One ARC output on AVR, two ARC devices

Sh4rkie

Sh4rkie

Sh4rkie

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I'm hunting for a solution to have two ARC devices (TV and projector) connected via what i hope will be a HDMI switch to my AVR's output 1 which supports ARC.

I want to switch between either the TV (4K120) or projector (4K120 or FHD240) and get the Atmos audio from both using TV Audio (ARC) on the AVR. My main gaming rig is connected to the projector because i want either 120 or 240 output direct to it and my AVR only supports 4K60 plus it would be a nightmare to cable up to. Both devices output DV / Atmos from the native apps and I just want the AVR processing the sound depending which i'm watching. At the moment i physically swap the AVR output between the two respective HDMI cables from each device and independently it works perfectly. I want to cut out that manual swapping of cables though.

I've tried a few bi-directional switchers without success and want to avoid audio extraction via optical because of the downgrade in audio signal away from Atmos.

Apart from upgrading the AVR and cabling more things back to it, is there a fesible solution to switch between the ARC devices retaining Atmos from both?
 
Having a look at 8500 (a top end AVR) only has one ARC input. They do have two outputs though.

One solution is to have a source with all the apps you need, that way you don't use ARC..but you'd need a latest HDMI 2.1 for 4K 120hz but doubt they would support 240hz.

In which case you'd want a device where you are using video format higher than the AVR supports to have seperate video + audio...and I'm not sure if it works because with HDMI it'll see the AVR as 60hz capable only so drop it down to that.

HDMI is a major problem
 
My TV (2019) eARC and amp (2012) ARC are not compatible with each other so I use an eARC to HDMI adapter to pull the sound from the TV when using built in apps to a standard HDMI in on the amp. It's under £40 on Amazon. Anything going through the amp goes to the TV using standard HDMI. Optical only gave compressed 5.1 but the adapter seems to light up every option available on my amp from the TV when playing the Xbox through it.

edit: looks exactly like one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assmann-Digitus-HDMI-converter-splitter/dp/B0BJ6GQ69D

Purely used for audio, I don't put any video through it.
 
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Steeps said:
My TV (2019) eARC and amp (2012) ARC are not compatible with each other so I use an eARC to HDMI adapter to pull the sound from the TV when using built in apps to a standard HDMI in on the amp. It's under £40 on Amazon. Anything going through the amp goes to the TV using standard HDMI. Optical only gave compressed 5.1 but the adapter seems to light up every option available on my amp from the TV when playing the Xbox through it.

edit: looks exactly like one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assmann-Digitus-HDMI-converter-splitter/dp/B0BJ6GQ69D

Purely used for audio, I don't put any video through it.
Click to expand...

Not sure that will work he would need a two in, one out e-arc adapter?
 
Depends which device is closest to the amp, I'd assume TV with the placement of the speakers and other devices plugged in vs projector at the back of the room. Leave the projector on the amp's ARC port and use (TV)eARC -> (amp)HDMI in using adapter for TV sound with a (amp)HDMI out -> (tv)HDMI in for return if for any reason something is played through the amp back to the tv. I've not got my projector included in the loop as it's also too old for audio processing (and only 1080p) but everything in my system 1080p60 goes through my amp, processes sound and hdmi to tv or hdmi to projector, then everything 4k120 goes direct to the tv and tv native apps back to the amp using EARC->HDMI in. Before getting the box I used to use optical out but as already mentioned that's only 5.1.
 
Thanks all for the comments, some miss the mark on the question but appreciate the feedback!

This is the dilemma i face and as @Steeps said, certain devices are plugged in to certain other devices for proximity reasons but also to minimise latency and maintain speed with a 4K60 AVR in the middle limiting things.

I want the devices + apps on both the TV and Projector to pass audio to the AVR when they're the source, then i want the devices plugged in the AVR to output to the display devices (TV / Projector) when it's the source. I can achieve this in isolation if i swap the HDMI cable from the TV or projector into the AVR Output 1 ARC port, but that's a manual effort. I'm looking to see if there is a switch or similar to do this to save the unplugging and plugging in faff plus avoid wear over time on the AVR HDMI out socket. Although i have considered a short pigtail HDMI 2.1 extension cable to move that wear and tear off the AVR socket as a last resort if a switch like device isn't feasible.

Code: 
                     +-----------------------+
                     |      PROJECTOR        |  (4K120 / FHD 240)
                     |  HDMI 1 (eARC)     <--------------------------------+
                     |  HDMI 2               |                             |
                     |    +-----------------+|                             |
                     |    | 2 in 1 out HDMI <----- Gaming PC (4K120/FHD240)|
                     |    | Switch          <----- Laptop                  |
                     |  In-built Apps        |                             |
                     +-----------------------+                             |
                                                                           |
+------------------------+                +------------------------+       |
|         AVR            |                |          TV 4K120      |       |
|  HDMI OUT 1 (ARC)   <---------->X<----->|  eARC Connector        |       |
|  HDMI x - HTPC         |        ^       |  Input x - Console     |       |
|  HDMI x - CCTV         |        |       |  In-built Apps         |       |
|  HDMI x - MISC         |        |       +------------------------+       |
|  (4K60 Max Output)     |        |                                        |
+------------------------+        ------------------------------------------
 
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