My connection. HDMI from cable box to HDMI 2 on TV and HD...

[rstra]

My connection. HDMI from cable box to HDMI 2 on TV and HDMI from sound bar to HDMI ARC on TV 

[Andy2005]

I finally had time again to work through various connection combinations and settings including what you suggested above. Unfortunately nothing has worked and I'm exhausted trying different things. It appears that to solve this (if it can be solved) needs a technician or someone else to physically come to my house and try to figure this out. As we know everything works individually, I am starting to think that the PVR may be the unit that is incompatible. Yes, it could be the SB or the TV but I'm betting it has something to do with the PVR.  If not compatible, I just need someone to confirm that so not wasting my time anymore thinking it is some problem with how we are trying to hook this up.

I have included photos showing the back of my PVR and TV in case that may help further, but I think I have explained what I have adequately before. TV has only 2 HDMI ports one Arc and one regular. Sound Bar (SB) has one optical, one HDMI, a subwoofer and power port. PVR (Motorola DCX3510-M) has an HDMI and optical port.

Please advise what I should do next.  Thank you

Motorola DCX3510-MSony TV

[mdk]

@Andy2005 -- I am starting to think that the PVR may be the unit that is incompatible.

I disagree. A HDMI cable carries both audio & video into your TV.

> > PVR (Motorola DCX3510-M) has an HDMI and optical port.

If you exclusively wanted the audio-output from the PVR to feed your sound-bar, connect PVR-optical to sound-bar-optical.

But, if you have a smart-TV with a built-in Netflix app, that app feeds the audio-output into the TV -- bypassing the PVR.

> TV has only 2 HDMI ports one Arc and one regular.

> Sound Bar (SB) has one optical, one HDMI,

As @rstra wrote, connect the PVR's HDMI-output to the "non-ARC" HDMI-input port.

As @rstra wrote, connect HDMI from sound bar to HDMI ARC on TV.

Or, if you are on a two-year Value-Plan, you are entitled to rent (at a net price of $0.00/month) the BlueCurve PVR, as part of the contract. Maybe, an upgrade from your current PVR will be helpful.

[rstra]

@Andy2005 Did you try optical out from the PVR to the sound bar, or optical out from your TV (if it has one) to your sound bar.

I don’t think Shaw will send a technician to work on your sound bar. 

[Andy2005]

As @rstra wrote, connect the PVR's HDMI-output to the "non-ARC" HDMI-input port.

Tried this - connected PVR/HDMI to the HDMI 2 port on TV (non-ARC port)

As @rstconnect HDMI from sound bar to HDMI ARC on TV.

Tried this - connected HDMI from sound bar to HDMI (ARC) on TV.

At the same time I disconnected Optical connection. I ensured TV audio was set to External speaker (not TV speakers). Set SB to ARC/HDMI. Set PVR audio to PCM

Results: No sound on regular TV and no sound on Sound Bar.

Then changed: PVR audio setting to HDMI rather than PCM.  Result was no sound from either regular TV or when streaming with Netflix.

Next change:  Kept everything the same as above but plugged in Optical cable from SB to PVR. Result = no chnage.

Next  changed: SB setting to Optical rather than HDMI/ARC. Regular TV worked through TV speakers when I changed TV audio to TV. Netflix could also be heard through TV speakers but nothing through SB.

Next Changed: PVR audio setting to PCM rather than HDMI (left SB still on optical). Result = SB worked for regular TV but Netflix came through TV speaker at the same time so had two audios going simultaneously..
Note: noticed that TV audio switched automatically back to TV speaker setting rather than external speaker so I tried switching back and forth to see it made any difference. It didn't make any difference.

I have also tried numerous other combinations of cable hook-ups and settings on PVR and TV and SB. I am at a loss.

[Andy2005]

rstra wrote: "Did you try optical out from the PVR to the sound bar, or optical out from your TV (if it has one) to your sound bar.

I don’t think Shaw will send a technician to work on your sound bar. "

Yes I tried optical out from PVR to the SB. Result = SB works for regular TV but not for streaming Netflix. To get SB for netflix I have to switch optical cable from PVR back to TV. As I said earlier - I can do this but it is awkward to go behind my set each time, then also go back into TV settings to switch that as well. Then repeat again when I want to watch TV. Also I can easily predict that the cable or the port will get damaged by doing this over and over again.

[rstra]

@Andy2005 Oh yes, sorry, I remember that you tried that as well. Is that an optical output on your TV?

[Andy2005]

Yes it is an optical outlet on the TV

[rstra]

@Andy2005 optical out from tv to sound bar should work with the cable and apps. 

[mdk]

@Andy2005 -- let's go back to a "standard" configuration:

1. disconnect all the cables from your sound-bar, except the electrical power.

2. set your PVR's audio-output to go through the HDMI cable.

3. set your TV to its internal speakers.

4. Tune to a TV station, to confirm that the PVR's audio-output goes to the TV's built-in speakers. OK?

5. On your smart-TV, access Netflix, to confirm that its audio-output goes to the TV's built-in speakers. OK?

6. On your TV, return to audio/video input from your PVR. Do you still get audio-output to the TV's built-in speakers?

7. Connect the optical-output from the TV to the optical-input on the sound-bar. Power-on the sound-bar. If the sound-bar has its own volume-control, maximize it. Do you still get the audio-output from your PVR only to the TV's built-in speakers? Or, to both the TV's speakers and the sound-bar, or only to the sound-bar?

8. If you "mute" the TV's built-in speakers, do you get audio-output from the PVR to the sound-bar?

9. Unmute the TV's built-in speakers.

10. Switch to Netflix.

11. Do you still get the audio-output only to the TV's built-in speakers? Or, to both the TV's speakers and the sound-bar, or only to the sound-bar?

12. If you "mute" the TV's built-in speakers, do you get audio-output from Netflix to the sound-bar?

13. Switch your smart-TV back to audio/video input from the PVR.

14. On your TV, configure the audio-output from the "default" (internal speakers) to the "external" output (to the sound-bar).

15. Do you get the PVR's audio-output onto only the TV's speakers, only to the sound-bar, or to both?

16. Switch the TV to Netflix.

17. Do you get Netflix's audio-output onto only to the TV's speakers, only to the sound-bar, or to both?

Tell us which of the above steps give the expected output.