Losing Sound From Apple TV 4K

I have the same problem with a similar setup: Samsung Q80t, Apple TV 4K, Sonos Arc soundbar. For months I believed that the problem was with the Arc, but now realized that it’s the Apple TV. If I watch the same program using the apps installed on the Samsung TV, there’s no problem. If watching through the apps on the Apple TV, voices are out of sync with video and sound briefly drips about every 15 minutes or so. Seems to be associated with Dolby Atmos content. Switching to Stereo might work, but then you don’t get 5.1 or Atmos surround sound. So not a viable solution.

Hello CTLoadie,

We understand that you have some trouble with your audio stopping intermittently that involved your Apple TV. We'd recommend reviewing the "adjust other audio settings" on the following article: Adjust video and audio settings on Apple TV

Additional troubleshooting can also be found here: Use Apple TV to play audio throughout your home

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities!

Hi all,

I have exactly the same issue.

I have upgraded my Samsung TV & Soundbar from 2020 model to 2021 model with all new.

Before (2020 models), everything was working perfectly, after (2021 models) I had the same problem as previously exchanged into this topic.

I buyed a new HDMI cable with the most advanced technology, problem persist.

On other devices like NVidia Shield Pro and/or STB decoder, everything works fine, include integration into the TV eco systems. If I use the same app, like Apple TV+ and/or Disney+ into other component like NVidia Shiel Pro and/or Samsung Tizen App, it works very well. It's related to Apple TV 4K. Like a joke, Apple TV+ works better on Android and/or Tizen :p ...

On my Apple TV 4K, not recognised by Samsung TV 2021 (2020 ok) and the related sound issue. I tried to move to another HDMI port also, without solving this issue.

What's wrong ? I think it's a bug conflict between the new 2021 Samsung TV (Neo QLED) & Apple TV 4K... I hope tvOS 15 and future Samsung firmware update will solve this issue. The same issue was existing with LG TV (see with discussion here: Dolby vision on Apple TV 4K blacking out - Apple Community ) and it was solved by LG firmware update. Cross the fingers, we will have the same kind of fixe for the same kind of issue.

Based on my experience with a Samsung QLED TV and Samsung Dolby Atmos supportive soundbar, I'd recommend using HDMI 2.1 (sometimes known as Ultra High Speed) cables. The 2.0b cables on my system, when used with the Apple TV 4K as a source, had lots of sound drops. These issues completely resolved with HDMI 2.1 cables. Apple TV apparently uses a special Dolby Atmos signal that does not play well with others. The link provided by CTLoadie has a sublink: <Set up Dolby Atmos or surround sound on Apple TV with a sound bar or AV receiver - Apple Support> that explains some of this and how to cable up the system. Note the reference to Apple TV 4K's "high bandwidth form of Dolby Atmos..." The webpage doesn't mention the need for high speed cables but they did work for me, and have for others, so it may be worth a try. I found some relatively cheap ones (~ $20 US for three 6.6 ft cables) on Amazon that worked fine. I agree that if you have a setup that supports Dolby Atmos, accepting stereo as a substitute "defeats the purpose."

I'm sorry. I'm sure it's frustrating. My Samsung TV (2019) doesn't support Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos (which is why I got the Samsung soundbar). I get 4K HDR 10 passthrough via the soundbar with no problem, but to get Dolby Atmos sound from the soundbar, I had to connect to the soundbar first (and with the HDMI 2.1 cables), then to the TV. Dolby Atmos doesn't work over eARC from an Apple TV (of course), so those with a soundbar that doesn't have two HDMI ports are out of luck. In your case, it seems like you've got a great TV, but the Apple TV refuses to cooperate. The only other thing I've heard is that on some TVs, only one of the HDMI ports will accept the higher quality signal. Apple has a reference page on this <About 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision on your Apple TV 4K - Apple Support>, though I suspect you've already been there. Good luck.

I made a change a few days ago that seems to have been a fix. I didn’t want to go to stereo and lose some quality but discovered the option to turn off the ‘Change format’, so it sends uncompressed. For me it was defaulted to Dolby 5.1 but now with the option off, sound is steady.

My setup is Apple TV 4K to TCL 4K, optical audio to Samsung soundbar (no HDMI Arc).

I had Apple Support on the support phone. They are better than Samsung, they find a workaround.

Change your Samsung TV from SoundBar sound source to Television Speaker. After, come back to your SoundBar as preffered sound source. Normally, it works again, sound problem solved.

The full integration of Apple TV 4K not...

The support from Apple was just the best perfect support for that point. They recommended me to contact Samsung Support to have the full correction with Firmware like LG for same kind of issue. It was just a nightmare support... It's like the support of a low cost mark... Never experienced a so poor support like the Samsung Support Customer Experience. I share my experience with Samsung Management.

I'm not sure we will receive a correction from Samsung in the coming days... They say me always Samsung & Apple are not friends... Commercially perfect 👍

I do not. Apple instructions have it as Apple TV into TV HDMI, then TV HDMI eARC out to soundbar HDMI. Is there another way? BTW, now running TV OS 15 on the Apple TV, and have Samsung sound set to passthrough, and still having the same problem: sound skips about every 15 minutes

I was having that same problem so I ran HDMI from Apple TV to sound bar and sound bar to TV with an HDMI not optical. For right now it has fixed my problem. Not sure if it will continue to fix my problem but may be worth a shot.

Finally, Samsung had made some modification regarding the HDMI factory settings.

Didn’t work

After the last version of everything, from Apple and Samsung, problem is always the same.

No real solution.

I have the same issue (Samsung 2021 TV, Apple TV 4k, Sonos Arc) and have been waiting on a fix. At this point I'm about to sell the Apple TV 4k and just hookup to the Samsung directly. I bought the Apple TV 4k for the experience, but it's such a frustrating experience it's not worth it.

If you are using a

Dolby Atmos [ setting ]

set your video format [1080p Dolby Vision ]

go to setting > Video and Audio > Format > 1080p Dolby Vision

set your audio setting > Video and Audio > Audio Format Auto , Atmos Available

If you are using a

4K HDR [ setting ]

set your video format [ 4K HDR ]

go to setting Video and Audio > Format >

4K HDR

set your Audio setting > Video and Audio >

Audio Format > Change Format > New Format [ Dolby Digital 5.1

If you are using a

Dolby Atmos [ setting ]

set your video format [1080p Dolby Vision ]

go to setting > Video and Audio > Format > 1080p Dolby Vision

set your audio setting > Video and Audio > Audio Format Auto , Atmos Available

If you are using a

4K HDR [ setting ]

set your video format [ 4K HDR ]

go to setting Video and Audio > Format >

4K HDR

set your Audio setting > Video and Audio >

Audio Format > Change Format > New Format [ Dolby Digital 5.1

If you are using a

Dolby Atmos [ setting ]

set your video format [1080p Dolby Vision ]

go to setting > Video and Audio > Format > 1080p Dolby Vision

set your audio setting > Video and Audio > Audio Format Auto , Atmos Available

If you are using a

4K HDR [ setting ]

set your video format [ 4K HDR ]

go to setting Video and Audio > Format >

4K HDR

set your Audio setting > Video and Audio >

Audio Format > Change Format > New Format [ Dolby Digital 5.1