Bose 500 Sound bar Dolby Digital Problems

[Bestgingerna33]

So I have a Samsung Q70R tv, and when I plug the bar to the hdmi arc I can’t use the setting for Dolby digital. I’ve changed the hdmi cords. I have an Apple TV 4K and a ps4 on the other hdmis. Any help would be appreciated.

[Sam_F]

Hi @Bestgingerna33,

Thank you for taking the time to post and welcome to the Bose Community.

I'm sorry for any trouble you've encountered through setting up your soundbar and I hope to clear things up.

You're looking for the Dolby Digital setting to be enabled, but is your TV currently recognizing the Soundbar 500 as the audio output source? Or is it not being found through HDMI ARC?

The setting you're looking for is usually listed somewhere in the TV sound settings - have you not managed to find anything regarding audio format/mode?

Warm regards,

Sam F - Community Support

[Bestgingerna33]

So it recognizes the sound bar when I go through the inputs, but when I go through the advanced input settings it doesn’t. I don’t know if that’s what you mean. 
cec works fine

[Sam_F]

Hi @Bestgingerna33,

Thank you for responding.

The setting I'll need you to look for maybe labelled 'Audio format' or 'Digital audio format'? In this setting, you may see the option to select Dolby Digital.

I believe it is somewhere under the Audio/Sound settings of your Samsung TV settings. Let me know if you see anything similar or like this.

Warm regards,

Sam F

[Bestgingerna33]

When I go under expert settings, I only have the option for “pcm”. Dolby digital and Dolby digital+ are greeted out. I know I won’t get + to work, just trying to get normal Dolby digital. 

[Sam_F]

Hi @Bestgingerna33,

Thanks for letting me know. I think I know the option you're referring to there.

If you are not seeing Dolby Digital, it's likely because the TV thinks that it is not possible to be used by a connected device. What else do you have connected to your TV other than the soundbar?

Regardless, PCM is actually the preferred option to Dolby Digital in that it is uncompressed audio compared to the compressed with Dolby Digital. With the option set to PCM, you're going to be experiencing the best sound format available to you.

I hope that helps!

Warm regards,

Sam F

[Bestgingerna33]

wouldn’t Dolby digit be better for surround sound experience? 
I have Apple 4K tv, and a ps4

[Keith_L]

Hello Bestgingerna33,

You will get a full surround sound experience using PCM as well, the soundbar can decode a 5.1 signal form PCM as well as Dolby Digital and DTS. As such any of these formats can be used for surround sound and you should not get a worse experience from not using Dolby Digital.

As @Sam_F mentioned, PCM is an uncompressed format, unlike Dolby Digital, so this may be a better choice for you to use anyway.

If you do want to use Dolby Digital, it may be worth looking at the audio formats on the Apple TV and Playstation, in case they are outputting a different format from that being used by the TV.

Kind Regards,

Keith L