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marcel500

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 18, 2006
213
42
Will the new Apple TV finally support audio passthrough?

anyone has insights?
 
I'm also curious about that. And about the 'if'. Because if it does, will it be able to sync the 'word' signal with my receiver? Because that would be great. Currently most consumer products loose the 'clock' signal when transferring digital high res audio from one piece of equipment to an other. While, when my info is correct, HDMI should be able to pass on the clock signal. So I hope that this new ATV will have such capabilities.
 
Apple is laying the groundwork for adding HiFi support to Apple Music which would offer ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers and owners of compatible devices, such as certain models of AirPods, access to high-fidelity audio streaming, according to code within the iOS 14.6 beta discovered by MacRumors.

 
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This would be big if true. Apple Music through my current Apple TV sounds terrible on my main audio system, so I never use it that way. It would be great if I could output a lossless signal from my Apple TV for stereo music, especially if Apple Music were to support high-definition sound.
 
It would be great if I could output a lossless signal from my Apple TV for stereo music, especially if Apple Music were to support high-definition sound.
You can - encode your files in ALAC and it will play them happily.
I think it must have been there since the beginning, because AirPlay sends music in ALAC over the air.
Its just that you need to have it in your local library. Not available from Apple Music streaming service.
 
My Pioneer AV receiver is showing Dolby Atmos for some of my ripped files played through Infuse. I can't figure out why it's happening on some files and not others, though. Anyone else?
 
My Pioneer AV receiver is showing Dolby Atmos for some of my ripped files played through Infuse. I can't figure out why it's happening on some files and not others, though. Anyone else?
Could it be, these are compressed Atmos (Dolby Digital Plus)? That is the only one tvOS understands and bitstreaming is not available for Infuse.
 
My Pioneer AV receiver is showing Dolby Atmos for some of my ripped files played through Infuse. I can't figure out why it's happening on some files and not others, though. Anyone else?
That must be files from a streaming Service eg Amazon. Real truehd movies in Atmos will not work, Apple TV converts to pcm which I was hoping will be addressed through the new Apple TV. So far only Nvidia shields supports audio passthrough. So fingers crossed.
 
That must be files from a streaming Service eg Amazon. Real truehd movies in Atmos will not work, Apple TV converts to pcm which I was hoping will be addressed through the new Apple TV. So far only Nvidia shields supports audio passthrough. So fingers crossed.
It is not a problem if it was HD pcm. Puls Code Modulation with 16 bit resolution would already be acceptable for many. But the audio-disgracers at apple will change a 24 bit file to a 16 bit. If you have VLC on your Apple TV you can play just about anything. But the stupidity to change the resolution is mind-blowing. And that's not all because they will also change the sample rate. So a 32 bit 192Khz PCM file is completely ruined by your Apple TV. It becomes 16 bit and I believe 44.1 Khz.

Such files should then be dithered and adapted to the lower resolution. And for that you really need better equipement than the Apple TV can offer.

And then again the Apple TV does not sync the clock signal. Even when it's only 44.1Khz there must be a master-clock either from your receiver or from the Apple TV. So that either, the receiver or the Apple TV wil become what is called 'the slave'. Meaning that one of the two must send it's clock signal to the other. The sender is called 'the master' the receiver is the slave because it follows the clock of the master.
This is to ensure that all samples can be heard at the right time. When you have 192000 cycles per second it is important that this signal is synchronised. Other wise sample 191999 might become sample 192998 on the receiver and that will be audible. Most of the time this is the main reason why the sound can be so bad.
 
This would be big if true. Apple Music through my current Apple TV sounds terrible on my main audio system, so I never use it that way. It would be great if I could output a lossless signal from my Apple TV for stereo music, especially if Apple Music were to support high-definition sound.
The difference between a lossless signal and AAC 256kbps is virtually indistinguishable for 99% of the population. You are either exaggerating wildly by using the word "terrible" or there is some other problem going on but I can guarantee that the problem is not solved by using a lossless format.

I get so tired of hearing people go on about the topic of needing lossless when they have in all likelihood never even tried a proper double blind test to see if they can hear any difference at all. Certainly to call one terrible in comparison to the other would indicate a dramatic difference which simply is not the case in the real world.
 
The difference between a lossless signal and AAC 256kbps is virtually indistinguishable for 99% of the population. You are either exaggerating wildly by using the word "terrible" or there is some other problem going on but I can guarantee that the problem is not solved by using a lossless format.

I get so tired of hearing people go on about the topic of needing lossless when they have in all likelihood never even tried a proper double blind test to see if they can hear any difference at all. Certainly to call one terrible in comparison to the other would indicate a dramatic difference which simply is not the case in the real world.
I've done plenty of double-blind tests in my lifetime, including two that involved exactly this issue. I can also tell you based on the testing I've seen that the word "virtually" is doing a lot of work in your first sentence.

Also, I'm not suggesting the lossless audio is necessary in most situations. But the "real world" also includes situations where people listen critically.
 
Sounds like you're trying to save face here. Are you still saying that you'd be able to - consistently - tell the difference between a lossless file and an ACC 256kbps encoded file given all other parameters are equal? Because your wording of terrible would imply this and I would have to call total bs on that.
 
My Pioneer AV receiver is showing Dolby Atmos for some of my ripped files played through Infuse. I can't figure out why it's happening on some files and not others, though. Anyone else?
Infuse will pass e-AC3 Atmos which is DD+ that most of the streaming services use for Atmos, it’s compressed but better than regular Dolby Digital, it’s not the full uncompressed 7.1 TrueHD Atmos though which the  TV won’t passthrough and the new one sadly probably won’t either
 
The difference between a lossless signal and AAC 256kbps is virtually indistinguishable for 99% of the population. You are either exaggerating wildly by using the word "terrible" or there is some other problem going on but I can guarantee that the problem is not solved by using a lossless format.

I get so tired of hearing people go on about the topic of needing lossless when they have in all likelihood never even tried a proper double blind test to see if they can hear any difference at all. Certainly to call one terrible in comparison to the other would indicate a dramatic difference which simply is not the case in the real world.
If you are getting tired of the conversation why you are adding a random personal view to the conversation? I can personally tell you I can hear the difference and as a wise person once said, a Hi-Fi system is only as good as it weakest part. So let people enjoy the conversation and find collaborative ways to get the maximum out of their Hi-Fi systems.
 
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Infuse will pass e-AC3 Atmos which is DD+ that most of the streaming services use for Atmos, it’s compressed but better than regular Dolby Digital, it’s not the full uncompressed 7.1 TrueHD Atmos though which the  TV won’t passthrough and the new one sadly probably won’t either
Are you sure the new one won’t either? Apple might add Apple Music Hi-Fi won’t we need pass through for this?
 
Are you sure the new one won’t either? Apple might add Apple Music Hi-Fi won’t we need pass through for this?
Not sure I'm just going off the fact that almost no streaming box does it-outside of the Shield-I think its an anti-piracy thing not a hardware limitation thing. Apple Hifi will only need to stream music in stereo at a higher bitrate which the previous  TV could probably do, my fire tv cube does it for amazon hifi but still doesn't do audio passthrough of uncompressed Atmos or DTS-HD etc.
 
Not sure I'm just going off the fact that almost no streaming box does it-outside of the Shield-I think its an anti-piracy thing not a hardware limitation thing. Apple Hifi will only need to stream music in stereo at a higher bitrate which the previous  TV could probably do, my fire tv cube does it for amazon hifi but still doesn't do audio passthrough of uncompressed Atmos or DTS-HD etc.
I didn’t know this. Maybe worth to get at least one Nvidia shield into the house but not sure if it is a good investment.

what about Xbox series x or PS5 ? Can they pass through the signal?

EDIT: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.to...d-soon-get-an-overdue-audio-upgrade-heres-how
 
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I didn’t know this. Maybe worth to get at least one Nvidia shield into the house but not sure if it is a good investment.

what about Xbox series x or PS5 ? Can they pass through the signal?

EDIT: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.to...d-soon-get-an-overdue-audio-upgrade-heres-how
No they can't, though I think the Xbox Series X and S are rumored to be adding it, PS5 will do it from a bluray but not from a stream from the cloud or off a drive, the Xiaomi Mi Box used to do it but Android 9.0 broke that, I think there are some Chinese boxes that will do it but nothing mainstream outside of the shield as far as I know. I had a shield, I didn't like the interface however and I thought the video processing was subpar to the  TV
 
No they can't, though I think the Xbox Series X and S are rumored to be adding it, PS5 will do it from a bluray but not from a stream from the cloud or off a drive, the Xiaomi Mi Box used to do it but Android 9.0 broke that, I think there are some Chinese boxes that will do it but nothing mainstream outside of the shield as far as I know. I had a shield, I didn't like the interface however and I thought the video processing was subpar to the  TV
That is the link I shared - XBOX Series X is getting it. Apparently accessible for insiders already. Sounds promising.

 
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