Apple TV 4K TVOS 14.2 release just hit my unit and now stereo with Dolby ATMOS is now supported on the Homepods
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Not getting Dolby Atmos with paired HomePods?
- Thread starter MiamiC70
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This is a real problem with the Homepods, some people get worse sound quality with software updates, others see it improve, for other remain the same.
IMHO this is not acceptable for a speaker. Sound quality should remain the same from the day you bought it to the day it dies.
That is not entirely accurate.
What they seem to have done is reduce the obnoxious bass and change the mid's and high's to better accentuate the human voices when paired. Both things which help create a more centered sound stage and better simulate sound coming from TV screen center and not the L & R.
If you want bass GET a SUBWOOFER!
The crappy bass from a 4" HomePod was never real bass to start off with.
Yes. Better for the most part, but now its a little strange with music. Less bommy bass and better mids, which is true, but the soundstage seems a little constrained (with music). Its difficult to explain.
In this YT video the poster gets “Dolby Atmos” to show up in his Audio menus. I’m not seeing that. If I have “Change Format“ to “off” I don’t see anything underneath. If I have it on I see Dolby 5.1. Have 4K Apple TV and am running the latest OSs on all devices. I also have the HPs paired as a stereo pair and in the same room as the Apple TV.
This video is old and doesn’t apply to tvOS 14.2 Home Theater support.
You should have change format off. Auto is the correct settings.
Hallo everyone,
can someone confirm if it is possible to Play Dolby atmos music from TIDAL via Apple TV and two HomePods.
for me it is Not possible to Play any Kind of Atmos content, or let me say i hear absolutly no difference to Stereo content.
thank you
can someone confirm if it is possible to Play Dolby atmos music from TIDAL via Apple TV and two HomePods.
for me it is Not possible to Play any Kind of Atmos content, or let me say i hear absolutly no difference to Stereo content.
thank you
Tidal and Disney+ don´t currently support sending Atmos audio to the Homepod.
Hi B/D,
thank you for this information.
But... I still got just stereo sound for Netflix, amazon and even apple +.
i reseted the Apple TV and both HomePods and tried again. still the same sound experience as before.
is there any known "test" to see if Atmos is working on the HomePod?
thank you for this information.
But... I still got just stereo sound for Netflix, amazon and even apple +.
i reseted the Apple TV and both HomePods and tried again. still the same sound experience as before.
is there any known "test" to see if Atmos is working on the HomePod?
Netflix does indeed send Atmos to HomePods. Play something with Atmos then Menu out of it. Menu again. Not click what you were just watching and you’ll see the Atmos logo.
Assuming you have updated everything to the final release version of 14.2...
Have you set up the homepods as the default speakers of the ATV following this guide ?. Have you make sure, after that, that the audio format is set to automatic?.
. If so, you should see the Atmos logo on the movie info card on Netflix and Apple TV content with an Atmos track, but not while playing content. This is normal.
Should be pretty noticeable. Big difference in sound quality when compared with 14.1 firmware.
After all that, try the Dolby summit app on the ATV app store.
Have you set up the homepods as the default speakers of the ATV following this guide ?. Have you make sure, after that, that the audio format is set to automatic?.
. If so, you should see the Atmos logo on the movie info card on Netflix and Apple TV content with an Atmos track, but not while playing content. This is normal.
Should be pretty noticeable. Big difference in sound quality when compared with 14.1 firmware.
After all that, try the Dolby summit app on the ATV app store.
As for Amazon, most of their content is NOT in Dolby Atmos, sadly.
Why don't you test your system with a known-good Dolby Atmos source, like these here?
developer.dolby.com
Tools & Media Sample Media Video Streams | Dolby Developer
Want access to streaming content? Here is a list of streams that you as a developer can test with. The following streaming protocols are available: MP4, HLS, DASH.
Hi B/D,
yes all three of them are on 14.2
Hi Jbaby,
I tried several movies in Netflix, it does not have really an effect for me.
Hi preitv8
I downloaded the app from dolby and watched the "trailer" universe fury
this is indeed more spectacular then the movies/series from Netflix and Apple TV +.
maybe I have an totally wrong expectation what the HomePod can offer for Atmos sound.
yes all three of them are on 14.2
Hi Jbaby,
I tried several movies in Netflix, it does not have really an effect for me.
Hi preitv8
I downloaded the app from dolby and watched the "trailer" universe fury
this is indeed more spectacular then the movies/series from Netflix and Apple TV +.
maybe I have an totally wrong expectation what the HomePod can offer for Atmos sound.
Atmos or not, the diference is pretty big (even in plain stereo), when compared with 14.1 firmware. Much better soundstage, soundscape and an overall louder volume. Is that not the case for you?
I’ve used my HomePods as my speakers for over a year exclusively and sound overall is better with 14.2. Even stereo sounds better. Netflix is definitely sending Atmos. Maybe you are having another issue.
Hard to say,
in the Transition between 14.1 and 14.2 one Single HomePod was used as a „kitchen Radio“.
it is different after the Firmware Update but i dont used it in Stereo.
so i dont know how Big the difference in a Stereo System should be....
just a last small dumb question: is Atmos enabled in germany?
(i tested both german and english Soundtrack)
in the Transition between 14.1 and 14.2 one Single HomePod was used as a „kitchen Radio“.
it is different after the Firmware Update but i dont used it in Stereo.
so i dont know how Big the difference in a Stereo System should be....
just a last small dumb question: is Atmos enabled in germany?
(i tested both german and english Soundtrack)
Ah, you´re only using one Homepod?. Perhaps it is much worse that with a stereo pair. I have always had two units paired in stereo, bought them with an Apple 4K in March 2019. So I don´t know how it is like with just one homepod.
There are times, though (more often that I would like to say), that I find myself wanting more volume than the maximum allowed, both in Apple Music and when watching movies and tv shows with the Apple TV. Some content is loud, powerful and dynamic, other is surprisingly quiet even at full volume.
Granted, my living room is fairly big. Don´t get me wrong, the homepods sound great, but sometimes I want more raw power. I briefly toyed with the idea of purchasing two sonos five (much more powerful than the homepods, although the homepods slightly better overall, just quieter), but I would lose the advantages of the apple ecosystem integration and they are considerably more expensive than a pair of homepods. Also, I wouldn´t have 5.1 or atmos now with the ATV.
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hi B/D,
no, currently im using two HomePods.
i was curios how apple will handle Atmos and I bought an second one.
I wrote the German apple department an email about the situation and try to clearify if Atmos in enabled in German.
i will also try to set my Apple TV and HomePods in English.
yes indeed for big rooms the HomePod is not loud enough (40qm) but still very impressive what such a small speaker can do.
so guys, thank you for your help
no, currently im using two HomePods.
i was curios how apple will handle Atmos and I bought an second one.
I wrote the German apple department an email about the situation and try to clearify if Atmos in enabled in German.
i will also try to set my Apple TV and HomePods in English.
yes indeed for big rooms the HomePod is not loud enough (40qm) but still very impressive what such a small speaker can do.
so guys, thank you for your help