Dolby Atmos with New OLED TV and Old Receiver

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burtz

168 posts

Master Geek

#261591 5-Dec-2019 09:54

I have an HDMI connector with audio going from my HTPC to my new Panasonic GZ1000U OLED, I then run an optical out from the TV to my old DD and DTS denon receiver. I notice that the TV pics up the dolby atmos soundtrack and seems to convert it so it plays in 5 channels through my old receiver.

Do you think this is just a down mix or am I getting true 5.1 channels?

ShinyChrome

1575 posts

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#2368654 5-Dec-2019 10:02

At its core, atmos is just a container for the soundtrack (DD,DD+,DTHD etc), so i imagine what is happening on the TV end is it is stripping the atmos container and passing the underlying soundtrack, which in streaming services is usually DD+ or DD.

Can you check on the receiver end and see what is being passed into it? From memory, optical can only do DD, so it should tell you if it is getting DD 5.1 or 2.0.

Oblivian

7296 posts

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#2368660 5-Dec-2019 10:17

Yeah, you need direct HDMI for bitstreaming more than 6(sometimes 8) channels. Or there is bound to be something going in in between

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#2368665 5-Dec-2019 10:32

Optical can't handle Dolby Digital Plus or anything above this (Dolby TrueHD / DTS Master HD / ATMOS / DTS:X etc).

So yeah, that's what you'll get.

If you have a TV with eARC and a receiver with eARC compatibility you'll be able to get ATMOS via Netflix, but even then it will be the Dolby Digital+ version, not the lossless Dolby ATMOS version - after all, streaming services are VERY MUCH concerned with keeping the stream running smoothly and not necessarily delivering the best picture or audio.