CD transport HDMI out --> DAC HDMI ARC: How to convert?

[Fisten]

Hi everyone.

I have a streaming DAC with analogue, TOSLINK, and HDMI ARC inputs, and I brought a cheapo CD/DVD player with analogue and HDMI output, using as a transport only.

Unfortunately, at first try, the CD player HDMI won't signal to the DAC's HDMI ARC input.

The CD player's DAC is low low budget, so I don't want to send signal via its analogue out to the DAC.

Is there a way to convert the CD' player's HDMI into HDMI ARC? (without using an intermediate DAC?) I see a tonne of converters online, but they all seem strip the HDMI audio and place it onto TOSLINK or analogue (ie, another DAC in the signal path).

 

[Gigantic]

Is there a way to convert the CD' player's HDMI into HDMI ARC? (without using an intermediate DAC?) I see a tonne of converters online, but they all seem strip the HDMI audio and place it onto TOSLINK or analogue (ie, another DAC in the signal path).

I use a HDMI Audio stripper to TOSLINK to get the signal from my Apple TV to my DAC, to use it as a streamer. I don't know of a HDMI to HDMI ARC convertor, just strippers.

 

[Fisten]

Thanks for the reply. What is the stripper you are using? I may have to go down that road as the best worst option!

 

[Gigantic]

Thanks for the reply. What is the stripper you are using? I may have to go down that road as the best worst option!

I don’t know that I gave it any consideration when I got it. At the time, I just wanted to get sound from my Apple TV into a Bose wave radio, which I’d been using as an ersatz sound bar with a projector for video. I’m a bit of an oddball in that I won’t have a tv in my home and don’t watch cable or broadcast programming, just an occasional movie and a very limited amount of streaming content. At any rate, I got an inexpensive model from Amazon and it’s worked well enough that I’m still using it with my separates, albeit the toslink output to my dac, instead of the rca outs. It works well enough for casual listening, streaming from my phone or for watching movies, where I use my mains as the front speakers in a 7.0 surround system, split between my separates and an AVR.

 

[whoaru99]

Might be helpful if you listed specific model numbers.

 

[linuxfan]

Is there a way to convert the CD' player's HDMI into HDMI ARC?

HDMI ARC is simply an extension of HDMI - adding a return channel - so there's no conversion necessary, certainly not in a technical sense.
Your problem is more likely due to configuration.

the CD player HDMI won't signal to the DAC's HDMI ARC input

Are you 100% sure that the CD DVD player is actually outputting HDMI audio when playing a CD? You should check this, by temporarily connecting the DVD's HDMI output to a different HDMI device other than your DAC, such as a conventional digital television. Play a CD and make sure you can hear the audio through the TV. If not, I suspect it will be a configuration issue with your DVD player ... that's why you really should have told us the model of DVD player.
But if you can hear the CD audio OK through the TV, you will know that the DVD player is doing its job correctly, and the problem will be with the configuration of the DAC ... that's why you really should have told us the model of DAC.

 

[BmWr75]

I have a new TV that has a HDMI ARC or eARC output (forget which) and a new Advance Paris A12 receiver that has an HDMI input. I tried every configuration possible best I know and never got it working. Finally tried a different HDMI cable and got it to work. Then the TV peaker audio and the A12 audio were not in sync IIRC. Finally just gave up and ran the optical digital out from the TV to the A12.

This is not really the problem you are trying to solve, but sharing that even HDMI cables can cause issues.

 

[linuxfan]

Yes there's another possibility - you may need an HDMI cable which meets HDMI-1.4 spec or higher.