THjs his is ridiculous that Apple TV 4 cannot stream 7.1 surround. I tried so many movies on iTunes and netlfix. Only plays in 2 channels, when I go to settings on Apple tv and click surround setting and take it off auto and select Dolby it plays in 5.1 surround even though it's a 7.1 movie.
Apple TV had this same problem before with Netflix and 5.1 audio and same thing now with 7.1. Only reason I bought this is because of 7.1. I'm returning it.
Its not my brand bew 2000k Yamaha receiver and nothing else. I leave my receiver in straight mode and it plays whatever codec it gets. It's funny because in auto surround mode on Apple TV it displays 7 speakers but plays 2 speakers. When I manually change it to Dolby surround on my Apple TV it will just play regular 5.1 Dolby digital and not the 7.1 Dolby digital plus.
MY old Apple TV works with 5.1 fine, my rocky 3 works with Dolby digital plus 7.1 when streaming Netflix. My blue ray plays all 7.1 discs perfectly. I repeat it is not my system it's the Apple tv4.
I Will be shocked if anyone has 7.1 speakers and their receiver displays Dolby digital plus and all seven speakers work. This is a joke. $200 for nothing.
You're not alone, and no it is not your systems! I have several un-resolved bug reports filed with Apple on the Apple TV 4 not being compliant with Dolby Digital audio. (I have a couple of surround sound music apps in the iOS and tvOS Stores, and this has been a real kick-in-the-pants for me to deal with, to put it mildly.)
Just chiming in to say you got to send Apple your feedback on this (Phone, feedback, bug reports, etc.) so they will know that there is a problem going on.
Doesn't work for me. Same problem as before. I tried Auto and Dolby Surround on the ATV4 and changing settings on my Denon receiver. I plug my ATV3 back in and Stereo is always Stereo. Dolby Digital is always Dolby Digital using any apps, Netflix, etc. and my own media. Not happening with my ATV4. Lots of other people are reporting the problems in the Apple and Macrumors forums.
I strongly suggest each of you call Apple support and share your experience with this issue. I think they're more likely to prioritize a fix for this if they actually hear from us during these early days of the new Apple TV than by just posting here. Even if the call rep can't solve the issue I'm sure they'll alert the folks fixing this stuff.
Are you changing the ATV setting and the receiver setting? I have my MP3 files on my storage array. Previously I would just select a song and the receiver just played it in Stereo. I would select one of my MP4 movie files and the receiver would just play it in Dolby Digital surround sound. Never had to change anything. What do I set the ATV4 audio setting to and then do I have to change anything on the receiver end?
And......everything works as it should. Audio set to Auto as before. My music plays in Stereo by default and my movies play in Dolby Digital without having to touch a button. Same with Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu, etc. I'm waiting it out on the ATV4.
The ATV4 is not passing through bitstream so your Pioneer should not/is not doing the decoding, the ATV4 is and sending the decoded signal for the Pioneer to distribute to the channels.
Regardless, you are correct in that there seems to be a problem here. Specifically, when using 7.1 (TruHD 7.1, DD+7.1, or DD AC3 5.1) I only get 5.1, regardless of ATV setting (auto or dolby digital). My AVR display will read 7.1 [PCM] when the ATV is in auto, but the rear surrounds are silent.
I did extensive testing using Dolby sourced surround files meant to "show Off" and Test the various codecs. Here are my results:
I am using various Dolby .mkv files converted to .m4v then imported into iTunes. My setup is ATV4>HDMI>Denon AVR>HDMI>Panny Plasma. The denon can handle all the codec mentioned in this post on its own, if it were allowed to! But its not, since the ATV doesn't pass through a bitstream but decodes and then sends a decoded signal.
The files include the intro trailers from theaters (see picture) and other dolby-specific clips.
Dolby "Spheres" / Dolby True HD 7.1 / passthrough / Auto / "7.1 [PCM]" Dolby "Spheres" / Dolby True HD 7.1 / passthrough / Dolby Surround / "Dolby D" Dolby "Spheres" / Dolby True HD 7.1 / AC3 5.1 / Auto / "7.1 [PCM]" Dolby "Spheres" / Dolby True HD 7.1 / AC3 5.1 / Dolby Surround / "Dolby D" Dolby "Spheres" / Dolby Digital 5.1 / passthrough / Auto / "7.1 [PCM]" Dolby "Spheres" / Dolby Digital 5.1 / passthrough / Dolby Surround / "Dolby D"
This is the clip you see in the theaters with the bouncing balls and the voice that says "all around you". In each instance above, I got (high quality) sound from the 5.1 speakers and zero sound from the rear surrounds.
This file is a Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 Surround Speaker Test, where a voice and cool swirling noises go around the room with synch video animation "This is your right front speaker, etc"
In each instant above, again the sound quality was very good but the announcement "this is your rear right (left) surround speaker" came out of the side right (left) speaker. Zero sound from rear surrounds.
I am not sure whee the breakdown could be here other than ATV or the .mv4 file format? Obviously, there is no "7.1" signal being distributed to all 8 speakers.
Any thoughts?
Again,anyone who is successfully getting 7.1 sound from a 7.1 speaker setup please share with us.
It very very simple. The atv4 is the one doing the decoding and sending the signal to the receiver.
The reciever shoukd should be in STRAUGHT MODE or PASS THROUGH and just play whatever codec it gets.
The atv4 cannot decide the dolby digital or dd+. I was wrong earlier, if you force Dolby surround in the audio settings on Apple TV it is not playing true Dolby digital surround. I guarantee you this.
I'm so annoyed at this as a 6 year old Blu Ray player can stream Netflix in dolby surround no problem. What a joke.
I'm back to my Apple TV 3 and have returned the Apple tv4. On a side note, does your Apple TV 3 play Dolby digital plus or Dolby digital 5.1 only?
who or what is coding or decoding gets confusing. As I recall, the ATV could pass through a bitstream (although only 5.1 channels) and allow the AVR to do the decoding.
ATV3 did not support DD+ 7.1 (E-AC3) only DD 5.1 (AC3).
I too called Apple. I basically walked through my whole testing explained above. Then I was sent to a senior tech and we walked through my whole AV setup. He said it should be a week or so. He was diligent.
BTW, I can't find the 7.1 Terminator genesis, only a DD 5.1 version on iTunes? Just looked...
Not sure why everyone is over complicating this. If anyone here is into audio for hometheater it's very basic. The unit sending the codec or signal for surround, I think this case Apple TV 4, is not sending or the proper signals for the ab reciever to play back the 5.1 dd or dd+ or 7.1 dd+ etc. It's a joke really. I have a Yamaha avantage 3040 and apple is not sending any Dolby digital signals to my unit at all. I'm breaking the Apple cycle I'm in and buying an anroid box.
Discolap summed this up quite simply. The ATV4 is not sending the right signal, period.
Yes, Jon Walker, I understand that I would not expect a 7.1 signal to come from a 5.1 encode....my point was to just list for the sake of a test sample pool that no matter what I throw at it....the outcome is 5.1.
As far as handbrake and multiple tracks, I encoded with a single track each time...did not include the standard standby core like ACC or something....for example.
Between this thread and the thread Im involved with on AVSForum its quite clear that we have a problem here....we are all just explaining it based on our own equipment/history/verbiage.....
It's frustrating as it renders the Apple TV useless for a hometheater setup. I have a dedicated hometheater with 133 inch screen and I've also noticed video is much better on Apple tv3. The Apple tv4 doesn't play the video smoothly and looks artificial like in some scenes.
Problem is that an update fix could be months away addressing this specific issue. I've already returned my unit, I have now tried two Apple TV 4's and multiple receivers and surround sound is a no go.
I Bought this specifically for Dolby digital plus and 7.1 support. Way to go Apple, years late with this tech and it doesn't work. As well as clicking letter by letter to enter my password and email address to log into apps is outrageous. No remote app is a joke. $200 gets you junk in my opinion.
I guess if you have no surround speakers you won't notice but wait until the av hard cores chime in.
John walker, you know nothing about hometheater audio and codecs. You are talking jibberish, and if you want to talk straight audio head over to audioholics so I can write you a lesson.
this thread here is simply for everyone having problems with Apple TV 4 streaming dolby digital content. Dolby digital plus does NOT work on many people's av recievers.
this is the very basic of basics in audio, Apple TV 4 is having problems streaming Dolby content PERIOD. Go read Dr Floyd tooles book before talking about Bitstream and multi channel. This is a thread about a streaming box NOT working properly.
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Apple tv4 7.1 surround not workin
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