Using a Samsung Q995 soundbar as audio only system

[jacobacci]

Using a Samsung Q995 soundbar as an audio only system is probably the cheapest way to listen to Dolby Atmos BluRays or Dolby Atmos via Apple TV. In my audio room I do not want to install an eARC capable TV to as the centerpiece of the setup.
At a friend's house I have tried his Samsung Q995 in a configuration without his TV. We connected an Oppo BluRay Player and a 4th gen Apple TV to the HDMI inputs of the soundbar and a small portable HDCP capable monitor to the soundbar's HDMI (eARC) in/output. This setup did not work. It stayed silent.
I just saw @MCH 's recent post on HDMI and eARC and that got me thinking that the soundbar probably refuses to work, because it does not see an eARC capable device on the respective HDMI port.
Do any of the experts here have ideas how I could get an audio only setup of a Samsung Q995 to work. Might adding an eARC capable HDMI switch such as the Finetech VAX04201 solve the issue?
Thanks for any hints

 

[staticV3]

A VAX01202 could be everything you need:


Though I'd ask Fein if it works for Soundbars, just to make sure.

Edit:
Should've read better, my apologies


The HW-Q995 has general purpose HDMI inputs, so the VAX01202 should indeed do the trick.

If you're in the EU, I'd be willing to sell one for cheap.

 

[jacobacci]

Thanks, I will drop Feintech a message

 

[jacobacci]

Feintech's answer was as follows:
In principle the Q995 should work with a non eARC HDCP monitor or a non eARC projector attached to the eARC HDMI port. It should fall back to non eARC HDMI.
If this fails, adding a VAX04101 oder VAX04201 should do the trick, as outlined on the Feintech website

 

[staticV3]

Feintech's answer was as follows:
In principle the Q995 should work with a non eARC HDCP monitor or a non eARC projector attached to the eARC HDMI port. It should fall back to non eARC HDMI.
If this fails, adding a VAX04101 oder VAX04201 should do the trick, as outlined on the Feintech website

Again, since the Q995 has general purpose HDMI ports as well as an ARC port, the substantially cheaper VAX01202 should work just fine.

It splits a regular HDMI output into one HDMI output carrying audio with a black image (this plugs into the Q995), and one HDMI output carrying the image (this plugs into the projector). No ARC required.