eARC Firmware Updates for HDMI 2.0b class devices

I never realized just how bad ARC was until I read the following:

What this means is that the bandwidth that currently limits HDMI-ARC outputs in the connection between TVs (output) and receivers (input) will see a bandwidth boost from the previous 1 Mbps in ARC to a whopping 38 Mbps in eARC.

 

I heard about VRR and ALLM before, but hadn't seen QFT mentioned before. It sounds like it should improve things for gamers.

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Denon AVRs listed from the article for October 31st firmware update:

• X3400 (2017)
• X6400H (2017)
• X8500H (2017)
• X3500H (2018)
• X4500H (2018)
• X6500H (2018)

Sony products listed:

• 2018 Master Series TVs (all A9F, Z9F)
• AV DH780
• AV DN1080
• AV ZA810
• AV ZA1100
• AV ZA2100
• AV ZA3100
• Soundbar HT-ST5000
• Soundbar HT-ZF9
• Soundbar HT-XF9000

 

I think you misunderstand the benefit. Unless you're suffering A/V sync issues, the introduction of eARC is only likely to cause further compatibility issues. The aim is to shift certain audio data from an existing channel into the eARC channel, hence the bandwidth increases, but only cruddy audio encoding so no Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HS or anything you're likely to find on on a 4K Blu-ray.

This introduces a greater variety of pic'n'mix of what is 'standard'. Every time HDMI allows manufacturers to pick what is standard, it's only introduced compatibility problems. I can't see how this can possibly be considered a good move except for folks who exist entirely in a hardware / software / firmware HMDI 2.1 environment from a single manufacturer.

That's nobody right now.

 

The article is, contrary to your post, not "a good write up". Support of uncompressed H/Q audio compressed is "supported" but not standard. Ergo in the HDMI world it will never get implemented like dozens of other HDMI capabilities that never make it to shipping hardware.

Nope, HDMI is a bus standard with a a maximum throughput but it's up to the sending/receiving devices to decide how that bandwidth will be used and for what. That's wha the handshaking is responsible for. If you're not using ethernet over HDMI, you're not losing that 100Mbps bandwidth, it just means it's not reserved and can be used for something else.

 

LMAO. As long as proprietary formats exist this will never ever be true. Any sane person that has spend decent money on AV equipment over a few decades has learned to avoid AVRs like the plague. Buying separates is the only way to be sure (if you care about having the newest formats supported) that you wont be throwing ALL your money away at another all-in-one.

 

What are "separates" in the context of different than AVRs?

 

Buying separates sounds nice in theory.

In practice brand AV-Preamps are niche products with delayed release cycles and higher prices which makes it pretty pointless for most people to not just get an AVRs which may be used in Pre-Out mode if that's needed for a certain setup.

Obviously keeping up with the newest formats is throwing money away but I can't really see how AVPres really fix that in practice.

 

You mean it's doesn't mean what I think it means?

I thought this was to allow certain HDMI 2.0b class TVs (with built in applications like Netflix, Prime Video, EMBY, Plex, YouTubeTV, Philo) to be able to send higher quality audio to the AVRs using their existing HDMI connection.

 

Thank you for clarifying that it means what I thought it meant. I knew that would be handled too, but was focused on the other because I'm revamping my parents setup so everything would be handled by the TCL 65" P617 except for BluRays. Currently they're on an older Denon E400, which is more than they need for the 5.1 setup but it hampers 4K video playback.
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That's what I want too, so then my AVR can possibly get 10+ years of use without feeling antiquated or hamstringing the video quality. It's a shame that I need to replace their Denon E400 now and eventually my Denon X3000 when I upgrade to 4K HDR TV. I can't even upgrade my AVR and pass the old one down to them because of the Video limitations -- 4K HDR. They're barely 5 years old and have been outdated for a while.

 

You can level that question for about half of the features that the HDMI specification offers technical support for but never gets implemented!

I hadn't appreciated they'd shifted audio onto the pins previously reserved for ethernet (for 1.4+ devices/cables that support it). I found a genuinely good read here [PDF] by Lattice Semi (who make interface chips) for various connectors, including HMDI. Removing CEC's role (used in ARC but not in eARC) is worth it alone.

 

There's no reason for receivers that support object based audio and eARC to not support object based audio through eARC.
At the very least, it'll be convenient for HTPCs to support 8 audio PCM channels through eARC, which they can't at the moment.

 

If you have an HDMI 2.1 eArc TV, can you plug in an old receiver to that and route audio through the TV? Or does the receiver need to support the new eArc as well?