Misc Integration Questions

[Time2Jet]

I'm finding out that after spending a fortune on a new Sonos ARC Soundbar, a new Gen3 Sub and 2 Sonos Fives, I might not get the Atmos I was looking to do!  The source is AppleTV 4K (which works wonderfully when it's fed though and out of my Denon X8500 to the media room (passive 9.2.4 setup), but may have issues with my Samsung Q9FN setup in the room I just bought the Sonos ARC for.

I am hearing the NVIDIA Shield works with the same setup, but no one has tested the AppleTV 4K.  Any thoughts here?  Also, if I do end up having to do the Shield Pro, what's the driver situation?

Lastly, if I move to an LG or Sony display with eARC, which integrates best?  Thanks!

[Pounce]

18 minutes ago, time2jet said:

I'm finding out that after spending a fortune on a new Sonos ARC Soundbar, a new Gen3 Sub and 2 Sonos Fives, I might not get the Atmos I was looking to do!  The source is AppleTV 4K (which works wonderfully when it's fed though and out of my Denon X8500 to the media room (passive 9.2.4 setup), but may have issues with my Samsung Q9FN setup in the room I just bought the Sonos ARC for.

I am hearing the NVIDIA Shield works with the same setup, but no one has tested the AppleTV 4K.  Any thoughts here?  Also, if I do end up having to do the Shield Pro, what's the driver situation?

Lastly, if I move to an LG or Sony display with eARC, which integrates best?  Thanks!

Shield works great. Use an IrUSB from VideoStorm for control. There are drivers.  I have Atmos working well on a Marantz SR6014.

Why use any eARC/ARC at all? Are you using the TV smart apps for something you can't do on your ATV4K?

[Time2Jet]

Shield works great. Use an IrUSB from VideoStorm for control. There are drivers.  I have Atmos working well on a Marantz SR6014.

Why use any eARC/ARC at all? Are you using the TV smart apps for something you can't do on your ATV4K?

Maybe I am confusing myself.  The audio in that room is the new Sonos ARC. I'm installing a new A/V matrix, so this room will no run through the Denon, but over HDBaseT baluns (fully capable of Atmos).  The HDMI out of the receiver balun goes into the Samsung TV and out to the Sonos via optical right now (the old Sonos Playbar).  So I am hearing that since I don't have eARC on the Samsung TV, I might be SOL with Atmos.  It gets tricky.

[Pounce]

Yea, no Atmos over optical. Not possible.

You can probably use an HDFury device ahead of the TV port to split the audio to the Sonos Arc. I haven't researched it, but they seems to be doing a lot of good magic around ARC and eARC these days in addition to the video magic. Or maybe your Balun company has an option for splitting.

I thought those Sonos Arc's had an HDMI in and an HDMI out, but it looks like they don't. That was my confusion on the use of eARC.