The new update has totally messed things up. The trailers app used to play in Dolby digital but now it's just 2 speaker pcm.
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ATV4 Surround Sound Issues
- Thread starter iphonetravel
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I just did the encode with HB, and have not set the fallback track, but the behaviour is now the same as it was with aTV 3 (Surround track is selected by default, even in Output = Auto setting).
No problems with the tvOS 9.1 update. All sources (Trailer app, Plex HD movies, etc.) that have Dolby digital surround play perfectly. I also had no problems with sound under 9.0.1. In my case sound is handled by an Onkyo A/V receiver.
I just googled and the trailers have only ever been in stereo. I was wrong so there is no Dolby digital in the trailers app. If you can give me a film that has a dd trailer let me know and I will test it on my system.
Yes it works now. But I recommend setting the fallback track to avoid problems in the future.
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You dont even get the problem. Thing is Trailer.app have only stereo sound but shows as Dolby Digital, that is the issue among other things we discuss here.
Has anyone noticed any audible hiss from their rear speakers when using the Apple TV? I only get it when my AV receiver is on the Apple TV input. If I switch it to my BluRay player and leave it on the BluRay home menu, I have no hiss. I've tried several audio modes.
I don't have a full understanding of this, but this is what I have observed when I play my Handbrake encoded videos with ATV3, ATV4 and my Onkyo receiver. I am using TV0S 9.1 on my ATV4. On ATV3 my receiver would automatically recognize the audio as Dolby and display it that way. On ATV4 the receiver will not recognize the audio as Dolby, no mater what settings I use. I can set the audio on my receiver to PCM Direct. Is that the best option and how does that differ from using Dolby.
Really strange. Since tvOS 9.1 I have no trouble in recognising the stream as Dolby Digital 5.1
My setup is as follows:
[aTV]----HDMI---->[TV]----SPDIF---->[AVR]
You nailed the problem quite well. Same for me too.
Force Apple TV to Stereo only seems to give me the least bad sound.
Forcing to Dolby Digital makes it sound strange and bad most of the time.
Auto mode plays sound some times ok (stereo) and Dolby Digital as muffled and Stereo sound from all 5 speakers.
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Mine going through a Yamaha amp seems fine. With the Apple TV set to 'auto', the amp will either see a PCM5.1 or PCM2.0 depending if i'm watching a 5.1 movie, or streaming music from my computer. Left it on 'auto' because when I tried setting it to 'Dolby Digital', it would send a 5.1 DD signal even for music. Not sure if that was a glitch earlier on that got fixed, but I've been happy with on 'auto' now.
The output levels in multi channel mode both PCM and DD are still way lower than the ATV3, I'd say around 7 to 9 dB lower. I've just backed to back Avengers Assemble, firstly on the ATV3 with my receiver set to -19dB. To get a similar output level on the ATV4 my receiver had to be set to around -11dB. I had to do it by ear, as I don't have an accurate dB meter but the difference between the two is night and day. It may be that this level is the correct level but notably the output level of the ATV4 is lower than most other equipment I have. I used the same HDMI input for each ATV so it's not down to differences in receiver setup.
Can anyone on here who has the correct calibration equipment check this?
This might be OK but when you go back to a 2 channel PCM source the output level is much higher and nearly blows you away if the volume has been turned up to watch a multichannel source.
Can anyone on here who has the correct calibration equipment check this?
This might be OK but when you go back to a 2 channel PCM source the output level is much higher and nearly blows you away if the volume has been turned up to watch a multichannel source.
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I'm also finding that the ATV4 audio seems quieter. Running into my Yamaha receiver, I have the AVR set to Surround Mode (no extra processing) and the ATV set to auto, the display usually shows PCM in 3/2/0.1
It's weird as I don't remember this issue on ATV3. Forcing the ATV4 to Dolby doesn't help (plus that messes with music).
Also, are movies in the iTunes store not encoded with DD+? I noticed that playing a movie via Vudu on my Tivo my AVR will show DD+ and sound much louder. Playing the same movie from iTunes on ATV4 it only shows PCM 3/2/0.1
-Kevin
It's weird as I don't remember this issue on ATV3. Forcing the ATV4 to Dolby doesn't help (plus that messes with music).
Also, are movies in the iTunes store not encoded with DD+? I noticed that playing a movie via Vudu on my Tivo my AVR will show DD+ and sound much louder. Playing the same movie from iTunes on ATV4 it only shows PCM 3/2/0.1
-Kevin
I've had volume issues between apps even on the ATV3. I remember HBO was one of the quietest. So after watching that and switching to Netflix or playing music, it was quite a shock if we didn't remember to turn the volume down. And it was a big difference too... we'd watch HBO at -30dB and lower it back to -40dB or so to be even in Netflix.
Thanks, this is exactly the issue I'm having
Thanks, I don't remember having that issue on the ATV3, if I get chance I'll check, although I don't have the HBO app. The issue on the ATV4 seems to be system wide to me though and not App specific. For example if I'm in the movie app and play a 2 channel PCM film the audio will be significantly louder than a multi channel AC3 source.
Anyone know which games and apps from the AppStore are 5.1? Everything I try now seems to be PCm stereo. I am sure they were 5.1 before the update.
This one is: http://www.jeffperrinmusic.com/blog/speaker-check-for-apple-tv-released/
It's now also on AppleTV App Store.
Thanks but that's run off the iPad via AirPlay. Was looking for one that runs direct. Just read spec. Apple TV 4 is not supported :-(
Hey purpleparrotuk, the tvOS version for this app is called "Surround Speaker Check".
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I also have these issues, and they are driving me crazy. Apple, whatever the ATV3 did is what we need. That worked; this does not.
I submitted feedback to Apple here: http://www.apple.com/feedback/
I encourage others experiencing audio issues with the ATV4 to do the same.
I encourage others experiencing audio issues with the ATV4 to do the same.
It's a good idea. I've submitted feedback and a bug report.
Restore to 9.0.1 surround sound issues fixed across the board, 9.1 breaks them an outputs only stereo even when the amp shows DD detected (tested on a pioneer vsx930, onkyo tsxr343 and Panasonic scbtt500. Mine and friends kit) . Sticking to 9.0.1 till Apple unfux the update.
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Strangely enough 9.1 fixed the audio issues for me. And I am also 100% sure, that I get surround sound. My AVR shows that it is decoding DD5.1 stream and the surround sensation is there. It is not a 2-channel sound in DD envelope.
9.1 seemed to work initially. It also fixed the low volume but shortly thereafter you could no longer choose between stereo and surround sound audio tracks.