How best to connect my devices?

[apjoseph]

Hi,

I need some advice as to how to best set up my system please and thank you in advance.

Current setup:

TV: KD65XG9505

Soundbar: HT-ZF9

eARC from TV HDMI3 port into soundbar. On soundbar: HDMI1 – TiVo and HDMI2 – XBOX One X.

What do I want to achieve?
I want to add an Apple TV 4K to my setup and I am not sure how best to configure it as soundbar only has 2 HDMI ports. The plan is to run all my apps and services via Apple TV, and play on XBOX now-and-then. TiVo usage is minimal.

• Should I simply connect TiVo directly to TV HDMI, say port 2 and connect Apple TV into the Soundbar, so HDMI1 on soundbar is Apple TV?
• Or, should I connect Apple TV direct to TV and leave the set up as it is?

I am not sure if best to run devices via the soundbar, or direct to TV.

All devices are connected on HDMI cable 2.1.

Many thanks,

Arun

[royabrown2]

@apjoseph 

I’m reading the spec for the HT-ZF9, and seeing only ARC, not eARC:-

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/sound-bars/ht-zf9/specifications
which, unless there has been a firmware upgrade not yet factored into Sony’s specs, means that anything you want state-of-the-art sound from needs to be connected to the soundbar, which can pass no-compromise video to the TV.

Whereas the converse is not true - although the TV has eARC, when it negotiates with the soundbar it will see only ARC there, so it will drop to being an ARC connection only.

So I would put the ATV on the soundbar.

As to which device to move to the TV, it will be whichever of the XBOX and the TiVo has its audio least compromised by having to go back to the soundbar over ARC. So I will let you look at the audio specs of the two devices in order to decide that.

If it’s a draw between them, then it will be down to your personal preference. 

Or I might plug both into the TV, so you don’t need to keep switchIng the soundbar Inputs, and it can hopefully just toggle automatically between the ATV and ARC from the TV.

Whatever is easiest, if the audio from both isn’t compromised.

[rooobb · Accepted solution]

HT-ZF9 was upgraded to eARC some months ago via firmware update, so whichever set up you choose should be equivalent  https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/home-theater-sound-bars-home-theater-systems/ht-zf9/downl...

[royabrown2]

@rooobb @apjoseph 

And even before that update, as it is listed under previous updates.

So good to know, as long as @apjoseph has the update that brought this, or can install the one you reference.

So eARC can handle everything the AppleTV can throw at it, no compromises at all, and none in the TV either?

I guess I will have to let my post stand only as guidance for those who don’t have eARC, then.

[apjoseph]

Thanks for all the replies.

Yep, I have eARC on the soundbar and with the latest firmware.

So, here are my findings:

- Apple TV: When I connect directly to the soundbar, I was unable to get Dolby Vision and all I was able to get was 4K SDR. I plugged it directly to the TV, I was able to immediately get full Dolby Vision and 4K HDR.

-XBOX: When I connect it directly to the TV, there is massive lag, but once I plug it into the soundbar, I get no lag and able to play games (tested on Battlefield 4 & latest Halo) as one would expect. I am, however, unable to get HDR10 for gaming and I get a warning that the TV does not support 4K 10bit 50&60Hz.

Thanks,

Arun

[rooobb]

I guess the soundbar too has to be set on enhanced hdmi to let hdr pass through 

[apjoseph]

Hi, rooobb,

Yep, I had changed it from 'standard' to 'enhanced' for both ports on the soundbar, but to no avail.

Thanks,

[Tonycv51]

Can i check you changed it to enhanced on the TV as well? 

[apjoseph]

eARC was not turned 'on' the TV - just ARC. Once I enabled it, wow! It has sorted all my issues. Many, many thanks for all who helped me and advised me.

Now all my devices run with no warnings and/or on with Dobly Vision.

I had no idea that eARC was 'off' on the TV as default. Once I connected all the devices to the TV, including my TiVo, I can now control it all with my one Sony TV control, which is very nice. This was not possible when it was connected to the soundbar.

So, thank you!