WiiM Ultra Firmware v5.2.715362 - Apr 29, 2025

[QuarryHunslet]

Unless I’m mistaken, aren’t all those CEC functions apart from silencing the TV speakers which would be a TV or ARC function? I already don’t use CEC in my setup as I use a Harmony Hub and remote which needs to know input and power state and CEC can mess that up.

I’d also note that I can see a use case where you could have the tv on just for visuals (say with a football game on) while listening to music on your Ultra which WiiM seemed not to see as a use case if I understood their comment correctly.

They probably are, and this means that they are very unlikely to work properly.

Most of my TV viewing is done via a mini PC, and my TV is only acting as the monitor. In many cases I'm doing computer stuff with the TV as monitor, and also listening to music using my Ultra. I'm guessing that a HDMI connection between TV and Ultra would mess everything up.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

You cannot get any sound from the TV without ARC. That is the special wire in the HDMI cable retuning the TV digital signal (e.g. PCM). The CEC is a control signal running on another HDMI wire. You may disable that but will lose things like volume control. That could be ok for some but not for me.

You can get special HDMI cables where the CEC wire is disconnected. I think that would be the solution for you.

I think that for my use case, I will have to stick with using the optical connection between My TV and Ultra, as this allows me to have full control of where my TV sound is heard, without any of the disadvantages that a HDMI connection would bring me.

 

[hgo58]

I think that for my use case, I will have to stick with using the optical connection between My TV and Ultra, as this allows me to have full control of where my TV sound is heard, without any of the disadvantages that a HDMI connection would bring me.

What is your current issue?
I would like to know what use case is not currently supported.

I only see the bug in standby, else it's working as I would expect.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

What is your current issue?
I would like to know what use case is not currently supported.

I only see the bug in standby, else it's working as I would expect.

I don't have a current issue because I'm using an optical connection, although I probably would if I was to try HDMI connection.

Post in thread 'WiiM Ultra Firmware v5.2.715362 - Apr 29, 2025'

Today at 12:11 AM

Probably around 95% of my TV viewing is done using the built in speakers for the audio, but on rare occasions such as a music programme, or possibly a film that I might want to watch, I will listen via my Ultra.

There should be a setting to allow the HDMI input to receive TV audio only, without any HDMI Arc/CEC “Features” whatsoever, and then I might just be able to use this input instead of using the Optical input.

I don’t want the TV to do Any of the following,

Turn on my Ultra
Change the Input on my Ultra
Control the Volume of my Ultra with the TV remote
Silence the TV built in...

• QuarryHunslet

 

[hgo58]

I don't have a current issue because I'm using an optical connection, although I probably would if I was to try HDMI connection.

Post in thread 'WiiM Ultra Firmware v5.2.715362 - Apr 29, 2025'

Today at 12:11 AM

Probably around 95% of my TV viewing is done using the built in speakers for the audio, but on rare occasions such as a music programme, or possibly a film that I might want to watch, I will listen via my Ultra.

There should be a setting to allow the HDMI input to receive TV audio only, without any HDMI Arc/CEC “Features” whatsoever, and then I might just be able to use this input instead of using the Optical input.

I don’t want the TV to do Any of the following,

Turn on my Ultra
Change the Input on my Ultra
Control the Volume of my Ultra with the TV remote
Silence the TV built in...

• QuarryHunslet

Ok. So you really don't know how it is working with latest firmware?

 

[QuarryHunslet]

Ok. So you really don't know how it is working with latest firmware?

No, I have never tried HDMI connection, as it wouldn't offer me any benefits that I don't get via optical connection, and also all of my TVs HDMI ports are currently being used.

 

[harkpabst]

No, I have never tried HDMI connection, as it wouldn't offer me any benefits that I don't get via optical connection, and also all of my TVs HDMI ports are currently being used.

And that's the point in case: For your particular use case, there's simply no advantage to HDMI ARC.

The whole idea behind ARC was to do away with an additional optical cable, when here it's just a matter of either or.

If you needed the optical input for some other source, that was a separate issue.

 

[QuarryHunslet]

And that's the case in point: For your particular use case, there's simply no advantage to HDMI ARC.

The whole idea behind ARC was to do away with an additional optical cable, when here it's just a matter of either or.

If you needed the optical input for some other source, that was a separate issue.

In my case using HDMI ARC would add an additional cable for no gain. I do use the optical input for other sources, but they are connected via a manually controlled rotary 3 way optical switch, which is simple to use.

 

[khuntim]

These are all TV settings so it depends on your TV where you could find them and if they are available at all.

For 2-channel stereo (uncompressed) linear pulse code modulation (either labelled as PCM or LPCM) is the best quality setting. If this results in sync issues, for now the fix could be to switch the TV output to Dolby Digital (which may also be labelled DD or AC3 in your TV's settings).

So the Ultra will say LPCM, not AC3? will have to try again. If trying to raise center volume in Kodi, may not be any center to raise?, I thought the Ultra supported the 5.1 signal?

 

[harkpabst]

So the Ultra will say LPCM, not AC3? will have to try again. If trying to raise center volume in Kodi, may not be any center to raise?, I thought the Ultra supported the 5.1 signal?

Yes, the WiiM Ultra will say on its touchscreen display if it is fed LPCM or AC3 from the TV.

Other audio formats are currently not supported.

 

[CliffyBC]

Probably around 95% of my TV viewing is done using the built in speakers for the audio, but on rare occasions such as a music programme, or possibly a film that I might want to watch, I will listen via my Ultra.

There should be a setting to allow the HDMI input to receive TV audio only, without any HDMI Arc/CEC “Features” whatsoever, and then I might just be able to use this input instead of using the Optical input.

I don’t want the TV to do Any of the following,

Turn on my Ultra
Change the Input on my Ultra
Control the Volume of my Ultra with the TV remote
Silence the TV built in speakers
Turn off my Ultra

It would be great if this could be done.

Funny really, your list of things that you don't want the TV to do is the very things that I want to happen, just as though the Ultra was a soundbar. I never want to hear the thin TV speakers when I can listen to a decent set of speakers and sub attached to the Ultra. I just don't get it, am I just stupid or is there a reason to listen to TV speakers when there is a much better quality alternative available?
When I want to listen to music, I use the Home app to change to Plex or my USB ssd and I'm happy. Is my way of using the Ultra different to the majority of people?

 

[slartibartfast]

I just don't get it, am I just stupid or is there a reason to listen to TV speakers when there is a much better quality alternative available?

One reason is power saving. Hifi sound doesn't matter much for a lot of TV.

 

[hgo58]

Funny really, your list of things that you don't want the TV to do is the very things that I want to happen, just as though the Ultra was a soundbar. I never want to hear the thin TV speakers when I can listen to a decent set of speakers and sub attached to the Ultra. I just don't get it, am I just stupid or is there a reason to listen to TV speakers when there is a much better quality alternative available?
When I want to listen to music, I use the Home app to change to Plex or my USB ssd and I'm happy. Is my way of using the Ultra different to the majority of people?

Not everyone want to have to turn on amps, etc. for just listen to the News.

I use the WiiM when watching movies but else I and the family prefer the simple use of (good) internal speakers.

 

[CliffyBC]

Not everyone want to have to turn on amps, etc. for just listen to the News.

I use the WiiM when watching movies but else I and the family prefer the simple use of (good) internal speakers.

My Ultra auto turns on my amp via it's trigger output so I don't need to do anything but turn the TV on.
I have a fairly expensive Samsung 85" TV and the built in speakers are not in the same league as the speakers attached to the Ultra. As I don't have to do anything but press the TV remote to be able to listen to decent quality audio from the TV, it's a no brainier for me.

 

[hgo58]

My Ultra auto turns on my amp via it's trigger output so I don't need to do anything but turn the TV on.
I have a fairly expensive Samsung 85" TV and the built in speakers are not in the same league as the speakers attached to the Ultra. As I don't have to do anything but press the TV remote to be able to listen to decent quality audio from the TV, it's a no brainier for me.

Good for you. I cannot and will not set it up like that.

Thats why we need the two scenarios already implemented by WiiM. They just need to work as intended.

 

[opiszon]

So maybe for people with legacy amplifiers that cannot be fed with 12v trigger this a real case scenario.

I'm running ultra with d-class Amp that can be only triggered VIA 12v.
So it is full transparency for me and i never want hear the tv speakers.

I bought wiim also for the soundbar use case.

 

[hgo58]

So maybe for people with legacy amplifiers that cannot be fed with 12v trigger this a real case scenario.

I'm running ultra with d-class Amp that can be only triggered VIA 12v.
So it is full transparency for me and i never want hear the tv speakers.

I bought wiim also for the soundbar use case.

And do you see any issues with the current firmware in your setup?

 

[opiszon]

Nope.
Current firmware (with rollbacked Smart HDMI) just works as fine as previously.

Just crossing the fingers here to not introduce new regressions and also covering other use case scenarios

 

[QuarryHunslet]

Funny really, your list of things that you don't want the TV to do is the very things that I want to happen, just as though the Ultra was a soundbar. I never want to hear the thin TV speakers when I can listen to a decent set of speakers and sub attached to the Ultra. I just don't get it, am I just stupid or is there a reason to listen to TV speakers when there is a much better quality alternative available?
When I want to listen to music, I use the Home app to change to Plex or my USB ssd and I'm happy. Is my way of using the Ultra different to the majority of people?

My TV speakers are perfectly good enough for listening to the vast majority of the TV programmes that I watch, probably even all of them.
I enjoy listening to music through my Ultra, or my other WiiM devices, but not most TV audio.