Apple Broke Dolby Digital 5.1 Output on Apple TV 4K

I’ve got the same issue on two AppleTV 4K devices. When I connect the hdmi into my Rotel preamp and start a movie, my preamp reports multichannel PCM. It no longer shows Dolby Digital + or DTS. This is very irritating because you can’t roll it back.

Interesting. Using the GoogleTV app, Grimm rerun came on, showing Dolby Digital +. Huh.

GoogleTV - Dolby Digital +

Plex - Dolby Digital + (playing my rips)

Peacock- broken

Paramount- broken

curiosity Stream -broken

Discovery + unknown

ESPN- broken

Prime- broken

Max - broken

Netflix- broken

Disney + -broken

AppleTV + - broken

On my 4k Rotel preamp, while I don’t see DTS or Dolby anymore, multi-channel content is detected, but shows up now as Multichannel PCM. Why the GoogleTV app is working, I leave to Apple (assuming they’re even aware of this). This should never have made it out into the public. Did they even test for function??

I have more Apple TV's, a 2015's 4th generation HD model (A1625/32GB) and a 2022's 4k version (A2843/128GB). Both updated to the same tvOS version (18.0/22J357). Both of them configured in the Audio Format setting to Change Format and Dolby Digital 5.1. (I have a third one (a 2017's 4k), but it currently are lended over to one friend, so i can not test it)

Only stereo sound came out from the 2022's version in any of the applications have I tried (Netflix, VLC, Youtube). In the other hand, the 2015's model worked fine, the receiver displays Dolby Digital and all of the speakers was sounded perfectly.

My audio setup is a little bit weird and old :D, I have a Creative Labs DTS/DD5.1 optical decoder from the early 2000's which is connected to a mid 2000's 5.1 analogue wooden speaker system. The Apple TV connects to it via an HDMI-Optical Audio extractor device, which was worked fine in the last decade. I tested both Apple TV's with the exactly same configuration, I mean disconnected all of the cables from the old one, and replaced the Apple TV with the other one.

Not necessarily what you want to hear, but I have found that using an Amazon fire stick 4K and using the Apple app (not Apple+) then you can stream your iTunes movie library (and other sources) from there.

Because I have lip sync issues with Atmos content from the Apple TV box, I might just end up selling it on altogether.

I have Apple TV HD and after the update to TVOS 18 a few days ago, I no longer get Dolby 5.1 except in the YouTube app.

It has been connected to an older Bose Lifestyle system and older Sharp TV and has never had this issue. I tried restarting, unplugging cables, forcing Dolby 5.1 but nothing worked. Is this only affecting folks with older TVs and surround systems?

I have one of each: Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD. What I want to try to make clear is that both models have the problem under tvOS 18.0. Neither had the problem under the most recent previous release. The problem I'm referring to is that when the Audio Format is set to

Change Format: On

New Format: Dolby Digital 5.1

no multichannel output goes out of the devices through HDMI or S/PDIF.

(I think I neglected to use the phrase "New Format" in my previous posts. Sorry.)

Remember, when you set Change Format to Off, the 2nd option (the option to assign "New Format") is no longer available. Then the Audio Format setting defaults to Auto. The Auto setting allows both models of Apple TV to send 5.1, but only if the AVR, or Sound Bar, or whatever sound system connected synchronizes with the Apple TV in such a way that the Apple TV recognizes that sound system and sends multichannel audio. AFAIK, there's no published list to reveal what sound systems allow Apple TV to sync and sent multichannel audio when the Auto setting is active.

If you want to observe the problem, just make these settings in Audio Format from the Audio section of Video and Audio in Settings:

Change Format: On

New Format: Dolby Digital 5.1

Then play a multichannel audio title from a streaming app other than Home Sharing or YouTube. The output will only be stereo (2-channel).

I hope that is a useful explanation.

Exactly the same problem here (in the U.K.) after auto update to TV OS18 with my 1st gen 4K TV Box. I thought it was a problem with the Netflix app so updated that. Now I've tested my other streaming apps and I can't get 5.1 sound from anything. I have over 100 films purchased in iTunes and no 5.1 sound from them either.

I have a Denon avrx2200 receiver and it clearly tells me what sound I've got on the display and I'm now back to Dolby surround.

I wish I never turned auto update on but I've never had an issue before. Personally I'm fuming about this because I always listen to 99% of content in 5.1 sound. This is a huge step downwards & I feel like I'm missing half the content.

I encourage everyone to call in to report this issue either via the support app on their iPhone or actually calling Apple support to provide diagnostic data. The more voices we add to this the more likely we will get it fixed.

As others have stated, I can get 5.1 from YouTube and that's the only app. All others had 5.1 broken at the 18 update. I have a 1st gen 4K. The workaround doesn't work for me. I've been trying to mess around and find a different workaround but nothing has helped. I see on my receiver that the Apple TV is switching the audio signal when I start a program that should have 5.1, but then just goes back to stereo. This switch is normally where it would switch and stay on 5.1.

[Edited by Moderator]

Yes, I now absolutely regret having auto update on and allowing both of my units to get broken. I will never have that feature selected in the future, if I continue to use Apple TVs, that is. If Apple isn't going to fix this, I wish they'd allow an option for going back to 17.

I have updated to the version that must not be mentioned here. I can confirm that the issue is resolved for me with a 1st Gen 4k box going into an LG C1 then HDMI (earc) to LG SN9YG Atmos soundbar. Atmos works (as it always did) and Change Format gets me DD5.1 again instead of PCM Stereo. I’m sure the fix will carry on to the public release of 18.1🤞🏻so hopefully not too much longer to wait.

The problem was solved with the latest update released for the Apple TV 4K.

I signed up on Apple's website to also receive beta updates and then the option to download a beta version on the streamer itself was opened. I downloaded an update and the problem was solved. At first, I manually enabled the Dolby Digital 5.1 option in the settings, then I set it back to auto, after I saw that it was indeed playing Dolby Digital. When I put it back to auto, it now knows how to play Dolby Digital with the appropriate content and Dolby Atmos with the appropriate content. very happy!

[Edited by Moderator]

If any of you are on the 18.1 beta, you can provide feedback here with the Feedback Assistant: Bug Reporting - Apple Developer

The beta developers might take this type of report a little different (more serious?) lol

I am facing the same issue with same setup, anyone can help to sort out this issue or when will apple will address this issue too bad experience