Samsung D900R EARC Update

[Antipodeansam]

Well it's been a hell of a few weeks, after years of waiting for Sonos to switch to HDMI inputs for their higher end soundbar they finally release the Sonos arc. I have already picked up the 2019 Q900R Samsung TV as I have been a loyal customer for the last couple of decades and the man in the shop assured me it is future proof for at least a few years being 8k, so the huge output seems safe with a young family to entertain. So this week I find that my almost new $$$$ tv still does not support earc despite assurances from the sales rep at the end of last year the update was guaranteed in 2019, then after being made redundant thanks to covid I find Sonos arc will only actually work for Dolby Atmos with earc (Sonos earc obviously not so catchy). So several thousand dollars later or tens of thousands over the last twenty years, I have a flagship tv that is behind every other brand in the audio department. If this promised update is not here very soon I know Samsung will lose my business for good and I am sure lots of others in the same boat will feel the same, very strange business model if it is not planned or possible. Anybody else in the same boat? 

[Gaz09]

Im in the same boat.

Paid extra to try and future proof my self a little by getting a Q950R (8K) which would give me hdmi 2.1 and earc both via a future firmware upgrade which has never appeared.  Im hoping the that its just been delayed and not scrapped all together.

I have now purchased and installed my Sonos Arc only to find that linking the Xbox to the TV and then to the Sonos Arc doesnt give me Atmos passthrough meaning just old fahioned 5.1

Samsung are beggining to lack behind Sony and LG due to their stubbornness and not technical capabilities.

[LarsBrink]

For now you should be able to get better than DD 5.1 with "just" the current Q900R and the Sonos ARC.

1) Get an updated One Connect box (free of charge - just write Samsung) with HDMI 2.1 to have the latest.

2) Connect the Sonos ARC with the ARC port on the One Connect box and you should enjoy DD+ (not Atmos, but better than 5.1)

[Zorg8]

I have the Sonos Arc running on my Q900R

using Dolby Digital Plus. Atmos works through the HDMI 3 port however it runs on a lower compression than an eARC. Hopefully in the next software update they will resolve this issue. When? It's been talked about since last year. So who knows when?

[Wargoyle]

Like me. Same Setup. Just DD+ from TV to ARC. And just PCM or DD with PS4 or UHD-player. Waiting for the promised update. Unwilling to spend thousands of EURs every 1-2 years because of lack of support.

[LarsBrink]

Why don't we all write to Samsung Support on messenger to get a status and to push a little more?

I have had good response there for my Connect Box switch to HDMI2.1.

[Wargoyle]

Ok lets try.

[Wargoyle]

So, sent a mail because webchat  did not respond. We‘ll see...

[LarsBrink]

I just got a standard answer (but I think from a person - "Sadly we do not have anything new regarding this from the technical support"...

[MSA03]

Hi,

I have spent 5 hours speaking to multiple advisors to find this out and I really think they don’t know themselves.

Some advisors who call themselves “Experts” and “Engineers” contradict each other. 

I can’t find any info on the manual. Some advisors say all 4 ports are HDMI 2.1 and E-Arc, others say none are HDMI 2.1 and only arc.

Some say HDMI Port 1 or 4 is HDMI 2.1 and the rest are 2.0. Others say all 4 ports are HDMI 2.0b and Port 3 is Arc but it actually has all the features of HDMI 2.1 and e-Arc but because of licensing, they could not advertise them as 2.1 and e-Arc.

Reports say a software update is on it’s way for e-arc and others say this cannot be done.

Now as a customer, what should I believe? How Samsung cannot definitively say the truth, I can’t believe.

Furthermore, that a flagship 8K costing thousands of pounds doesn’t have HDMI 2.1 and E-Arc is shocking!

After 3 hours, the webchat agent says a specialist will call me tomorrow and explain this to me, but I have no confidence in Samsung anymore.

If this is the case no HdMI 2.1 and no E-Arc, Samsung should upgrade via update if possible or send all 950R 8K users an upgraded box with these features in for spending thousands of pounds on the flagship.

If enough of us complain, anyone feel they will listen and give us HDMI and e-ARC for Q950R?