tvOS 18.5 Adds Synchronized Dolby Atmos Playback for AirPlay and Bluetooth Speakers

[MacRumors]

The tvOS 18.5 update that Apple released yesterday adds support for synchronizing Dolby Atmos playback to speakers over AirPlay or Bluetooth, according to Apple's release notes for the update.

The feature could help address some persistent syncing issue that some Apple TV users have encountered when trying to play audio with Dolby Atmos. There are multiple complaints on Reddit and the Apple Support forums about Dolby Atmos audio syncing issues with sound bars and speakers, including those connected via AirPlay and Bluetooth, such as the HomePod.

On affected devices, users find that dialog and other audio can be slightly out of sync with the content that's playing, so lips do not move correctly when people speak in TV shows and movies, and sound effects like explosions are delayed. Switching to 5.1 surround sound eliminates the problem, but people with expensive audio setups have been understandably disappointed not to be able to use Dolby Atmos.

Apple says that the new Dolby Atmos synchronization feature for AirPlay and Bluetooth speakers can be found by going to Settings > Video and Audio > Wireless Audio Sync.

Article Link: tvOS 18.5 Adds Synchronized Dolby Atmos Playback for AirPlay and Bluetooth Speakers

 

[spaxxedout]

I just recommend watching the Apple TV with AirPods Max. Headtracked spatial is the future on so many dimensions.

 

[centauratlas]

" tvOS 18.5 update that Apple seeded to developers yesterday..."

It wasn't just to developers, it was to everyone:

Apple Releases tvOS 18.5

Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4,...

www.macrumors.com

 

[onenorth]

" tvOS 18.5 update that Apple seeded to developers yesterday..."

It wasn't just to developers, it was to everyone:

Apple Releases tvOS 18.5

Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4,...

www.macrumors.com

Is MR using AI to write these articles?

 

[Unami]

I just recommend watching the Apple TV with AirPods Max. Headtracked spatial is the future on so many dimensions.

Works only if there's no more than 1 person watching, does it? And then you have to wear those headphones, e.g. can't lie sideways, have to keep them charged or on a cable when bingewatching, get warm ears,... .

Personally, that headtracking where the sound is then tracked to the position of the screen, distracts me. I switch that to fixed position.

 

[dbc34]

I wonder if this will allow using HomePod mini as rear or side satellite speakers.

 

[spaxxedout]

Works only if there's no more than 1 person watching, does it? And then you have to wear those headphones, e.g. can't lie sideways, have to keep them charged or on a cable when bingewatching, get warm ears,... .

Personally, that headtracking where the sound is then tracked to the position of the screen, distracts me. I switch that to fixed position.

It can do two, but I agree that’s a major limitation. The AirPods Pro and PowerBeats pro are okay for side viewing once you get used to positioning your head.

The main thing for me is that room acoustics are taken out of the signal chain. That in itself is worthy of some of the drawbacks the tech brings.

 

[dabirdwell]

How about proper syncing just for multiple HomePods? I have about 15 in the house and can barely get two to play in sync, much less several across rooms. This has never been awesome, but actually got worse with the new Home version "upgrade" last year.

 

[ignatius345]

I just recommend watching the Apple TV with AirPods Max. Headtracked spatial is the future on so many dimensions.

Yep. I do this any time I'm using the Apple TV alone. It's just SO much clearer for dialogue too.

The one big glitch I keep running into is that if "Enhance Dialogue" is enabled and I try to use the APM, sound is completely garbled and I have to switch it off.

 

[Corpuscle]

I just recommend watching the Apple TV with AirPods Max. Headtracked spatial is the future on so many dimensions.

So you're recommending that I stop using my high end 7.4.1 system and use the Max instead because of head tracked spatial audio? BTW, headtracking is simply absurd. While I have the AP Max and do use it on occasion, NOTHING takes the place of a high end system with 12 speakers. And I do tend to just sit and watch a movie. If I need a snack or bathroom break, I simply pause the movie. I definitely don't need headtracking while on the toilet!

 

[MacsRgr8]

So you're recommending that I stop using my high end 7.4.1 system and use the Max instead because of head tracked spatial audio? BTW, headtracking is simply absurd. While I have the AP Max and do use it on occasion, NOTHING takes the place of a high end system with 12 speakers. And I do tend to just sit and watch a movie. If I need a snack or bathroom break, I simply pause the movie. I definitely don't need headtracking while on the toilet!

I agree, even with my decent 5.1 setup.
Love listening to it.

 

[B/D]

Can confirm that the WAS utility has been completely revamped and now it first plays a stereo PCM tone followed by a Dolby Atmos tone.

Also it now works as it should, completely eliminating lip sync and audio lags issues from AirPods Pro, Max and HomePods.

Not only that, but now, if you do the sync in say, 4K SDR 60hz, it compensates and calculates the difference automatically for the rest of the frame rates, so you only need to do it once.

Great little update.

EDIT: For the new version of the tool to work correctly, the IOS device used to perform the calibration must be on 18.5 as well. If not, the Atmos tone wont play and the utility wont compensate the delay for the rest of the frame rates.

 

[armandxp]

Can confirm that the WAS utility has been completely revamped and now it first plays a stereo PCM tone followed by a Dolby Atmos tone.

Also it now works as it should, completely eliminating lip sync and audio lags issues from AirPods Pro, Max and HomePods.

Not only that, but now, if you do the sync in say, 4K SDR 60hz, it compensates and calculates the difference automatically for the rest of the frame rates, so you only need to do it once.

Great little update.

Yay! Not having to do 12 wireless audio syncs (for my system, at least) is definitely a plus.

 

[ignatius345]

So you're recommending that I stop using my high end 7.4.1 system and use the Max instead because of head tracked spatial audio? BTW, headtracking is simply absurd. While I have the AP Max and do use it on occasion, NOTHING takes the place of a high end system with 12 speakers. And I do tend to just sit and watch a movie. If I need a snack or bathroom break, I simply pause the movie. I definitely don't need headtracking while on the toilet!

Nobody is suggesting you stop using your "high end 7.4.1 system". Go nuts, enjoy it. Some of us have more basic speaker setups and/or can't just blast sound at any or all hours and find AirPods Max play very nicely with Apple TV. No need to get all up in arms about it.

 

[Carlos51]

Apple TV 4K 2021, with two HomePod minis paired in stereo.
The syncing utility works only for the TV audio, completely disregarding my HomePods.
Lips are still out of sync with HDR movies and Settings > General > Video > Adjust content > Adjust (or set?) frame frequency set to "Yes". If set to "No" it syncs Ok.
My ATV is in Spanish so I may have mistranslated items in the menu.
Carlos

 

[dsaponaro]

Can confirm that the WAS utility has been completely revamped and now it first plays a stereo PCM tone followed by a Dolby Atmos tone.

Also it now works as it should, completely eliminating lip sync and audio lags issues from AirPods Pro, Max and HomePods.

Not only that, but now, if you do the sync in say, 4K SDR 60hz, it compensates and calculates the difference automatically for the rest of the frame rates, so you only need to do it once.

Great little update.

I believe you still had to calibrate for each format separately.

Originally I thought this was not the case because I reset the calibration and after calibrating for one format it showed my other formats as calibrated. I believe these were the old calibrations though and it didn't actually reset as it should. I went in and reset each format separately and when I attempted to calibrate one again the other formats did not show as calibrated. Hence I had to do each seperately again.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[B/D]

I believe you still had to calibrate for each format separately.

Originally I thought this was not the case because I reset the calibration and after calibrating for one format it showed my other formats as calibrated. I believe these were the old calibrations though and it didn't actually reset as it should. I went in and reset each format separately and when I attempted to calibrate one again the other formats did not show as calibrated. Hence I had to do each seperately again.

I hope that makes sense.

You had to , but not anymore. Tested this by resetting the Apple TV video settings once the 18.5 was completed, running the calibration once, and then using my AirPods with 24, 50 and 60 hz content. Perfectly fine. Previously, frame rates different than 4K SDR 60 were still out of sync unless you did the calibration specifically for each one, but not anymore.

 

[flexwithmarius]

I wonder if this will allow using HomePod mini as rear or side satellite speakers.

For this to sound good there’s gotta be some sort of room correction just for surrounds and that doesn’t exist yet, only for stereo paired HomePods

 

[strayts]

We definitely don't want any delayed explosions.

 

[B/D]

Apple TV 4K 2021, with two HomePod minis paired in stereo.
The syncing utility works only for the TV audio, completely disregarding my HomePods.
Lips are still out of sync with HDR movies and Settings > General > Video > Adjust content > Adjust (or set?) frame frequency set to "Yes". If set to "No" it syncs Ok.
My ATV is in Spanish so I may have mistranslated items in the menu.
Carlos

Update the Apple TV and the IOS device that you use for the calibration to 18.5 (if the IOS device is not on 18.5, the new tones wont play, very important). Once the Apple TV is updated, ran the audio calibration again. Should be OK now.


As for this:


The syncing utility works only for the TV audio, completely disregarding my HomePods.

Yeah, it's working correctly. It will play the tones trough your tv or wired audio system.

Here is why:


"The Apple TV already knows how long it takes to play AirPlay audio (otherwise it couldn't synchronize AirPlay across multiple speakers).

What it doesn't know is how long it takes your particular television to process the Apple TV's HDMI signal, decode audio and video, and ultimately play sound out of the television's own speakers.

Let's say that whole slog takes your television 50ms. The Apple TV itself is naturally in sync with the AirPlay speakers, but any audio (or video!) your TV plays is delayed 50ms, and therefore out of sync with everything else.

So you'd hear an echo when you played music across the house, or you'd see lip sync problems when you used AirPlay for movie audio.

When Wireless Audio Sync plays a tone out of your TV's onboard speakers, it's measuring that processing delay, so the Apple TV can do some math to compensate".

 

[dsaponaro]

You had, but not anymore. Tested this by resetting the Apple TV video settings once the 18.5 was completed, running the calibration once, and then using my AirPods with 24, 50 and 60 hz content. Perfectly fine. Previously, frame rates different than 4K SDR 60 were still out of sync unless you did the calibration specifically for each one, but not anymore.

Hmmm... While I didn't reset all of the video setting (I didn't want to have to recalibrate the color with th iPhone camera etc...) I only reset wireless audio sync settings for each format separately. After doing this I then recalibrated. This recalibration had to then be done for each format separately though as upon switching formats after calibrating one It did not show it as calibrated. Had to redo for each again.

 

[B/D]

Hmmm... While I didn't reset all of the video setting (I didn't want to have to recalibrate the color with th iPhone camera etc...) I only reset wireless audio sync settings for each format separately. After doing this I then recalibrated. This recalibration had to then be done for each format separately though as upon switching formats after calibrating one It did not show it as calibrated. Had to redo for each again.

Hmm, interesting. For me everything was in sync with just one calibration, which was definitely not the case before. I didnt check if inside the other frame rates video settings it said calibrated or not, though. Did you check if it was in sync, or just did it again because the menu didnt say calibrated within the other frame rates?

 

[Carlos51]

Update the Apple TV and the IOS device that you use for the calibration to 18.5 (if the IOS device is not on 18.5, the new tones wont play, very important). Once the Apple TV is updated, ran the audio calibration again. Should be OK now.


As for this:


The syncing utility works only for the TV audio, completely disregarding my HomePods.

Yeah, it's working correctly. It will play the tones trough your tv or wired audio system.

Here is why:


"The Apple TV already knows how long it takes to play AirPlay audio (otherwise it couldn't synchronize AirPlay across multiple speakers).

What it doesn't know is how long it takes your particular television to process the Apple TV's HDMI signal, decode audio and video, and ultimately play sound out of the television's own speakers.

Let's say that whole slog takes your television 50ms. The Apple TV itself is naturally in sync with the AirPlay speakers, but any audio (or video!) your TV plays is delayed 50ms, and therefore out of sync with everything else.

So you'd hear an echo when you played music across the house, or you'd see lip sync problems when you used AirPlay for movie audio.

When Wireless Audio Sync plays a tone out of your TV's onboard speakers, it's measuring that processing delay, so the Apple TV can do some math to compensate".

Hi,
Thanks for your elaborate answer.
I was already on 18.5 and followed the procedure you described.
Tried it again and...
Well, it didn't work.
*******************
Just to be clear.
I have NO sync issues with any type of media EXCEPT when the match frame rate setting is activated.
Keeping it at NO causes no sync issues. Turning it ON breaks the sync.
*******************
Carlos

 

[Return Zero]

Not only that, but now, if you do the sync in say, 4K SDR 60hz, it compensates and calculates the difference automatically for the rest of the frame rates, so you only need to do it once.

OMFG this used to drive me nuts. Thank heavens!!!

 

[B/D]

OMFG this used to drive me nuts. Thank heavens!!!

Remember that if the device used to perform the calibration is not on 18.5, it wont work, as the algorithm will be the old one, and so it will only calibrate the present frame rate.


Why? I have no idea.