Dolby 5.1 Audio over HDMI Cable

Brian Foster1 Said:

"Dolby 5.1 Audio over HDMI Cable: There is nothing to add or delete: the websites I loaded in both Safari and Google Chrome. They both exhibit the same problem”

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A Few Thoughts:

A. Reset the SMC and your NVRAM:

Sometimes when changes are made to the system(i.e. updates), system configurations (i.e. for Ports) become manipulated, technically. So, reset the SMC and NVRAM.

B. Single Out your User:

Create a new Administrator User and see if it then works. If it works, then it is something misconfigured in your current user.

C. Clear your Temporary Internet Files.

Do so in Safe Mode:

Boot into Safe Mode and then Clear your Temporary Internet Files of Safari:

1. Booting into Safe Mode:

[hold down shift upon boot until the login screen appears]. See if this is still an issue. Safe Mode lets items run as default, without changes whatsoever. That is possible because caches of your macOS are temporarily disabled while in Safe Mode. If other apps have settings, then Safe Mode would place those app' preferences aside, while the blow is cleared.

2. Clearing your Temporary Internet Files (Cookies & Cache):

a. Safari:

Cookies perform remembrance of certain site-entered data. Whereas Cache keeps a snapshot of the last time you visited a site.  Use this Link: Clearing History and Cache - Apple Communities

b. Do the Same for Google:

Go to the Help Help menu of Google Chrome, and find out how to erase the same items in it. Then, erase them.

D. Use Another Cable:

Use an HDMI Cable. Your cable may not have the ability to perform such high-end AV settings.

Brian Foster1 Said:

"Dolby 5.1 Audio over HDMI Cable"

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Try this: Delete Amazon Prime and HBO Max and then re-ad them, one at a time > Restart your Mac > Try this once more

The issue it is probably due the way the movies and such are encoded, and nothing of the HDMI Cable or the Mac itself.

Brian Foster1 Said:

“In other words, you suggest I conduct all of the standard diagnostic steps. Ugghhhhh. One thing I can tell you is that D does not apply[...]”

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No. You do not need to conduct ALL of the items in the list. Those are methods to troubleshoot this. As for the cable, use a different cable — the one you have may be corrupt. I would not know without seeing it. A 4K one might just do the job.