What is going on with eARC update for the soundbar HW-Q90R?

[zhspence]

Hi everyone,

I need some clarification, as to be honest the Samsung support staff are hopeless with knowing anything about their own products. 

I was on chat with support enquiring about the eARC firmware update for this soundbar, he replies to me saying it doesn't have eARC?! 

the whole reason I purchased it was because of this update, I have the LG C9 which is eARC!

if they don't provide this firmware update to allow it, then this soundbar is going back for a refund. 

[Viktorn]

I must put in my 2 cents cuz I've been following this discussion. 

There are several types of HDMI and if this soundbar has HDMI 2.0b (released in 2016) it should be able to handle Dolby true HD / DTS-HD Master audio among other things (Auto lip sync, up to 5K resolution at 30Hz etc). Maybe with a firmware update. But it will never support eARC. 

Since it's Samsung 2019 flagship soundbar you might expect it to pack the latest tech (HDMI 2.1, released 2017). That would make it very future proof. Then it could support eARC, up to 8K at 30Hz among other things. 

The thing is, almost no media to day needs that kind of speed since most is merely HD, 4K at most. There will be a long time the HDMI 2.1 will be needed I think.

What I would like to know, does anybody know what kind of HDMI is in the soundbar?

[SuissoNaBisso]

Well at least eARC can be on HDMI 2.o too :
https://hdguru.com/firmware-updates-for-earc-begin-to-arrive/

[mike1986krk]

I doubt Samsung will implement HDMI 2.1 in 2020 soundbars. Soundbar doesn't need it. HDMI 2.0b with potential eARC support gives the maximum features possible when it comes to sound.

[Viktorn]

Yeah, but if it is HDMI 2.0b they could upgrade it to use all the bandwidth for sound (preferred), then it could use the eARC features that regards to sound handelling all the best sound formats, but it would be on the cost of 4K, 5K etc passthrough (eARC would be able to do both). Guess, if it's HDMI 2.0b you can always connect other devices straight to the tv. 

But I'm no expert. Just looking for answers..

[SuissoNaBisso]

Well if you using ARC / eARC connection, this means by default that you're not using the bandwidth for video signal, only for sound.

So you can definitely use the 18 Gbps for lossless sound. 

And when connecting a device directly to soundbar via HDMI 2.0b you're already sending 4K HDR video signal + lossless audio so bandwidth can do it !

eARC is just changing the limit to carry audio signal to receiver, but it doesn't require an higher bandwidth than what is already available with HDMI 2.0

[Viktorn]

Alright, so there we have it. 

The soundbar is capable of delivering the sound and the HDMI's (ARC/eARC support) have the speed required to transport lossless sound, so in the future when it becomes more readily available (through streams and such) we will be able to listen to true lossless sounds. That's enough for me:)

Guess it would be bad business for Samsung to make a 7.1.4 soundsystem that, due to inputs/outputs bandwidth, could only get up to 5.1 surround. They know what they are doing, hopefully. 

Thanks.

[AS2107]

From all that one can make out from this thread, looks like it will take years before we have enough content and the right equipment which can handle Dolby Atmos. There are far too many issues one can see.

[Viktorn]

Naaa.

At the moment the soundbar fully supports Dolby Digital+ and DTS-X (DD+ can deliver Atmos). Most of the streaming services stream in those (I think). It's when you have blue rayes and stuff like that when you need Dolby true HD and DTS HD master audio witch deliver true lossless audio, the way I understand it that's where this firmware update is needed. 

But it's true, there is not much content in Atmos, but this soundbar should be able to deliver.

But again, I'm no expert. 

[mike1986krk]

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@Viktorn wrote:

Naaa.

At the moment the soundbar fully supports Dolby Digital+ and DTS-X (DD+ can deliver Atmos). Most of the streaming services stream in those (I think). It's when you have blue rayes and stuff like that when you need Dolby true HD and DTS HD master audio witch deliver true lossless audio, the way I understand it that's where this firmware update is needed. 

But it's true, there is not much content in Atmos, but this soundbar should be able to deliver.

But again, I'm no expert. 

---

eARC is something more then just bandwidth. It also delivers obligatory lip sync and few others improvements, even for lossy Atmos.

[Viktorn]

Yeah, but the HDMI 2.0b is sufficient enough to handle that according to what I was looking at at least. .