#Sonos playbase tv#
But if you're watching movies or shows from a cable box, Blu-ray or DVD player or external streaming box like a Roku, most TVs are unable to pass through a 5.1-channel Dolby Digital signal from the source device through the TV and out the fiberoptic port. Most TVs can pass 5.1 channel Dolby Digital sound out of their fiberoptic digital outputs (and into the PlayBar) when you are watching TV using the set's built-in ATSC TV tuner, or when you are using the streaming apps (like Netflix, Vudu or Amazon Video) built into the TV itself.
#Sonos playbase update#
Update (March, 2017): The same advice applies to the SONOS PlayBase TV platform speaker as it uses the same type of fiberoptic input as the PlayBar as well as similar audio processing. Assuming you've configured the speakers correctly in the Sonos set-up (Play:1s and sub are grouped with the PlayBar in a single system with the Play:1s set up as surround speakers), you will get discrete 5.1 channel surround sound when the PlayBar receives 5.1 channel surround sound, and that's where things can get a little tricky.īy adding a pair of Play:1 or Play:3 speakers and a Sub to the Sonos PlayBar, you can get discrete 5.1 surround sound, without complicated wiring. The Sonos PlayBar is a great product for streaming music and can make huge improvements in your TV sound quality, but it's not actually that simple to get real discrete surround sound out of it, even when you add the Play:1 rear speakers and a subwoofer. We actually get this question a lot from friends and from readers, not just about the Sonos PlayBar but about other soundbars that offer true 5.1 channel surround sound options. Could this be the problem? How can I tell if I'm getting 5.1 sound? And if I'm not, what can I do about it? I know that a lot of my Blu-rays are in DTS and I see that the PlayBar doesn't support DTS sound. My TV is a Samsung LED and my Blu-ray player is Samsung too. Very little sound comes from the Play:1 speakers in the back, even on movies that I know have a lot of surround information. Everything sounds good, but I'm pretty sure I'm not getting real surround sound. I plug my TV's digital audio fiber optic output into the PlayBar.
![sonos playbase sonos playbase](https://www.want.nl/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Sonos-Playbase-00.jpg)
I plug all my devices (cable box, Blu-ray player, Roku) into my TV using HDMI cables. After reading your review of the Sonos PlayBar, I bought one, as well as some Play:1 speakers and a subwoofer so I could do a simple 5.1 surround sound system from my TV.