Delkat Posted December 14, 2022 Share Posted December 14, 2022 I’m struggling to figure out how to get 5.1 from my ARC HDMI link to my TV. I have an Oppo BP105 connected to my newish Sony TV via HDMI on the ARC input/output. I’m using a Roku stick to the TV streaming the typical apps. When I play a DVD on the Oppo I get 5.1 sound no issue. For some reason I can only get stereo when I’m streaming using the Roku stick on the TV via the ARC connection. I checked the sound output menu from the TV and the only choice seams to be “Dolby Stream”. I’m not sure if the Roku stick is limiting me or some other setting is off. I guess I can try using the Comcast signal from the cable box as a source to see if I can get 5.1 from that. If anyone has any experience with this or could provide some guidance I would appreciate it. thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeske Posted December 14, 2022 Share Posted December 14, 2022 (edited) My guess....If you are not connecting the TV out to an AVR, (or a multi-sound processor), via HDMI, you will be limited by the TV's capabilities, not the Roku. The Roku is capable of 'seeing' how your sound is routed/hook-up, and can provide a minimum of 5.1 unless it is very old (but believe all of them could). But, if the sound source is not an AVR, (or other multi-channel processor), connected to the TV, and the TV is limited to stereo, the Roku cannot override the TV's sound/speaker limitation. Are you also using an AVR? Or just the Oppo for DVD's? I have three TV's, all connected to AVR's as my sound output source vs the TV speakers at the TV settings, I have Roku's on each TV, and I get 5.1 sound minimum, as the sound output is the AVR. Again, the Roku 'sees' that and provides multi-channel when using Roku via the AVR's as the sound source. The cable box may provide that. Don't know, I got rid of cable years ago, and only use streaming services via the Roku's, including a 'live' streaming service vs cable. You can usually save money doing this, so might also be something to consider. Another option may be to hook-up your Roku directly to the Oppo if you have an additional HDMI input available. If the Oppo is on, your TV may be able to detect the Roku for selection at the TV (or perhaps select it within the Oppo?), and you can then use the Oppo as your sound source out to your system. Again, without more detail, I am just guessing here. Edited December 14, 2022 by bkeske Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeske Posted December 14, 2022 Share Posted December 14, 2022 (edited) Also, my AVR's are connected to the TV's via the ARC HDMI TV and AVR ports. Thus, both turn on when using either remote. In fact, I can also use the Roku remote and turn everything on even though it is on a non-ARC HDMI port. It just opens within the Roku app at start-up when I do so, not cable or 'over the air' (I watch all my locals via digital antenna's on each TV, even though my 'live streaming service' has locals as well). Edited December 14, 2022 by bkeske Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delkat Posted December 17, 2022 Author Share Posted December 17, 2022 Thanks for the confirmation that the Roku will supply the full 5.1 over HDMI. The TV is one of Sony’s high end 75” LEDs so I’m sure it’s capable of passing 5.1 via ARC. There’s a setting somewhere not right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeske Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Yes, it can probably ‘pass it’ but it has to be passed to a component capable of delivering and producing 5.1. Do you know if your TV is capable of that? If the Roku is ‘behind’ the TV speakers it can only deliver what the TV is capable of. Which is why I wondered if you were going to an AVR/multi-channel processor, and have the TV set up to use *that* as its speaker/sound source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delkat Posted December 17, 2022 Author Share Posted December 17, 2022 No AVR, just the Oppo which I believe functions the same as an AVR when it comes to decoding the 5.1 bitstream via HDMI. I understand that the TV would need to pass it from the Roku. I could try the Roku connected directly into one of the HDMI inputs on the Oppo. I’m pretty sure I’ve been able to get 5.1 from the TV using the Comcast box as the input to the tv but I’ll check that again. It may have been on the previous Samsung TV we had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeske Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 (edited) I think trying the Roku connected to the OPPO may be your best bet, but, you may need an HDMI splitter, correct? I’m guessing, but I think using the OPPO as an HT source for the TV could be a challenge, but, you might be able to get it to work. Edited December 17, 2022 by bkeske Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeske Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 “Which is why I wondered if you were going to an AVR/multi-channel processor, and have the TV set up to use *that* as its speaker/sound source”. My setup’s typically (simplified) = Roku via secondary TV HDMI port>TV >AVR via ARC HDMI port>Speakers. The AVR is providing 5.1 processing, not the TV, nor the Roku. And the TV setup selection is the AVR as the speaker source. The Roku, albeit hooked to the TV, ‘sees’ that the 5.1 AVR is the speaker source, not the TV, and provides its own HT sound signal ‘through’ the TV and into the AVR. This may sound confusing, but really isn’t. Mine does gets more complicated as on two of my systems I have separate 2 channel preamps with HT pass-through>separate 2 channel amp, so all my 2 channel playing is totally seperate from the HT/AVR ‘Reciever’, thus never listen to 2 channel music via the AVR amp. With a flick of a switch though, my Main/Front speakers can be used with HT/5.1 being powered by their own amp and the Rear speakers directly powered by the AVR. The signal for the Front/Mains are per a signal from the AVR, but not powered by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeske Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Also, I’m not sure the OPPO can actually power your speakers either. I believe it does have 5.1-7.1 RCA analog outputs, along with HDMI, Digital COAX, and Optical, and can act as a multi channel processor, but believe those are meant to connect to a multi-channel amp/AVR in order to power the speakers themselves. Do you have a 5.1 speaker setup now? And what powers them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmz Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 (edited) 7 hours ago, bkeske said: I think trying the Roku connected to the OPPO may be your best bet, but, you may need an HDMI splitter, correct? I would hook the Roku to the TV. If the OPPO has an HDMI… then an eARC from the TV to the OPPO. The other way should also work, where the OPPO sends only the Video to the TV… But conceptually it seems easier to do it with the return channel… On 12/14/2022 at 3:25 PM, Delkat said: I’m struggling to figure out how to get 5.1 from my ARC HDMI link to my TV. I have an Oppo BP105 connected to my newish Sony TV via HDMI on the ARC input/output. ARC or eARC? On 12/14/2022 at 3:25 PM, Delkat said: I’m using a Roku stick to the TV streaming the typical apps. When I play a DVD on the Oppo I get 5.1 sound no issue. … That is encouraging. (The OPPO works.) Edited December 17, 2022 by Holmz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeske Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 I don’t believe the OPPO has ARC regardless, and not necessary for achieving 5.1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delkat Posted December 17, 2022 Author Share Posted December 17, 2022 The Oppo has HDMI 1.4 which supports ARC not eARC. I have the Ref 6SE pre using home theatre bypass connected to the Oppo and a BAT VK6200 configured with 3 channels powering the center and surrounds connected to the Oppo along with a big SVS sub. As I mentioned, everything works fine when playing DVDs. I’ll try to plug the Roku into the front HDMI port of the Oppo later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeske Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Ahhh….interesting. I was only looking at the HDMI input at the OPPO. Good test to connect the Roku the front HDMI input. You could also connect it to the rear input I would think. Seems like if the OPPO is on, and you can select either input where the Roku is installed, and pass the signal to the BAT, it should work. And the video will be passed back to the TV. I’m guessing here, but think the issue is you can select the OPPO as a ‘player’ from the TV, (and then it’s direct processing to the BAT), but not as a ‘speaker’ source via the TV. Thus, the Roku hooked directly to the OPPO seems to make more sense. Most TV’s I’ve had will ‘see’ an AVR as a configurable speaker source in its settings, but does not ‘see’ a blue ray player as a selectable speaker source. So, the Roku at the OPPO should bypass that issue. Fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delkat Posted December 17, 2022 Author Share Posted December 17, 2022 Everything is working fine now. I found some audio pass through settings in the TV that needed to be switched from “off” to “auto”. Now the 5.1 from both the cable box and the Roku are making it to the Oppo through ARC HDMI and the Oppo is processing it and feeding all the correct analog to the 5 +1 amps. thanks for the help 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holmz Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 6 hours ago, Delkat said: Everything is working fine now. I found some audio pass through settings in the TV that needed to be switched from “off” to “auto”. Now the 5.1 from both the cable box and the Roku are making it to the Oppo through ARC HDMI and the Oppo is processing it and feeding all the correct analog to the 5 +1 amps. thanks for the help Setting up our first AVR was a pate rubbing and chin scratching festival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeske Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 @Delkat Good to hear you got it sorted. Nice that your TV has a pass-through setting, none of my Samsung’s do 👍🏼 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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