Help please - can’t play my SACDs!

[Kpyhifi]

Sorry to say the quick answer is no, when I spoke to Sony support he told me nothing could be done to overcome the copy protection.
Would it be possible for you to go back using your avr with small speakers and running the cables along skirting boards or behind furniture etc?
I had to buy small speakers and replace virtually all of my setup to please my better half for the same reasons you stated, the speakers are much less intrusive and the cables are along the skirting board and under the carpet for most of the way

Hi - sold my AVR and KEF speakers when I got the soundbar in 2022…and other half doesn’t want separates or speakers back

 

[Kpyhifi]

Found this explanation
https://ap.community.sony.com/s/que...0-cant-play-audio-cds-or-sacds?language=en_US

Yes - saw that a while back.

 

[madscot]

Wow... Typical Sony bullsh*t!!!

What blows my mind is Sony say you cant play sacd’s or dvd audios unless the soundbar has “the sony chip” in it then sell soundbars without the chip, absolutely mind blowing business sense

 

[quadsearcher]

What blows my mind is Sony say you cant play sacd’s or dvd audios unless the soundbar has “the sony chip” in it then sell soundbars without the chip, absolutely mind blowing business sense

Maybe they are trying to "encourage" using only a Sony AVR with multiple speakers, when playing Sony's flagship format, multichannel SACD.

If that is the case, it would compare to the last runs of big Sony CRT televisions. I'd never see a poor picture on those. Why? If another brand had a weak CRT, it might look a little weak but you could probably use it for years like that. If Sony had a weak CRT, it would shut down immediately and you would see nothing, instead of an inferior picture.
Insisting on only the best quality at the expense of convenience.

 

[paligap]

Hi - many thanks to everyone who’s replied. I should have clarified that over the past few months I’ve tried connecting direct to the soundbar with the audio only HDMI from the UBP-X800, as well as via eARC from the combined video and audio HDMI to the Bravia TV. I’ve also tried every menu option on the UBP-X800 (DSD off, LPCM etc etc) as well as the TV and soundbar, including eARC off and on, and all possible combinations. The soundbar manual is clear that it can’t accept DSD over HDMI. It can accept DSD via USB from a USB thumb drive. Also the UBP-X800 manual is clear that SACD cannot be played via HDMI to a non-compatible device for HDCP copy protection reasons. That specifically include DSD as well as LPCM. My SACD collection is almost all multi-channel SACD only and therefore no hybrid CD layer available. I’m actually looking for help on whether it’s possible to use some kind of HDMI adapter/switch between the player and the soundbar to allow HDCP protection playback.

Aren't many/most multi-channel SACDs hybrids with CD layers? You could always rip your SACDs to USB thumb (or disk?) drives, but that seems to me to be a lot of work to listen to multi-channel on a soundbar.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

You could always rip your SACDs to USB thumb (or disk?) drives, but that seems to me to be a lot of work to listen to multi-channel on a soundbar.

Lol... This would involve purchasing a supporting SACD player (some of which are cheap). Such a player may even 'play nice' with the soundbar

 

[madscot]

A crazy idea just popped into my head, I dont have original ideas very often and i’m not sure it would work, beg/steal/borrow a 5.1 avr, connect the Sony 800M2 to it normally, connect the avr by arc/earc to the soundbar hdmi input and that might bypass the copy protection, someone in here may even have tried that in the past and can report if it works

 

[Kpyhifi]

Hi - I’d thought of that - a bit of an expensive, retrograde step for me, having sold a Sony STR-DN860

 

[Kpyhifi]

Hi - I’d thought of that - a bit of an expensive, retrograde step for me, having sold a Sony STR-DN860

Is there any way to “fool” the UBP-X800 that it’s outputting to a compliant HDMI short of spending ££££££ on a redundant AVR??? Is there an HDMI adapter/switcher/converter I could use??

 

[madscot]

Y

Is there any way to “fool” the UBP-X800 that it’s outputting to a compliant HDMI short of spending ££££££ on a redundant AVR??? Is there an HDMI adapter/switcher/converter I could use??

You could try an hdmi splitter, they’re not expensive, I have one going into an LG soundbar at our holiday apartment and it works fine, although maybe the LG has the Sony chip in it!

 

[boxhead]

Is there any way to “fool” the UBP-X800 that it’s outputting to a compliant HDMI short of spending ££££££ on a redundant AVR??? Is there an HDMI adapter/switcher/converter I could use??

Try eBay. There are splitters on there that claim to remove HDCP. I have one and it does as it says.

'Splitters' makes me think of the Judean People's Front.

 

[Kpyhifi]

Try eBay. There are splitters on there that claim to remove HDCP. I have one and it does as it says.

'Splitters' makes me think of the Judean People's Front.

Thanks - I will try eBay for an HDMI splitter after Xmas!