Computers & Electronics

How to use a non-4k receiver with 4k TV???

  • Last Updated:
  • Mar 21st, 2022 9:34 pm
Sr. Member
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Jan 21, 2017
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tried ARC today.

kinda weird:

- tested youtube 5.1 surround test - didn't trigger surround
- tested a movie file via usb
- when opened with the native player on google tv, it showed DD+ (which is good enough for me) but sound isn't the right sound (just buzz)
- when opened with VLC, sound is correct, but i think it is just stereo.

My main use case is play downloaded 4k movies in 5.1. w/ my old TV, I just hdmi out my laptop to my receiver and call it a day. it plays 1080p with surround sound.

How can I enable the same with this new 4k TV? (my receiver isn't 4k unfortunately).
Member
Apr 30, 2014
259 posts
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DPR2017 wrote: tried ARC today.

kinda weird:

- tested youtube 5.1 surround test - didn't trigger surround
- tested a movie file via usb
- when opened with the native player on google tv, it showed DD+ (which is good enough for me) but sound isn't the right sound (just buzz)
- when opened with VLC, sound is correct, but i think it is just stereo.

My main use case is play downloaded 4k movies in 5.1. w/ my old TV, I just hdmi out my laptop to my receiver and call it a day. it plays 1080p with surround sound.

How can I enable the same with this new 4k TV? (my receiver isn't 4k unfortunately).


I am guessing that you connected your HDMI from e/ARC TV to ARC A/V receiver which obviously will not work. You can try the following, both setup work for me but ymmv.

Option 1:
1. Connect laptop HDMI to any TV HDMI other than the e/ARC, I recommend BD.
2. Connect TV e/ARC to any A/V receiver HDMI other than ARC.
3. Set your TV input selector to the port where you connected your laptop, BD as per above.
4. Set your A/V receiver to where you connected your TV e/ARC.
5. Fire up your devices, open and drink beer while you watch your downloaded 4k movies.

or Option 2 but only applies if your A/V receiver support bluetooth that is compatible with your laptop.
1. Pair and connect your A/V receiver and laptop.
2. Connect laptop HDMI to any TV HDMI.
3. Make sure that your laptop's sound output is set to bluetooth.
4. Set your TV input selector to the port where you connected your laptop.
5. Fire up your devices, open and drink beer while you watch your downloaded 4k movies.
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Jan 21, 2017
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TeateaM wrote: I am guessing that you connected your HDMI from e/ARC TV to ARC A/V receiver which obviously will not work. You can try the following, both setup work for me but ymmv.

Option 1:
1. Connect laptop HDMI to any TV HDMI other than the e/ARC, I recommend BD.
2. Connect TV e/ARC to any A/V receiver HDMI other than ARC.
3. Set your TV input selector to the port where you connected your laptop, BD as per above.
4. Set your A/V receiver to where you connected your TV e/ARC.
5. Fire up your devices, open and drink beer while you watch your downloaded 4k movies.

or Option 2 but only applies if your A/V receiver support bluetooth that is compatible with your laptop.
1. Pair and connect your A/V receiver and laptop.
2. Connect laptop HDMI to any TV HDMI.
3. Make sure that your laptop's sound output is set to bluetooth.
4. Set your TV input selector to the port where you connected your laptop.
5. Fire up your devices, open and drink beer while you watch your downloaded 4k movies.
really weird.

so ARC actually works. (TV doesn't have eArc. so it is ARC to ARC via HDMI).

PCM and DD both work via ARC.

But DD+ doesn't. the hiss sound is from DD+.

would that be fixed if I switch to optical cable out? or a better HDMI? or the TV is a lemon?
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Feb 24, 2003
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DPR2017 wrote: really weird.

so ARC actually works. (TV doesn't have eArc. so it is ARC to ARC via HDMI).

PCM and DD both work via ARC.

But DD+ doesn't. the hiss sound is from DD+.

would that be fixed if I switch to optical cable out? or a better HDMI? or the TV is a lemon?
DD+ requires eArc. I had the same issue with two older receivers (Marantz and Anthem) until I bought an updated Anthem.

Optical will not pass DD+.
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Dec 11, 2008
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DPR2017 wrote: Does anyone know how to only use the receiver as audio output (don't care for 4k) and use 4k inputs like Firestick or Google Chrome for the picture?

can the TV take in the picture and output surround sound signal via HDMI out to the receiver just for audio??
The easiest way to hook up your receiver to your TV is to use an optical cable.

Connect the TV to the receiver using an optical cable.
Set the receiver to the correct input if it has multiple optical inputs.
Now, I'm assuming that all of your video related gear will be connected to your TV, whenever you change inputs (Cable, Fire TV, game console ...) the optical output will automatically send the audio signal to the receiver.

In affect, you will only need to turn on your receiver and or possibly change the autio settings (volume, or the surround encoding).
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Jan 21, 2017
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audit13 wrote: DD+ requires eArc. I had the same issue with two older receivers (Marantz and Anthem) until I bought an updated Anthem.

Optical will not pass DD+.
yep you are right. did some googling. my receiver can support DD+ if the source is natively plugged into the receiver. but it will not support DD+ via arc. and sound quality is better on DD+ sadly.

I actually really like the convenience of HDMI arc, I used to have to use 3 remotes (TV + receiver + Amazon Fire Stick). Now with the smart TV + arc, I just use one remote.

it looks like i will need a receiver upgrade

Btw, my TV only supports ARC but it does support DD+.
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Sep 3, 2005
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DPR2017 wrote: Does anyone know how to only use the receiver as audio output (don't care for 4k) and use 4k inputs like Firestick or Google Chrome for the picture?

can the TV take in the picture and output surround sound signal via HDMI out to the receiver just for audio??
I've read that there are also HDMI splitters that will create two signals, one for the TV and one for the receiver. I've never used one though.

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