![]() With the audio extractor connected to the PlayStation 5 and dip switches 3, 4, and 5 in the “ON” position, I am pleased to report the audio delay issue was instantly resolved, delivering 5.1 sound via Dolby Digital or DTS. Although not HDMI 2.1 compliant, the HDMI specification matches my Samsung TV, therefore should be compatible. I purchased the Ezcoo HDMI 2.0 Audio Extractor, which (in theory) supports 4K 60Hz, 4:4:4, HDCP 2.2, 18Gbps, Dolby Vision HDR, 5.1 Audio Breakout. However, due to the complexity of the HDMI and Content Protection (HDCP) standards, perfect compatibility is not a guarantee. An audio extractor is a physical device, but are relatively small and cheap (approximately £30). With these challenges in mind, I decided to try an audio extractor, which essentially splits the audio and video signals from the source, providing a digital optical port for the audio output. Additionally, AV receivers are not cheap, costing upwards of £500 for something equivalent to my current Sony STR-DN1050. ![]() Therefore, it feels like any AV receiver upgrade should be delayed until second-generation HDMI 2.1 chipsets are available, hopefully in late 2021 or early 2022. Modern AV receivers are HDMI 2.1 compliant, however, reports from the first generation HDMI 2.1 chipsets have not been encouraging, resulting in widespread reports of black screen issues when viewing 4K120 and 8K60 signals. One option would be to replace my old Sony receiver. ![]() It is likely the Samsung TV software is adding an unavoidable audio input delay, that could only be resolved by Samsung via a firmware update (very unlikely at this point). I tried every possible software configuration option across the Samsung TV, PlayStation 5 and Sony receiver, but failed to find a viable solution. Movie, Game), an audio delay is very distracting, ruining the overall experience. Unfortunately, in my experience, this setup results in a frustrating audio delay (up to one second), which can not be corrected through software. In theory, passing the bitstream configured audio via the Samsung TV should work. However, I suspect this omission will frustrate many users with “legacy” sound systems, especially those who have invested in an expensive receiver, etc. I can understand why Sony made this decision, as digital optical cables have bandwidth limitations, which are not compatible with modern lossless formats. Unfortunately, with the release of the PlayStation 5, Sony removed the digital optical port as a dedicated audio output (image from Polygon), forcing me to send the audio signal over HDMI via the Samsung TV to the Sony receiver. Although not the highest possible audio quality, it works perfectly well for daily usage, delivering immersive 5.1 surround sound. The setup works reasonably well, with the source devices configured to output bitstream audio, delivering an encoded Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 signal, which can be decoded by the Sony receiver. To ensure I do not lose features such as High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), I connect my HDMI 2.0+ devices (such as the PlayStation 4/5 and Apple TV) directly to the Samsung TV, leveraging a digital optical cable for audio, connected to the Sony receiver. Unfortunately, the Sony receiver is a little older, purchased in 2014 and therefore is limited to the HDMI 2.0 standard, not HDMI 2.0a/b or HDMI 2.1. The Samsung TV was purchased in 2018 and supports 4K at 60Hz (4K60), including HDR10+ and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). ![]() My current entertainment setup includes a Samsung Q7FN 4K TV and a Bowers & Wilkins MT-50 sound system, connected via a Sony STR-DN1050 AV receiver. In November, I was lucky enough to secure a Sony PlayStation 5.
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