Hi all,
I have a satellite box (capable of UHD etc.) called a zgemma H7S with a Samsung UE49MU7000 TV. To date I have connected my old AV system to the TV and the Satellite Box to the TV - both via HDMI and the Surrond system has been left in Dobly Prologic and I was quite okay with that. The old AV system just blew up so I had to rush out and get a replacement.
I chose a soundbar for ease of use (no trailing wires) and got the best I could afford at the moment i.e. the Samsung HW-Q700A - 3.1.2 system with Dolby Atmos/DTS:X. I didn't shell out the extra £250+ for the wireless rear speakers (yet) and porbably never will.
I completely get that I am not going to get "proper atmos" or proper DTS:X as all the speakers are inside the bar (apart from the subwoofer that is) but I want to get the best I can with what I have and I have a connectivity question. To get the best sound possible from the Satellite box with what I have, should I now connect the Satellite Box to the (non ARC) HDMI port on the TV or the (non ARC) HDMI port on the Soundbar (and then the Soundbar to the TV via the ARC HDMI ports) or should I continue to plug the Satellite Box directly into the TV. The TV is not eARC by way. The soundbar also has an optical port (as does the H7S).
My understanding is that the TV cannot decode ATMOS content from a portable hard drive (but can deal with DD+) but the Soundbar can (but I cannot plug in a drive to present the downloaded ATMOS movies. Is there any possible way I can download a movie with ATMOS and get the soundbar to decode it to at least give some impression of ATMOS or not?? The Soundbar has no USB input for Movie files so my only choice is the Satellite box (I can transfer movie files transfer files via FTP to it to play them) or via the USB port in the TV. As the TV is not eARC I appreciate that I will only ever get lossy ATMOS anyway (via HDMI) even if that were an option.
From the native ZGemma H7S side 99% of what I watch is recorded content from the Satellite feed / Terrestrial feed (a bit like a Sky Q box) but I do like to donwload some content to my PC and watch them by whatever the best way is (normally by copying them to the H7S or popping them in a portable drive and plugging them into the TV. Don't need anything more on that front because its so infrequent. Also.... I don't watch the TV's inbuilt freeview hardly ever (and if I do then I don't care about the sound at all from the TV's inbuilt tuner as I only really ever use it for Red button text with the sound on mute).
Thanks guys 🙂
Paul
