Soundbar Set Up eARC

[magiccox]

Hello

I've just got a new QN94 Samsung TV and Q700 Samsung soundbar and am trying to work out the best way to connect Sky Q for the sound. 

Should I plug the sky box into the soundbar then connect the soundbar to the TV through the eARC HDMI output, or connect sky to the TV then the TV to the soundbar. I watch a lot of Netflix via the TV rather than Sky Q as I seem to get better picture that way so don't want to loose that quality sound. 

Thanks in advance 

[Rhonny]

@magiccox

Everything into your TV, then hdmi eArc to the soundbar. 

[MightyQuinn]

Hi @magiccox   For the best of both worlds, Sky Q and TV Netflix then Sky Q -> Soundbar -> TV ARC..

[Rhonny]

@MightyQuinn

Is there any need to connect the Sky Q box to the soundbar if the TV is capable of passthrough? 

[MightyQuinn]

Hi @Rhonny   To eliminate any possible voice sync problems. Sky Q direct to soundbar and TV direct to soundbar. Obviously personal choice that I have used since ARC was introduced.

[nigea99]

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@magiccox wrote:

Hello

I've just got a new QN94 Samsung TV and Q700 Samsung soundbar and am trying to work out the best way to connect Sky Q for the sound. 

Should I plug the sky box into the soundbar then connect the soundbar to the TV through the eARC HDMI output, or connect sky to the TV then the TV to the soundbar. I watch a lot of Netflix via the TV rather than Sky Q as I seem to get better picture that way so don't want to loose that quality sound. 

Thanks in advance 

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It partly depends on the capabilities of the Sound bar to be able to pass through full 4K HDR (assuming you watch that) - I haven't yet looked up any specs. If it can pass through the full signal then the choice is probably fairly even. If it can't then go via the TV

Thus you can, probably, connect either way but pluggng the SKY Q box into the Soundbar may lessen the risk of lipsynch problems - although  you may not get any going via the TV

Some TVs are more prone to lipsynch problems with SKY Q but not sure if yours is one

Either way the Sound bar should be connected to the eARC HDMI on your TV that way any sound from your TV can be played through your Soundbar (ARC stands for Audio Return Channel & is specifically intended to carry the sound from the TV to AV equipment - eARC is a more recent enhanced version)

I have an AV amp (which has several inputs) and I route everything through it. I tend to recommend connecting to AV equipment but these days many TVs are quite capable of passing the Sound through without any problems

Thus I guess the answer is try it and see how it works for you

If you do link SKY Q to the TV make sure that the TV Sound output via HDMI is set to bitstream or Dolby Digital / Dolby digital plus - I think modern TVs withe eARC connections are likely to default to this , especially for inbuilt apps,  but always worth checking 

[magiccox]

Many thanks. My soundbar has one HDMI in and a HDMI eARC out. Am I right in thinking if I plug Sky into the HDMI in and then the HDMI eARC out into the TV, then the TV audio will still go to the soundbar through that HDMI eARC or will the TV not go to the soundbar, just the Sky?

[nigea99]

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@magiccox wrote:

Many thanks. My soundbar has one HDMI in and a HDMI eARC out. Am I right in thinking if I plug Sky into the HDMI in and then the HDMI eARC out into the TV, then the TV audio will still go to the soundbar through that HDMI eARC or will the TV not go to the soundbar, just the Sky?

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HDMI (e)ARC on TV to Sound bar (e)ARC is the intended connection and allows any sound output from the TV to be heard through the Sound bar, irrespective of any other equipment which may be plugged in to any addition HDMI inputs on a Sound bar ( just the one on yours)

[MightyQuinn]

Hi @magiccox   On my Sony HT-ZF9 soundbar it is a simple case of changing the input on the soundbar to HDMI 1 (Sky Q) or TV (TV). If set to TV then the all the sound from the TV plays through the soundbar.