completely agree, think you are correct. toslink still got a little life left in my front room tho
I'll still be using it with my AirPort Express boxes. It has its place for sure.
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Had to cancel my ATV4 because no optical audio, question...
- Thread starter SRLMJ23
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I'll still be using it with my AirPort Express boxes. It has its place for sure.
Hi all, I started a new thread on HDMI Audio extractors and how they interact with ATV4. If anyone has any experience using a HDMI Audio Extractor with Apple TV 4 your input is welcomed!
Thread: ATV4 and Optical Audio Dongle
Thread: ATV4 and Optical Audio Dongle
Just got home and removed the cables from the back of the ATV3 and want to plug in the ATV4 and see the missing optical. Like others I am miffed as I didn't read about this and only just seen it. I was disappointed to learn that it's only HDMI1.4, too so no Netflix 4k.
Anyway, I need help getting this to work with my Amp. I don't want to mess about with adapters and if it means routing the HDMI through a new Amp I'll do that.
I have a PS4, XBOX One, Apple TV, SkyHD and an AMP. I have all opticals into the Amp, and then all HDMIs into the TV. At the moment this works with everything.
So what are my options? How can I get the ATV4 sound to play through my Amp (current or a new one) without the need for an adapter?
Anyway, I need help getting this to work with my Amp. I don't want to mess about with adapters and if it means routing the HDMI through a new Amp I'll do that.
I have a PS4, XBOX One, Apple TV, SkyHD and an AMP. I have all opticals into the Amp, and then all HDMIs into the TV. At the moment this works with everything.
So what are my options? How can I get the ATV4 sound to play through my Amp (current or a new one) without the need for an adapter?
Can you plug your Apple TV into your sound system via HDMI, then from the sound system's HDMI out over to your TV's HDMI in?
That's if your sound system has these ports.
That's if your sound system has these ports.
So if you have a receiver made in the last 2-5 years with HDMI there is a safe bet Dolby Digital Plus is supported, however early HDMI receivers only accepted Dolby Digital via HDMI because the DD+ codec was not released. Now it's up to the content providers and Hardware manufacturers to preserve the legacy codec in the Audio Stream over HDMI (i.e. Apple and the content on ATV). The problem is Netflix had abandoned Dolby Digital in favor of DD+ and when you went to use the HDMI audio extractor, the Dolby Digital signal it was looking to breakout and convert to optical was gone and thus the Audio reverted back to Linear PCM 2.1 aka stereo sound.
The Roku 3 had this issue when they decided to cut out the Optical plug and I fear this is how the ATV 4 will work.
I've just plugged it into my xbox one and it works through there. Set my xbox to 'go to TV' on startup and setup a new control on my Harmony remote so when I select to 'watch Apple TV' it switches on my xbox and my Amp to that and then Apple TV also comes on.
A bit of a pain but it works without the need for adapters etc.
That's exactly how one of mine works. In my bedroom the TV isn't connected to a receiver. It's paired with a sound bar/sub all in one that handles HDMI audio in while passing the video on to my TV.
In my livingroom it goes to the receiver and from there to the TV. I had to upgrade my receiver to get it to with with the ATV without optical out.
The other option is if your TV has an optical out port, all Hdmi go to the tv, then a single optical out goes to the receiver.
Yes I thought of that too, however most T.V.s only output PCM 2.1 from that optical cable out (it's a basic barebones pass through) :/ Newer T.V.s supporting the DD+ codec may output the whole signal (DD+ and legacy DD) but its very manufacturer specific.
My fairly old Panasonic plasma seems to pass the full DD signal. I don't have a system worth worrying about whether I'm getting more than that or not.
My fairly old Panasonic plasma seems to pass the full DD signal. I don't have a system worth worrying about whether I'm getting more than that or not.
I have a 2010 samsung 1080P Plasma that only pass PCM 2.1 from HDMI and passes full Dolby Digital 5.1 from over the air signals (Aka terrestrial). My Audio setup is an Onkyo 7.1 system that I still really like hence my hesitation on the new Apple T.V.
So here i go. I am also sad to see optical go the way of the dodo bird. I have to admit for a video device i know why they dumped it over board. They fallowed the trend line of Blu-Ray players. I can not fault them. I can say my REGA DAC is optical only and my Mcintosh amp is all analog. I fear i will be stuck with audio from the TV or get a long optical cable for the DD down convert from my TV. This is not such a major deal i will just have to keep this in mind when i look for new a tv. I never used the apple tv for audio. If you did well sorry you lost your optical. I have a dedicated mac with dedicate iTunes for my audio needs. I go for the highest resolution audio i can get my hands on so we are talking beyond just lossless like 24 bit 192 lossless. I wished the apple tv had an optical out esp since they went an upped the price.
That's a good shout. I have a LG EF950 UHD OLED so it should be capable of that. I'll investigate this option as that could also work.
I am trying REALLY hard not to do this. I have yet to buy a 4K TV and down want to have to replace the receiver down the road if it is not compatible with some kind of revised 4K standard. I may just use one of the HDMI breakout boxes for now. My Denon AVR-1604 was manufactured in 2004
It has held up VERY well. It may be time Save for HDMI switching, I have had no reason to buy a new receiver until now. All my other devices have SPIDF out.Hmm I will have to try this when my Apple TV arrives, you may have just saved me $500 on having to buy a new receiver. My TV does have an SPIDF out.
If your TV supports it, it works quite well, I assure you. It is the ideal setup actually...I can connect as many HDMI devices to my TV as desired, and all will output over the single optical cable to the soundbar, with no headache of switching inputs or any of that bla bla. Good luck!
I'm getting sound with my TV just fine. I have it plugged into my tv via hdmi and my TV is plugged into my LG soundbar via hdmi. The only issue I sometimes have is the soundbar losing its BT connection and I have to turn the TV off and on to get it back.
I bought a breakout box and was unimpressed (it seemed to have be power cycled often and it was 5.1 outpout even if the source wasn't. ). I've got a Panasonic plasma from 2012 that only does 2.1 output (this seems to be the norm). So now.....I'm looking at a new receiver if I don't want just stereo.
That's the same boat I'm in, so right now I've decided to just keep my Apple TV 3 and hope for a third party solution. Or see if apple back tracks on the optical port which seems unlikely but Ruku did it.
I wouldn't hold my breath on optical coming back. Most devices are phasing it out. I've dodged the upgrade my receiver bullet for awhile but I'm giving in. If the HDMI CEC thing works I'll be very happy I did.
So I have so more questions on this topic. It seems that my tv is not passing 5.1 through the optical port, rather that the ATV4 is converting everything to 5.1 if I select the Dolby Surround option. Not sure if this is a feature or a bug...
Anyhow, this has me thinking of how to get proper sound into my system. The options seem to be to buy an HDMI extractor to convert to optical to go separately to my receiver, or to buy a new receiver.
Question 1). I like the HDMI CEC feature of the new ATV. If I use one of those HDMI/optical converters, do I lose that feature?
Question 2). If I buy a new amp, and connect all of my HDMI sources through the amp, with a single cable to the tv, how does the CEC function work? Does it power on the amp and the tv and switch to the correct input? What if I just want to watch tv and don't really want the audio going through the amp? Can you turn on the tv and listen through the tv speakers without turning on the amp? Can you switch HDMI sources that way?
Thanks!
Anyhow, this has me thinking of how to get proper sound into my system. The options seem to be to buy an HDMI extractor to convert to optical to go separately to my receiver, or to buy a new receiver.
Question 1). I like the HDMI CEC feature of the new ATV. If I use one of those HDMI/optical converters, do I lose that feature?
Question 2). If I buy a new amp, and connect all of my HDMI sources through the amp, with a single cable to the tv, how does the CEC function work? Does it power on the amp and the tv and switch to the correct input? What if I just want to watch tv and don't really want the audio going through the amp? Can you turn on the tv and listen through the tv speakers without turning on the amp? Can you switch HDMI sources that way?
Thanks!
Well I almost got an ATV but decided not to based on the lack of outputs amongst other things. . I'll stick to my Mac Mini at this stage. Flimsy remote, no proper audio output, can't play files on external drives, highly limited Siri and a pain to navigate. I really want to like it and there's so much potential but Apple haven't really reinvented anything here.
Can I just say a big thank you to everyone who weighed in with practical advice on this thread. I've got exactly the same problem as the OP and am not very literate with all this audio / TV stuff, so it was very useful.
I've just ordered one of these which, if I've understood all of the above correctly (!) I think means I will be able to take the HDMI output from the new Apple TV when it arrives and split it to a visual HDMI output to go to the (8 year old no optical output) telly and an optical output to attach to my (no HDMI connection) soundbar:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H8T1DJ8/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item
I'll try this out with my old ATV 2 and report back before I risk ordering ATV 4.
If anyone thinks this isn't what I need please let me know while there's still time to cancel the Amazon order!
Thanks all again.
I've just ordered one of these which, if I've understood all of the above correctly (!) I think means I will be able to take the HDMI output from the new Apple TV when it arrives and split it to a visual HDMI output to go to the (8 year old no optical output) telly and an optical output to attach to my (no HDMI connection) soundbar:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H8T1DJ8/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item
I'll try this out with my old ATV 2 and report back before I risk ordering ATV 4.
If anyone thinks this isn't what I need please let me know while there's still time to cancel the Amazon order!
Thanks all again.
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