Sound bar Quesitons

[Deb719]

I am thinking of getting a sound bar with three HDMI in and an HDMI out. Can this be connected in the same way a receiver would be? Plug the cable box and blue ray into the sound bar and then out to the TV? I don't want to use the ARC port on the TV because my TV doesn't support 5.1 sound and that would defeat the purpose of the sound bar. I hope this question is clear and I would be grateful for any help.

 

[Unolocogringo]

Yes just like a receiver.
Hook all of your devices up to the sound bar and them the HDMI out to the TV.
It will automatically output what ever the input source is.

 

[Deb719]

Thanks - can I NOT use the ARC port on the TV - use one of the other HDMI IN ports? Sorry for my technical ignorance.

 

[Unolocogringo]

Use one of the other ports.
The ARC port is for sending high definition sound out from the TV.
We watch a fair amount of local channels from our antennae(mostly PBS and weather) this allows you to send the sound to the sound bar/ receiver/amp with full 5.1 signal instead of stereo signal.

 

[Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163]

The 5.1's are likely products where they cut a lot of corners to make everything work. A good 2.1 (soundbar + sub) is what I would get. I personally recommend spending money on 2 speakers and a sub, rather than a soundbar, and add a receiver and slowly build towards a really great 5.1 or 7.1 system. Soundbars do sound great, but something I don't recommend personally.

 

[getochkn]

A lot comes down to being able to hook it up. There are 20 soundbar threads a week on here where people can't really hook them up because they bought before exploring the options.

Usually all there devices are HDMI and they buy a soundbar with no hdmi inputs, so they have to hook everything up to the TV, then come out from the TV, but then the TV only has coax optical out and then soundbar has toslink optical, so then they need a converter, but, and all kinds of problems. lol. It gets complicated if you have a smart TV, because then you need to get the sound out of the TV and into the soundbar. This is where ARC comes into play.

How much are you looking to spend. How many devices do you use. Is your TV a smart TV and what model.

As said though, getting a receiver is the way to go. Mine has like 7 HDMI inputs, more than enough, plays every surround mode under the sun.

 

[Unolocogringo]

A little more info here for you to read.
http/hdguru.com/what-is-hdmi-arc-and-what-does-it-do-for-your-hdtv/

If everyone followed the full spec it would be great ,but when you mix brands it does not always work as it should.
That is why I suggested using the standard HDMI port as the input for the tv.
My setup is Samsung TV and Denon receiver, sometimes it work as it shouls and sometimes the sound is like listening inside a tin can. Very tinney and lots of reverb.

So I have everything hookek to the receiver and the tv is attached to the receiver with the ARC port.
So everything sounds as it should.
Although the wife still has trouble operating the separate remotes.
Bought a programmable remote and it confused here even more. so we are back to 2 remotes and the PS3 controller to operate everything.

 

[Deb719]

My TV is an LG UF7600. It is a smart TV but I use the smart function on my Samsung Blu Ray Player. All I need to hook up via HDMI is my cable box and my blu ray. The TV has 3 HDMI ports - one is an ARC port - but I don't want to use the ARC port since the TV has only 2 channel sound (I think) and I believe that would then defeat the purpose of the sound bar. Anyway the Sony HT ST9 has three HDMI in and an HDMI out so I think it would work - but my technical knowledge is limited so that is why am asking. Thanks for the help.

 

[Unolocogringo]

In your case hooking everything to the sound bar and then one cable to the tv would be the most simple setup. Then everything is controlled by the sound bar remote.
There should also be an option that automatically turns the tv on when you turn the sound bar on.

 

[Deb719]

Thanks. Am I correct that using the ARC port would limit the sound to the 2 channel that the TV is capable of? And there's another wrinkle as well - I asked on Amazon if I could make these connections and a rep from Sony answered "the purpose of the HDMI ARC of this unit is to carry both audio and video signals. If you are going to connect this device to your TV, it should be HDMI out on the TV and HDMI in on the Soundbar and that will only be possible if your TV supports HDMI OUT." I don't know how this would be possible as even my limited understanding of connections tells me that what unolocogringo said makes sense. Any further advice? Thanks.

 

[Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163]

The TV doesn't do surround sound, you can get "surround" sound using a soundbar connected to your TV. I still rtecommending connecting disc player + seperate speakers for surround sound to a receiver then that to TV. Unless you only have room for a soundbar.

 

[Unolocogringo]

The TV can output2.1, 5.1,7.1 signal to the sound bar if the source is2.1, 5.1 or 7.1 as a pass through signal. Or over the air broadcast signal if the sound is encoded for it. If the source is only stereo the tv will pass along stereo signal. The TV itself only has 2 speakers or stereo sound.
The ARC channel can send and receive sound or remote signals over the ARC channel. So if your devices are compatible you can use one remote to control all of your devices.
But it is up to the manufacture as to how it is implemented So it may work correctly with mixed brand devices or not.
My experience was not as I got terrible sound.
So in my opinion, if you alredy have the equipment ,hook everything to the sound bar, since you are not watching over the air broadcast and then run one cable to the TV.
With this set up you should be able to control volume on all devices with the sound bar and the TV (when configured in the settings menu ) will come on when you turn the sound bar on.

 

[getochkn]

The number of speakers on the TV has nothing to do with. Arc simply passes the audio from the source through the TV and out to the receiver or soundbat. Now most soundbars can take a surround ssignal but they are only stereo anyways. It's just not the same. Watched Godzilla bluray today with 6.1 dts master audio through my denon. Now that is surround

 

[Unolocogringo]

The number of speakers on the TV has nothing to do with. Arc simply passes the audio from the source through the TV and out to the receiver or soundbat. Now most soundbars can take a surround ssignal but they are only stereo anyways. It's just not the same. Watched Godzilla bluray today with 6.1 dts master audio through my denon. Now that is surround

I"m with you on that one.
But the wife says she hates my large speakers and wants the small Bose cube speakers.
Sansui sp3500 fronts and sp2500 rears
Onkyo SWK150 sub
Denon AVR 1705 amp
Akai center
Mostly vintage stuff with a newer center and sub.

 

[Deb719]

Thanks everyone - very helpful