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Apple Broke Dolby Digital 5.1 Output on Apple TV 4K

Not sure why nobody else is mentioning this, but figured I'd post to help others. One of these last few tvOS updates has completely broken Dolby Digital output (on Apple TV 4K, it seems).


I have a 2nd gen 4K model that had been fine until a recent update. I change the audio output in Settings to force Dolby Digital 5.1 for my speakers (Logitech Z906), but this suddenly no longer works! My speakers do not light the proper "Decode" light to indicate a true 5.1 signal, and the voices clearly come from left and right channels instead of just the center.


This was easy to confirm. I purchased a brand new 3rd gen Apple TV 4K (128GB) and it shipped with tvOS 17.1. I configured the audio output to force DD 5.1 and tested a movie... and everything worked perfectly. The "Decode" light indicated a 5.1 signal and voices, etc, clearly only came through the center channel. Then I upgraded to tvOS 17.4 and immediately tested the same movie, and it's broken! Nothing else changed.


Strangely enough, I have an old 1080p Apple TV running tvOS 17.4 (latest) and it still outputs Dolby Digital just fine.


I have provided this information to AppleCare as well as Apple.com/feedback. Kind of a ridiculous bug to go unpatched still. Hopefully someone will notice while we all sit here with broken audio.

Posted on May 7, 2024 10:30 AM

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Posted on Sep 16, 2024 10:59 PM

updated to TvOS 18 and 5.1 is broken. Apple TV connected to TV Samsung KS8000. HDMI ARC to Yamaha receiver. Only detects stereo. Please fix asap.

280 replies

Sep 19, 2024 1:15 AM in response to Payton Garner

I can confirm. I turned on my AppleTV 4K today, and noticed I had to accept the "Terms and Conditions" which usually means I received an update. I checked my AppleTV 4K version and it is TvOS 18. Any content other than Dolby Atmos movies will not decode correctly. It will show up as PCM (2.0). For example, I am watching "The Man In The Iron Mask" on my AppleTV 4K which is natively English Dolby 5.1, AAC (according to Apple's website) but decodes as PCM 2.0. I know some of you will argue that "it means loss-less" which I will tell you now, it is nonsense, because there is a sound quality difference between my AppleTV 4K vs using the Apple TV Application on my LG TV. On My LG TV using the AppleTV application, it decodes correctly as Dolby Digital+ and has a much fuller sound. I am willing to guess, the update broke the AppleTV 4K device and aside from movies with Dolby Atmos, it is playing in Stereo 2.0 and when my AVR upconverts it, it sounds terrible. Please FIX the problem if you want me to continue to use your device. I could easily just use the native AppleTV application on my LG, but because I want to like Apple products, I am going to ask that you fix the problem! PLEASE SEE IMAGE BELOW of APPLETV4K vs THE LG APPLETV Application.


Sep 19, 2024 4:58 AM in response to arisistible

The Apple TV box has always done PCM Multichannel out, for the “Auto”/best quality audio format setting. PCM does not mean 2.0 per se; it can be up to 7.1 for Apple TV, if the HDMI connection allows for that. The Apple TV box will not output Dolby Digital Plus, nor did it do so recently, even when that was the input. There is no passthrough option (since tvOS 10, I think).



  1. While the conversion to PCM Multichannel will be lossless, your audio equipment can decide to treat these two formats differently, in post-processing. That may depend on your audio system and/​or its settings.
  2. There could be HDMI bandwidth restrictions that force a lesser format, but if you are getting Dolby Atmos, then this wouldn’t apply.


I am willing to guess, the update broke the AppleTV 4K device

It didn’t. It just says 7.1 on my 7.1 AV receiver for Apple TV 4K on tvOS 18, for 7.1 sources.



Please FIX the problem… I am going to ask that you fix the problem!

Apple will not see your concern here in the forums. To notify Apple on structural issues, please use the feedback form. Feedback - Apple TV - Apple

Sep 18, 2024 9:20 AM in response to nhojmselkcip

Oh, sorry I didn’t read that carefully and you said the TV’s onboard Apple TV app.


Yep, that’s the same experience for me. The Apple TV app that came bundled with my LG CX still works great, so I think we can isolate this to an Apple TV 4K and later tvOS level. Nobody’s hardware setup here is suddenly preventing Dolby.


[Edited by Moderator]

Sep 18, 2024 7:36 AM in response to Payton Garner

My lg TV is an older one, so I'm using regular ARC but it did used to pass through multi channel LPCM and Dolby 5.1 without any issues.. my inbuilt Apple TV app on my TV passes Atmos (probably compressed) and DD 5.1 to my soundbar without any issues.. my fire TV sticks apple TV app does the same without any problems.. this issue is just with my apple TV box.. what is strange is YouTube on my apple box seems to play DD 5.1 just fine

Sep 22, 2024 12:26 PM in response to Payton Garner

I have a 1sr generation Apple 4K TV

Before the latest update iOS 18, I was able to get digital sound through my Yamaha speakers through optical out now the Apple TV unit is only giving me pro logic,

I’m able to get digital sound when I’m using Disney+ or Apple TV app via my LG TV

So I clearly know it’s not my sound system or the TV it is actually Apple TV unit itself.

not sure when Apple will find a patch for this probably in 18.1 I’m hoping

Sep 23, 2024 10:11 PM in response to Satan's Therapist

When connected through a high speed HDMI cable to my Marantz AVR, if I disable Change Format by entering Audio Format of the Audio section of Video and Audio in Settings, the Auto connection is activated as default and available multichannel audio is correctly received by the AVR.


That's Settings>Video and Audio>Audio Format (from the "AUDIO" area)>click the Change Format option. The option then shows Off, and the New Format line vanishes. That's the way it is on my 1st Generation 4K and my 3rd Generation HD, at least.


However, there appear to be enough incompatible audio systems that it may not be possible to know if it will work with yours. I do believe that the Change Format option would not have been provided unless lots of audio systems capable of playing multichannel audio needed it.

Sep 24, 2024 6:03 AM in response to spatialfx

Does the 3rd gen ATV produce 5.1 with the Sony TV and Beam? That would be an interesting test


My findings:

Sony Bravia XBR-49X900F

Sonos Beam Gen 1

ATV audio set to Change Format to 5.1

ATV 4k 2nd gen (A2169) tvOS 18.0 — 5.1 broken. Tested audio connection from TV to Sonos via both optical and HDMI arc. Worked fine with tvOS 17 (up to and including 17.6.1)

ATV 4k 3rd gen (A2843) tvOS 17.4 — 5.1 fine. Audio connected from TV to Sonos via HDMI arc

Sep 24, 2024 11:21 AM in response to Payton Garner

I want to add to this. I was going nuts because I have paid extra for Dolby Atmos on Netflix, Prime, Max, Paramount and Disney.


Netflix, Disney and Prime have lost Atmos on the Apple TV......It is now labled "Spacial Audio" so those three services are not handshaking with the Apple TV version 18.1. My Sonos APP says the Spacial Audio is 5.1. On the bright side, Max and Paramount Plus are still reporting Dolby Atmos and my APP says that's what I'm getting. The Apple TV on screen display reports the DOLBY ATMOS in the upper right as well.


I own a Fire TV that is Atmos compatible and I tried it on the same TV setup as the Apple TV and amazingly Netflix reported Atmos on the Fire TV and also on my Sonos APP. The same movie on the Apple TV reported as Spacial Audio.


There is something seriously amiss with the Apple TV and the three streaming services I mentioned.

Apple Broke Dolby Digital 5.1 Output on Apple TV 4K

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