Hi All, does anyone have any experience with the original unit atom (no hdmi) and can say if it can A: automatically turn on from standby mode and B: automatically switch to the coax or optical input when it sees a signal? (ie from a tv).
I have the opportunity to buy an original version atom for a good price and I love the look of it. it could be a better solution for my living room with my ATC scm 11s both musically and aesthetically than my multi-box, rega elex and wiim pro combo (and tbh even if it isn’t a step up, I love the album artwork and big wheel). I control the volume of my current setup with my apple tv remote. That would also be something I’d like to continue, is that possible?
And finally, if it doesn’t auto-swtich on / auto-switch input, does the hdmi version do that when conencted with arc? I searched the forum and info online and got very mixed info.
Many thanks
Welcome to the forum.
The issue of HDMI has been discussed on a number of threads - search is your friend.
In essence as Naim have made clear, the specs for HDMI are widely drawn and what works with some tvs, will likely not work with others, if peps reports are anything to go by. Mixed experiences it seems.
Best advice, use optical TOSLink, great sound with an Atom and lack of convenience will also save you loads of agro.
Yes, but the OP is asking if the unit auto powers on via Toslink.
I think not, but i don’t own one, so cannot say.
No it does not. You have to manually switch on and select the input.
Optical is a lot more stable than the HDMI input though so it’s a small price to pay.
What also does not work are things like setting the volume, which does over HDMI.
thanks @Neilb1906 and @sound-hound
I did search the forum and saw mixed results for hdmi integration (which is quite strange as it seems to be a device that makes audio simplified??). The toslink optical route is ok for me. I’d just like my partner and our kid (5 years old) to be able to turn the tv on and control it with only one remote control so it’s easy for them. At the moment that’s the apple tv remote which turns the tv on and the optical output automtically gets detected by the wiim pro. The tv and streaming functions are switched automatically by the wiim and connected to the amp via coax. I just have to have the rega amplifier “on” with the physical button. That’s why I wanted to know if the atom will automatically come out of standby mode when it detects the signal. it sounds like the hdmi version can MAYBE do this but it’s hit or miss. Can the no-hdmi version do it?
thanks @Kryptos I saw your message out of sync. this answers pretty definitively what I was hoping to get to. So, it sounds like if I go with the original version of the atom there is no 1-remote solution. I’d need to train my kid how to use it. He has to get into hifi sooner or later I suppose. It would be a step up in sound quality from his toni box!
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I used to have a Star using the HDMI moved on to an Atom HE as streamer using the optical. Can’t say I miss the HDMI at all. Each TV firmware update has me stressed on whether they will break it. Now no worries stability.
that’s good to know @Kryptos. having something work less than 100% of the time is a recipe for frustration.
I think I also read on other threads that the apple tv remote does NOT work with the atom because it’s not IR. what I love about my current setup is that the apple tv remote controls the volume of my amplifier using IR for TV and also when it is Streaming or playing records. Hmmm. I wonder if the naim remote can control the apple tv instead? Perhaps that’s the 1-remote solution?
Once again nope. I also have an Apple TV. The Naim remote uses zigbee.
The trick to getting a good Toslink experience from TV to amp is to ensure a good multi remote that can turn on both TV and amp.
I find HDMI supporting AV devices to be superb in terms of ARC and CEC to trigger both to come on together with the TV and volume on the amp to go up and down automatically from the TV control. Super easy for the whole family. Zero thought involved.
But a Toslink connection with a multi-remote works nearly as good, though you have to hit two power buttons instead of one. I do both methods at home.
Thanks. Yeah, the hdmi supporting av device is what I was hoping the uniti atom (with hdmi) could be. that method would be ideal. (Super ideal would be the apple tv remote also being able to control the volume of the atom when it is streaming music via IR remote but that is impossible.) from this forum it looks like HDMI control of the atom to turn it on and control volume is very hit or miss and doesn’t work reliably depending on the tv? Maybe it is a case of just trying it?
The multi-remote idea is interesting but this zigabee thing makes that also impossible, right?
You would need a Zigbee “multimode” or “multichannel” remote. But if the TV is IR, then you’d be out of luck. I’m not aware of any combined Zigbee IR remotes.
Even with multimode, I’m not sure you’d know it works with both devices until you try it.
We use an Apple TV to watch TV, Netflix, YouTube, HBO, etc. When you select the Atom HE as output device on the Apple TV (it then uses Apple Airplay but over ethernet in my case) you can control the volume of the Atom HE using the Apple Remote. It works excellent and stable. You will even see the cover art of the program, movie or series on your Atom.
The only annoyance is that you have to change sound output from TV to Atom every time when you switch on the Apple TV.
BR,
Richard