Airplay 2 and Dolby 5.1

[Mrsaxomaphone]

Is someone please able to help here. I can't get a definitive answer even from Apple themselves (I've contacted Customer support and they skirt around the answer).

I have a 4k Projector with an Apple 4kTV. I am trying to "Airplay" the audio to my Hifi (using an older Apple TV 2/3) from the Apple 4k TV and get true 5.1 (Not emulation) audio. I am trying to do this WITHOUT running a cable.

I can certainly airplay to another Apple TV (2/3) from the Apple 4k but it comes out in stereo.

If I purchase a new HIFI Receiver with APPLE AIRPLAY 2, and Airplay the Audio from the Apple 4k to that Airplay 2 compatible receiver (Obviously it would have to be a Dolby amp), Will Airplay send the audio and decode it as 5.1?

My current 5.1 speaker setup is hardwired to the AMP. It works perfectly if I run an optical cable or HDMI but I'm trying to do this Wirelessly.

So,...Does Airplay 2 transit and receive Audio in Dolby 5.1?

Thank you!

 

[FarmerBob]

I discovered by accident that my mid-2000 AVR has Airplay. It doesn't say anywhere that it does. I stumbled on it in the settings trying to get a better sound from an TV4K and there it was. So I haven't been able to find anything that would explain how it works or how to work it. Although the speaker indicator goes blank, I get all 7.1 speakers that sounds great and things move around the room as they should. So I'm at a major loss too about this too.

 

[Mrsaxomaphone]

THanks,....Yeah my old YAMAHA amp has an Emulation that sounds cool but doesn't get the DOLBY 5.1 decode icon come on. Only comes on when I use optical or HDMI.
Seems strange that this question is not easily answered.

 

[honglong1976]

THanks,....Yeah my old YAMAHA amp has an Emulation that sounds cool but doesn't get the DOLBY 5.1 decode icon come on. Only comes on when I use optical or HDMI.
Seems strange that this question is not easily answered.

I suspect it’s stereo only you are sending via airplay 2. I had the same issue with an Airport Express. I now have the Airport Express 2 and would love to know if that supports 5.1 via airplay 2. I have the same setup, projector one side of the room, airplay 2 the other side.

I tried many apps and also wanted 5.1 via my AirPods Pro. With FE explorer, I get AAC7.1 and DD 5.1 / DD + 5.1 with the AirPods Pro (something even VLC does not support) and I have it on my Apple TV, but my Bose speaker has no lights for decoding.

Try FE explorer on Apple TV, as that may send the relevant audio via AirPlay 2. Worth a try! hope that helps.

 

[waw74]

I don't think airplay does 5.1 like you want it to.

It can do 5.1 sometimes, but that's only because airplay works in a few ways

it can

• send a file location to the remote device, and the remote device will pull it and play it locally. (what happens when you watch an aTV+ show on your phone and airplay it to an aTV)
• stream the raw file to a remote device, (what happens when you have a video stored on your phone)
• Play the file on the sender device, and re-encode and send to the remote.

the first 2 will do 5.1, the third which is what you're trying to do will not.
the first 2 normally go to an airplay screen on the sender, or just blank out the video. the third, you'll see the video playing on your sender device.

when you're sending just the audio, it played everything on the sender, and just re-encodes the audio and forwards it along. The audio is re-encoded to apple lossless.


I have long ago gotten it to send 5.1 encoded audio (the static noise that you hear if you've plugged something in wrong) and plugged that into an optical port, played with the volume, and gotten 5.1 out of the end. but that's a real pain, and trying to do with video, you'd have horrible sync issues.


you can probably do it, but you'll need to look away from apple.
there are wireless HDMI devices, but I'm not sure how well they will sync.

there are also wireless audio transmitters, but you'll need an HDMI audio splitter at the aTV, you'll then run an optical cable to the transmitter, and use the receiver and another optical at your stereo. (assuming you have an optical on the stereo) (also make sure the splitter handles 4k)