Hello, I have an old Bose Lifestyle 535 that does not transmit 4K video to a 4K TV. Thus, I want to know if it is possible to connect my 4K Apple TV (and a DVD player) directly to the 4K TV with an HDMI cable, and then connect an optical audio cable from the TV to the Lifestyle to get 5.1 sound. If this is doable, can someone help me with steps/instructions? I guess I still need to connect an HDMI cable from the Lifestyle to the TV in order to set up the system?
wrote:Hello, I have an old Bose Lifestyle 535 that does not transmit 4K video to a 4K TV. Thus, I want to know if it is possible to connect my 4K Apple TV (and a DVD player) directly to the 4K TV with an HDMI cable, and then connect an optical audio cable from the TV to the Lifestyle to get 5.1 sound. If this is doable, can someone help me with steps/instructions? I guess I still need to connect an HDMI cable from the Lifestyle to the TV in order to set up the system?
I made a guide showing you how to do exactly that. To get the best out of your AV35, I would recommend "Option 3".
I hope that this helps solve your question. Let us know what you end up doing 🙂
Many thanks for your response. I am mostly interested in using my 4K Apple TV and do not have a cable box. My DVD player, which I do not use often, is BluRay, so it should work well by plugging it into the AV35. So if I understand correctly for Option 3 I would get an HDMI (splitter) switch and connect it to the 4K Apple TV and then connect an HDMI from the switch to the AV35 and another cable from the switch to the TV? Then to watch content I would set the TV to use that HDMI port but how can I set the AV35 to use the setting without having video signal from the AV35 to the TV? Same question if I decide to go with Option 2 using an optical audio cable. Thanks again.
wrote:Many thanks for your response. I am mostly interested in using my 4K Apple TV and do not have a cable box. My DVD player, which I do not use often, is BluRay, so it should work well by plugging it into the AV35.
I didn't mention a cable Box or anything. Connect what you want to the switch. Don't forget that if you don't want 4K, you can just go with "Option 0" and keep it at 1080p and use the AV35 as it was designed.
wrote:So if I understand correctly for Option 3 I would get an HDMI (splitter) switch and connect it to the 4K Apple TV and then connect an HDMI from the switch to the AV35 and another cable from the switch to the TV?
If you must have 4K & the best audio supported by the AV35 receiver, then go with "Option 3" as it's the only option that will guarantee you both of those. Yes, 4K will go to your TV and 1080p HDMI Audio will go to the AV35 receiver.
wrote:Same question if I decide to go with Option 2 using an optical audio cable. Thanks again.
As the AppleTV 4K does not have optical out, you cannot use "Option 2". The only other option would be "Option 1" and connect everything to your TV. You will lose lossless audio and your TV might not output 5.1, but it is a simple solution.
wrote:Then to watch content I would set the TV to use that HDMI port but how can I set the AV35 to use the setting without having video signal from the AV35 to the TV?
Just know that "Option 1" & "Option 3" (especially "Option 3a") might work best with a universal remote. A universal remote will change all the inputs on your TV & AV35 receiver to their correct settings and turn everything on if they are off.
I link to a universal remote I used in the guide I linked to earlier, but I am sure there are others out there. If you do not go for a universal remote, you will have to use a couple of remotes each time you wish to change inputs as the Bose remote would no longer control everything connected (especially the HDMI switch).
So for "Option 3a" you would change the AV35's input to the switch, the TV's input to the switch, if you have more than one source on the HDMI switch you would change that to AppleTV, then you would turn on the AppleTV.
If you only ever wish to connect the AppleTV to the HDMI switch and nothing else. Then would use "Option 3b" and use one of the few simpler 1x2 HDMI audio extractors I linked to in the guide. That way you won't have to worry about changing the Switches input and would only ever have to change the TV's input and the AV35's input. So you could probably just use Bose's remote to do everything.
It is best to try it yourself and see what works for you.
, thanks again. For Option 2 I was thinking that connecting everything (Apple TV, and DVD player) to the LG TV and then connect an optical audio cable from the LG TV (not the Apple TV) to the Bose. According to the LG manual the optical audio connection will work for surround sound. If this does not work, I will go with Option 3. However, there are mixed reviews on the performance of the HDMI switch you mentioned (XOLORspace 23421 HDMI 2.0 4X2 HDMI Matrix switcher), so I am worried about getting it to work as my first option to follow. The other HDMI switches you mentioned are only sold in Australia or the UK. Do you know of other ones available in the US? What I will probably do is try option 1 and make sure I get 5.1 sound out from both the DVD and the Apple TV and if that does not work I will explore Option 3, but it appears that I should get new high quality HDMI cables... I appreciate your comments.
wrote:, thanks again. For Option 2 I was thinking that connecting everything (Apple TV, and DVD player) to the LG TV and then connect an optical audio cable from the LG TV (not the Apple TV) to the Bose.
You might want to read the guide I made again as you just described "Option 1" 🤷♂️
wrote:According to the LG manual the optical audio connection will work for surround sound. If this does not work, I will go with Option 3.
If your TV supports 5.1 over optical that might be a fantastic solution and very simple to accomplish. Though you will lose sound quality if your AppleTV 4K outputs lossless audio as Optical does not have the bandwidth to support enhanced or uncompressed audio. It is up to you if that matters or not as you have options 🙂
wrote:However, there are mixed reviews on the performance of the HDMI switch you mentioned (XOLORspace 23421 HDMI 2.0 4X2 HDMI Matrix switcher), so I am worried about getting it to work as my first option to follow. The other HDMI switches you mentioned are only sold in Australia or the UK. Do you know of other ones available in the US?
I only listed a few different choices I found, it is not an exhaustive list and the global chip shortage has made finding things like this even harder. You can try the ones I listed or search for something else. The XOLORspace HDMI Switch to my knowledge is good (currently with 3.8 out of 5 stars) and being on Amazon prime you should be able to return it if you don't like it.
If your Blu-ray player is only 1080p and you have only one 4K device, being your AppleTV 4K, I would look NOT look at "Option 3a". That option is for people who have Mulitple 4K devices or plan on purchasing more 4K devices in the future.
Since you have only a Single 4K device (unless you believe you will want to connect more 4K devices in the future), look at "Option 3b". I believe you have missed that as it has different options and you have not mentioned them (it does not include the XOLORspace). So I believe you might want to re-read what I wrote 😉
wrote:What I will probably do is try option 1 and make sure I get 5.1 sound out from both the DVD and the Apple TV and if that does not work I will explore Option 3, but it appears that I should get new high quality HDMI cables... I appreciate your comments.
Sounds like a simple and easy solution. Though I might recommend that you keep your 1080p Blu-Ray player connected to the AV35 (as it will have the best sound that way) and connect the AppleTV 4K to your TV.