topic Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar in Audio & Video

Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

Mike_krk — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 13:20:44 GMT

Hi, since few days I am an owner of a Samsung HW-Q80R soundbar in pair with Philips 55OLED854 SmartTV. Searching the Internet back and forth I found no certain answer to the following problems:

1. Does Samsung HW-Q80R has ARC or eARC?

2. Does it support Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD?

3. If it does not have eARC, is it possible for Samsung to change it to eARC via firmware update?

4. Does it support DTS-HD or DTS-Master?

I also saw these topics:

https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Home-Theater/LIp-Sync-issue/m-p/804655

and

https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Home-Theater/Audio-Lag-On-HW-Q80R-Soundbar/m-p/722526

And I do wonder: if I own a SmartTV with Netflix app installed (so TV is the only source), how can I "connect my source directly to soundbar and soundbar output to tv, so Sound will go out of soundbar without any lag, and video will pass through to tv"? Is it even possible in my configuration? What should I do to get the bes possible audio quality?

Best regards!

Mike

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

SuissoNaBisso — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 13:53:34 GMT

Hi, I have the Q90R which is supposed to be the same product just with extra rear speakers.

I confirm all these formats you mentioned are compatible with the Samsung soundbar howeever only if device is directly connect to HDMI input, not from ARC as this is not eARC ! have an LG 65C9 TV with HDMI2.1 qnd eARC and no HD sounds goes to the soundbar through ARC meaning this is not eARC.

Many websites mentioned the Q90R soundbar got the eARC compatibility through latest update but finally not...so I guess Samsung shared this info with them, but this company is so horrible in terms of communication / support service that I now have big doubts on this....

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

Mike_krk — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 15:36:04 GMT

So basically, no one knows what's going on, and after all we paid a lot of $$$ for a hardware that was suppose to bring us cinema experience, but in fact it can't even play losless 5.1, not to mention a common Netflix lipcyns issue.

This is pathethic.

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

zhspence — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 17:14:10 GMT

EARC comes to all 2019 TVs and Q series soundbars next month via firmware update it’s been confirmed.

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

Soul_ — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 06:55:36 GMT

So, next month happened and then another next month happened and now we are in the third next month.

No eARC. Where is it??

@zhspence wrote:
EARC comes to all 2019 TVs and Q series soundbars next month via firmware update it’s been confirmed.

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

DAtky — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 07:32:22 GMT

LG has a new soundbar coming!

it has eARC.

if nothing else it may spur Samsung into a update fearing loss of sales over the competition??

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

Soul_ — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 15:14:59 GMT

@DAtky wrote:
LG has a new soundbar coming!
it has eARC.
if nothing else it may spur Samsung into a update fearing loss of sales over the competition??

I am not sure if that will help the current soundbars get eARC, which all reviewers said will get eARC in summer 2019.

Samsung is a very nickel and diming company which doesn't really care about customers. They will just release new bars with eARC and not bother fulfilling current bars with eARC.

Should have gone Sony, they updated all their older capable models with eARC.

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

slim_shady — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:16:19 GMT

sorry, I'm really confused now. was just about to purchase the LG C9 and an hw-q80r ...does the soundbar support e-arc or not? I want to play atmos enabled movies through the TV Plex app and have the atmos sent back through the hdmi arc port....

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

zhspence — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:18:40 GMT

The soundbar does not support eARC

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

Soul_ — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:19:01 GMT

None of the samsung sound bars support eARC as of yet.

The reviewers have officially lied to consumers on every single website. I have a Q80R sound bar, and I can confirm, I do not have eARC till now. Been waiting for over 6 months.

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

zhspence — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:20:47 GMT

I have the Q90 soundbar although it’s good, I’ll never buy a Samsung item again. They don’t give a ***** about their customers. Even their lineup for 2020 soundbars sounds ***** tbh

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

slim_shady — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:28:08 GMT

cheers guys. i read all the reviews and they banged on about e-arc support ...how really strange & confusing. ah well, they've just lost my business! ...looks like I'll have to put off the upgrade for another year!! 😞

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

Soul_ — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:30:57 GMT

My recommendation, go with 9 or 10 series LG soundbar by Meridian, or buy a Sony. They are both just as good.

EDIT: and to what I know, they have had eARC since summer 2019.

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

slim_shady — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:46:00 GMT

the SL10YG doesn't support e-arc either, and doesn't have the sound quality of the hw-q80r (the speakers are much smaller), and the Sony HT-ST5000 is coming up to 2 years old now, and doesn't support e-arc either. All the reviews complimented the Atmos quality on the hw-q80r, but without the ability to pass atmos through the arc channel is ridiculous! I'm not wasting £1000 on old outdated tech! shame on you Samsung!!

(sorry, it looks like the Sony had the e-arc f/w update, but anyway, has no options to add rear speakers at later date)

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

zhspence — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:45:58 GMT

The new LG soundbars annouced for 2020 will have eARC and 7.1.4 with surround speakers and upfiring speakers in the surrounds too. The sony ST-5000 is two years old and DOES have eARC they added it in a firmware update in 2018.

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

DonnyAtmos — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 07:18:40 GMT

Where is Update? its 2020's:)

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

Soul_ — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 16:52:29 GMT

@DonnyAtmos wrote:
Where is Update? its 2020's:)

It is where we cant find it.

Jokes aside, I was speaking to a lawyer buddy of mine, and he said that this could be a good class action case against all the reviewers who said eARC will be available, or is supported on these soundbars. And based on their testimonies, charges could be brought up against Samsung on it. The only catch, there has to be atleast 40 of us alleging to bring the charges up against the reviewers.

Legal fee alone would hurt these reviewers enough for them to never lie again.

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

DAtky — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 16:54:51 GMT

Let's not be hasty,

let's just all shell out a load more money,

like Samsung want us to on the latest 2020

bars

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

Soul_ — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 17:00:50 GMT

Not that much more, considering that we have a valid case which will make the reviewers and samsung corp pay.

Re: Dolby TrueHD and eARC on Samsung Q80R Soundbar

Frans83 — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 13:47:27 GMT

@slim_shady wrote:

sorry, I'm really confused now. was just about to purchase the LG C9 and an hw-q80r ...does the soundbar support e-arc or not? I want to play atmos enabled movies through the TV Plex app and have the atmos sent back through the hdmi arc port....

If you have an LG C9, the soundbar doesn't need to have eARC, which it hasn't. LG comes with a 2020 line, which does have it and because of this, they probably won't give the older models the earc through a firmware update. If that is the case (and that's 90% sure), Samsung will follow this pattern.
Anyway....You have an C9 which does have eARC and that is all you need. Atmos signal can be passed throught, through a normal ARC, only not lossless and compressed and wrapped in the DD+ signal. eARC sends it lossless through to you soundbar/avr. So the only thing you will really need is a soundbar which is Atmos comptible and you will have the best signal Atmos can deliver.