Question Setting up the TV/Raspberry Pi sound chain

[gordonfreemanjr]

So I need to set the sound chain around my TV properly - and it’s a tricky one:

I want to run music and games from my RASPBERRY PI 4, connected to a USB SOUND CARD. The main audio out is the SOUNDBAR attached to the TV.

The TV is being used basically as a monitor, there’s no cable and I want to keep it this way. I need it as a video out for my Pi 4 and as a movie player (from a USB drive).

The problem is, if I connect a USB drive directly to the TV to watch a movie, I’m bypassing the USB sound card, which is attached to a Pi 4 earlier in the chain. How to make it work? Can I use a USB sound card as both main audio outputs for the Pi 4 and TV?

Please keep in mind that I still want the sound to reach me via the soundbar. So:

Raspberry Pi4/USB Sound Card > TV > Soundbar

or:

1. Raspberry Pi4/USB Sound Card > TV > Soundbar
2. USB drive > TV > USB Sound Card > Soundbar

or, I don’t know, maybe bypass the TV soundwise and attach the sound card straight to the soundbar, placing it fuhrer down within the chain?

Help!

 

[Alabalcho]

If you connect everything thru HDMI, why you need additional USB audio for RPi?

 

[gordonfreemanjr]

I just figured that RPi is going to sound terribly on it’s own, and the soundbar as an audio out is only going to amplify the effect. You’re saying that a sound card is not needed in this setup?

 

[gordonfreemanjr]

If you connect everything thru HDMI, why you need additional USB audio for RPi?

I can connect the video through HDMI and the audio through 3.5, though I’m not sure if it adds anything to the table.

 

[jsmithepa]

HDMI already puts out audio info but is in digital form, so ur soundbar needs to have HDMI IN/OUT to take advantage of this feature, otherwise you are stuck with the un-ideal USB sound dongle.

 

[gordonfreemanjr]

HDMI already puts out audio info but is in digital form, so ur soundbar needs to have HDMI IN/OUT to take advantage of this feature, otherwise you are stuck with the un-ideal USB sound dongle.

Well, the soundbar has an HDMI in. The problem is that the TV has no HDMI out. And I need to include the TV within the chain as a monitor.