hello folks,
just before christmas the wife and i decided to treat ourselves to a 4k LG TV (LG 50 UF770V).
At the same time we thought we would try the Amazon 4k TV box (also for kodi etc).
When the box arrived it became clear that the lack of an optical output would cause problems extracting a dolby digital signal to the amp. Cant just pass it through the amp as its only HD compatible, not 4k.
To get round this i bought a 4k HDMI splitter so i could have the amazon tv box to the splitter via HDMI and then 2 HDMI’s from its (splitters) output to the TV and amp.
This meant I was able to get surround sound (and decent sound quality because the TV speakers are terrible) and a possible (depending on source) 4k picture….or so i thought.
After some fettling today I have discovered that my amazon box will only output 1080p as the splitter blocks the HDCP 2.2 signal which the amazon box apparently needs to send the 4k signal. If I plug the amazon box straight into the TV a 4k signal is outputted but then I am stuck with TV speaker output.
As an aside the TV only outputs dolby from its optical output if it originated from the tv itself and doesnt pass through external signals (dvd, sky box, amazon tv box etc…), this is apparently really common and quite frankly pointless as far as i can tell.
So does anyone know a way around this? the 2.2 HDCP thing seems to totally limit what you can do with the box and as far as I can see there are no 2.2 HDCP compatible splitters on the market.
And, yes i know, first world problems!!

We bought a 4k TV just before Christmas and was susprised that it did pass through sound from other sources as our old TV didn’t. Might be because we had a Sony sound bar and the new TV was Sony too. For some reason the sound bar won’t turn off though!

Sorry not able to help with your problem though.

whilst looking around I have seen that sony tv’s are the only ones capable of passing through external signals. I dont understand why companies dont design this into tv’s seems really shortsighted to assume no one plugs sky boxes etc into their tv!

Samsung do as well the model I’ve got certainly does.

I got a 4K tv and last month we did the Amazon prime free trail……we didn’t need a box …because we got a smart TV and the Amazon prime app was already on there
When you go on the app there are loads of options and one of them is …always show the best quality picture
So no matter what you watch…it will instantly give you the best ….either HD or 4K

And HD on a 4K is awesome………but the 4K is something else!!……I watch a coral reef program in 4K on prime ……you just gotta see it to belive!!

I watch a coral reef program in 4K on prime ……you just gotta see it to belive!!

I think I have seen that, trouble is the coral doesn’t look quite that good in reality, based on my numerous snorkling trips in the maldives.

Cant just pass it through the amp as its only HD compatible, not 4k.

What happens when you try, out of interest?

You could get yourself a Droidstick T8 box. It has optical out and is 4k.
https://www.entertainmentbox.com/shop/

Install Amazon video, music

Cougar,
It just displays 1080p, pain in the behind.
Superfli, I’ve been thinking a new box is the way to go. Does that one have Amazon prime, netflix and the capability to instal kodi?

Is there a firmware update for the amp? (Long shot perhaps, but I know 3D support was added to mine in a f/w upgrade.)

Oh yes. Its an android box, just like a phone. Netflix is installed by default. I’m not sure, but amazon vid might be too. Kodi is its bread and butter.

I’d check for certain on amazon, but I got a Sony android tele now with prime, netflix, kodi and audio passthrough 🙂

Don’t think the amp has a internet connection. Might see if the tv can get Amazon prime?

Can’t you just download the amazon app to the tv?

Don’t think the amp has a internet connection

Mine hasn’t. I’d to cut the update to a CD and play it back in.

so after a couple of hours tangled up in cables and juggling several remotes i’ve found a workaround.
The tv does indeed have amazon and netflix so i logged on with those, now get a nice crisp 4k picture and the tv will output dolby digital to the amp.
DVD goes into amp via HDMI for dolby and then feeds out the amp to the tv with hdmi for HD picture.
Amazon (now pointless except for kodi) 4k box feeds to the splitter one goes to the amp for dolby and the other to the tv for HD picture, will only really use this now for footie and movies.
Bit of a faff but glad ive managed to solve it!

Does the TV do ARC? Audio Return Channel via HDMI to the amp, basically two way between amp and TV. Often only one socket on the TV will do it, and you may have to enable the amp to do ARC.

With that set up, you can hook the Amazon box straight to the TV with HDMI and the HDMI connection to amp will do return audio when you play things via the TV. Should be max quality audio, unlike optical audio which can be limited. No need for splitters and video is 4k direct into TV, whereas the amp may not cope passing that through.

All said, I suspect you won’t be fussed after the initial novelty of the small amount of 4k content has worn off 😉