Arc output blocked HDMI switcher

Irish Gunner

Hope this is the right forum if not then Mods move

I got the below HDMI Switcher

https://www.amazon.co.uk/STBOHKSD-Switcher-Splitter-Extractor-Supports-BLACK/dp/B07JK2NCHS/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1544708467&sr=8-11&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=hdmi+switcher+with+remote+optical

I have a Yamaha AMP that only has an Optical cable. So I plugged this from the AMP into the SPDIF Out. However now I cannot use the ARC output as optical cable blocks in and wondering what options I can have if any to try to get access to the ARC output?

The Ritz

According to the info on the Amazon link you posted, the optical and audio outputs should work on the HDMI output "A" on that device. So, an optical cable going from the splitter to your amp should pass the audio to your amp ? Is this working for you ?

I'm unsure about the ARC side of things with this splitter for you - ARC would pass the audio from the output device (a TV for instance) back to an Amp connected by HDMI - given that your amp is operating on optical, how were you expecting ARC to work for you ?

If I've misunderstood your question - apologies - more info might help others to assist.

Cheers,

Ritz.

Irish Gunner

The Ritz wrote: »

According to the info on the Amazon link you posted, the optical and audio outputs should work on the HDMI output "A" on that device. So, an optical cable going from the splitter to your amp should pass the audio to your amp ? Is this working for you ?

I'm unsure about the ARC side of things with this splitter for you - ARC would pass the audio from the output device (a TV for instance) back to an Amp connected by HDMI - given that your amp is operating on optical, how were you expecting ARC to work for you ?

If I've misunderstood your question - apologies - more info might help others to assist.

Cheers,

Ritz.

Yes AMP is working ok but thought output/sound would improve if I used the ARC output but your saying it would not?

The Ritz

ARC will only pass audio from the output device back to one of the input HDMI devices - ARC only works over HDMI, so couldn’t pass audio to your amp, which not has optical. This may explain things better: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/hdmi-arc-faq,news-26262.html

If your speakers are working then the splitter is doing its job, stripping the audio from the signal and passing it back via the optical cable.


Ritz

Irish Gunner

Thanks

So If I got a new amp say like below

https://www.richersounds.com/pioneer-vsx531-black-sos.html

Put the hdmi direct in from this into Arc hdmi on tv(if it has one) then what difference would it make?

Amp I have pretty old so may replace it

The Ritz

If you had an AV Receiver and TV that both supported ARC, then when you selected a station on the TV ( say BBC ) then the audio from the station would be passed back through the HDMI cable to the AV receiver - as shown in the diagram in the page I posted above. ARC has no bearing on the audio from the other devices you connect to the receiver.

Ritz.

Irish Gunner

Thanks

Previously had the Optical cable directly plugged into the TV from the Amp but on recommendations on another forum got a HDMI switcher. So got the Optical cable going from Amp to Switcher and then HDMI from switcher to TV.

So now can control it via Harmony Elite remote but just more wires at the back of the TV