After a long wait, Sony has started rolling out the two additional promised HDMI 2.1 features for its soundbars and 360 system, making them a better match for PS5 and Xbox Series X.
First launched in 2021 and 2022, HT-A5000 and HT-A7000 were Sony's first soundbars to support 4K120 (with HDR) passthrough, meaning that you can connect a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X directly to the soundbar's HDMI input and still enjoy 4K120 on your HDMI 2.1-enabled 4K TV. HT-A9 is also from 2021.
Only problem was that the soundbars and the sound system did not support passthrough for HDMI 2.1's ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), which is used to automatically enable/disable the TV's Game mode, and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which delivers smoother gaming with less input lag.
ALLM and VRR are supported on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
The situation is quite similar to that of AV receivers. If you want to connect a game console directly to the receiver, it too must support all these specific HDMI features. The alternative is to connect the game console directly to the TV and use the TV's eARC port to then pass on the audio to the receiver/soundbar.
Firmware rolling out now
The firmware that adds ALLM and VRR support is rolling out now to Sony HT-A5000 as version 1.769, and to Sony HT-A7000 and HT-A9 as version 1.779.
Sony HT-A7000. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
The firmware is available to download and install via a USB stick in Europe, North America and other regions, and should also soon show up on your sound system as an over-the-air update.
Also read: First listen: Sony's ecosystem of 360 Spatial Sound products
The sound systems will also support Sony's 'Perfect for PlayStation' features, one of which is based on ALLM and the other based on HGiG for automatic HDR tone-mapping in games.
Check the table for download links and more information.
ALLM/VRR firmware update for Sony sound systems
FlatpanelsHD
