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How Do I Connect a PS4 and BD Player to My Soundbar?

Al Griffin  |  Apr 12, 2018

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Q My system consists of a Sony XBR-X900E TV, a PlayStation 4Pro console, and a Yamaha YAS-207 soundbar. The PS4 Pro does not play Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs, so I’m planning to buy an Ultra HD Blu-ray player. Here’s my problem: I want to connect both the PS4 Pro and the disc player to the Yamaha, but the soundbar only has one HDMI input. I’ve looked around for an HDMI switcher that’s compatible with both 4K/60-Hz video signals and high dynamic range but haven’t been able to find one. Will I have to switch the cable connected to the soundbar from my sources on an as-needed basis to maintain best picture and sound quality? —Paul Trava / via e-mail

A I wouldn’t suggest doing that — unplugging and replugging cables each time you switch sources is a hassle, and it can also put significant wear and tear on the connectors. A more elegant solution to your dilemma would be to use an HDMI switcher.

You can find HDMI switchers that are compatible with both 4K/60-Hz signals and high dynamic range on sites like Amazon. Many of these cost under $50 and are made by outfits with colorful names like Foscomax, Rooful, and Awakelion. My suggestion would be to look for a model with an Amazon’s Choice tag, which indicates that the product is highly rated by buyers. If you’re seeking a more road-tested solution — the type that would be used by a CEDIA-affiliated custom integrator — and are willing to spend more money, I’d also look at HDMI switchers from companies like Key Digital, Atlona, and Gefen.

Having said all that, since you’re planning to buy an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, why not get a model that has built-in HDMI switching? Oppo Digital’s UDP-203 features an HDR10-compatible, 4K/60-Hz-capable HDMI input you can use to hook up your PS4 Pro. To select between the PlayStation and the UDP-203’s output, all you’ll need to do is switch them using the Oppo player’s remote control. At $549, the UDP-203 isn’t the cheapest Ultra HD Blu-ray player out there, but its HDMI switching feature will both solve your connectivity problem and ensure that you get the best AV quality from each source.

COMMENTS
dommyluc's picture
Submitted by dommyluc on April 13, 2018 - 9:26am

According to Sony and many test sites, two of the 4 HDMI inputs on the Sony XBR-X900E are HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 compliant, inputs 2 and 3, although input 3 is also the HDMI-ARC input. Couldn't Mr. Trava simply run a 4K HDMI cable from the ARC port of the Sony (HDMI input 3) to the ARC port of the Yamaha YAS-207, connect his 4K Blu-ray player to the other HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 compliant HDMI input on the Sony (input 2), and then connect his Sony Playstation 4 to either one of the other two HDMI inputs on the Sony, since the PS4 does not play 4K discs? Wouldn't this allow him to watch 4K discs and play his PS4 by using his Sony TV as a switcher, and the TV would pass the audio signal from either HDMI input to the Yamaha soundbar via the HDMI-ARC connection between the two of them?

John Sully's picture
Submitted by John Sully on April 13, 2018 - 10:10am

The PS4 Pro is a 4K gaming console, so that wouldn't fly.

dommyluc's picture
Submitted by dommyluc on April 13, 2018 - 10:46am

...in the event that Mr. Prava wants to do 4K gaming (he doesn't specify this in his letter - he only says that the PS4 Pro doesn't play 4k Blu-Ray discs), why not hook up the 4K Blu-Ray player to the HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 compliant HDMI input 2 on the Sony TV, run the HDMI cable from the ARC HDMI input (HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 compliant input 3 on the Sony), and hook up the PS4 Pro to the HDMI input on the Yamaha YAS-207, which has both an HDMI/ARC input and a another HDMI input. That way, when Mr. Prave wants to watch a 4K Blu-Ray, he can set the TV to input 2 and have the video displayed on the Sony TV while the audio is sent to the Yamaha via the ARC out, and when he wants to use the PS4 Pro, he could choose the HDMI input on the Yamaha, and have the video sent to the TV via the ARC out and have the audio playing through the Yamaha soundbar (both of the HDMI ports on the YAS-207 are supposed to support 4K HDR passthrough at 60 frames per second). Wouldn't that work, so he could enjoy both 4K discs and 4K gaming?

John Sully's picture
Submitted by John Sully on April 13, 2018 - 11:09am

That works, more complex, but nothing that a cheap Harmony remote won't fix.

dommyluc's picture
Submitted by dommyluc on April 13, 2018 - 11:30am

A Harmony remote would make his system a breeze to operate. They have the Harmony 650 on sale at The Big A for $38.00 - a steal, if you ask me. I have a system far more complex than Mr. Trava's system (see, I spelled it correctly this time!), consisting of an Onkyo receiver, LG HDTV, Sony Blu-ray, and a satellite receiver. I also stream my WAV music collection from PC HDD, stream music from digital radio and music services that I access through the Onkyo "NET" setting, and stream Netflix a. I can do all of that with the push of one button on the Harmony 650 after I programmed it. And I can also listen to my music with or without the TV on, and watch the Blu-ray player or

dommyluc's picture
Submitted by dommyluc on April 13, 2018 - 11:34am

A Harmony remote would make his system a breeze to operate. They have the Harmony 650 on sale at The Big A for $38.00 - a steal, if you ask me. I have a system far more complex than Mr. Trava's system (see, I spelled it correctly this time!), consisting of an Onkyo receiver, LG HDTV, Sony Blu-ray, and a satellite receiver. I also stream my WAV music collection from my PC HDD, stream music from digital radio and music services that I access through the Onkyo "NET" setting, and stream Netflix and other video services from the Sony BD player. I can do all of that with the push of one button on the Harmony 650 after I programmed it. And I can also listen to my music with or without the TV on, and watch the Blu-ray player or satellite receiver with or without the Onkyo on, through the TV speakers.
They'll have to pry my Harmony 650 from my cold dead hands!

dommyluc's picture
Submitted by dommyluc on April 13, 2018 - 11:19am

I misspelled your name multiple times! LOL!
Anyway, hope you find a solution and let us all know if you do.

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