Losing Sound From Apple TV 4K

In setting under audio.

specifically audio mode hope that helps

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.

Yes, it's definitely an issue specific to videos with 5.1 audio. Atmos or stereo work great.

I've actually ordered an HDFury VRROOM which is crazy expensive at $500, but I hope it will fix this (it will also will be useful for some other things in my setup). Will report back...

Returned my Apple TV 4K. My set-up:

Samsung qn90a

bose soundbar 900 and bass 700 module

e-arc from TV to Bose soundbar via HDMI

Apple TV 4K hdmi to Samsung TV hdmi 2.1 port. Samsung TV and Apple TV 4K both hard wired to gig service.

sound kept dropping out when using certain apps in Apple TV 4K….funny no issues when on Apple TV app within Apple TV 4K box.

also when I remove Apple TV 4K I have zero issues with Dolby Atmos sound. This is BS!!! I returned my 2021 Apple TV 4K immediately and won’t be purchasing again until this issue is resolved and Dolby Atmos is fully capable across all apps in the Apple TV 4K without dropping sound.

Searching for others with these same issues brought me to this message board.

Mine works with no downgrades and latest firmware on qn90a and Bose 900 soundbar on e-arc but it isn’t seamless….still has sound drop outs and sometimes I have to restart a movie in Netflix to fix this issue…clunky for an Apple product. It does work much better when you also upgrade Netflix to premium ultra high speed. I have high speed cables but don’t think they say hdmi 2.1….that’s my next thing to try but I doubt it will matter because I get Dolby atmos in all the apps where available…just have to restart movies sometimes multiple times to get the sound to click over from silent.

Drop the bit rate from 24 to 16

170$. That’s stupid.

Yeah I got a firetv just haven't set it up. There is no doubt that is the Type of sound. I can turn on the version with the descriptions for those with low vision and the recap of the previous episode works. Its when it goes to the show on HBO Max i totally lose sound on something like Succession. As others have said I think its the dolby version of the sound. I can't even find a setting to make it the inferior version and keep playing along.

I need the apple tv for sunday ticket during footballs season and I am TIRED of logging in all my 100 services to each stupid device (roku, apple tv, and now the fire tv)

Frustrating. I was hopeful Apple would be easier and better but this is no good.

@AppleMatt21 - are you using eARC? My theory is that the issue is Samsung TVs' eARC passthrough is broken with Apple TV 5.1 (not sure who's fault). I've also confirmed the problem with multiple brands of sound systems paired with Samsung TV via eARC.

Just to close my comments here, as I said above nothing worked for me so I ended up returning the Apple TV 4K to Best Buy and took home a Roku Ultra. But as everything, now the Roku does not drop the sound (atmos included) but it is slow in to displaying full definition (about 4 seconds) and what’s worse of all, it has a few ms of audio lag, noticeable on apps like tennis channel. Tried everything on both the Samsung and the Bose bar to remove the lag digitally to no avail. So I guess there is no satisfactory solution out there. I m not willing to take all the garbage advertisements from the Fire cube, so Roku will be for now

I agree with you DamonS_NZ, at least for Samsung soundbars; HDMI 2.1 cables are worth a try. They have a lot more bandwidth than HDMI 2.0 (or 2.0b) and are not expensive. I have a Samsung 4K TV, ATV 4K, and Samsung Q700A soundbar. All software/firmware is up-to-date.

First of all, Apple literature states that "Apple TV 4K uses a high bandwidth form of Dolby Atmos that doesn’t work over ARC connections," so the ATV must be connected directly to a sound system or soundbar for Dolby Atmos output. When connecting the ATV directly to the TV via HDMI, then out the TV HDMI (ARC) port to the soundbar, you'll get audio but it won't be Dolby Atmos.

Anyway, for my setup, when I connected the ATV to the Q700A HDMI (IN) port, then connected the Q700A to the TV via the HDMI (ARC) port on each with HDMI 2.0 cables, everything seemed to work fine, including HDR 10+ passthrough and Chroma 4:2:2, except that the Dolby Atmos sound would cut out (silence) every few seconds. Dolby Digital and (Yuck!) stereo worked okay if I changed the settings on the ATV, but they're not Atmos. When I switched to HDMI 2.1 cables (after reading your response and learning that the ATV HDMI port is a 2.1 port, as is the Q700A HDMI (IN) port), everything resolved and I had full video passthrough to the TV as well as Dolby Atmos when available. I've seen other threads supporting this as well. I don't know how many others this might work for, but I suspect that ATV Dolby Atmos output over HDMI, especially if also putting out HDR 10+ 4:2:2 video (and why wouldn't you if the TV supports it?), is best supported with HDMI 2.1 cables. No Q Symphony this way, but I can use my HomePods for a little extra Ooomph! if needed.

If you don't have Dolby Atmos compatible equipment, it won't. I responded directly to GreenEggHam because they specifically referenced having an AVR that supports Dolby Atmos. For those trying to get Dolby Atmos sound from an Apple TV 4K in setups that support it, there are often sound drops when HDMI 2.1 cables aren't used (though mileage seems to vary by manufacturer, etc.). In my Samsung-based system, the HDMI 2.1 cables resolved my Dolby Atmos sound drop problem. If you don't have a setup that supports Dolby Atmos, you can ignore my reply.

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.

It’s under audio strings. There is a picture of the screen sone where here I listed. 24 down to 16. Good luck

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