Sky Q Volume.

shortfall

I should probably have asked this on a Hifi forum but I'll try here first. When watching programs through my Sky Q box I'm not getting the same volume or sound quality that I do when I'm watching DVDs or casting music or videos via Bluetooth. I have a Samsung UHD curve screen TV with an ARC connection and a Sony HT NT3 soundbar with a HDCP 2.2 connection. I've tried numerous different combinations of connecting the various HDMI leads with no success. I can live with it as it is but it's an annoying compromise when the soundbar gives stunning sound via the other platforms. Am I doing something wrong or is it a more general problem with Sky? Looking round various forums on the web suggests that I'm not alone.

figbat

Have you tried taking sound directly from the Sky Q to the sound bar? Some TVs don’t passthrough the full digital sound output.

shortfall

figbat wrote:

Have you tried taking sound directly from the Sky Q to the sound bar? Some TVs don’t passthrough the full digital sound output.

Yeah tried that with an HDMI from sky q to soundbar then one out from the soundbar HDCP 2.2 to the ARC connection on TV. It doesn't detect the soundbar with that set up which I think is the correct way. Infuriating.

ayjaycee

Sorry, I'm not familiar with your soundbar (or TV) but I would be very surprised if there was not a feature buried somewhere in the set up menu to adjust the output levels for each piece of kit plugged into it. TBH, I've never actually owned a soundbar but every AV receiver that I have ever had could do it and so can my now five year old Samsung TV.

figbat

Can you take a HDMI from Sky Q to TV, and an optical or coax digital from the Sky Q to the soundbar?

shortfall

figbat wrote:

Can you take a HDMI from Sky Q to TV, and an optical or coax digital from the Sky Q to the soundbar?

Yes I can. Haven't tried that yet. Is optical digital as good as HDMI sound wise? That will be my next point of call. Thanks.

shortfall

ayjaycee wrote:

Sorry, I'm not familiar with your soundbar (or TV) but I would be very surprised if there was not a feature buried somewhere in the set up menu to adjust the output levels for each piece of kit plugged into it. TBH, I've never actually owned a soundbar but every AV receiver that I have ever had could do it and so can my now five year old Samsung TV.

Suspect you're right but can't for the life of me find it!

ayjaycee

Shortfall wrote:

Yes I can. Haven't tried that yet. Is optical digital as good as HDMI sound wise?

In terms of sound quality, IMHO no real difference to HDMI and optical can be used for multi channel (ie. DD etc.) as well. That said, I don’t believe that optical has the bandwidth to transmit HD audio formats. Optical cables are very cheap so it won’t cost much to try it.

Mind you on the sound quality thing, don’t take my word for it as nowadays, i’m partially deaf from years of firing guns and being too close to sundry explosions!