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Luke Redpath

macrumors 6502a
Nov 9, 2007
733
6
Colchester, UK
Since there is no native Amazon Video app and my current workaround is to airplay from my iPhone, does anyone know if this method supports 5.1?
I had a massive runaround with Amazon support over this a few months ago as they kept telling me different things, but I'm afraid the answer is no, Amazon Video on iOS does not currently provide a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio stream so when you AirPlay it you'll only get a stereo track.
 

Luke Redpath

macrumors 6502a
Nov 9, 2007
733
6
Colchester, UK
I see. This is my first Apple tv so this is all new to me. Will this work with Netflix? The iPhone app does not show the small '5.1' symbol that is visible in some titles on the Netflix tv app. I assume that I can just use the stock app, but I am now curious about 5.1 compatibility with airplay in general.

AirPlay will work with 5.1 audio if a direct stream provides it. Netflix does provide 5.1 audio and should work over AirPlay.
 

ed71

macrumors newbie
Nov 2, 2015
7
0
With my panasonic theater system (plasma + 2.1 receiver), all apps (Apple movie, Plex, Arte, Vevo,...) play in PCM.

For example, if I set AT4 sound setting to "Dolby Surround", any movies still silent ! (from Apple movies, Plex,...)

And with settings to Auto, sometimes sound is good sometimes not clear (particulary voices)

My home theater is very permance with other sources, Apple ?!?
 

sailermon

macrumors member
Apr 7, 2015
67
8
Northern California
I am having the same problem of not being able to determine the source bit stream and not being able to modify it. Apple needs to include the option of setting audio to "Pass Through," allowing the audio from the source to be passed through HDMI to the receiver unmodified, as with most AV equipment. Now that all we have is HDMI audio out, this is a must have. Hopefully this can be fixed with a SW update.
 
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TrackZ

macrumors member
Apr 16, 2010
88
17
I had a massive runaround with Amazon support over this a few months ago as they kept telling me different things, but I'm afraid the answer is no, Amazon Video on iOS does not currently provide a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio stream so when you AirPlay it you'll only get a stereo track.

I watched the 2nd episode of "The Man in the High Castle" in my atv 4 last night air payed from my iPad pro. I'm certain there was surround activity.
 

priitv8

macrumors 601
Jan 13, 2011
4,029
638
Estonia
I set the Apple TV in auto audio mode. So if it was getting 2 channel it should say that. I have a denon x4000.
For me, if my aTV 4 is in auto audio mode, it will always output DD5.1 stream, as if transcoding on the fly. Or may be it has just the stream messed up.
But the AVR sees DD5.1 at 640kbps coming in, even if I am listening to a lossless audio file (ALAC).
This was never an issue with any of the previous models.
 
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zinned

macrumors regular
Apr 30, 2015
150
50
For me, if my aTV 4 is in auto audio mode, it will always output DD5.1 stream, as if transcoding on the fly. Or may be it has just the stream messed up.
But the AVR sees DD5.1 at 640kbps coming in, even if I am listening to a lossless audio file (ALAC).
This was never an issue with any of the previous models.

When in "Auto" you should get 2.0 if you feed your ATV4 with such a source. Likewise, you should get PCM 7.1 if you feed your ATV4 with anything multichannel.

The only way, right now, for the ATV4 to give an DD 5.1 output is if you use the "Dolby Surround" setting.
 

priitv8

macrumors 601
Jan 13, 2011
4,029
638
Estonia
When in "Auto" you should get 2.0 if you feed your ATV4 with such a source. Likewise, you should get PCM 7.1 if you feed your ATV4 with anything multichannel.

The only way, right now, for the ATV4 to give an DD 5.1 output is if you use the "Dolby Surround" setting.
It should, but it doesn't. I have no problem getting Dolby surround sound from my movies, but I have to manually select the surround track. It does not pass it through by default, as the aTV 3 does.
Are you saying yours behaves differently?
I have 1 variable inbetween - the TV set - but my setup hasn't changed since replacing 3 with 4.
 

bluespark

macrumors 68040
Jul 11, 2009
3,088
3,991
Chicago
When in "Auto" you should get 2.0 if you feed your ATV4 with such a source. Likewise, you should get PCM 7.1 if you feed your ATV4 with anything multichannel.

The only way, right now, for the ATV4 to give an DD 5.1 output is if you use the "Dolby Surround" setting.

I'm not getting 2.0 with stereo sources -- the music is coming through all five channels even though it wasn't recorded that way. For that reason, and because of the horrible scrolling issues in music, the ATV4 is a non-starter for music (at least for those in my situation). The one glimmer of hope is that these issues should be fixable through better software.
 

priitv8

macrumors 601
Jan 13, 2011
4,029
638
Estonia
I'm not getting 2.0 with stereo sources -- the music is coming through all five channels even though it wasn't recorded that way.
I get stereo PCM if I manually select Stereo output in Audio&Video settings.
It is this constant manual intervention need, that irritates. Because I have never had to even think about it with previous versions.
 
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bluespark

macrumors 68040
Jul 11, 2009
3,088
3,991
Chicago
I get stereo PCM if I manually select Stereo output in Audio&Video settings.
It is this constant manual intervention need, that irritates. Because I have never had to even think about it with previous versions.

Good point. I can force it to play in stereo if I go into settings. But that's obviously something the "auto" setting should handle on its own.

The best solution for those of us with decent receivers would be a clean "pass-through" audio setting that sends the signal unaltered and lets the receiver do the work.
 
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purpleparrotuk

macrumors 65816
Jun 26, 2010
1,047
306
The sound quality on Netflix is not very good on atv4. Compared hunger games yesterday and the sound on the chromecast using the dd plus audio is way better. The atv4 seems to be muted and muffled in places and doesn't sound right at all.
 

Mac... nificent

macrumors 6502a
Nov 20, 2012
943
498
I'm happy to have an option that will allow me to forego the "Reduce Loud Noises" and system sounds if I can have the Apple TV output a bitstream.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this to you or not but the "Reduce Loud Noises" feature can be individually turned off.

The best solution for those of us with decent receivers would be a clean "pass-through" audio setting that sends the signal unaltered and lets the receiver do the work.
Now that you mention it, I'm surprised that this isn't an option. Come on Apple, this just makes sense ;)
 
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CaTOAGU

macrumors 6502a
Jul 15, 2008
758
835
Manchester, UK
Many of the issues seem to be resolved in todays tvOS 9.1 update. When set to Auto, 5.1 sources are output as 5.1 PCM, allowing those of you with 7.1 setups to add post processing. When set to Dolby Digital 5.1 sources are output as DD5.1. Stereo sources are output as 2 channel PCM. I'm unable to test other setups such as DD+ or 7.1 sources, as I don't have any movies in those formats.
 

baxyp

macrumors newbie
Dec 8, 2015
15
7
Many of the issues seem to be resolved in todays tvOS 9.1 update. When set to Auto, 5.1 sources are output as 5.1 PCM, allowing those of you with 7.1 setups to add post processing. When set to Dolby Digital 5.1 sources are output as DD5.1. Stereo sources are output as 2 channel PCM. I'm unable to test other setups such as DD+ or 7.1 sources, as I don't have any movies in those formats.
Yeah, it outputs 5.1 PCM in auto mode. In DD mode the audio seems to be transcoded. I had one movie with 384kbit soundtrack but my receiver shows 640. So it seems, no bitstreaming yet.
 

CaTOAGU

macrumors 6502a
Jul 15, 2008
758
835
Manchester, UK
Yeah, it outputs 5.1 PCM in auto mode. In DD mode the audio seems to be transcoded. I had one movie with 384kbit soundtrack but my receiver shows 640. So it seems, no bitstreaming yet.

Ah, thank you, in my excitement I neglected to check that, lack of bit streaming is slightly disappointing. It's still an improvement though, it was nearly unusable before for me. Here's hoping they keep up this pace of improvements.
 

baxyp

macrumors newbie
Dec 8, 2015
15
7
Out of interest, does anyone know if the ATV 3 bit streamed Dolby Digital, or did that transcode too?
ATV3 is bitstreaming, just checked. Same 384kbit movie shows 384kbit on the receiver. AFAIK atv 3 cannot decode DD track, only stream it out.
 

CaTOAGU

macrumors 6502a
Jul 15, 2008
758
835
Manchester, UK
ATV3 is bitstreaming, just checked. Same 384kbit movie shows 384kbit on the receiver. AFAIK atv 3 cannot decode DD track, only stream it out.

Thanks for that. I guess all we can do is hope they add a bit streaming option in the future then. All I can think is they're transcoding so they can keep their, "reduce loud noises" feature available.
 

baxyp

macrumors newbie
Dec 8, 2015
15
7
Thanks for that. I guess all we can do is hope they add a bit streaming option in the future then. All I can think is they're transcoding so they can keep their, "reduce loud noises" feature available.
I highly doubt they will add that. But who knows... They just fixed 5.1 and probably called it a day. It is somewhat similar to 24fps issue, not ideal, but you can live without it.
 

edanuff

macrumors 6502a
Oct 30, 2008
577
258
It also looks like they fixed the annoying issue where videos played from home sharing would be played with the audio track with the least channels rather than the track with the most. Before, for videos converted with Handbrake or any other app, where there was a stereo track and a 5.1 track, the ATV4 would pick the stereo track and you'd have to manually choose the other audio track to play. With today's update, it now picks the 5.1 track, which is the same way it behaved in the ATV3.
 

priitv8

macrumors 601
Jan 13, 2011
4,029
638
Estonia
All I can think is they're transcoding so they can keep their, "reduce loud noises" feature available.
On my receiver, I never see PCM 5.1 stream coming in. Even if noise reduction feature is enabled, I see DD 3/2.1 coming in. There is no audible transition either. Go figure.
With today's update, it now picks the 5.1 track, which is the same way it behaved in the ATV3.
Yes. But there is one difference. If your movie is encapsulated "iTunes way" - ie 1 AAC + 1 DD track, both in same language - the UI will only show a single track, labeled English (for example). You can not select the stereo track from the slide-down view. You should be able to make a permanent selection via the Settings.
However, if your file has more tracks, in the same language, the UI will prefix the language string with the track title, eg Commentary - English.
 

baxyp

macrumors newbie
Dec 8, 2015
15
7
It also looks like they fixed the annoying issue where videos played from home sharing would be played with the audio track with the least channels rather than the track with the most. Before, for videos converted with Handbrake or any other app, where there was a stereo track and a 5.1 track, the ATV4 would pick the stereo track and you'd have to manually choose the other audio track to play. With today's update, it now picks the 5.1 track, which is the same way it behaved in the ATV3.
This happened because handbrake does not set up fallback track for DD track. You have to use Subler for that. If these tracks are separate, you'll see two audio tracks on ATV. If the fallback track is set, there's only one track and ATV selects correct one based on your settings. Files encoded this way worked ok on previous version.
 
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