Another home entertainment question (probably basic)

I would suggest a stereo network receiver and connect your sound bar directly to an analog output to the receiver(will need digital to analog converter). Run speaker wire from patio speakers to stereo receiver...done!

Your indoor setup will be Zone 2 and patio will be main...but should be easy to figure out.

Amazon has Onkyo TX-8050 on sale for $250. Nice app with onkyo too. Can control from phone.

Post your soundbar's model number if the following doesn't make sense. There's probably 6 good ways to hook it all up. The simplest way: If it's HDMI from cable box--> soundbar --> tv, then you want the most basic HDMI-capable receiver with HDMI pass through. You wouldn't need Zone 2 or any of the like. Your soundbar would work just like usual. The box would send HDMI to the soundbar which will play the audio and send the video on its way to the receiver, which is hooked to the outdoor speakers. Video will pass through the receiver, but sound will only travel to the outside speakers when the receiver is on.


I'm going to stop here in terms of scenarios. If that works, that's what I would do with hardwired outdoor speakers + a volume knob somewhere outside. If that doesn't work, please share the model number of the soundbar (TV model number wouldn't hurt to have either, if it's handy). There are plenty of other options out there.

I avoid the topic of wireless because I really just don't know so much about it. Assuming you had an analog source, though, something like the Dayton Audio DTA-1 system could prevent you from running as much wire (2.4GHz transmitter--> amplifier. You would still run wire from amp to speakers). There are at least a handful of similar wireless transmitters that would take the content from your little setup and send it over to the receiving amp, but then you would need wires from that amp to the speakers. These wires carry power, though, so you only need 1 outlet for the amp. A speaker that has a built-in amp (powered) will require a regular 110v power connection.

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Sony HT260

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This model has HDMI in + out and can be used like I say above. It's also Bravia Sync compatible. Should you want to continue to use one, single remote, you should actually be able to, specifically if you go with a receiver like the Sony STR-DH 550 (~$200). Given your other Sony products, the Bravia Sync feature would probably be useful. There's some mixed results with HDMI-CEC functionality, but that's mainly due to different manufacturers using different codes for similar functions. That problem is eased by sticking with one manufacturer. It also doesn't hurt that there's only about a $10-15 difference in price between the model I said and the cheapest HDMI receivers I see around the web.


Now, as far as other possibilities that would work fine, you could run the soundbar between the cable box and TV by HDMI and then pick up an optical to analog converter (FiiO D3 (d03K) seems to be a popular model, but I admittedly haven't researched much in the "$30 or less" range. Then you could take that optical signal and pass it through a Lepai 2020a+ Class T amp (~$20). Don't be fooled by the low price or the low wattage. That's a pretty decent little amp. In the same price range/sound quality, there's the Dayton DTA1 that comes in around $35. I think I talked about it in my last post, but there's actually Dayton models that would prevent you from running wires from this area near your TV by tossing the signal wirelessly to an identical-looking receiver. It comes in around $70-90 if I'm not mistaken. You'll still have to wire the speaker from the receiving end and I wouldn't put it outside, so that may or may not be worthwhile for you. If it saves you 5ft of cable run, it's probably not worth it. If it prevents you from having to get into the attic at all, maybe it is- your setup and distances aren't shared, so that'll be left up to you unless you want to post a little more about it. There are a fair number of wireless bridges for audio. I don't know anything about them. They basically all transmit stereo (red and white plug, sometimes a single "headphone" plug) across either your actual Newtork (built into a router like the Apple Airport Express or Linksys wrt 54...audio version somethingorother (you're going to want to not quote me on that model number's last part)). Like I said- I've never used them for that, so if you go that route, you'll have to evaluate it some other way. Other than networked, there are other wireless transmitters- several bluetooth transmitter/receiver combos. I also haven't used those, but they exist.

Now, the DAC + Lepai won't allow you to use your remote to turn on sound outside. You could do a few things to change the convenience. You could leave the amp on all the time with the volume down and turn it up when you want sound outside. You could walk up to it and flip its switch when you want outside audio. The best method, though, would be to install a fader port outside. I would still flip the amp's switch off when not in use, but since we are talking about a $20 easily replaceable little guy (nine hasn't been turned off more than 5 days of the last 3 months or so), you could leave it on with a dial/fader outside and just have the music/sound come on/off out there that way (of course, the TV and soundbar also have to be on in this scenario).


So now that I've likely thoroughly confused you on options, I'll stop trying to explain and let you ask more about anything you'd like to know about or want further clarification on.