Soundbar from receiver ARC (2 Viewers)

[Danklin26]

Hi all. I can’t seem to find a solution to my situation. In a bedroom, have an older Samsung TV with two HDMI inputs(no ARC) a Denon S900w receiver, a couple streaming boxes and a gaming console. Been using 5 surround sound speakers and want to downsize to a soundbar. The receiver has two monitor outs, one having ARC. Can I use this to connect to a soundbar and have the receiver output audio only, then use the other monitor out to go to the tv for video? If not are there any recommendations on connecting this? I would like to use the receiver as an AV hub/switch.

The soundbar I’m looking at is the Polk Magnifi mini AX, which has ARC.

Thanks.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Soundbars aren't really compatible with wired receivers. Your best bet is buying a new tv. I can't imagine that Samsung has many more years left in it anyway.

 

[JohnRice]

As Joel already said, you don’t use soundbars with a receiver. It’s one or the other. There’s just no reason to try to use both.

 

[Danklin26]

Thanks for the quick replies. That’s what I was afraid of but figured I’d see if it was even possible. So I think I’d need an HDMI switch as I have more devices than most tv’s have inputs. How do I go about connecting a switch to a soundbar and the TV? Thanks

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

You could probably get a matrix HDMI switcher, ie. a switcher w/ dual HDMI outputs, although my experience w/ one 4K-capable model (from Cable Matters) wasn't so great, but if you don't need one to fully handle 4K/HDR10/DV (plus Atmos), just need 1080p+audio, shouldn't be a problem at all (and could probably even get something cheaper).

_Man_

 

[Danklin26]

It’s a very small bedroom and decided I want to free up the floor space by not having speakers and wire strewn about, and I know wireless speakers exist but they suck for surrounds. I have a proper SS system in my living room

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I haven't looked at soundbar models in a couple of years, but when I last bought one there were some models with several HDMI inputs on the market. The Polk model we have at our South Carolina condo has three inputs, for example (although I am only using one for a Roku, plus the Arc port to the display). If you can find a soundbar with enough HDMI ports, it should alleviate the need for a separate switching device.

 

[xx Brian xx]

You could look at buying a passive soundbar that will connect to the receiver.

 

[Danklin26]

Lol wardog disliked my reply. Lol who does that? I’m literally telling you what I want and have

 

[Lord Dalek]

You could look at buying a passive soundbar that will connect to the receiver.

Not unless he wants to spend 3 to 5x what he was going to pay on that Polk.

Basically there are two options here.

A. Get the Polk and a new tv that will support ARC/CEC and have enough inputs for your many streaming boxes.

B. Get the Polk but connect it via Optical which would be compressed and even then you're still stuck with more external devices than you have inputs.

Either way, downsizing is a lot harder than upgrading.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Lol wardog disliked my reply. Lol who does that? I’m literally telling you what I want and have

Ignore him. He did something similar in another soundbar thread. He has some irrational bias against the devices, regardless of the person's needs.

 

[JohnRice]

Lol wardog disliked my reply. Lol who does that? I’m literally telling you what I want and have

He's ridiculed my feedback as well. So I'd say you're in good company.

 

[JohnRice]

You might consider trying a 3.0/1 setup instead. You can use the hardware you have now. Just eliminate the surround speakers and deactivate them in the receiver. It'll do the same processing you get with a soundbar to try to mimic surrounds with the main speakers. Soundbars are kind of marketing voodoo, in my opinion. They are also intended mostly for very minimal systems.

 

[Edwin-S]

I'm thinking you may be able to use the receiver HDMI inputs for your gear out to the TV then use the optical out from the TV to the soundbar, so long as you don't care about lossless audio and ATMOS.

 

[Edwin-S]

It’s a very small bedroom and decided I want to free up the floor space by not having speakers and wire strewn about, and I know wireless speakers exist but they suck for surrounds. I have a proper SS system in my living room

I think he was disagreeing with your statement that wireless speakers suck as surround speakers.