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Question

How do I get 5.1 surround from my BRripped 5.1/7.1 movies th

Aug 17, 2018 10:17PM PDT

My devices :
LG 4K smart TV UJ6320
Old Samsung DVD 5.1 home theater HT-Z220, No Hdmi in/ARC

Current setup:
TV - >optical out->old Samsung home theater system - >HDMI out - > TV

Being a smart TV, I enjoy 5.1 true multichannel surround sound when I watch Netflix or google play on my TV.

However, I have a collection of BRripped 5.1(2F2M/LFE) and 7.1(2F2M2R/LFE) movies on my laptop that I also want to watch. As far as I've checked, their sound formats vary between DTS-HD MA and dolby true HD. Currently, I only enjoy watching these via headphones using dolby atmos for headphones software on my laptop.

I've found out that simply projecting wirelessly or via Hdmi to my TV won't allow the 5.1 audio to reach my speakers as my laptop only sends stereo. I've also learned that even if I don't have old send 5.1 to my TV, without HDMI arc, my optical out can't send 5.1 to my home theater system. Something about lossless uncompressed audio.

Besides buying a new laptop / home theater system/ or receiver, what options do I have to watch my digital movies with 5.1 Audio?

So far, I've read about external sound cards, or using a flash drive or external hard drive. Will these do? Are there other options?

Thanks!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Wireless is pretty topped out with the video work.
Aug 18, 2018 8:19AM PDT

I'd play it from your laptop to the TV with good old HDMI. If your TV won't pass 5.1 (many don't) then you need the usual audio extractor. There are dozens of such things so the link I'll share is just for you to start your research.

Hookup is pretty simple. Laptop HDMI out to extractor with video going to the TV and the audio link to the capable receiver.

-> https://www.amazon.com/slp/hdmi-audio-extractor/xc32yz93wutk759

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Thanks
Aug 18, 2018 8:39AM PDT

This looks promising, thanks! Also, would you know if USB does pass through for 5.1 sound? If I were to say, connect a flash drive or external hard drive to my tv or the receiver?

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USB passes files for the most part.
Aug 18, 2018 8:43AM PDT

So if a file has 5.1 and exists on the USB drive, then we can say it passes 5.1 as the file is played by the video player.

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I wasn't clear and can't be.
Aug 18, 2018 8:45AM PDT

Since most TVs and receivers have terrible video players I can only write I would not count on that working.

Some folk play videos with say, VLC PLAYER and are taken aback when they put their files to TVs and receivers.