Aft further checks, n since 5.1 requires satellite or rear speakers, i decided to go with 3.1 soundbar with woofer. Recommendations?
3.1 sound bar will sound worst as there are no native 3.1 audio content out there( it either 5.1 or stereo only) . 2 ch stereo will not make use of centre channel and also 5.1 even though make use of centre channel it will destroy the stereo image since there is sound waves coming out in the middle interfering with left and right . (3.1 only works best with bookshelf speakers where they are placed far apart because u need the rear wireless to speakers to bring about directionality. Besides 5.1 will output as 3.1 with rear channel sound missing because the codec assumes u have rear speakers if u don't have the rear speakers, 3.1 is mainly useless as the sound comes as one piece of frontal sound .
Lastly all the above mostly works well if u use bitstream output which itself itself is limiting because certain online video content like Amazon and Netflix sound don't work over bitstream . (This could be a limitation of the app or the provider platform,TV capabilities like earc ect.)
On the other hand a sound bar advertised as 5.1 with multiple drivers (e.g. 5.1.2 , 7.1.4 or 11.1.4 ect of Samsung models) will provide proper functionality for 5.1 content but will give u some kind of virtual effect without rear speakers.( the surround speakers are there but inside the soundbar like e.g. upfiring 2 speakers ect).
Example a 5.1.2 soundbar means all mutiple speakers built in
5 speakers ( L,R, Centre,2 surround speakers)
.1 speaker ( subwoofer)
,2 ( upfiring speakers, probably for atmos)
5.1. 4 - as above but with 4 height channels or speakers to generate sound above the listener.
So 5.1.4 will have a better dolby atmos effect than a 5.1.2