What Is the BK-929?
The OREI BK-929 is an 8K HDMI 2.1 eARC audio extractor. It connects between an HDMI source device and a TV, passing full 8K@60Hz or 4K@120Hz video to the display while simultaneously extracting audio and routing it to an eARC or ARC-capable soundbar or AV receiver. It is the HDMI 2.1 upgrade to the HDA-929, designed for setups that require next-generation video bandwidth alongside Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio extraction.
The BK-929 supports the full suite of HDMI 2.1 gaming and display features — VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), QMS, QFT, and SBTM — making it the correct choice for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC gaming setups where 4K@120Hz is used alongside a premium eARC soundbar.
| BK-929 vs BK-929U — What Is the Difference? |
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The BK-929U is the updated hardware revision of the BK-929. Both models are functionally identical — same specifications, same connections, same supported formats with exception of CEC support on the BK-929U. The 'U' designation indicates a minor hardware revision (updated internal chipset or PCB revision) released by OREI. If you purchased a unit labelled BK-929U, follow all guidance in this article — it applies equally to both variants. |
| IMPORTANT — BK-929 Extracts from HDMI Source Only (Not TV Internal Apps) |
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The BK-929 extracts audio from what is connected to its SOURCE IN port — a Blu-ray player, streaming device, gaming console, or PC. It does NOT extract audio from your TV's built-in streaming apps (Netflix, Disney+, YouTube running on the TV itself). The TV's internal app audio travels via the TV's ARC/eARC output — the BK-929 does not monitor that path. If you need audio from TV internal apps to reach a soundbar, the correct connection is TV → Soundbar directly via eARC or use a device that supports TV ARC extraction like the HDA-929 or the BK-4929. The BK-929 is not designed for this use case. |
Product at a Glance
Ports and Panel Layout
| Port / LED | Location | Function |
| SOURCE IN | Rear panel | HDMI 2.1 input — connect source device like PS5, Xbox, Blu-ray, Apple TV, PC, etc. |
| TV OUT | Rear panel | HDMI 2.1 video + audio passthrough to TV or 8K display. Carries full 8K@60Hz or 4K@120Hz with VRR/ALLM. |
| SOUNDBAR | Rear panel | HDMI eARC/ARC output — connects to the eARC or ARC port on the soundbar or eARC-capable AVR |
| DC 5V | Rear panel | Power input — use only the included 5V/1A adapter |
| POWER LED (red) | Front panel | Lit when unit is powered on |
| IN LED (green) | Front panel | Lit when a valid HDMI source signal is detected at SOURCE IN |
| OUT LED (green) | Front panel | Lit when a display is detected and connected at TV OUT |
| SERVICE (USB) | Front panel | Firmware update port |
Step-by-Step Setup
- Connect your HDMI source (PS5, Xbox Series X, Blu-ray, Apple TV, PC GPU) to the SOURCE IN port on the rear of the BK-929 using an HDMI 2.1 cable. Do not use HDMI 2.0 cables — they cap bandwidth at 18Gbps and will prevent 4K@120Hz and 8K output.
- Connect the BK-929 TV OUT port (rear) to your TV or display using an HDMI 2.1 cable. For 8K TV, confirm the TV's HDMI port supports HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) — not all HDMI ports on a TV support this.
- Connect the BK-929 SOUNDBAR port (rear) to the eARC or ARC-labelled HDMI port on your soundbar (Sonos Arc, Bose 700/900, Samsung Q-series, etc.) using an HDMI 2.1 cable.
- Connect the 5V power adapter to the DC 5V port on the rear. The red POWER LED will illuminate.
- Power on all devices. Confirm: IN LED (green) = source detected. OUT LED (green) = TV connected.
- Play Atmos content. Confirm the soundbar displays 'Dolby Atmos' on its indicator.
| HDMI Cable Requirement |
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Use HDMI 2.1 Ultra High Speed cables (48Gbps certified) for all three connections: source → BK-929, BK-929 → TV, and BK-929 → soundbar. OREI recommends cables under 15 feet (approximately 9 metres) for reliable 8K and 4K@120Hz signal integrity. Standard HDMI cables (HDMI 2.0, 18Gbps) will work at 4K@60Hz but will prevent 4K@120Hz, 8K, eARC, and VRR from functioning correctly. |
Use Cases — When to Choose the BK-929
1. PS5 / Xbox Series X — 4K@120Hz Gaming with Dolby Atmos to Sonos or Bose Soundbar
Situation: You are gaming on PS5 or Xbox Series X at 4K@120Hz and want Dolby Atmos audio delivered to an eARC soundbar (Sonos Arc, Bose 700/900, Samsung Q990C). Your TV does not support ARC/eARC — the BK-929 bypasses the TV by extracting audio directly from the console.
How BK-929 helps: Connect console → BK-929 SOURCE IN → TV (4K@120Hz, VRR, ALLM passthrough) and BK-929 SOUNDBAR → Soundbar eARC. Console outputs Dolby Atmos in Bitstream; BK-929 extracts and delivers directly to the soundbar. VRR and ALLM are preserved end-to-end.
Used with: PS5, Xbox Series X, Sonos Arc, Bose Smart Soundbar 700/900, Samsung HW-Q990C, LG OLED with eARC
2. PC / GPU — Dolby Atmos to Sonos or Bose from a compatible PC or Laptop
Situation: Your PC or Laptop has an NVIDIA RTX or AMD RX GPU with HDMI 2.1 output. You want Dolby Atmos for Home Theatre to play through your Sonos Arc or Bose 900 while video goes to a 4K@120Hz or 8K gaming monitor. The monitor has no eARC port — the BK-929 bridges the gap.
How BK-929 helps: GPU HDMI 2.1 → BK-929 SOURCE IN. BK-929 TV OUT → gaming monitor (4K@120Hz with VRR). BK-929 SOUNDBAR → Sonos Arc or Bose 900 eARC port. Enable Dolby Atmos for Home Theatre in Windows Dolby Access app. GPU outputs Atmos; BK-929 extracts and delivers.
Used with: NVIDIA RTX 3000/4000/5000 series, AMD RX 6000/7000/9000 series, Gaming PC, Laptop, Windows 11, Dolby Access app, Sonos Arc, Bose 900
3. Home Theatre — 4K@120Hz Projector + eARC Soundbar
Situation: Your projector supports 4K@120Hz HDMI 2.1 but lacks eARC. You want PS5 or Xbox gaming at 120Hz on the projector while audio (Dolby Atmos) goes to a Sonos Arc or Bose soundbar. Without the BK-929, you would need to route audio through the TV or use a separate audio solution.
How BK-929 helps: PS5/Xbox → BK-929. BK-929 TV OUT → projector HDMI 2.1 input (4K@120Hz, VRR). BK-929 SOUNDBAR → Sonos Arc eARC port. The projector does not need ARC/eARC — audio is extracted before the signal reaches it.
Used with: 4K@120Hz projectors (Epson, Optoma, BenQ with HDMI 2.1), Sonos Arc, Bose 900, any eARC soundbar
Compatibility
Soundbar and AVR Compatibility
The BK-929 is compatible with any soundbar or AV receiver that has an HDMI eARC or ARC port. Compatible devices include the Sonos Arc and Sonos Ultra, Bose Smart Soundbar 700 and 900, Samsung HW-Q990C and other Samsung Q-series soundbars with an eARC HDMI port, LG soundbars with eARC, Sony HT-A5000 and HT-A7000 with eARC port, Anthem MRX 1120, and any other eARC or ARC-capable soundbar or AVR with an HDMI eARC input. The BK-929 is not compatible with soundbars that have optical input only, as the BK-929 outputs HDMI eARC exclusively use the HDA-912 for optical-only soundbars. AVRs without an eARC HDMI port (legacy HDMI input only) are also not supported — use HDA-927 or BK-927 instead. The Apple HomePod is not compatible as it has no HDMI input and the BK-929 cannot deliver audio to it directly. Bluetooth-only audio devices are not supported, as the BK-929 has no Bluetooth output.
Source Device Compatibility
The BK-929 is known to work with a wide range of source devices, including PS5 (at 4K@60Hz and 4K@120Hz), Xbox Series X (at 4K@120Hz), Apple TV 4K (2nd and 3rd generation at 4K@60Hz), PCs with NVIDIA RTX 3000, 4000, or 5000 series GPUs, PCs with AMD RX 6000, 7000, or 9000 series GPUs, Blu-ray players from Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung, NVIDIA Shield Pro, and Amazon Fire TV Cube and Fire TV Stick (4K). In general, any HDMI 2.1-capable source device is expected to work with the BK-929
| When to Choose BK-929 vs HDA-929 |
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Choose HDA-929 if: your source is 4K@60Hz (PS5 at 60Hz, Apple TV 4K, Blu-ray), your soundbar is Sonos Arc or Bose 700/900, and you do not need 4K@120Hz, VRR, or ALLM. The HDA-929 is the lower-cost option that covers all 4K@60Hz eARC soundbar setups.
Choose BK-929 if: you are gaming at 4K@120Hz (PS5 120Hz mode, Xbox Series X 120Hz), you have an 8K TV or 8K source, you need VRR or ALLM to pass through to the display, or your GPU outputs 4K@120Hz. The BK-929 is the HDMI 2.1 upgrade for high-performance gaming and 8K setups. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between BK-929 and BK-929U?
A: The BK-929U is a minor hardware revision of the BK-929 with an updated internal chipset. Both units are identical with same ports and specifications, with the addition of CEC support in BK-929U. All setup guidance and troubleshooting steps in this article apply equally to both variants.
Q: Can I use the BK-929 with my Sonos Arc soundbar?
A: Yes. The BK-929 is fully compatible with Sonos Arc. Connect the BK-929 SOUNDBAR port to the Sonos Arc's HDMI eARC port. Enable eARC on your TV. Sonos Arc auto-detects eARC — no additional configuration is required in the Sonos app for the connection itself. If Sonos shows 'PCM' instead of 'Dolby Atmos', the TV's audio output format is set to PCM — change it to Pass-Through or Bitstream in TV audio settings.
Q: Does the BK-929 support PS5 at 4K@120Hz with Dolby Atmos?
A: Yes — this is the primary use case the BK-929 is designed for. Connect PS5 via HDMI 2.1 Ultra High Speed cable to SOURCE IN. Set PS5 to 4K@120Hz in Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. Set PS5 audio to Bitstream (Dolby) in Settings > Sound > Audio Output. Connect BK-929 TV OUT to a 4K@120Hz capable TV via HDMI 2.1. Connect BK-929 SOUNDBAR to your eARC soundbar. VRR and ALLM will also pass through automatically.
Q: BK-929 vs HDA-929 — which should I buy?
A: Choose HDA-929 if: your source outputs 4K@60Hz (standard PS5/Xbox at 60Hz, Apple TV 4K, Blu-ray), you have an eARC soundbar (Sonos, Bose), and you do not need 4K@120Hz or 8K. The HDA-929 covers this at a lower price point. Choose BK-929 if: you game at 4K@120Hz on PS5 or Xbox Series X, you have an 8K TV, you need VRR or ALLM to pass through, or your GPU outputs HDMI 2.1 at 4K@120Hz. The BK-929 is the HDMI 2.1 upgrade specifically for these scenarios.
Q: My soundbar does not wake from standby when I turn on the PS5. How do I fix this?
A: This is a CEC timing issue. The PS5 sends a CEC wake command before the BK-929 has fully completed its power-up sequence, so the wake command is lost. Fix: enable 'Auto Power On' or 'Device Power On via CEC' in your TV's CEC settings (Anynet+ on Samsung, Simplink on LG). This causes the TV to send its own CEC wake command to the soundbar. Alternatively, update the BK-929 firmware — CEC response time improvements are included in recent firmware updates. You can also power on the soundbar manually before the PS5 as a workaround.
Q: What kind of HDMI cable should I use with the BK-929?
A: Use Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cables (48Gbps certified) for all three connections. OREI recommends cables under 30 feet (approximately 9 metres). HDMI 2.0 cables (18Gbps, labelled 'Premium High Speed') will limit the BK-929 to 4K@60Hz and prevent 4K@120Hz, 8K, VRR, and ALLM from working. Cable length beyond 30 feet can cause signal instability at 4K@120Hz even with certified cables — use active HDMI 2.1 cables for longer runs.
Q: How do I update the firmware on the BK-929?
A: Download the BK-929 firmware from support.orei.com/hc. Copy the .bin file to the root of a FAT32-formatted USB drive. Note: the SERVICE port on the BK-929 front panel is USB Type-C — use a USB-C flash drive or USB-C to USB-A adapter. Insert the drive with the unit powered on. The update takes 1–3 minutes. Do not disconnect power. The unit reboots automatically when complete. GTool is not required — standard USB drive method is correct for BK-929 firmware updates.
Q: Does the BK-929 work with eARC-capable AV receivers, not just soundbars?
A: Yes. Any device with an eARC or ARC HDMI input can connect to the BK-929 SOUNDBAR port — including the Anthem MRX 1120, Denon AVC-X series, Marantz Cinema series, and similar modern AVRs with eARC HDMI inputs. Connect the BK-929 SOUNDBAR port to the eARC-labelled HDMI input on the AVR. Confirm eARC is enabled in the AVR's HDMI setup menu. The AVR will then decode Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and lossless audio from the source.
Q: Does the BK-929 support BK-929 + EARC-201 eARC Splitter combination?
A: Yes, in certain configurations. The EARC-201 (1-in 2-out eARC splitter) can receive the eARC audio signal from the BK-929 SOUNDBAR port and distribute it to two soundbars simultaneously. This is useful in dual-room or dual-zone audio setups. Note: both downstream soundbars must support eARC, and the EARC-201 must be confirmed in stock at orei.com — it is a newer product with limited availability. Contact support@orei.com for confirmed compatibility before purchasing.
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