ARC (Audio return channel) The purpose of the ARC is to send audio to the A/V receiver or Home Theatre system from the TV or Monitor. Audio formats supported by ARC are DOLBY Digital, DTS and PCM Your TV needs to be ARC-compatible. Your receiver or sound bar have to support ARC as well. |
When selecting components for your Home Theatre system you will need to get familiar with most of the info below. Most TVs manufactures in 2016 onwards should have all these features but do check. HDMI 2.0 (required for 4K UHD) HDCP 2.2 (HEVC Logo may be displayed on some TVs) HDR High Dynamic Range (Samsung will have HDR1000) ARC (Audio Return Channel) eARC HDMI ARC stands for "High Definition Multimedia Interface Audio Return Channel" HDMI cables HDMI 2.0 can use up to 8 channels of uncompressed audio at sample sizes of 16-bit, 20-bit and 24-bit, with sample rates of 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz and 192 kHz. HDMI 2.0b is capable of using High Dynamic Range (HDR) video Bandwidth up to 18Gbps 4K@50/60 (2160p), which is 4 times the clarity of 1080p/60 video resolution Can use up to 32 audio channels for an audio setup. 1536kHz audio sample frequency for the highest audio quality. Dual video streams to multiple users on the same screen Simultaneous delivery of multi-stream audio to 4 listeners. Support for the wide angle 21:9 video aspect ratio Dynamic synchronization of video and audio streams CEC extensions can provide more expanded command and control of consumer electronics devices through a single control point HDMI 2.0b does not define new cables or new connectors. Current High Speed cables (Category 2 cables) are capable of carrying the increased bandwidth. HDMI cables come in 3 sizes Full Size, Mini and Micro 4K streaming is very popular now, many TVs are now capable of 4K resolution. Make sure your receiver has HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 capabilities. You will need those specifications to watch 4K content and HDR (high dynamic range). HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection and 2.2 is the version number. HDCP is designed to stop illegal copying of 4K UHD content. If you are in the market for a TV you must make sure the TV supports HDCP2.2 as without it you cannot watch 4K UHD content from NETFLIX , AMAZON and other 4K content via a 4K Blu-ray and so on. High Dynamic Range (HDR) Watch the SAMSUNG HDR video for a quick tour |
For my AV receiver, I opted for the SONY STR-DN860. It has HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 capabilities so it ticks all the boxes for me. This receiver is not in the same class as the Denon AVR-X7200WA but it is more than enough for what I need. Another important factor is the support of ARC which my receiver has. This allows sound to be sent from a compatible TV or monitor to be played back by the sound system. Not all TVs support ARC and some only support ARC via PCM only. If ever you want advice on Audio/video equipment you would be well advised to visit AVForums. The forum is well populated by very knowledgeable friendly folks who will provide advice. My AVForums ID = FXV300 |