auswak nirela repairer
Andree Vandestreek
So I got some mixed results with sound codecs working and not working. All in all I am very surprised that in some cases there is no sound at all and especially with Netflix and Amazon Prime that is very disappointing.
Your results appear to line up - a Bluesound Home Theatre Group is a 5 channel group, so it would not be able to play 7.1 audio (though I'm surprised DTS-HD 7.1 worked? I don't think it should have) and ATMOS support has not quite yet been released to the SB+.
Ok, let me get this clear: this really is an official statement and my experiences in hearing no sound at all are to be expected? So I have a soundbar that is not able to do it's one job: producing sound?
How is it possible that it cannot process some of the most standard audio codecs used in movies and series? It shouldn't matter that it is only a 5 channel group. I had only 4 speakers (no center) attached to my Onlyo receiver. It just translated the input sound to those 4 channels. Nothing fancy, even my TV can translate the sound from any input to stereo.
Allow me to explain in more detail: your Onkyo is capable of 7.2. It does not matter how many speakers you connect to the Onkyo, the Onkyo receiver itself is capable of decoding 7.2 channel audio. Your TV may also be equipped to recognise and then downsample/remix Dolby 7.1 audio as Stereo PCM.
The BLS Home Theatre Group is capable of 5.1, and it does not downsample any incoming audio (as to preserve the quality); so when sending audio that the HTG cannot recognise (i.e. 7.1 or another codec), no decoding can be done and you will not receive audio. Alternatively, when sending a signal the HTG can recognise (ie 5.1), it will play audio.
That being said, there are variables we haven't accounted for. Depending on devices, the source device might be correctly identifying the lack of support and converts to a supported format. ie PCM, which is why you're seeing DTS 7.1 working.
I hope this clears things up better. The details are nitty-gritty but it might help to Help > Send Support Request and include your source device (the device where the Netflix and Amazon Video content is coming out of firstly) so they can more explain in better detail.
That still doesn't explain why I hear no sound with Netlix and Amazom, because they output a 5.1 sound which shouldn't be a problem. By the way: you can add Disney on the list of streaming services with no audio.
And I really can't understand how you can sell a Dolby Atmos soundbar and then say that 'ATMOS support has not quite yet been released'. That is just false advertising, it is one the reasons I chose this soundbar in the first place!
To me it seems like a ARC problem. ARC is as far as I know not capable to handle lossless audio formats this is reserved to eARC. All non working except the last mentioned, is in "lossless" format so it seems wierd that it was able to playback the last testet file.
It could however also be the TV itself. My LG CX OLED cannot process DTS sound format.
You could try and have your TV decoding the signal instead of the soundbar so untick the box that lets the TV passthrough the audio signal.
Thanks for your answer. I understand that ARC instead of eARC is not capable of handling losless audio formats. I don't have something like a 4K BluRay-player so for now I also don't really need that. The sound testing I did was via Plex (server on my PC and Plex client app on my TV).
90% of the time I watch TV is because I watch a serie or movie through one of the streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney. As I understand they use the lossy Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 (and also sometimes a lossy from of Atmos). This can be handled via HDMI ARC and (to me) shouldn't be a problem with the Bluesound Soundbar.
I did some extra tests via Plex and played some Dolby Digital Plus files, 5.1 and even 7.1. They played flawlessly with sound that was clearly surround sound. The only one that did'nt play with sound (but should!) is the Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Atmos.
So I still don't know why I don't have sound with any of the streaming platforms (if that indeed is Dolby Digital Plus 5.1) and I do expect some help with that from Bluesound, which up till now is really dissapointing!
I hope bluesound will resolve this however it is quite a struggle to get anything through to Sam, trust me I have tried several times. It always falls back to me or my equipment being the problem even though it isn't! Got to a tier 3 engineer once and he could replicate my issue on their setup, so the fixed it.
Thanks for your support! It is true about the great sound. The times when I dit get sound when testing I was really happy with what I heard. But why does the soundbar have so much trouble with something ordinary as Netflix?
Too bad to hear you have also had a difficult time getting help from Bluesound, but good that it was fixed eventually! I don't know why my topic has the status 'answered' as my problem isn't solved at all.
It would be nice if some engineer could help me with this. I have no problem in assisting someone to replicate the issue or providing more information if that is necessary. Not being told to buy a NAD receiver or that it is normal not to have sound would already be a step in the good direction ...
At the momen I'm not using a soundbar but a NAD M32 stereo amplifier connected to my TV via a tosslink (optical) cable. That way the TV does all the decoding and thus convering it to a 2 channel soundprofile. I have no problem with sound except DTS as the LG OLED CX can't decode that format. It is not surround sound but it has a damn good stereo perspective. I am powering B&W 804D3 speakers with a DB1D subwoofer to handle the lowest frequencies.
Ah ok, clear. I had a surround sound receiver connected with speakers and a subwoofer before. Never had a problem with Netflix and others (I still have the same TV) Due to moving to another house I preferred to switch to a soundbar.
Never imagined that getting sound would be a problem, as Bluesound is supposed to be a premium brand. And there is nothing wrong with the sound per se (when you do get sound), but the audio codec problems and not caple of handling Atmos while it is sold as a Dolby Atmos soundbar is really a let down.
In all honesty, forget about that thing. I've been waiting for a solution for my Soundbar + for over 3 months. Can also be found here in the forum under Sounbar + very quiet. You can throw support in the bin. I've been swapping my soundbar for weeks, but I'm slowly running out of retailers ?.There hasn't been an update for months.
Rohen
Taken into consideration that they only payed 530 euros for the soundbar with a subwoofer included it was really really good value for money, however it can't compete soundwise with the bluesound. However even though I have a 20.000 euro setup with b&w 804 D3s and a DB1D subwoofer I am really impressed with what the LG does for what they payed for it.
I have read the topic you mentioned. Really shocking when seeing all the problems and total lack off support! Not what you expect from a brand that claims to be premium. It's almost funny when they mention they are looking for a long-term solution, I am curious what year that solution is ready ...
So yes, returning it is an option I most definitely consider now. Problem is, I also have the Sub and Flex2 in combination with the Soundbar in a surround setup.
Giving some negative reviews to prevent other customers from this disaster is probably a good thing.
I think the faster they can make Language Reactor work the major video platforms like Disney Plus, the faster they will corner the market. If they could make it work for the other platforms as well as they can netflix and youtube, they will corner this niche.
For a free alternative, I would check out asbplayer, its free and works very well, with seamless Anki exporting. GitHub - killergerbah/asbplayer: Browser-based media player and Chrome extension for subtitle sentence mining
It works with Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Youtube and several others