AirPlay supports Dolby 5.1?

[BeachChair]

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Does AirPlay support Dolby 5.1? For example if I play a video from Air Video (one that doesn't need transcoding) or from YouTube.

 

[chunker]

Unfortunately no.

 

[waw74]

or from YouTube.

YouTube doesn't have 5.1 to begin with.

 

[bucksaddle]

AirPlay does support 5.1 but may not through third party apps. For example, if I put a handbrake encoded mp4 on my iPad that includes a 5.1 track and AirPlay that to my Apple TV via the built in iPad Videos App, 5.1 is streamed perfectly.
However if I try to AirPlay that same file via Air Video, no luck.

 

[BeachChair]

AirPlay does support 5.1 but may not through third party apps. For example, if I put a handbrake encoded mp4 on my iPad that includes a 5.1 track and AirPlay that to my Apple TV via the built in iPad Videos App, 5.1 is streamed perfectly.
However if I try to AirPlay that same file via Air Video, no luck.

That's interesting. Thanks.

A related question: Does Apple TV2 support 6 channel AAC, or only AC3?

 

[3282868]

That's interesting. Thanks.

A related question: Does Apple TV2 support 6 channel AAC, or only AC3?

5.1 AC3, no 6-channel and I have been able to use AAC. Also depends on AVR. My Pioneer Elite VSX-33 supports MCACC (ACC) which is rare currently. I rip my DVD's then use Handbrake to convert them into AAC 6-channel, and if I need to I'll make an iDevice friendly version with iSkysoft iMedia Convert or Handbrake, depending on how much time I have.

If you have HDMI going to your receiver (most new receivers handle the video/audio, mine has 5 HDMI in's and one HDMI out to my 50" Pioneer Elite), the AVR would handle the audio. It is dependent on what the device supports, not sure if ATV2 can pass a 6-channel signal via HDMI to a receiver that supports/transcodes AAC/6-channel discrete, although you probably can't play an m4v with 6-channel audio through ATV2 any ways.

 

[newagemac]

Unfortunately no.

Unfortunately you are quite wrong sir. Yes Airplay does support 5.1 dolby digital surround sound goodness. If the video you are streaming contains 5.1 audio, Airplay will stream 5.1 to your 5.1 capable receiver.

 

[newagemac]

AirPlay does support 5.1 but may not through third party apps. For example, if I put a handbrake encoded mp4 on my iPad that includes a 5.1 track and AirPlay that to my Apple TV via the built in iPad Videos App, 5.1 is streamed perfectly.
However if I try to AirPlay that same file via Air Video, no luck.

To be more clear, Airplay does support 5.1 through 3rd party apps. It is the 3rd party app itself that needs to support 5.1 audio. Currently, Air Video does not support 5.1 audio at all so of course it wouldn't work with Airplay either. I hear there are plans to add 5.1 support in Air Video so that might change soon. Until recently, there was no point in them doing it since the only devices they could output to were stereo only.