Playing audio through home stereo system
When watching TV programming via my cable box I am able to play the audio through my home stereo receiver and speakers. However, when the programming is coming via my Roku Express the audio is onl...
Forum Discussion
Similar problems here. Have an HDMI cord running from my tv to my cable box. Also have an HDMI chord running from my tv to my AVR (an old Panasonic 5.1). I have a third HDMI chord going from my tv to my Roku Ultra. The cable (HDMI 1) will play sound thru the AVR but when I switch to my Roku in HDMI 3, it still plays the cable volume while showing the Roku video. What am I doing wrong? Older tv (hence the Roku Ultra) and I don't believe I can connect the Roku to the AVR directly (can only connect it to the cable box). Lost at what to do next...
Z-Licious If you have an AVR, you shouldn't be connecting the devices to the TV. They should connect directly to the AVR, and then use the HDMI between the AVR and TV as your TV audio feed via ARC. Why do you not believe you can connect directly to the AVR? Lack of available HDMI ports?
Thanks for your reply. I don't believe the TV has an ARC but it's so **bleep** heavy I cannot check. The other issue is that I have all the electronics in a closet (because the TV hangs over a fireplace) and the cables run thru the wall so I can't add/subtract anything else at this point. If I'm only connecting my TV to the AVR via an HDMI, then should I connect the cable box directly to the AVR, as well, via HDMI? My AVR only has 2 HDMI ports so then I won't be able to connect my Roku to the AVR because I won't have any free ports available. Am I up sh*t's creek?
You didn't mention using an optical cable, so I assumed you were using ARC to feed the audio back to the AVR. And that might be the issue with the Roku. Most audio online is now being sent using Dolby Digital+ (EAC3). Most TVs will not send that out via optical from an external device. If you change the audio out on your Roku from Auto to Stereo, you might get sound then, but of course it won't be 5.1.
Yeah, an AVR with only 2 HDMI inputs is really limited. Might be time to consider an update. I think both of mine have at least four jacks, and many today have 5-6 HDMI inputs. If you decide to go looking, I'd suggest trying to future-proof as much as you can, so an AVR with HDMI 2.1 jacks, and 4K/HDR/Dolby Vision support would be smart. It doesn't have to be an expensive AVR. My Yamaha RX-V 583 (discontinued) that supports Dolby Vision was only around $350 or so. It even supports Atmos. From what I can see online, AVRs supporting DV can be found around $300.
