4K Tv but non-4k receiver

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Gialandon

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#285680 10-May-2021 10:39

Got the classic problem of how to connect my 4k source to my 4k tv when my receiver is not 4k capable.

Inputs: Nvidia shield & HTPC running windows 10

Output: just paid for a Panasonic HZ1000 4K Oled

Receiver: Yamaha RXv473

The receiver doesn't support 4k or eARC (as far as I know), I don't want to upgrade the receiver at this stage.

I could just bypass the receiver but what's the point of having a sound system if I can't use it.

I could use HDMI arc or optical but then don't get the HD audio formats which I do want.

So a possible solution is to use a splitter like https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/aten-2-port-4k-hdmi-splitter/33298261

My concern is that I've read the splitter will default to the lowest resolution. In this case the input would be the shield/htpc and output simultaneously to the tv and receiver. I's assuming the receiver will be at 1080p, thus limiting the tv resolution to 1080p as well.

Has anybody tried this and have any suggestions?

Or any other options - happy to spend up to $100 for a solution.

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#2705291 10-May-2021 11:00

It looks like your receiver has ARC and 4K Pass through. So going on that you should be able to connect 4K devices to the receiver and the signal(video and audio?) is passed directly to the TV untouched. Im not too sure if it passes just the video and still allows the receiver to decode the lossless audio streams as i have never used one but i assume not? Others may have experience and can chime in. You will be surprised at what you can pick up on trademe for under $300 that fully supports 4K etc so thats always an option if your budget allows.

Sony 77" A80J OLED, Panasonic UB820, Panasonic BD-T460, Apple TV 4K 3rd Gen, Samsung Q990D Soundbar

ShinyChrome

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#2705301 10-May-2021 11:16

Neither ARC nor optical support lossless audio, so if you accept that limitation, you can just aggregate devices on the TV end and ARC or optical back to the AVR. Not really a big deal if your primary use case is streaming, which overwhelming are DD/DD+ at maximum.

Your other choices are look into something like a SHARC, or buy a compatible receiver; neither of which will be accomplished on your budget.

JPNZ

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#2705303 10-May-2021 11:19

I was in the same boat earlier this year, had an even newer Yammy AVR than yours but even with 4K pass through it wouldn't do all that I wanted.

Went out and bought a new AVR and sold the Yammy for decent money on trademe. I know its not much help but seriously your not going to get there for under $100

Panasonic 65GZ1000, Onkyo RZ730, Atmos 5.1.2, AppleTV 4K, Nest Mini's, PS5, PS3, MacbookPro, iPad Pro, Apple watch SE2, iPhone 15+

openmedia

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#2705312 10-May-2021 11:25

ShinyChrome:

Neither ARC nor optical support lossless audio, so if you accept that limitation, you can just aggregate devices on the TV end and ARC or optical back to the AVR. Not really a big deal if your primary use case is streaming, which overwhelming are DD/DD+ at maximum.

Your other choices are look into something like a SHARC, or buy a compatible receiver; neither of which will be accomplished on your budget.

I'm trying to run ARC from my Panasonic 4k to my older Onkyo Amp, but I've yet to get the audio working. Optical -> Amp is ok, but ARC would be tidier.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

ShinyChrome

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#2705396 10-May-2021 11:38

openmedia:

I'm trying to run ARC from my Panasonic 4k to my older Onkyo Amp, but I've yet to get the audio working. Optical -> Amp is ok, but ARC would be tidier.

You have my sympathies.

IME ARC is quite unstable and YMMV. eARC is supposed to be more stable, but I have yet to test that supposition.

Again, if I was in that position, I would be trying something like the SHARC since it seems to have worked for others.

Batman

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#2705439 10-May-2021 12:30

can you run HDMI to 4KTV and optical to receiver.

unless you have a 10k + speaker set up, purpose built room with acoustic treatment and perfect hearing you are not going to notice lack of lossless audio

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Gialandon

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#2705512 10-May-2021 14:14

ARIKIP:

It looks like your receiver has ARC and 4K Pass through.

Wow, never noticed that. Considering how old the receiver is I just assumed it didn't have 4k passthrough. TV arrives on the weekend I'll try it out, if it passes through 4k then audio will be fine but I suspect that HDR won't work but no harm in tryng it out.

The SHARC is Very Interesting, about $185 including shipping to NZ. Still less than a receiver but more than I wanted to spend. I'll use arc for now and buy this when I have the funds handy. Thanks ShinyChrome for that, very helpful.

openmedia

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#2705520 10-May-2021 14:31

Gialandon:

ARIKIP:

It looks like your receiver has ARC and 4K Pass through.

Wow, never noticed that. Considering how old the receiver is I just assumed it didn't have 4k passthrough. TV arrives on the weekend I'll try it out, if it passes through 4k then audio will be fine but I suspect that HDR won't work but no harm in tryng it out.

The SHARC is Very Interesting, about $185 including shipping to NZ. Still less than a receiver but more than I wanted to spend. I'll use arc for now and buy this when I have the funds handy. Thanks ShinyChrome for that, very helpful.

I'd be interested to hear how you get on. My Onkyo SR608 has ARC but I've yet to get audio working. The amp and TV both think ARC is active, but I get no sound. HDMI-CEC control works.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

Handle9

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#2705526 10-May-2021 14:40

Batman:
can you run HDMI to 4KTV and optical to receiver.

unless you have a 10k + speaker set up, purpose built room with acoustic treatment and perfect hearing you are not going to notice lack of lossless audio

I can absolutely notice the difference between lossless audio and lossy audio, far more so in home theatre than music.

Theres a significantly diminishing return with this stuff but there is a noticeable difference.

ShinyChrome

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#2705527 10-May-2021 14:53

ARIKIP:

It looks like your receiver has ARC and 4K Pass through.

Not in the way you think.

Yes, it supports 4k in-so-much as HDMI 1.4 supports 4k signals up to 30hz, but it doesn't have HDCP 2.2, so it will be a non-starter for most 4k content.

Batman:

unless you have a 10k + speaker set up, purpose built room with acoustic treatment and perfect hearing you are not going to notice lack of lossless audio

Speak for yourself. I can definitely notice the range compression and gutting of the low end in poorly master content, even on my lowly mid-range setup.

Batman

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#2705529 10-May-2021 14:57

why don't we all do this test and report back. i'm interested

https://thenextweb.com/news/before-you-pay-for-spotify-hifi-try-to-pass-this-lossless-audio-test

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Batman

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#2705530 10-May-2021 15:01

Handle9:
Batman:

can you run HDMI to 4KTV and optical to receiver.

unless you have a 10k + speaker set up, purpose built room with acoustic treatment and perfect hearing you are not going to notice lack of lossless audio

I can absolutely notice the difference between lossless audio and lossy audio, far more so in home theatre than music.

Theres a significantly diminishing return with this stuff but there is a noticeable difference.

i have an Audeze LCD 2 Fazor to listen to lossless music

on my HT system the only thing i can tell when switching back and forth between lossless and not lossless is the explosions are louder and the speech is so soft i can't hear anything

Handle9

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#2705532 10-May-2021 15:06

Batman:

why don't we all do this test and report back. i'm interested

https://thenextweb.com/news/before-you-pay-for-spotify-hifi-try-to-pass-this-lossless-audio-test

As above, home theatre and music are very different use cases. The extra dynamic range makes a fair bit of difference for HT.

Music there's too much going on for it to make much of a difference for me.

JPNZ

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#2705533 10-May-2021 15:08

ShinyChrome:

ARIKIP:

It looks like your receiver has ARC and 4K Pass through.

Not in the way you think.

Yes, it supports 4k in-so-much as HDMI 1.4 supports 4k signals up to 30hz, but it doesn't have HDCP 2.2, so it will be a non-starter for most 4k content.

Spot on

Panasonic 65GZ1000, Onkyo RZ730, Atmos 5.1.2, AppleTV 4K, Nest Mini's, PS5, PS3, MacbookPro, iPad Pro, Apple watch SE2, iPhone 15+

ShinyChrome

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#2705534 10-May-2021 15:08

Batman:

why don't we all do this test and report back. i'm interested

https://thenextweb.com/news/before-you-pay-for-spotify-hifi-try-to-pass-this-lossless-audio-test

That's nice and all if we were talking about critical listening, but isn't comparable when we are talking about streaming movies/TV vs. their physical equivalent.

You can actually see some measured differences here between movies on streamed vs. physical disk.

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