Apple TV running 5.0, optical out not working, no sound

Hi. New to this: just bought AT3, did the software update, and still cannot receive sound via digital optical and my Sony Bravia Home Entertainment system (DAV-HDX275). I get sound when I connect via HDMI through the TV but the sound is so inferior. Is it the Bravia or the AV3? CAn anyone help??

I gave up with the apple TV and just returned it. I must have tried 30 different ways to make the sound work but finally gave up. I'll buy the apple TV again whenever they fix the issue. I didn't spend $100 just to listen to the hohum sound form my TV set and not the nice sound from my sound system.

fwiw, i just stumbled on this thread after my audio went out tonight after working perfectly even earlier this evening. just nothing coming through to the receiver from any apple tv/airplay source.

i resarted (not put to sleep) the atv and now it's fine again. it's never happend to me before in 2 years or so of owning it. so, for anyone else, make sure you do a restart under the General settings before going completely crazy. hope it works for you!

This just in...mine stopped tonight! Has been working just fine through the optical output but after an update today it no longer does. Switched cables, did an entire reset, and still no go. What up fruit folks, lets get it together before I go all Roku on ya'll!

Trying to keep this dream alive...still not functioning correctly. I have reset, restarted, reconfigured, unplugged and plugged, to no avail. What did you do Apple? It worked just fine prior to the last update and now nothing. Please fix, I miss playing my music through my amp!

I'm also having this problem... I'd like to be able to play music through my surround setup (2 or 5 channels...) with my tv off!!! Come on... Someone from Apple could/should help!

Thanks

Add my name to the list of people having issues with the sound from the optical output. I already had an ATV2 before buying the ATV3. Sound from the optical output of the ATV2 works, except that DD5.1 movies now get downmixed the stereo. The ATV3 on the other hand, cannot get sound from the optical ouput to my NAD T753 sound system. I have called Apple Tech support since I just bought the thing 1 week ago, and they were not able to fix it. I have since returned and exchanged it thinking that the unit was bad, but the new one still does not work. The tech from Apple is supposed to call me back at the end of next week when she gets an answer back from engineering. Hope I can get answers...and an ETA on when this will be fixed as I did not buy this to just listen through my TV.

One option in the meantime that I am looking at is one of these: http://www.octavainc.com/HDMI%201x1%20Audio%20Converter.html

Seems silly though to fix a problem on a $80 device with another $169 device...

Being a Hardware engineer, I tend to always blame software engineering when things do not work...I think this time I amy have a case.

Similar issue here. I have the newest ATV with the latest software updates and the optical audio to my Denon receiver is not working.

here's what worked for my setup (ATV + Sony STR-DE695 + optical cable)

1. replaced optical cable
2. set the ATV preferences
   settings > audio + video > dolby digital = ON
   settings > audio + video > audio output = AUTO
3. On the receiver there are 'input' selections for each source. I changed these from 'Auto-detect' to 'Optical' so the receiver is hard-wired to accept the optical audio instead of trying to figure out for itself whether to select from optical or multi-channel / RCA inputs.
4. On the receiver there are 'decode' settings for each source. I changed these from 'Auto-detect' to 'PCM'

Hope this helps someone. I think the key take-away from this is to make sure your optical cable is good and NOT use 'Auto' settings where possible.

I have it somewhat working tonight... I decided to use an older Technics Digital Surround Processor SH-AC5000 as an input from the ATV3 optical output. I then connect the 5.1 channels to my NAD T753. I now do get sound, however, the levels are off and I can barely hear peoples voices in movies. Tried my Bluray and same problem. While trying to debug, I have had my NAD receiver shutdown on me and switch the power off. I think I need to let the system cool and try tomorrow.

My conclusion after trying these different options are the following:

- ATV3 optical power output is less than ATV2 as my ATV2 works with exactly the same setup.

- my optical cable is about 35 feet as my system is in the back of the room while my ATV3 is in front under the TV.

- NAD T753 supports Dolby Digital, but for some reason, downmixes the ATV2 signal to stereo or 2.1.

-I do not have any settings to change this in my menus

- The Techics SH-AC5000 can decode this DD audio signal, but my more recent NAD T753 cannot.

I already have the following settings on both my ATV2 and ATV3:

settings > audio + video > dolby digital = ON

settings > audio + video > audio output = AUTO

Too much trouble Apple. I exchanged Apple 3 for Roku......

The times they are a changin'

Finally have it working. Seems like the center speaker had shorted wires as I was always moving it to get access to my TosLink cable from behind where I have both the center speaker and satellite receiver.

So, to sum it up, the only way I can get it to work is to send the signal to a Technics Digital Surrounfd Sound processor. The processor's optical input seems sensitive enough to receive the optical signal and decode the DD signal from Apple. My NAD receiver does receive DD, but the specifications do not specify which format it decodes... obviously not Apples format. I do however sometimes drop audio as I am gessing the optical signal is not that strong from the ATV3. Will look at an optical amplifier and see if this helps.

Guys, hello. Met the same problem. A week ago it was working fine. iOs 5.1.1 and iTunes 11.0.1. Sound was working perfectly. Yesterday turned it on and didn't get sound even from navigating in the menu. Noting works at all. Yet HDMI to TV works. Maybe there's something wrong with optical out, I mean hardware? I'll try to rollback to 5.1.0 and see what happens. Write back after.

Well I downgraded to 5.0.2 and updated my bd player through which I was connected all good. Nothing changed. I believe it's a hardware problem which ***** big time! I don't have a receipt...

Hi, I have the same problem. HDTV & Optical cables to receiver (Arcam Solo Movie 5.1). Receiver has HDMI cable to TV. Can get sound from TV speakers, but not from receiver. But receiver works with satellite HDTV/optical cable. Have switched optical cables, & tried every combination of audio settings on Apple TV. Arcam informs me: "There are no settings for audio on the Solo 5.1 as all inputs are live all the time and the signal is automatically selected. It really does seem that your Apple TV is not outputting anything on the optical output. I am certain that the Apple TV does not output on both HDMI and optical at the same time so it might be worth just checking the audio settings again".

The HDMI Audio Converter seems interesting, has anyone tried it?