Model	Neo 4: Professional	Neo:6a	Neo:8a	Neo X:SR	Neo X:MR	Neo X+
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HDMI Audio Passthrough
Analogue Stereo L/R Outputs					8 x Analogue Stereo LR Outputs	10 x Analogue Stereo LR Outputs
Digital Coax Outputs		6 x Digital Coax Outputs	8 x Digital Coax Outputs	6 x Digital Coax Outputs	8 x Digital Coax Outputs	10 x Digital Coax Outputs
Optical SPDIF Outputs		6 x Digital Optical SPDIF Outputs	8 x Digital Optical SPDIF Outputs	6 x Digital Optical SPDIF Outputs	8 x Digital Optical SPDIF Outputs	10 x Digital Optical SPDIF Outputs
Additional Audio Inputs					4 Additional Digital Coax and Optical Inputs	4 Additional Digital Coax and Optical Inputs
Audio Matrixing (see Configuring Audio below)
Dolby 5.1 Downmix

CONFIGURING AUDIO

For the NeoX+, Neo X:MR and Neo X:SR there are two audio modes of operation: Source Mode and Sink Mode.

To put things into a simple to understand way before exploring in more detail:

Sink Mode is when the Matrix will match the Audio Output Zones to the Video Outputs corresponding to the audio zone (Zone A to HDBaseT Output 1, Zone B to HDBaseT output 2 etc.)

Source Mode is when the Matrix will match the Audio Output Zones to the HDMI Inputs corresponding to the audio zone (Zone A to Input 1, Zone B to Input 2 etc.)

Neo X+ and Neo X:MR

By default, when you first install the matrix, the unit is set to Sink Mode in passive. 

Sink Mode is the preferred method when setting up the Neo X+ and Neo X:MR in an installation that does not have a dedicated audio matrix switch.
 Sink Modes offers two sub-modes of operation:

• Passive mode allows for audio routing from any input to any of the audio output zones, which by default is intended to match the video routing. Passive mode does not support HDMI-ARC. 
• Active mode offers the same capabilities as passive mode, but it will also enable the following features:
  • Audio delay and volume control of the stereo outputs
  • ARC (HDMI). When feature is enabled, the matrix will automatically manage when audio is coming directly from the TV, over the HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC), and output over the respective audio zone output. 

Source Mode is the legacy routing where on the Neo X+ the audio outputs zones A to H are locked to HDMI inputs 1 to 8 respectively, and with audio output zones I and J linked to audio inputs 9 and 10.  This mode is generally used in larger installations where the input audio is being fed directly to one or more dedicated audio matrices.

On the Neo X:MR the audio outputs zones A to F are locked to HDMI inputs 1 to 6 respectively, and with audio output zones G and H linked to audio inputs 7 and 8.  

This mode is generally used in larger installations where the input audio is being fed directly to one or more dedicated audio matrices. 

Note: if audio outputs are connected to stereo/phono jacks on the audio output zones, the video matrix will automatically downmix multichannel audio (including Dolby 5.1) to stereo (2 ch). Please be aware this is only for Dolby 5.1 and this does not work for DTS or other formats.

For further information on the Audio Modes and how to change between Sink Mode and Source Mode, please refer to the latest installation manual found at docs.pulse-eight.com

Note: Some changes require the reboot of the system in order for the changes to take effect.

Neo X:SR 

By default, when you first install the matrix, the unit is set to Sink Mode with ARC disabled

Sink Mode is the preferred method when setting up the Neo X:SR and Neo X:MR in an installation that does not have a dedicated audio matrix switch.
Sink Modes offers the option to toggle on ARC via HDMI. When this feature is enabled, the matrix will automatically manage when audio is coming directly from the TV, over the HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC), and output over the respective audio zone output. 

Source Mode is the legacy routing where the audio outputs zones A to F are locked to HDMI inputs 1 to 6 respectively, with G to H on the Neo X:MR linked to audio inputs 7 and 8.  This mode is generally used in larger installations where the input audio is being fed directly to one or more dedicated audio matrices. 

For further information on the Audio Modes and how to change between Sink Mode and Source Mode, please refer to the latest installation manual found at docs.pulse-eight.com

Note: Some changes require the reboot of the system in order for the changes to take effect.

Neo:6a and Neo:8a

The Neo:6a and Neo:8a will always take the audio from each Input Port and send it to the corresponding Audio Output on the corresponding zone.

To illustrate this for Zone 1: any Input plugged in to the input at the bottom of the red box will come out the audio outputs at the top of the red box.

Both the Neo:6a and the Neo:8a are not capable of Dolby5.1 Downmix and this also does not work for DTS or other formats.

Neo:4 Professional

The Neo:4 Professional does not have any audio output ports and is only capable of HDMI passthrough of Audio