Question Laptop>soundbar>projector. I get image but no sound

[rerpente]

I am desperate. My setup is
Laptop> (HDMI cable)> JBL 9.1 Soundbar> (HDMI cable)> Epson Projector
Everything worked fine until I got a 4K projector, also an Epson. Since then, the soundbar decided not to play the sound, but to send the image to the projector (!)

I have tried 2-3 different HDMI cables (all support 4K), I have tried various graphics card and sound card drivers (rollback, update to new ones) and nothing worked. The new projector simply does not appear in the device manager under Audio inputs and outputs, nor in Sound>Playback. When I plug the HDMI on the old projector, it immediately appears as EPSON PJ on my laptop. The laptop refuses to recognise the new projector. The sound bar and the projector have the latest firmware.

Any ideas?
Thanks in advance

 

[Wolfshadw]

What are the model numbers of both projectors?

-Wolf sends

 

[rerpente]

What are the model numbers of both projectors?

Older projector: EPSON EB-535W
Newer projector: EPSON EH-TW9400

 

[rerpente]

Laptop is a HP
Model: DW2017NW 25Q22EA
Graphics card: Nvidia Geforce MX330

 

[Wolfshadw]

Only thing I can think of is that your sound bar isn't HDCP 2.2 compliant. Can you confirm whether it is or not?

-Wolf sends

 

[rerpente]

It actually is HDCP 2.3 compliant.
Source: Soundbar manual, page 22 https://www.jbl.com/on/demandware.s..._SB_Bar 9.1_3D_SURROUND_Owner's Manual_EN.pdf

 

[Wolfshadw]

Just to confirm, you have HDMI out from the laptop to the sound bar's HDMI In and from the sound bar's HDMI Out (ARC) to one of the HDMI inputs on the projector

Have you tried both HDMI inputs on the projector? I honestly would have thought one of them would have the Audio Return Channel.

-Wolf sends

JBL Sound Bar Manual
New Epson Projector Manual

 

[rerpente]

Just to confirm, you have HDMI out from the laptop to the sound bar's HDMI In and from the sound bar's HDMI Out (ARC) to one of the HDMI inputs on the projector

Yes, that is correct.

Have you tried both HDMI inputs on the projector? I honestly would have thought one of them would have the Audio Return Channel.

Yes, I have tried both HDMI inputs on the projector.

🙁

 

[Wolfshadw]

Honestly, I'm drawing at straws at this point. HDMI 1.4b should be able to handle this. I'd probably check to see if there is some obscure setting in the sound bar's audio/video settings.

-Wolf sends

 

[rerpente]

I understand and I appreciate it. Soundbar has minimal to no settings. I borrowed 1-2 other laptops from friends and guess - everything works fine, soundbar plays the sound. That's why I'm so desperate and I think there has to be done something to my laptop. Which is why I tried the several sound and graphics drivers, to no result

 

[Wolfshadw]

With the other laptops, what version of HDMI output do they have?

-Wolf sends

 

[rerpente]

They seem to have HDMI 1.4 while the new one has HDMI 2.0

 

[Wolfshadw]

Well, your laptop has HDMI ver. 1.4b. If the other laptops also have HDMI 1.4 and they work, then I'm really at a loss.

-Wolf sends

 

[rerpente]

Sorry. my bad.
Yes, the other laptops are older than mine, maybe 6-7 years old so they can't have HDMI 2.0.
The whole situation just does not make any sense at all, that's why I decided to ask the wise people on this forum

 

[Wolfshadw]

Not wise enough, I'm afraid. 🙁

-Wolf sends

 

[rerpente]

Thank you for your time!

 

[rerpente]

Thank you for your suggestion