Solved! Problem getting 5.1 and surround from PC to TV

[flightoftherat]

Hello community,

My PC is connected to a Samsung JS8500 UHD TV with a HDMI 4k@60 capable cable and the TV is connected to a Sony receiver through a HDMI ARC cable. The TV outputs the audio through the receiver from any source and it works just fine.

Now, the HDMI carries the sound from the PC to the TV but I can only select stereo, Windows won't allow me to choose something else (only stereo is listed actually) in the device manager options. The sound is nice, but I don't get neither surround nor 5.1, it's like a stereo that comes through the 5 speakers at the same time. And I can't passthrough the PC-HDMI to the receiver because it's not 4k@60 capable (only 1080p, so the ps4 works that way and I get 5.1 surround from it).

I've been looking for information about this issue and it seems quite common, it's more a software (Windows) than a hardware problem. But I don't know if as of 2018 some solution have been released.

My MB (Z370E Wifi/ac) has the SupremeFX stuff and it's supposed to deliver surround and 5.1. Using either the analog or optic outputs.

Well I'd like to know if there's a workaround for the HDMI and if the SPDIF of my MB will work with the Optic connection of my TV (it's called like that), so I can throw an optic cable and get the 5.1 from there.

In summary, SPDIF (PC) -----> Optic (TV) = do they get along?

 

[gaborbarla]

Hi

I would imagine that optical to optical would work and get along well enough. You will have to route the sound from HDMI stereo to optical out. Whether there you can select 5.1 you should be able to test without even having a cable. Of course to test it you will have to buy an optical cable and plug it in. I would plug it into the sony receiver's Optical input port and then configure one of the modes on the sony (e.g. TV to play the Optical port that you plugged it into) and it should work.
Hope this helps,

Gabor

 

[flightoftherat]

Thanks Gabor. Do you know if the optic connection is capable of delivering the same quality sound I would get from the HDMI? It's a shame I have to buy and put more cables while the HDMI connection is fully capable of HD sound! When the HDMI signal reaches the TV, I think there's no way for Windows to know that there's a receiver after it.