XBOX ONE X Question - (VRR Passthrough?)

[RussShaw]

Looking for some help here with my current set up.

I’ve found elsewhere online a suggestion to connect the Xbox One X straight into my Samsung HWQ90R Soundbar and utilise the 4K pass through to the TV, and then connect the TV to the soundbar.

This works fine, I’ve had no issues BUT I only recently realised I’m not taking advantage of the LGC9’s VRR capability. 
I’m fairly certain the Soundbar doesn’t allow for VRR pass through. 

Now, the flip side of this is that by connecting the Xbox One X into the TV and then running the TV to the Soundbar, is that I lose the True Dolby Atmos feature, or so I’ve read.

Does anyone else have a similar set up? And if they do, what is more beneficial? I’m sure that currently there’s no way to have both VRR and TDA so I have to choose between the two.

Will I experience much of an improvement using VRR? The C9 has a low input game mode which has proved to be great.

Not sure I want to sacrifice the Dolby if I’m not going to notice much change.

Thanks

[SjorsK]

I have absolutely no knowledge about LG TV's because I'm into Samsung (Kinda obvious for a Samsung Superuser ). But I will explain what you have to do on a Samsung TV.

Scenario. XBOX -> TV -> Soundbar (In terms of Audio Signal).
In this case you have to configure the TV on PCM/Bitrate. This will make sure that the signal will get send though unmodified. No idea if that works on LG but it does on Samsung)

That should help you with maintaining the dolby atmos signal (If it works the same as Samsung)

[Tardigrade]

Hello SjorsK,

Unfortunately that doesn't work in a Samsung Q7FN (2018). I tried all possible combinations but Atmos only works when the Xbox is connected to the soundbar directly (hw-Q90r soundbar). 

So it's not just a problem with the LG... any suggestion?

thanks!

[SjorsK]

Can you tell me what your physical setup is right now?

Can you show me what the audio settings are on the TV?

Please note that all parts of the setup (Including software, hardware and the content itself) should support it, if one part does anything wrong the quality will be immediately reduced.

[Tardigrade]

Xbox One X + Q7FN 55" + hw-Q90r soundbar. 

When the Xbox is connected to the TV, I get VRR but I lose Atmos. 

When the Xbox is connected to the AVR, I get Atmos but not VRR. 

This is a common problem that many more people has in others and this forum. 

In options bitstream is selected as input and pcm or Dolby digital as output. Whatever I select, the Xbox won't let me choose Atmos sound when using ARC connection through the TV. 

All cables are high speed. 

Thanks!

[SjorsK]

Can you make a picture of the audio screen? I think that I got the issue (Dolby digital as output) but wish to confirm it first

[Tardigrade]

Here you are:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uiRxNUhYunF2UAwTA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/F4G1jSQhjKuKPjFg8

As you can see, PCM is the output by default and it changes to Dolby Digital when the Xbox is on. If I leave it on DD or I change it to PCM, Atmos won't work. 

[SjorsK]

The first screenshot should work. Its possible for an external device to give instructions to the TV to change some settings however, I don't have an xbox myself which makes it impossible for me to test that part out.

What kind of cables do you use if I might ask (In terms of standards, high speed doesn't say much to me I'm more interested into the HDMI version, for example 1.0, 1.4 or 2.0).

If you use HDMI, do you use the ARC port on the TV?

[Tardigrade]

All should be hdmi 2.0 cables. 

Yes, I use the ARC port to connect the TV to the AVR. 

In my opinion, and based on other experiences read in other forums, the soundbar HW-Q90R is not capable of VRR passthrough and the TV Q7FN cannot do an Atmos passthrough from an external source. Therefore, we will always be forced to miss Atmos or VRR, depending on whether the source is connected to the AVR or to the TV. 

I bought the TV mainly because of the VRR capacities and the soundbar because of the Atmos sound (which is great when it's working). I feel I have wasted my money and Samsung should fix this with a firmware update.

Do you think there is still a chance this can be fixed? It looks like people are dealing with these issues for more than a year...

Thanks for your help!

[SjorsK]

Hey @Tardigrade,

Well, it sounds like everything is OK on your side so I'm kinda out of options as a fellow costumer, hopefully a Samsung Moderator will read this topic soon and (hopefully) forward it towards the devs because unmodified passthough should be possible.

It might also be the case that they (or another superuser) have alternative ideas but it was definitely a good idea to respond here (The more responses with certain issues, the higher the priority gets ).