No audio on Apple TV Gen 4

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Level 1

5 points

No audio on Apple TV Gen 4

I just upgraded from Apple TV Gen 3 to Gen 4. I previously connected it to my tv using HDMI and to my receiver using optical audio out to get surround sound. My new Apple TV Gen 4 doesn't have an optical audio out. My receiver doesn't have an HDMI port so I connected my Apple TV Gen 4 to my tv using HDMI as before and connected optical audio out from my tv to my receiver, but no audio. I can get audio only if I turn on my tv speakers but that isn't taking advantage of my surround sound. What am I missing?

Posted on Jul 29, 2017 9:25 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 29, 2017 10:22 AM in response to Buzz_B

Have you tried adjusting the “Audio Mode" and the “Surround Sound" settings in Settings ➔ Audio and Video? It may be worth trying several combinations of these settings, although typically it is the “Surround Sound" setting that causes most problems for users.

Your TV may not support pass through or you may need to map the audio to the optical output.

If it still doesn't work you might try one of these.

HDMI to HDMI + Audio (Example Only - Not a recommendation or suggestion that this is suitable in your circumstances)

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Answer 2

Buzz_B Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 29, 2017 3:35 PM in response to Mobile Blues

Thanks, Mobile Blues. In the referenced article I connected the recommended way and tried Settings > Audio and Video > Surround Sound > Best Quality Available and also Dolby Digital 5.1 and neither worked.

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Answer 3

Buzz_B Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 29, 2017 3:37 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Thanks, Winston Churchill. I tried all the settings under Audio and Video > Surround Sound and couldn't get it to work. I don't really want to buy a separate HDMI Audio Extractor. It appears I am SOL.

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Answer 4

Jul 29, 2017 3:42 PM in response to Buzz_B

All I can suggest is that you contact your TV manufacturer and ask them if pass through is possible from “HDMI in” to “Optical out” and if so how. If not your choices may well be stereo, a splitter or a new receiver.

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Answer 5

Rysz

Level 8

44,391 points

Jul 29, 2017 3:49 PM in response to Buzz_B

... so I connected my Apple TV Gen 4 to my tv using HDMI as before and connected optical audio out from my tv to my receiver, but no audio.

That's the usual setup and the one I'm using now. The settings to check are not so much the ones on Apple TV, but those on your TV set (audio out to digital/optical jack, fixed volume) and on your receiver /sound bar (audio input set to digital/optical port).

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Answer 6

Buzz_B Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 30, 2017 1:52 PM in response to Buzz_B

I tried all the suggestions posted in this discussion without success. I was about to give up when I decided to try one more idea. I connected the left and right Audio Out jacks from my tv to the left and right Audio In jacks on my receiver (I used Video 2 since my Apple TV is configured to Video 2 on my receiver) and that worked! Now I have surround sound with my new Apple TV Gen 4. I expected the sound quality might be worse than it was when I used the Optical Audio cable on my old Apple TV Gen 3 but the sound quality is great.

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Answer 7

Jul 29, 2017 9:45 AM in response to Buzz_B

Read this Apple Knowledge Base article to se if you missed any steps.

About surround sound settings on your Apple TV (4th generation) - Apple Support

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Answer 8

Art.A

Level 1

8 points

Jul 29, 2017 5:56 PM in response to Buzz_B

I think I have the same issue. my sound is mulled when playing Netflix. Did you solve yours and if so how?

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Answer 9

Buzz_B Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 29, 2017 9:29 PM in response to Rysz

Thanks, Rysz. I just tried setting Audio Out on my tv to Fixed instead of Variable with no success. :-(

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Answer 10

Buzz_B Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 29, 2017 9:33 PM in response to Art.A

No, it didn't fix it. I do see on my Apple TV under Settings > Audio Out (Apple TV is selected) and below that it shows Other Speakers and it just spins and spins.

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Answer 11

Art.A

Level 1

8 points

Jul 29, 2017 10:50 PM in response to Buzz_B

I got better sound, not good sound, going to 16 bit and stereo sound on my Apple TV and stereo sound on my receiver. It's like going back to AM radio!

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Answer 12

Jul 31, 2017 7:34 AM in response to Buzz_B

Unfortunately, you only have stereo, not surround sound.

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