Samsung soundbar surround setup with Vizio tv

[rogerseo29]

I am trying to set up a Samsung HW-m550 3.1 sound bar with the rear speaker kit SWA-8500s to a Vizio E600i-B3. It is all hooked up via HDMI ARC and I am getting sound from all speakers but it seems to be stereo? Set to bitstream audio and CEC on. Not sure if this is as good as it gets. My vizio sound bar with rear speakers system in the basement plays more ambient sound through the rear speakers like surround should, hooked up via optical cable. Just wanted to be sure I have my settings right.

 

[americanaudiophile]

Make sure the content is encoded in digital surround. If you use a set top box check the audio menu.
There shouldn't be any difference between using ARC or optical to get audio into the soundbar.
Bitstream is the correct output for the TV. CEC doesn't affect sound only control of the soundbar with the TV remote.
The difference may be due to the way each maker does their surround sound. The Samsung doesn't mention Dolby Digital so maybe the Vizio does.
You should only hear sound from the rears when the content has rear channel audio. When it doesn't you should hear dead silence from the rears. The Vizio may have a mode to create rear surround when there isn't supposed to be any.

 

[rogerseo29]

Make sure the content is encoded in digital surround. If you use a set top box check the audio menu.
There shouldn't be any difference between using ARC or optical to get audio into the soundbar.
Bitstream is the correct output for the TV. CEC doesn't affect sound only control of the soundbar with the TV remote.
The difference may be due to the way each maker does their surround sound. The Samsung doesn't mention Dolby Digital so maybe the Vizio does.
You should only hear sound from the rears when the content has rear channel audio. When it doesn't you should hear dead silence from the rears. The Vizio may have a mode to create rear surround when there isn't supposed to be any.

Thanks for the reply. I was able to get a blu ray to play in surround from the Xbox via the ARC after changing some settings on the Xbox HDMI audio to bitstream and then Dolby (I had done this 20 different times but it always defaulted to stereo) I think you are right about the content I was watching through my cable provider. I read that our local CBS does not pass the 5.1. I am going to double check a couple channels today. The Vizio has a "surround" option in the settings so I am wonder if it does create rear stereo speaker sound. I will check all that, thanks for replying. I will add that the blu-ray sounded great.