using the TV's optical output. I've heard about HDMI ARC but I have no idea how it works. Both my TV and the Sony Home Theater support HDMI ARC if that helps.

Please help!

[JPK]

Connect via HDMI. Optical won't support the formats you want.

[SANAFABICH]

Originally Posted by JPK

Connect via HDMI. Optical won't support the formats you want.

You mean using the ARC feature? As far as I've been able to investigate, my TV supports DD+ over ARC, but the HT doesn't, only DD and DTS. I'm worried about what will this mean when trying to play content from Netflix which is encoded with DD+.

[JPK]

There is a fair bit to unpack here. Depends if you want Atmos or not.

In order to use the apps on your TV to play Atmos, you will need a receiver that supports that.

The 'all in one' you posted looks a bit older and won't have the capability to output anything other than 5.1 (the speakers it has).
It will decode 7.1 and downmix it to 5.1.

There is some soundbars that can be connected to your TV with ARC and take the Atmos 'feed' and play simulated Atmos without the full 5.1.2 (or higher) amount of speakers.

If you want Atmos, your options here are to get an Atmos capable receiver and buy speakers as you can afford them, or go with an Atmos 'capable' soundbar.

[JPK]

Using HDMI ARC will allow your TV apps to send DD+ through to the all in one which will downmix it to 5.1 (if its a 7.1 encode).

The main benefit with ARC usually with this sort of setup is the ability to turn both devices on and off together with one remote.

[SANAFABICH]

Originally Posted by JPK

Using HDMI ARC will allow your TV apps to send DD+ through to the all in one which will downmix it to 5.1 (if its a 7.1 encode).

The main benefit with ARC usually with this sort of setup is the ability to turn both devices on and off together with one remote.

Thank you so much for your help.

Truth be told, I don't mind if I don't get DD+ or Atmos out of this AIO, as long as I can get clean 5.1 sound without all the popping/cracking when watching Netflix or Prime Video. I know it probably isn't as good but where I live it's the only AOI I've been able to find, and going full component would be a waste of money since I live in an apartment.

[chip75]

If you can check if the AOI supports the Netflix and Prime Apps, then you don't have to worry about using the optical cable or ARC to get audio to the device and you should get DD+.

I would try and troubleshoot your current issues as well, but you'd plug the Roku stick into your TV and use ARC to output the audio to the SONY. But you may not get DD+, it will depend on your TV's specs.

[SANAFABICH]

Originally Posted by chip75

If you can check if the AOI supports the Netflix and Prime Apps, then you don't have to worry about using the optical cable or ARC to get audio to the device and you should get DD+.

I would try and troubleshoot your current issues as well, but you'd plug the Roku stick into your TV and use ARC to output the audio to the SONY. But you may not get DD+, it will depend on your TV's specs.

Thanks for your help. I read the manual and my TV does support DD+ over ARC, but not the Sony AIO. I guess I will have to buy it and just find out myself. I'm just afraid once I plug everything in I won't hear ANY sound, and if I use the optical cable there will be popping and cracking noises, so basically back to where I was initially with my current AIO.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by SANAFABICH

Thanks for your help. I read the manual and my TV does support DD+ over ARC, but not the Sony AIO. I guess I will have to buy it and just find out myself. I'm just afraid once I plug everything in I won't hear ANY sound, and if I use the optical cable there will be popping and cracking noises, so basically back to where I was initially with my current AIO.

It shouldn't be an issue if the player supports the Apps as you'll only be running audio from your TV to the AIO.