![]() One is that DTS signals were downconverted to stereo PCM by every TV. We tested with a DVD ("Ride, Rise and Roar") and two Blu-rays ("The Golden Compass" and "Pride and Glory"), which allowed us to check every major format: Dolby Digital stereo, DTS Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD MA 5.1.Ī few things stood our from our testing. The Oppo BDP-105 Blu-ray, SACD, and DVD-Audio player The receiver is capable of displaying a detailed description of which audio format it was receiving via its onscreen menus. We hooked the Oppo player up to each television via the HDMI port, and then connected the optical-out from the TV to a Denon AVR-1912 receiver. To test each TV's ability to pass-through 5.1 signals, we used an Oppo BDP-105 player set to output audio in bitstream format. Samsung's $2,3000 UN55F8000 fared no better than the company's $400 UN32EH4000F when it came to this test. And conversely, don't expect a high-end TV from other manufacturers to pass a true 5.1 signal just because it's expensive. Regardless of cost, all of the televisions from these three manufacturers that we examined were able to pass-through Dolby Digital 5.1 signals via their optical output. If you're looking for a TV that can pass a true 5.1 signal, then based on our results you'd be smart to stick to Sony, Toshiba, and Vizio models. Interestingly, we found that a TV's ability to throughput 5.1 audio depended on the manufacturer, rather than the individual model or price. In all, we tested 20 televisions - mostly from 2013 - from a variety of brands, including LG, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, and TCL. The results: Sony, Toshiba and Vizio are 5.1-friendly Thankfully some TVs do preserve Dolby Digital surround sound signals, and we set out to get a better idea of how different models perform. If you're using a sound bar that can take advantage of a true surround sound signal - such as the Sonos Playbar and Vizio S4251w-B4 - your TV might be preventing you from getting the best sonic performance. ![]() The only problem is that most TVs dumb down incoming surround-sound audio signals to a stereo PCM signal. It's a smart move, as most sound bars lack HDMI inputs, so you can simply connect all your gear to your TV via HDMI, and connect your TV's optical output to the sound bar. Here's the scenario: You bought a new TV and you're planning to use it as an AV switcher for a sound bar.
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