How would I configure this? HDMI 2.0, 4k@60Hz, NUC, sound bar

Participant · 10 Jul 2016 at 11:52

Hi all

I'm buying a Skull Canyon NUC for my 4K TV as I want to be able to watch 4K video at 60Hz on it.

However I'm also going to introduce a sound bar into the equation. I ideally want to avoid another AV receiver with surround sound in the living room as we have another cinema room for that and this is more of a formal room, but how would I connect the media PC to the 4K TV as well as get HD sound from the PC to the sound bar?

I was thinking I can connect as follows, with two HDMI cables:

NUC HDMI 2.0----[video+audio]---> sound bar ---> TV

...however are there any sound bars that would take the audio signal and pass through the video to the TV at the right resolution and frequency? Or do I need to either:

a) forget the sound bar and have the HDMI cable going straight from NUC to TV (rubbish sound)
b) buy an AV receiver that supports HDMI 2.0?

Thanks.

Grimley · 10 Jul 2016 at 14:24

Participant said:
a) forget the sound bar and have the HDMI cable going straight from NUC to TV (rubbish sound)

This. But if you have digital optical out (Toslink) on your telly (my ickle 32" 1080p telly does) connect the soundbar (if said bar has an input for it, most have) using this. OK it won't be HD sound but figuring that some streaming services don't do this anyway you'll get DD/DTS instead, which via a soundbar will still sound better than telly speakers.

chaparral · 10 Jul 2016 at 16:06

How about something like one these HDMI audio Extractor things http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HDMI-HDMI...302894?hash=item33b04f0d6e:g:p2gAAOSwBahVAspy

And send the audio to your sound bar (instead of the Audio amp that in the picture)

james.miller · 10 Jul 2016 at 16:09

forget HD audio with a soundbar, complete waste of time.

Grimley said:
This. But if you have digital optical out (Toslink) on your telly (my ickle 32" 1080p telly does) connect the soundbar (if said bar has an input for it, most have) using this. OK it won't be HD sound but figuring that some streaming services don't do this anyway you'll get DD/DTS instead, which via a soundbar will still sound better than telly speakers.

that.

dbmzk1 · 10 Jul 2016 at 23:26

Just use the audio out of the TV, simple and easy.

jpaul · 11 Jul 2016 at 10:59

if you did not already invest in the soundbar, and the sound quality from the nuc is a priority, as opposed to inbuilt tv tuner sound, have you contemplated either bluetooth or wireless speakers driven directly via the nuc.

Participant · 12 Jul 2016 at 20:11

Thanks for the replies.

Grimley said:
This. But if you have digital optical out (Toslink) on your telly (my ickle 32" 1080p telly does) connect the soundbar (if said bar has an input for it, most have) using this. OK it won't be HD sound but figuring that some streaming services don't do this anyway you'll get DD/DTS instead, which via a soundbar will still sound better than telly speakers.

james.miller said:
forget HD audio with a soundbar, complete waste of time.

dbmzk1 said:
Just use the audio out of the TV, simple and easy.

Good shout. Will the TV optical out probably pass through DTS from video files on the NUC using this method?

chaparral said:
How about something like one these HDMI audio Extractor things http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HDMI-HDMI...302894?hash=item33b04f0d6e:g:p2gAAOSwBahVAspy

And send the audio to your sound bar (instead of the Audio amp that in the picture)

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d9/chaparral02/Untitled_13.png~original[IMG][/URL][/QUOTE]

How is this better than using the TV's optical out?

[quote="jpaul, post: 29766900"]if you did not already invest in the soundbar, and the sound quality from the nuc is a priority, as opposed to inbuilt tv tuner sound, have you contemplated either bluetooth or wireless speakers driven directly via the nuc.[/QUOTE]

Bluetooth or wireless wouldn't improve SQ relative to the NUC--[HDMI]-->TV--[Optical]-->sound bar solution being suggest above though, would it? It wouldn't be using the 'inbuilt tv tuner sound'.

And the AV unit I bought for the living room was specifically purchased to house a large wide sound bar, so has a gaping hole in the middle for one, making wireless speakers difficult as I've promised a solution that fits a formal room.

jpaul · 12 Jul 2016 at 22:12

.. for taking sound directly from NUC proposal - I was thinking of two compact speakers (so 2.0) more optimally placed than a soundbar / better soundstage. Nuc maybe more powerful/flexible than soundbar to equalize and collapse 5.1 to 2.0.
Using wireless(wifi) speakers no compression losses, but even bluetooth with apt-x is good.
(I guess you do not have another hifi system in this room you are trying to connect into)

with the soundbar I would only consider a digital/optical input (at least with the panasonic et60 tv I have, the analog out and the internal dac's are not very good quality and no equalizer either )

Tom B · 15 Jul 2016 at 11:56

I have a Sony CT380 soundbar and it allows passing through 4k images so it is possible. I wouldn't recommend this model though though as the sound quality isn't fantastic.

Vertigo · 15 Jul 2016 at 14:33

Participant said:
Good shout. Will the TV optical out probably pass through DTS from video files on the NUC using this method?

Don't think so but HDMI will.

Assuming the TV has an ARC capable HDMI connection, just hook the soundbar up to that. All your sources go into the TV and the TV will just pass through the sound of whichever input is selected to the soundbar. By far the simplest solution and also works with built-in sources on the TV itself such as Netflix or Amazon Prime.

I use this system myself with external Sky Q, Bluray & Steam Link sources plus built-in Netflix, Amazon Prime and Plex.

dbmzk1 · 16 Jul 2016 at 07:39

Most TVs will output the decoded audio via optical, usually in stereo. Neither of which are a problem for a soundbar though.

Vertigo · 18 Jul 2016 at 07:54

dbmzk1 said:
Most TVs will output the decoded audio via optical, usually in stereo. Neither of which are a problem for a soundbar though.

Of course it's a problem, if only because the vast majority of soundbars come with a sub, making them 2.1 systems. If you use optical and the TV mixes everything down to basic stereo then the soundbar will have to try to split the low frequencies back out again to forward to the sub which is hardly ideal.

Vertigo · 18 Jul 2016 at 07:56

Tom B said:
I have a Sony CT380 soundbar and it allows passing through 4k images so it is possible. I wouldn't recommend this model though though as the sound quality isn't fantastic.

For anyone looking to purchase a Sony soundbar, be aware that they've changed things and the CT380's replacement, the CT390, now only has a single HDMI connection and won't do passthrough. The larger CT790 still has multiple HDMI connections.

dbmzk1 · 18 Jul 2016 at 17:47

Vertigo1 said:
Of course it's a problem, if only because the vast majority of soundbars come with a sub, making them 2.1 systems. If you use optical and the TV mixes everything down to basic stereo then the soundbar will have to try to split the low frequencies back out again to forward to the sub which is hardly ideal.

Even the best sound bars do not produce audio of high enough clarity for it to make any real noticeable difference, imo of course.