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Apple TV 4K - tvOS 18 breaks DD5.1 for some users.
- Thread starter Barrovian
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I solved with this workaround: I send the audio also on my HomePod mini in parallel with my sonos system(playbar and 2 play one), the sound has became immediately 5.1, then I deselect the HomePod mini and the sound now is again 5.1. I had to do this on every streaming service. My ATV 4k is first generation, and to send the audio in parallel on the HomePod mini I used the button that appear on the right up corner and then clicking audio. Hope that this could help you.
I have done so already 👌Welcome to the club that no one wants to be inIf you've not done so already can I suggest you send feedback to Apple via their support hub. The more of us that moan to them, the better.
Just got off the phone with Apple TV Support. The guy confirmed the issue and said he had around a dozen calls on the issue just today.
According to him the engineers are working on it (although not on weekends.... ) and he was thanking me (us!) for our patience...
If nothing happens this week then we all just need to be on them like leeches until they fix it..
According to him the engineers are working on it (although not on weekends.... ) and he was thanking me (us!) for our patience...
If nothing happens this week then we all just need to be on them like leeches until they fix it..
I can confirm that workaround posted by xuncia fixed no DD5.1 issue for me.
This issue was bothering me for last few days and while trying various setting combinations I once was able to get DD5.1 when playing multichannel audio from Apple music but I couldn’t duplicate that. Yesterday I saw this workaround posted and I remembered that at some point I enabled audio out to home pod mini while Apple Music was on the main surround sound system.
Quickest way to enable this temporary fix is to long press right top button i my Apple TV remote and scroll down to audio output section.
Thank you.
This issue was bothering me for last few days and while trying various setting combinations I once was able to get DD5.1 when playing multichannel audio from Apple music but I couldn’t duplicate that. Yesterday I saw this workaround posted and I remembered that at some point I enabled audio out to home pod mini while Apple Music was on the main surround sound system.
Quickest way to enable this temporary fix is to long press right top button i my Apple TV remote and scroll down to audio output section.
Thank you.
That requires you to have other devices as described. Not all of us have that.
Yes that’s correct but some have similar setups and it might work for them. I also have series of Apple AirPort Express connected to various stereos around the house so I’ll try later to see if enabling temporary sound output to them also helps with DD5.1 sticking.
@Barrovian
Please, change the thread title as it doesn't only happen to Apple TV 4K 1st Gen but to all models.
PD.: Why isn't this noticed on MacRumors front page?
Please, change the thread title as it doesn't only happen to Apple TV 4K 1st Gen but to all models.
PD.: Why isn't this noticed on MacRumors front page?
I titled the post to accurately describe my problem as I only have a 1st Gen 4k ATV. As it's become clear from replies to this thread that the problem appears to affect some, but not all, models and set ups I've amended the thread title. And I agree, it's a shame that the issue hasn't been picked up by MacRumours editorial for investigation.
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So I mentioned this before earlier in this thread, I have three Apple TV 4K's two first GEN and 1 3rd GEN. Today I took the third GEN from the basement theater room and took it upstairs to the family room and swapped out the first GEN in use up there. 5.1 did not work in auto mode but as soon as I did the change thing in settings and selected 5.1... bingo ! worked fine old recover shows 3.2/1 on the display, so certainly in my case it is clearly not affecting the third GEN 4K devices. It may be different for some other people's devices who knows but it's clearly verified here that it is only the first GEN devices that have that issue.
You might have missed @Murray_7891’s post. He has a 3rd Gen that’s affected. Also, on the Apple Communities support forum the are folks with 2nd and 3rd Gen that are suffering with the same problem https://discussions.apple.com/threa...57022&sortBy=newest_first&page=2#260772457022
Well here's to hoping...
If they don't fix this within a few weeks I'm ditching Apple TV once and for all.
(Although I think having multiple people calling in every day on a big issue like this will have them working quicker than a report sent via App Store.)
I'm certainly eying up a Firestick, but then I think of all the movie extras I'd lose access to. I've invested a lot in my library purchases, with over 200 titles. And I'm sure most folks have invested even more. Right now I feel as though my collection has been crippled through no fault of my own.
That's annoying. I'm happy that I'm a physical media guy... I only own a few films on digital. Looking at Nvidia shield.
I still buy 4k & BR, just not as many as I used to. I know physical formats die out over time ( I still weep over my VHS collection ) but this has been a salutary lesson for me.
I read somewhere in this thread that someone called the apple store and the enginners are meant to be working on it. Plus you’d think that apple employees/enginners probably more than likely have an apple tv themselves and maybe experiencing the same issues?!. Ive ordered a firestick anyways. Could be a wee while yet before a fix.
The thing is that it only affects users that needs the surround signal to be split. Users with modern receivers with HDMI input does not experience the problem.
If nothing happens this week, no update or public statement, I'll contact them again...
Keep the pressure people!
As much as I loathe the idea of having to buy something else to get around this issue, I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the Firestick.
Yes and no.
I do not experience the problem in normal usage scenario - in audio format Auto, i get decoded multichannel pcm from all sources.
When I set it to change format to DD5.1, i get pcm2.0 only. tvOS 18 does not encode audio to DD5.1 as it is supposed to.
I’m experiencing no sound atall through soundbar when i have my sound output selected through hdmi/arc. Im running an LG GX 3.1 soundbar. Like ive stated all ive done is install tv OS 18. Never had any previous issues atall EVER. 🤷♂️
I wanted to add to my earlier post that sending audio signal to secondary set of speakers connected to AirPort Express does not enable DD5.1 for main speaker output. It seems that it only works if you have HomePod. I thought it was maybe related to Dolby atmos but I have HomePods mini which are stereo only. I also downloaded new tvOS beta today and problem is still there after updating. This workaround as posted by xuncia works for me and I have Apple TV 4K 1st gen.