Level 2

401 points

Apple Broke Dolby Digital 5.1 Output on Apple TV 4K

Not sure why nobody else is mentioning this, but figured I'd post to help others. One of these last few tvOS updates has completely broken Dolby Digital output (on Apple TV 4K, it seems).

I have a 2nd gen 4K model that had been fine until a recent update. I change the audio output in Settings to force Dolby Digital 5.1 for my speakers (Logitech Z906), but this suddenly no longer works! My speakers do not light the proper "Decode" light to indicate a true 5.1 signal, and the voices clearly come from left and right channels instead of just the center.

This was easy to confirm. I purchased a brand new 3rd gen Apple TV 4K (128GB) and it shipped with tvOS 17.1. I configured the audio output to force DD 5.1 and tested a movie... and everything worked perfectly. The "Decode" light indicated a 5.1 signal and voices, etc, clearly only came through the center channel. Then I upgraded to tvOS 17.4 and immediately tested the same movie, and it's broken! Nothing else changed.

Strangely enough, I have an old 1080p Apple TV running tvOS 17.4 (latest) and it still outputs Dolby Digital just fine.

I have provided this information to AppleCare as well as Apple.com/feedback. Kind of a ridiculous bug to go unpatched still. Hopefully someone will notice while we all sit here with broken audio.

Posted on May 7, 2024 10:30 AM

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off911

Level 1

26 points

Posted on Oct 25, 2024 12:50 AM

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]

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305 replies

Nov 1, 2024 1:13 PM in response to Payton Garner

I have exactly same problem now, not sure what happened as I have automatic updates of tvOS, it started with Netflix, the 5.1 sound has stopped being passed through the Yamaha Receiver. Now it show me only PCM. Although I was still able to pass DD while using Fusion media player playing back some movies in 5.1. But then in order to fix Netflix I did reset of Apple TV. It seem to be updated something in background and now I don't have DD even on the Fusion Player, and Netflix too... I see my tvOS is version 18.1. I have first gen Apple TV4K

Sep 18, 2024 6:27 AM in response to nhojmselkcip

True, the same for me. The ATV app inside the LG TV plays the right format. (but does not support iTunes extra)

Sep 19, 2024 6:04 AM in response to Payton Garner

I urge everyone to submit a bug report to Apple so that this problem gets more visibility using this link: Feedback - Apple TV - Apple

Thanks!

Payton Garner Author

Level 2

401 points

Sep 21, 2024 9:23 AM in response to Paul Brook

Paul, have you tried calibrating audio using your iPhone to help the lip sync issue?

Calibrate video and audio on Apple TV - Apple Support

Payton Garner Author

Level 2

401 points

Sep 30, 2024 4:51 AM in response to googalash

Does your LG OLED have the ability to download apps directly? You can download the Apple TV app to it and should probably be able to play an Apple TV+ movie with full sound sound without issue.

Urquhart1244

Level 10

146,178 points

Nov 12, 2024 2:28 AM in response to mika_bart

Then some device in between the Apple TV box and the audio system is doing a format conversion. Set that device (TV perhaps) to passthrough.

Oct 4, 2024 11:41 AM in response to Payton Garner

In a similar thread, developer @oviano reported "that the SDK API function AudioConverterFillComplexBuffer has stopped working for EAC3 in tvOS 18." That function apparently is not broken for macOS. It appears that only a software update is likely to provide a remedy.

Sep 18, 2024 1:08 AM in response to Payton Garner

Just chiming in to say I've just updated my ATV 4k 1st Gen to 18.0 and like others, I've lost 5.1 DD. Connection HDMI (eARC) to LG c1 to LG soundbar. Atmos is fine but everything else seems to be in 2.0 I've tried different settings combinations on the ATV and the TV but nothing changes. All other connected devices, Sky Stream box, 4k player, Human Aura PVR are fine. Not had chance to check onboard apps yet.

Fingers crossed Apple get their act together. Although I'm not holding my breath.

Payton Garner Author

Level 2

401 points

Sep 19, 2024 9:18 AM in response to IUserGlobal

Keep us posted.

Apple will likely never see anything here, but the comments and activity on this forum can’t hurt. My email notifications tell me this thread has been viewed like 2,000 times, so obviously we’re not alone (by a lot).

The problem for me originated around tvOS 17.2 or 17.3. I purchased a brand new Apple TV 4K with 17.1 to and it output 5.1 as expected. I think a lot of people are just now noticing with tvOS 18.

Call AppleCare and give feedback here:

Feedback - Apple TV - Apple

Payton Garner Author

Level 2

401 points

Sep 22, 2024 10:05 PM in response to jazcan

OP here.

Okay, I was confused about people blaming tvOS 18 as the culprit. After all, I started this thread many months ago and never used tvOS 18 until release last week. jazcan’s post just helped me understand something…

Apple TV 4K has had this problem with outputting Dolby properly since at least tvOS 17.2 or 17.3, which goes way back.

Apple TV HD had been fine, but sure enough, I just tested my recently updated model downstairs and tvOS 18 has broken Dolby 5.1 output for everything except YouTube (that I can tell so far).

So when posting, let’s just be specific about which exact model we have, and even generation, if you can.

Thanks, jazcan!

Sep 23, 2024 1:07 AM in response to _Czo_

Thank you for this recap, can you please try, on the ATV 4k 2022, a movie from appletv+ or one from the iTunes store, if you don't have any of them let's only play a trailer, this is to understand why someone posted that in the last ATV 4k (A2843) seems that everything was fine.

dbwat

Level 1

14 points

Sep 24, 2024 6:03 AM in response to spatialfx

Does the 3rd gen ATV produce 5.1 with the Sony TV and Beam? That would be an interesting test

My findings:

Sony Bravia XBR-49X900F

Sonos Beam Gen 1

ATV audio set to Change Format to 5.1

ATV 4k 2nd gen (A2169) tvOS 18.0 — 5.1 broken. Tested audio connection from TV to Sonos via both optical and HDMI arc. Worked fine with tvOS 17 (up to and including 17.6.1)

ATV 4k 3rd gen (A2843) tvOS 17.4 — 5.1 fine. Audio connected from TV to Sonos via HDMI arc

Sep 26, 2024 5:48 AM in response to Payton Garner

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

goto206

Level 1

32 points

Sep 28, 2024 4:43 AM in response to Payton Garner

It's strange. I've bought Apple TV 3rd gen recently, It has tvOS 17.4 installed and Dolby works fine. So it seems that if you have tvOS 17.1 and upgrade it to 17.4 or 18 you will lose dolby. But if have 17.4 already installed, it works just fine.

BTW, I bought new Apple TV cause I didn't want to wait for Apple to fix this issue and I wanted to upgrade my HomeKit with new hub. But I can't use new Apple TV as a hub, because I need to update it first. And I don't want to update it because I will lose dolby…

Windh

Level 1

104 points

Sep 29, 2024 7:28 AM in response to Payton Garner

Update:

Just got off the phone with Apple TV Support. The guy confirmed the issue and said he had around a dozen calls on the issue just today.

According to him the engineers are working on it (although not on weekends.... ) and he was thanking me (us!) for our patience...

If nothing happens this week then we all just need to be on them like leeches until they fix it..

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Apple Broke Dolby Digital 5.1 Output on Apple TV 4K