USB DAC for Samsung S95C

[Jazigo]

I did rerun my tests on the newest update (2202 Tizen 9): There is still 95ms of latency on the optical out port. The same for HDMI Arc.

This is 95 ms more time that extracting audio from the Lindy 2x2 HDMI 8K60 Matrix before it reaches the TV.

 

[akafreak]

I did rerun my tests on the newest update (2202 Tizen 9): There is still 95ms of latency on the optical out port. The same for HDMI Arc.

This is 95 ms more time that extracting audio from the Lindy 2x2 HDMI 8K60 Matrix before it reaches the TV.

Was the TV set as "PC" in Input source? I believe that turns off all video processing and reduces latency.

 

[Jazigo]

Was the TV set as "PC" in Input source? I believe that turns off all video processing and reduces latency.

I am not sure, actually. I just connected my laptop and made sure game-mode was turned on (disabled a lot of stuff that gets greyed out in the menus).

 

[Chrispy]

I would have expected USB DAC support on recent Samsung TVs to be more popular among the ASR crowd!

How are people typically connecting DACs to Samsung TVs, via Toslink or HDMI ARC? Both options seem less practical to me.

Has anyone run into similar issues using the Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle with a Samsung TV or any other source? Sound seems normal when watching TV broadcasts, but some songs on Spotify sound like vinyl records.

I have older Samsung plasmas myself but use them only as displays, don't even use ARC due its limitations let alone needing tv-based source of audio or even video. Never even occurred to me to use a dac on a tv....sort of what sucked me into the thread However, if I add a tv to my active speakers from what I'd seen you needed primarily hdmi or wireless....not used to having usb be for many applications on a tv, tho.

 

[VAV]

I have older Samsung plasmas myself but use them only as displays, don't even use ARC due its limitations let alone needing tv-based source of audio or even video. Never even occurred to me to use a dac on a tv....sort of what sucked me into the thread However, if I add a tv to my active speakers from what I'd seen you needed primarily hdmi or wireless....not used to having usb be for many applications on a tv, tho.

Some bus-powered USB DACs work with certain Android and Tizen TVs, providing analog audio output on TVs that lack a dedicated analog jack. It's very practical as there are no lip sync issues + no volume control issues. Feature is poorly documented on Samsung TVs, basically one line in manual.

 

[VAV]

In the end, I bought the Steinberg IXO22 and it works reasonably well. Initially I tried to connect the interface to the USB port on the left side of the One Connect box for better cable management, but for some reason this resulted in stuttering audio. Upon connecting it to one of the two USB ports in the middle, it started working normally. Lip sync is off immediately after power‑on but quickly synchronizes. I haven't noticed any clicks or pops, so the problem was likely related to the Apple USB‑C to 3.5 mm adapter.

Unrelated rant: the One Connect box, at least on this model, is not well engineered. The cable connecting the box to the screen is awful, it’s extremely stiff and the connectors on both ends have a poor locking mechanism, so even a gentle movement of the screen can cause a weak connection and a myriad of issues. As a bonus, the Samsung full motion wall mount for this TV, does not leave space for the One Connect box cable, so the TV can't be pressed fully against the wall because the cable interferes.

 

[VAV]

I found a workaround for stuttering audio after powering on when using the Steinberg IXO22. Switch the audio output to optical or the TV's internal speakers, then switch back to the Steinberg IXO22 (or any USB DAC you are using).

 

[Jazigo]

I have finally had the time to do some proper measurements of the optical port on a Samsung S90C.

The measurements are pure digital and done on a Soundblaster sb1040 soundcard with optical in and out ports. The firmware of the tv is 2202 (Tizen 9).

See the attached REW file for closer inspection.

Basically, the Samsung S90 Optical port does not alter the sound in terms of EQ as it shows a dead flat frequency response. The data shows that some alteration is done to the source signal. My source signal was 32 bit 48kHz, but I think that the 32bit data is truncated to 24bit. I need to inspect the received data closer to say for sure, but all in all, the data looks very good.

As for latency:

Samsung S90C with Digital Delay set to '0':

Samsung S90C with Digital Delay set to '250':

HDMI audio extractor (Nordic SGM-244):

As one can see, the Samsung S90C have a latency of 93.3ms. This is the same no matter which mode the TV is set to. I tried 'PC' with and with game-mode and also for 'Console', but it always came up with the same number. However the excellent Nordic SGM-244 HDMI audio extractor shows a latency of only 6.9ms. This is well within the range to use for guitar hero or other real-time sensitivity content.


A note on USB audio:
I have tried the USB audio for a while, but it simply struggles with pops and clicks after a short amount of time (say 10-15 minutes of use). It also forces all content to be played at 44.1 kHz. The pops and clicks makes it useless for myself, so I didn't bother to measure it.

 

[sydneyanya]

I have finally had the time to do some proper measurements of the optical port on a Samsung S90C.

The measurements are pure digital and done on a Soundblaster sb1040 soundcard with optical in and out ports. The firmware of the tv is 2202 (Tizen 9).

See the attached REW file for closer inspection.

Basically, the Samsung S90 Optical port does not alter the sound in terms of EQ as it shows a dead flat frequency response. The data shows that some alteration is done to the source signal. My source signal was 32 bit 48kHz, but I think that the 32bit data is truncated to 24bit. I need to inspect the received data closer to say for sure, but all in all, the data looks very good.

As for latency:

Samsung S90C with Digital Delay set to '0':
View attachment 521967
Samsung S90C with Digital Delay set to '250':
View attachment 521968
HDMI audio extractor (Nordic SGM-244):
View attachment 521969
As one can see, the Samsung S90C have a latency of 93.3ms. This is the same no matter which mode the TV is set to. I tried 'PC' with and with game-mode and also for 'Console', but it always came up with the same number. However the excellent Nordic SGM-244 HDMI audio extractor shows a latency of only 6.9ms. This is well within the range to use for guitar hero or other real-time sensitivity content.


A note on USB audio:
I have tried the USB audio for a while, but it simply struggles with pops and clicks after a short amount of time (say 10-15 minutes of use). It also forces all content to be played at 44.1 kHz. The pops and clicks makes it useless for myself, so I didn't bother to measure it.

had to make an account to thank you for this post you answered many of my questions. I wondered for a long time why on the topping e70 display it showed only 44.1khz on my s95d when playing 48khz audio. The samsung tv usb audio is also limited to 2 channels i believe, the motu m2 worked, but not the m4.