4k + Surround Sound problem

[Aereldor]

So I own an older 4k TV, a pretty old home theater 7.1 system, and a Fire TV Stick (1080p). 

 

My Fire TV stick stopped working recently, and I can either replace it with another 1080p Fire TV Stick ($30), or a 4k Fire TV Stick ($60). 

 

Currently, here's how I'm using the fire stick.

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, the receiver has a max output of 1080p, so I can't get a 4k signal if I use that. However, the TV doesn't support HDMI 5.1 passthrough, even with ARC. No matter what, if I plug the fire stick into the TV, I So if I want to get both 4k and surround sound, I'll have to get this powered 'extractor box' that outputs a 4k signal to the TV and an optical audio output to the receiver. Like this - 

 

 

The catch is, the extractor box costs another $40. So in total, if I want to upgrade to 4k, but keep the surround sound, I need to spend $100, $70 more than sticking with 1080p. And also, I've been told the optical audio quality is significantly worse than going through the receiver.

 

So, is it even worth it? Or do I just stick with 1080p? I'll save $3 a month by sticking with 1080p Netflix too.

 

[circeseye]

besides upgrading receiver, how about going a splitter route
https://www.amazon.com/Orei-Splitter-Ports-Supports-Control/dp/B06WRV8V1F/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2S3D0437DIC62&dchild=1&keywords=4k+hdmi+splitter&qid=1609166752&sprefix=4k+hdmi%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-8

 

this way you get full 5.1/7.1 sound and not crappy optical

[Aereldor]

1 hour ago, circeseye said:

besides upgrading receiver, how about going a splitter route
https://www.amazon.com/Orei-Splitter-Ports-Supports-Control/dp/B06WRV8V1F/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2S3D0437DIC62&dchild=1&keywords=4k+hdmi+splitter&qid=1609166752&sprefix=4k+hdmi%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-8

 

this way you get full 5.1/7.1 sound and not crappy optical

Wow, I can't believe I didn't think of that. However I can't find any splitters that work with 2 outputs at once where I'm located. 

 

I'm in India, so www.amazon.in

[circeseye]

2 hours ago, Aereldor said:

Wow, I can't believe I didn't think of that. However I can't find any splitters that work with 2 outputs at once where I'm located. 

 

I'm in India, so www.amazon.in

here it is on the india site
https://www.amazon.in/OREI-UltraHD-HDMI-Splitter-Port/dp/B07J2Q9NPH/ref=sr_1_37?dchild=1&keywords=hdmi+splitter+1in2+out&pd_rd_r=5c2d6d7a-938e-434c-a098-ed4f36b7eabd&pd_rd_w=Orgfq&pd_rd_wg=QAIMi&pf_rd_p=e98d1fad-4664-4b4d-a930-8932601ebadf&pf_rd_r=0Y3NP310TN5CDVC7N35H&qid=1609178021&sr=8-37

 

theres a couple others but dont claim to have edid support and the others dont support as much audio/video options

[Aereldor]

1 hour ago, circeseye said:

here it is on the india site
https://www.amazon.in/OREI-UltraHD-HDMI-Splitter-Port/dp/B07J2Q9NPH/ref=sr_1_37?dchild=1&keywords=hdmi+splitter+1in2+out&pd_rd_r=5c2d6d7a-938e-434c-a098-ed4f36b7eabd&pd_rd_w=Orgfq&pd_rd_wg=QAIMi&pf_rd_p=e98d1fad-4664-4b4d-a930-8932601ebadf&pf_rd_r=0Y3NP310TN5CDVC7N35H&qid=1609178021&sr=8-37

 

theres a couple others but dont claim to have edid support and the others dont support as much audio/video options

Yeah I saw that, but it's more than twice the price, and even more expensive than the HDMI optical audio 'extractor'. I found another splitter but it says it's not HDCP compliant, so I couldn't run anything on it anyway. 

 

I found these cheaper ones though. This one is HDMI 1.4, so 4k@30hz, and it $30ish

https://www.amazon.in/HDS-102-Powered-Certified-Splitter-Resolutions/dp/B00F5R9TNM/

 

I also found this one, which is weird. It's only HDMI 1.3, which afaik doesn't support 4k at all, but it claims to work with 4k 30hz?

https://www.amazon.in/HDS-102-Powered-Certified-Splitter-Resolutions/dp/B005HXFARS/

 

Also, neither of these two is HDCP 2.2 compliant, only HDCP 1.4. Is there any way the fire stick 4k would work with them? Amazon says every connection needs to be HDCP 2.2, but I'm wondering if it works anyway

 

 

[Aereldor]

@circeseye Ah fuck I just realized that my receiver isn't even HDCP 2.2 compliant (though my TV is), so I won't be able to get the 5.1 audio into it via HDMI, I'm stuck with the 'extractor' optical 5.1... Or I stick with a 1080p firestick, which afaik only needs HDCP 1.4 compliance, which all my devices have.

[circeseye]

5 hours ago, Aereldor said:

@circeseye Ah fuck I just realized that my receiver isn't even HDCP 2.2 compliant (though my TV is), so I won't be able to get the 5.1 audio into it via HDMI, I'm stuck with the 'extractor' optical 5.1... Or I stick with a 1080p firestick, which afaik only needs HDCP 1.4 compliance, which all my devices have.

no youll still get the audio via hdmi to the receiver with the splitter.
another reason i suggested that splitter. it will work with both because it supports all of it

[Aereldor]

14 hours ago, circeseye said:

no youll still get the audio via hdmi to the receiver with the splitter.
another reason i suggested that splitter. it will work with both because it supports all of it

I will? Because it says with the 4k firestick, every connected device needs to be HDCP 2.2 compliant, which my receiver definitely isn't. 

 

That said, I also can't find an audio extracter that's affordable and HDCP 2.2, so the 4k video won't work with it anyway.

 

I'm just being extra cautious, because over here there's no returns for items bought online, only replacements, not to mention the splitter is almost $50 here, with the 4k Fire Stick being $60 even on sale, so almost 4x the price of a 1080p fire stick at this point.

[circeseye]

12 minutes ago, Aereldor said:

I will? Because it says with the 4k firestick, every connected device needs to be HDCP 2.2 compliant, which my receiver definitely isn't. 

 

That said, I also can't find an audio extracter that's affordable and HDCP 2.2, so the 4k video won't work with it anyway.

 

I'm just being extra cautious, because over here there's no returns for items bought online, only replacements, not to mention the splitter is almost $50 here, with the 4k Fire Stick being $60 even on sale, so almost 4x the price of a 1080p fire stick at this point.

ah ok your not understanding

your 1080p receiver will still except the audio from the splitter. it just wont output video

and your firestick will detect the splitter as the device so it will still send out the 4k signal and surround. that splitter has its own edid and everything. so even thou one device (receiver) doesnt support hdcp 2.2 the firestick wont see it

 

i do understand the risk thou...but it should work. (sucks your not allowed returns) but up to you in the end.

[Aereldor]

22 hours ago, circeseye said:

ah ok your not understanding

your 1080p receiver will still except the audio from the splitter. it just wont output video

and your firestick will detect the splitter as the device so it will still send out the 4k signal and surround. that splitter has its own edid and everything. so even thou one device (receiver) doesnt support hdcp 2.2 the firestick wont see it

 

i do understand the risk thou...but it should work. (sucks your not allowed returns) but up to you in the end.

No worries! Thanks for helping me learn all this about home theater stuff.

 

I did a side-by-side comparison of 4k and 1080p playback today, and honestly, I can't tell the difference at 4 feet on a 40" screen. Something that might be interesting is using it as a monitor for my dad, who might get an M1 Mac Mini.

[circeseye]

52 minutes ago, Aereldor said:

No worries! Thanks for helping me learn all this about home theater stuff.

 

I did a side-by-side comparison of 4k and 1080p playback today, and honestly, I can't tell the difference at 4 feet on a 40" screen. Something that might be interesting is using it as a monitor for my dad, who might get an M1 Mac Mini.

im willing to bet your tv upscaled the 1080p picture to 4k. tvs now a days do a good job of it. and yes tvs these days work really good as monitors..been using tvs for the last 10+years