Why does Apple remove the Audio Out with the new Apple TV? It is now useless for me

Then don’t buy it. Problem solved.

Same problem here…

Can Apple explain how to hook the audio into a sound system? I have a full audio system with sub etc. that support Dolby 5.1 or 7.1. It is used to play CD, DVDs, NetFlix, iPhone etc. It even has two optical audio inputs. No HDMI.

I was planning on buying the new AppleTV until I saw this limitation. Help Apple.

1. The optical audio port (Toslink) is fast becoming a legacy port along with the coaxial digital port. Almost all newer AVRs support HDMI and Apple has never stuck with legacy ports just in order to support older outdated equipment.

2. Toslink does not support 7.1 output.

The fact of the situation is that the new ATV4 does NOT have an optical output port so you will NOT be able to connect with older equipment. It is also true that most HDTVs have a Toslink output port that you can connect to your older HiFi system. The AppleTV will pass the audio over the HDMI and your TV can output to your system’s optical input.

Finally, if the new ATV4 doesn’t meet with your requirements then don’t buy it. By the way NONE of the competing Roku products has an optical output either, nor does the Amazon Fire stick, nor does the Google Chromecast.

Thanks for the answer. Much better than your first response. I now have a path to try to resolve the issue.

lkrupp wrote:

1. The optical audio port (Toslink) is fast becoming a legacy port along with the coaxial digital port. Almost all newer AVRs support HDMI and Apple has never stuck with legacy ports just in order to support older outdated equipment.

While there's some truth there, personally I think it's more a case that AppleTv has never been treated as anything other than a consumer media player.

AppleTV 2 ditched component out (to cuts costs, and also a potential analogue out risk for video) to the chagrin of those with perfectly good older plasma TVs but without HDMI/HDCP.

AppleTV 4 loses optical out - again small cost saving - but I think the primary reason is that 95% of users will just hook up over HDMI to a TV, a far smaller proportion will hook up to anything else, and the smaller % age who have older AV kit without HDMI switching is dwindling year on year.

The problem is that you may have an incredibly good AV set up but running with an older non-HDMI receiver - for many years I used a high quality active stereo system with surround support added via a DSP box providing the other 5.1 channels - worked great but as I got more and more HDMI devices the need for HDMI switching pushed me to get a dedicated HDMIx8 AV amp.

You are entirely correct about Apple ditching legacy ports but it will mean additional expenditure for a small but significant number of users who use optical out with good audio equipment currently.

lkrupp wrote:

...It is also true that most HDTVs have a Toslink output port that you can connect to your older HiFi system. The AppleTV will pass the audio over the HDMI and your TV can output to your system’s optical input.

On the face of it that may work, but many sets with optical out cannot relay HDMI audio over optical, only audio from an in-built tuner or non-HDCP protected device - users would need to consult their TV manual spec to check.

Perellos wrote:

Please explain, how do you get sound out of the Apple TV if you do not use a TV? I am using Beamers / Projectors. (Please do not tell me to buy an HDMI Audio extractor)

Apple themselves have a product that does have all of this, it is the Apple TV 2/3. Problem is that the Apple TV 4 does not have that feature anymore even it is much more expensive. I do not care what other products have, I like to stay with apple.

Keep in mind that not everyone has the same situation at home, for me the Audio Out is what I need. Apple was always ahead of the other products and thats why I was willing to pay more, but now they delete the wrong features for HIFI fans like I am

I understand your angst at the loss of optical, and Apple annoyingly does things like this, but presumably AppleTV is not your only HDMI equipped device used with the projector, and it might be time to consider even a low spec HDMI equipped receiver for switching purposes which might also offer optical out (unless the TV limitations I mention elsewhere apply to relaying HDMI audio over optical).

At least AppleTV 3 is still on sale and current but with a different feature set going forwards.

Perellos wrote:

Please explain, how do you get sound out of the Apple TV if you do not use a TV? I am using Beamers / Projectors. (Please do not tell me to buy an HDMI Audio extractor)

You can’t, period. Don’t buy the new ATV4. End of story. We always have these discussions when new technology supersedes the old. Your ATV3 will continue to work for your purposes.

Alley_Cat wrote:

lkrupp wrote:

...It is also true that most HDTVs have a Toslink output port that you can connect to your older HiFi system. The AppleTV will pass the audio over the HDMI and your TV can output to your system’s optical input.

On the face of it that may work, but many sets with optical out cannot relay HDMI audio over optical, only audio from an in-built tuner or non-HDCP protected device - users would need to consult their TV manual spec to check.

Then people have to accept the fact that the optical port is GONE. The new ATV4 is not for them. Keep your ATV2 or 3 or buy the ATV3 for $69. It is still a supported product.

lkrupp wrote:

Alley_Cat wrote:

lkrupp wrote:

...It is also true that most HDTVs have a Toslink output port that you can connect to your older HiFi system. The AppleTV will pass the audio over the HDMI and your TV can output to your system’s optical input.

On the face of it that may work, but many sets with optical out cannot relay HDMI audio over optical, only audio from an in-built tuner or non-HDCP protected device - users would need to consult their TV manual spec to check.

Then people have to accept the fact that the optical port is GONE. The new ATV4 is not for them.

Yep, gone and won't be coming back. Just like the 30 pin dock connectors, Firewire as standard etc etc

'Progress' can be expensive when you have invested heavily in expensive legacy equipment.

Perellos wrote:

But yes, my Apple TV3 is the only HDMI device that is connected to my projector.

It is a simple but very nice system, you have a good projector and good active speakers (or a DAC), no need for any other stuff.

I use Apple TV3 for all Movies I have and even for Live TV via EyeTV and Airplay. So I was really waiting for the Apple TV4 with an Elgato EyeTV App.

But without the Audio it does not thrill me

That's interesting, and perhaps shows that like me you use AppleTV a lot.

You really don't have a choice though - you'll either need to stick with ATV3, move to a more suitable device if you can find one, or get something to handle the HDMI audio to work with your existing hi-fi.