Hi,

There have been many questions asked about what TVs put out what kind audio from the optical output.

Is there a piece of test equipment that can be used to identify what kind of audio is coming out of the optical output.

Just to be clear, by "kind of audio" I mean PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS, etc.

Thanks much.

It might be cumbersome, but would a modern AVR tell you? There are displays on many of them that show which channels of audio are coming through the receiver. On the other hand, a small device that shows the channels that are live would be easier to use, but indeed, is there enough call for this that its cost can be amortized and it could be less than the cost of an AVR?

Ah...and an AVR will only show the available decoded channels, not whether it's PCM etc.

I don't think I've ever owned an AVR that didn't identify the type of signal it was receiving, AND the number of channels.

I think for televisions, you're going to be hard pressed to find any that support DTS passthrough. Only if they've bought a DTS license, and there's little reason for a TV maker to want to do that. Otherwise, most modern sets should support PCM and Dolby Digital, while older ones likely only support PCM.

I suppose beyond that, the question is... what is expected use for this piece of equipment that an AVR can't fill?

A good place to start is probably the Sonos site, since they released the playbar.

So you wouldn't have to lug an AVR around.

The same reason I take my small handheld oscilloscope with me rather then my bench oscilloscope.

The question came about because I was trying to help a family member who was given a Sonos Playbar.

Then they wanted to know if their TV could provide surround sound to the Playbar in which case they might get the rest of the Sonos pieces.

I researched if the TV could do that and kept coming up with conflicting information.

I thought it would be nice if I had a handheld unit I could hook up to an optical source and verify what was coming out and not rely on suspect documentation or tech support answers where you call on Tuesday and get a "Yes" and on Friday and get a "No". If your lucky on every other Monday you a get a firm "Maybe".

Not a big deal - just curious - there seems to test equipment on the market for all sorts of things.

That's all and thanks.

Does the Playbar have a Dolby decoder? If so, then *any* incoming signal can be turned into surround sound, not just Dolby Digital 5.1.

Anyways, this thing has an LED that lights up when it receives Dolby Digital:

[Link: gefen.com]

Rather pricey at $100 though: [Link: amazon.com]

There are boatloads of cheap decoders out there, but finding one with a format indicator seems to be an issue.

Yes, no or maybe???

[Link: markertek.com]


[Link: markertek.com]


I say yes, but no at the same time due to price.

KOT

The analyzer looks promising though the web site is a little short on details. I will have to see if I can find the manual to download.

Thank you very much for this find.