Can not get Apple TV 2 to output 5.1 Dolby audio

Apple says they support it but only for content that supports HD and dd5.1. Although I like the atv ui I would not have gotten this if I had done this level of research prior. Apple csr stated at some point in the future this may be supported but no guarantees.

Haida123 wrote:
I just got an ATV for Xmas and was very disappointed to learn no dd5.1 support is available from atv for netflix. I have a hdmi connection from the atv to my Sony 46xbr3 and belkin optical audio to a marantz receiver and atv v4.1.1. I have audio setting dd out to on. I have tried several movies from netflix listed both HD and dd5.1 to no avail. I have also spoken to netflix who say this is an apple software support issue on the atv.

Firedoug wrote:
ATV2 to Vizio 55" via HDMI, Vizo to Sony audio via optical

I have the same problem, picked up an ATV2 this week to replace an ATV1 and the movies which played perfectly with DD5.1 audio on ATV1 will only play in Dolby Pro Logic on AT2. These were mostly converted on Handbrake using the ATV1 preset however i have converted a couple more for the ATV2 using the ATV2 preset in handbrake and still find that it wont play DD5.1 even though it is there. Don't know now if i should just take it back to the store and go back to the ATV1. This is the third problem i have had with Apple products recently (Airport Express won't stream music without it cutting out and Bluetooth on my iPhone 4 wont connect to Tom Tom car kit anymore) i am wondering if Apple are now spread far to thinly.

Ok several things to respond to here.

Those of you trying to use Apple TV 2 for iStore movies / Netflix: Those services tag the movie page with the DolbyD icon when it's available. You gotta search for em cause I found VERY few that were available in 5.1, but they ARE there. Some new (9/1/11) shark attack movie, a disney kids movie had the icon and my receiver auto-detected as it should and lit up the dolby lights...Iron Man 2, The Expendables, Tangled, and TONS of new movies did not have the DD tag and thus played in ProLogic2 instead.

Those of you trying to use a speaker system via your new HDTV with HDMI. There is no TV on market that passes a 5.1 track THROUGH to another device. ALL of the TVs strip an incoming audio track from the HDMI input down to 2-ch PCM. Only content from on-board the TVs widgets (ex. Netflix) will output to the receiver in 5.1. Check the instructions, it's in there.

The person who wants to have the AppleTV 2 connected to both his TV via HDMI and his receiver so he can sometimes use the TV speakers and sometimes use the receiver: Optical output needs to be empty. Companies that use optical AND hdmi need some way for the device to know which way the audio should go use simple logic. If HDMI is connected, send A/V. If optical is connected, client must need said optical audio output because they would use HDMI as it is a better audtio transmitter if they could. Optical outputs have those little trap doors on them for a reason. They reflect from the inside and fire the light back at an internal sensor which cuts the audio if the light returns. Thus if you rip off the trap door from a dual-audio option device, the HDMI will never output audio even without an optical plugged in. Solution - unplug your optical cable and your TV speakers will work again, or conform to using the home theater no matter what you are watching. If it's a pain to turn it all on, get a univeral remote, Harmony from Logitech is great; if it's too loud, check manual for a night time listening mode that will balance the audio out at nice low levels.

The person using a 2-speaker Bose system (Cinemate I presume): How do you know it's not outputting in 5.1? You are using a 2-speaker system with no center/surround speakers, who cares if it's feeding in 5.1 or 2ch?

Now back to work!

So I am new to the Apple TV. Just acquired an Apple TV 2. Connected it via HDMI to my Yamaha RX-V3900 amp. Ripped my kid's Finding Nemo dvd to MPEG-4 using various trial dvd ripping utilities. Do set the audio to 5.1 when ripping, but I do not get 5.1 output to play. Only stereo. I have played around with he dolby digital settings but no luck. Please help! Does any one have a small test file does produce 5.1 sound to test whether my rip efforts are successfull?

Check the owner's manual for the a/v receiver and make sure it supports DD 5.1 over HDMI, not all a/v receivers do. If yours does not you'll need to connect the ATV to your receiver via optical TOS Link to get DD 5.1.

I am currently running HD TV and Blueray through HDMI with 7.1 surround sound, so I do not think the problem is with the capabilities of the AV receiver. Thanks anyway for responding.

Then the problem probably lies in how you are encoding the video file. I suggest you check out the Handbrake forums, a they will be the best place to get help with that software.

Here is the link to test files to try:

http://www.kellyindustries.com/sounds.html

And I'm not certain it's correct to say some receivers don't accept DD over HDMI. I'm in the industry and have never encountered a receiver that doesn't do DD, it's DD-MA and DTS-HD that some older receivers would not decode over HDMI. Keep those owners manuals where they belong, in the package or on the disc! 🙂

All I can tell you is that my Sony a/v receiver, which is 4 or 5 years old, does not decode DD 5.1 over HDMI. I must use the optical TOS link. So it I think it is fair to say that some receivers might not decode DD 5.1 over HDMi and the owners manual should always be consulted for specifics.