How to wire Roku and preserve sound

[gnorthern]

Can you run a HDMI cable from your Roku to your TV, and an HDMI from your TV to your home theatre receiver without affecting sound?

I got a new TV a while ago, and I decided to pay an installer since it was so big (85"). He ran my Blu-ray player and Roku HDMI cables to my receiver. Previously I ran my Blu-ray and Roku to my receiver. I like now using my Roku remote for everything. Previously I had to use both my receiver and Roku remote. However, sound does not seem to be as good before. I am missing the surround sounds.

I am paying for the top-quality Netflix.

Am I imagining things?

 

[Trebdp83]

I think you meant to say that the installer connected the Roku and Blu-ray player to the TV, not the receiver. If so, you can get the desired audio signals from them with the appropriate sound settings in the TV. What is the model of TV? Receiver? If they both do not support eARC, you will want to connect the Blu-ray player directly to the receiver and also the Roku if you use it to stream any rips containing multichannel lossless signals.

 

[isolar8001]

Can you run a HDMI cable from your Roku to your TV, and an HDMI from your TV to your home theatre receiver without affecting sound?

I got a new TV a while ago, and I decided to pay an installer since it was so big (85"). He ran my Blu-ray player and Roku HDMI cables to my receiver. Previously I ran my Blu-ray and Roku to my receiver. I like now using my Roku remote for everything. Previously I had to use both my receiver and Roku remote. However, sound does not seem to be as good before. I am missing the surround sounds.

I am paying for the top-quality Netflix.

Am I imagining things?

Put the Roku back on your AVR....
In a perfect world, it shouldn't matter, but some tv sets will not play nice with other components especially when it come to simple audio passthrough, even if it/both has EARC.
(your set audio should be set to passthrough and hope it actually does.)

 

[TLS Guy]

I think you meant to say that the installer connected the Roku and Blu-ray player to the TV, not the receiver. If so, you can get the desired audio signals from them with the appropriate sound settings in the TV. What is the model of TV? Receiver? If they both do not support eARC, you will want to connect the Blu-ray player directly to the receiver and also the Roku if you use it to stream any rips containing multichannel lossless signals.

It all depends what your TV can receiver and send via ARC or eARC and what your receiver can receive. What you are doing is not the best option. It is best to connect everything to your receiver and only use ARC or eARC for dedicated apps on the TV.

 

[Trebdp83]

If one is making use of HDMI-CEC, Rokus are little devils no matter how connected. Most will suggest a connection directly to a receiver to eliminate ARC/eARC issues and be able to use the setup menus and overlays of the connected AVP/AVR when using any input source device connected to it.

 

[TLS Guy]

If one is making use of HDMI-CEC, Rokus are little devils no matter how connected. Most will suggest a connection directly to a receiver to eliminate ARC/eARC issues and be able to use the setup menus and overlays of the connected AVP/AVR when using any input source device connected to it.

In that case I am glad I don't own one. Not only that, but I don't own any of those ghastly hunt and pack streaming devices, and fail to understand why so many here do, when there are far better options.

 

[Trell]

In that case I am glad I don't own one. Not only that, but I don't own any of those ghastly hunt and pack streaming devices, and fail to understand why so many here do, when there are far better options.

My Apple TV 4K (2022) works very well for me as a streaming device.

 

[TLS Guy]

My Apple TV 4K (2022) works very well for me as a streaming device.

Those devices have never tempted me, and they are an ongoing expense. I did do a trial of Apple TV a while back and found the quality, especially of the audio substandard compared to my other sources, and by a big margin.

 

[Trell]

Those devices have never tempted me, and they are an ongoing expense. I did do a trial of Apple TV a while back and found the quality, especially of the audio substandard compared to my other sources, and by a big margin.

It beats my TV in any case, and I don't want to setup HTPC in the living room and make that work with various streaming services.

 

[isolar8001]

I use a FireStick for SmartTube only, and that's the extent of my streaming....I've never watched a movie or show on a streaming service.
For the best quality in everything, I Use the Net....for 25 years now.

 

[gnorthern]

Put the Roku back on your AVR....
In a perfect world, it shouldn't matter, but some tv sets will not play nice with other components especially when it come to simple audio passthrough, even if it/both has EARC.
(your set audio should be set to passthrough and hope it actually does.)

So Roku and my TV should be set to passthrough? My TV only has pcm and auto for sound outputs, and I know pcm is not right.

 

[Trebdp83]

It is helpful, actually essential, to provide the models numbers of every device in the system so others are not just shooting in the dark.

 

[isolar8001]

So Roku and my TV should be set to passthrough? My TV only has pcm and auto for sound outputs, and I know pcm is not right.

If the Roku has passthrough, yes. let the AVR decode whatever it needs to.

 

[gnorthern]

It is helpful, actually essential, to provide the models numbers of every device in the system so others are not just shooting in the dark.

Good Point.
TV - Samsung QN85QN90BAFXZA (in short a 85" Samsung QN90B) - Only audio outputs are auto and pcm (which I know is not right)
Roku - 4800X Roku Ultra - Audio output options are:
Auto (currently)
Passthrough (which I am hearing it should be)
Stereo
Custom
Custom options are
DTS - On or off
Dolby - Either Dolby Digitial or Dolby Digital Plus

 

[Trebdp83]

Receiver? That would also be essential as well. The Roku 4800X has two audio settings to consider and get right. The “Preferred streaming format” setting should be set to “Auto”, NOT Dolby or DTS. The “Digital output format” setting should be set to “Passthrough” NOT “Auto.”

If the “Digital output format” setting is set to “Auto,” all signals will be displayed as Dolby Atmos BUT you will NOT get sound from the Surround speakers and the Dolby and DTS up mixers in a given receiver will be locked out as the signal is recognized as Dolby Atmos. Set it to “Passthrough.”

The Samsung TV should display a “Pass-Through” option IF the receiver supports eARC. Otherwise, use “Auto.” The lossy Atmos/DD+ bitstreams from Netflix and other services will work over ARC.

 

[gnorthern]

Receiver? That would also be essential as well. The Roku 4800X has two audio settings to consider and get right. The “Preferred streaming format” setting should be set to “Auto”, NOT Dolby or DTS. The “Digital output format” setting should be set to “Passthrough” NOT “Auto.”

If the “Digital output format” setting is set to “Auto,” all signals will be displayed as Dolby Atmos BUT you will NOT get sound from the Surround speakers and the Dolby and DTS up mixers in a given receiver will be locked out as the signal is recognized as Dolby Atmos. Set it to “Passthrough.”

The Samsung TV should display a “Pass-Through” option IF the receiver supports eARC. Otherwise, use “Auto.” The lossy Atmos/DD+ bitstreams from Netflix and other services will work over ARC.

Oops - Marantz SR6013

Thanks. I will double check my settings tomorrow. No passthrough on the TV.

 

[TLS Guy]

It beats my TV in any case, and I don't want to setup HTPC in the living room and make that work with various streaming services.

Take a look at this photograph.

That little unit on the left at the bottom, is a small microcomputer. What is complicated about loading that with Windows, and then opening a Google page to find what you want to stream. It operates from a wireless keyboard which is far easier and quicker than hunt and peck remotes. Anybody understands how to use it, without instruction.

 

[Trebdp83]

Oops - Marantz SR6013

Thanks. I will double check my settings tomorrow. No passthrough on the TV.

That TV does not support DTS at all and I’d connect the Blu-ray player directly to the 6013. The Roku can go either way but I’d recommend a direct connection to the receiver. ARC/eARC can frustrate the faint of heart.

 

[Trell]

Take a look at this photograph.

That little unit on the left at the bottom, is a small microcomputer. What is complicated about loading that with Windows, and then opening a Google page to find what you want to stream. It operates from a wireless keyboard which is far easier and quicker than hunt and peck remotes. Anybody understands how to use it, without instruction.

It's your preference to use a desktop OS for streaming but I prefer the easy of use of a remote for daily use to operate my Apple TV. That generally works very well and if keyboard is needed for searching I can use my iPhone to act as a keyboard as Apple TV supports that. YouTube and similar we watch on our PCs only, and no Googling on it either.

It's a reason why streaming devices (like Apple TV) and streaming apps in TVs are so popular and HTPC most definitely is not: HTPC using a desktop OS is a very clunky experience to setup and operate for the usual streaming services.

 

[Trebdp83]

Many streamers have voice search capabilities built into their remote controllers and can be used with just about any app.

Netflix is finicky with web browsers. Use Google Chrome for Netflix and 4K Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos will not be supported for output.

Using a browser on Windows for Netflix requires using Windows 10 or 11, Microsoft edge browser, the Microsoft Dolby Access app for Windows, sound output set to “Dolby Atmos For Home Theater” and Netflix highest tier service for 4K UHD support.

My Mac mini M1 is connect to my receiver. I use it daily to web browse and listen to music. But, come movie streaming time, I fire up the Apple TV 4K. The Amazon Fire Cube Gen 3, NVIDIA SHIELD TV PRO, Roku Ultra 4800X, XBOX Series S and LG C1 TV do not get used for streaming nearly as much as the Apple TV 4K. Having them all connected to the system all at once using HDMI-CEC is a f#%king nightmare and that is no longer done.

Regarding the system in question, I can’t remember if the 6013 supported eARC out of the box. No matter with the Roku and Atmos/DD+ bitstreams. It should be fine still connected to the TV.

The most compelling reason to leave the Roku Ultra 4800X connected directly to the TV is HDR10+ capability. The Roku should detect it in the Samsung TV automatically and output everything in HDR10+ by default. The Marantz SR6013 does not support HDR10+. Dolby Vision would be output by default by the Roku when connected to an AVP/AVR and/or TV that support it.

Samsung TVs had great Universal Remote functions even for devices connected to a receiver. If that is still the case, the TV Remote Controller may be able to control the Roku after setup.

I’m confident the recommended audio settings for the Roku Ultra 4800X will work here using a connection to the TV or to the receiver. They worked for me using each of those connections.