Solved! Questions about buying home theater system

bonjurkes

Honorable
Jan 30, 2014
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10,510
I have few questions which I am unsure about this home theater thing. I have Sony Bravia smart tv. My ps4 and apple tv is connected via hdmi cable to TV, I watch movies (from usb) , netflix etc using my smart tv.

1-) Whose supported sound technologies are important for this case? TV or home theater (via bluray player) For example If my sound system doesnt support DTS but if my TV does. Can I still get audio from my sound system or it will be no sound or lower quality etc because my sound system doesnt support it? If I am watching some DTS encoded movie from USB on TV and sound coming out from sound system.

2-) Can I still get 5.1 while watching apple tv or ps4 (if content support is ofc) when they are connected to TV or should those ones must be connected to bluray player (or soundbar) directly to get 5.1 ?

3-) Im not really fond of having to own blu ray player because of sound system, is it better idea to buy a system that has amplifier? (Like yamaha)

4-) Is hdmi arc good enough to have on bluray (or amp) ? Because for example, soundbars use HDMI in and out ports so I think that's different way of arranging things?

Thanks very much for the answers!
 
Solution
1. You want the audio system to support lossless audio like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD-MA. If the audio system doesn't support them then you would get Dolby Digital or DTS either by selecting it on the disc or automatically.
2. The sources have to be connected via HDMI directly to the soundbar or AV receiver to get lossless audio. You can't go through the TV. HDMI-ARC and optical won't support lossless audio. If you stream content that is offered in Dolby TrueHD then the Apple TV also has to be connected directly to the audio system. The TV can't output in these types of formats. Best it could do is Dolby Digital or DTS.
3. Best sound quality would be to use an AV receiver, passive speakers, and a powered subwoofer. There are LCR front...

ikaz

Distinguished
Dec 27, 2005
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18,660
Before answering your questions probably a good idea of stating what type of budget you looking at, does your TV have 4k (note ps4 blu ray doesn't play UHD blu ray). Also are you planing to buy speaker setup ? Note that any "good" receiver (say around $300 us) should support more audio formats (DTS, Atmos, etc) than your apple TV and your Bravia. You would actually route your devices through the receiver and from the receiver into your TV.
 
1. You want the audio system to support lossless audio like Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD-MA. If the audio system doesn't support them then you would get Dolby Digital or DTS either by selecting it on the disc or automatically.
2. The sources have to be connected via HDMI directly to the soundbar or AV receiver to get lossless audio. You can't go through the TV. HDMI-ARC and optical won't support lossless audio. If you stream content that is offered in Dolby TrueHD then the Apple TV also has to be connected directly to the audio system. The TV can't output in these types of formats. Best it could do is Dolby Digital or DTS.
3. Best sound quality would be to use an AV receiver, passive speakers, and a powered subwoofer. There are LCR front speakers that look like a soundbar but being able to spread out the left and right speakers is always better.
For a soundbar to actually do 5.1 it will need three separate speaker systems in the soundbar, two surround speakers to be placed in the rear or sides, and a separate subwoofer cabinet. If it doesn't have those it's not 5.1 whatever they say.
 
Solution