Atmos finally decoded in PC/Mac

[abdo123]

I don't know why you could not use it to watch Netflix inasmuch as you can get Netflix Atmos on their desktop app. The larger problem is how you get the decoded Dolby Atmos PCM to a multichannel DAC, and what DAC multi channel (other than a pair daisy-chained Octo DAC 8s) is able to decode 16 channels of the PCM digital stream? Can USB carry 16 PCM channels? I know that HDMI 2.0 will only carry 8 PCM channels.

The netflix app does not offer Atmos. The best it can do is 5.1

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I absolutely hate with a purple passion brands that have all of this wonderful info about their gear, but don't tell you the price. Then you have to look for it or contact a dealer. Kaleidescape is even more expensive than I imagined once I found a price on it somewhere.

I went to the website, listened to the sales spiel for about 2 minutes, and all I can state is the guy putting out that shite is lucky he was not in the same room with me while he laid that down.

Took me about 1 minute to figure out they're selling a $3k player, and a $5-12 k server which is little more than a glorified hard drive which no doubt is part of a closed system, so you have to buy both units (NO SUBBING IN A $50 HARD DRIVE! FOR YOU!), and their movies to boot. They will also take your own downloaded movies, redownload them on their server (which your paid $5-12k for), maybe upgrade them to the latest and greatest format and you will pay them for the movies you already own to write them on the hard drive you already own. Some racket.

But, of course, the boxes look sleek and minimalistic in that Apple Ecosystem kind of way.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

The netflix app does not offer Atmos. The best it can do is 5.1

Then why does it say ATMOS when I look at the previews of the movies? And I do get Netlix in ATMOS when I use my NVIDIA shield or my LG C1 and send the bitstream to my Smyth A16 to decode. It definitely Atmos in that case, and if my PC had a decoder, I am sure it would decode the ATMOS stream inasmuch as it announces it's available on the movie preview.

 

[abdo123]

Then why does it say ATMOS when I look at the previews of the movies? And I do get Netlix in ATMOS when I use my NVIDIA shield or my LG C1 and send the bitstream to my Smyth A16 to decode. It definitely Atmos in that case, and if my PC had a decoder, I am sure it would decode the ATMOS stream inasmuch as it announces it's available on the movie preview.

On your TV or Nvidia Shield it may provide a true Atmos bitstream, but an app on Windows or MacOS will not. It will only provide 5.1.

 

[Chromatischism]

Did a quick google and yeah, you're right. It's still illegal, to my surprise. But I hardly think anyone who has ripped their disc's to the harddrive has ever been charged or sentenced for such a major crime. Guess we're all criminals then..?!?

Did this change?

I used to rip discs 10 to 15 years ago and it was legal to make backup copies for yourself.

 

[JSmith]

I used to rip discs 10 to 15 years ago and it was legal to make backup copies for yourself.

Are you thinking of CD's?

Format shifting or "ripping" DVD and Blurays is technically illegal, although this may vary from country to country. Here in Aus;

Disclaimer

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The format shifting exception for films only applies to copies made from films in analog form. It does not allow digital-to-digital copying. This means the exception does not apply to copies made for example, from DVDs and Blu-Ray discs and digital copies downloaded from the internet. One reason given for this limitation is that ‘unrestricted digital-to-digital copying could allow consumers to reproduce the full picture quality and features provided in commercially produced digital film content’.

JSmith

 

[ThatM1key]

Man, what a hell of a thread to read.

When I used to use my PC as a HTPC, I would just use VLC to bitstream the audio to my AVR and let it decode. Nowadays I use my LG 4K UHD Player because using a PC as a HTPC is pretty horrible experience. You can't even output Dolby Vision on a regular PC unless you got a "Dolby Vision Ready" PC.

 

[somebodyelse]

Did this change?

I used to rip discs 10 to 15 years ago and it was legal to make backup copies for yourself.

It's an unholy mess that depends on what country you're in and what sort of disc it is, among other things, so if you want an accurate answer go hire a lawyer.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

On your TV or Nvidia Shield it may provide a true Atmos bitstream, but an app on Windows or MacOS will not. It will only provide 5.1.

Netflix now supports Dolby Atmos on Windows 10

Besides Xbox One and LG OLED TVs, you can now enjoy Netflix’s Dolby Atmos content from the Windows 10 app

www.flatpanelshd.com

 

[FrantzM]

I remain unconvinced...
Getting the most used and perhaps advanced AV/MCH codecs to the PC platform would be IMO, interesting perhaps important. Innovation is stifled in the AVR sector because of their absence. A few years ago, an enthusiast could have build an HTPC with everything needed to have great sound and great video. Today he could but is limited to 5.1 or perhaps 7.1, no Atmos, No Dolby or DTS Advanced codecs, no Auro-3D ( ? IDK) either.
AVR are powerful but a PC with a modern processor, say an i5 or i3 or equivalent, is an extraordinary powerful machine capable of wonders for Audio and video purposes. You have all those video and video interface cards, some of these rather inexpensive, capable of prodigious processing prowess. With the proper set software one could have a special and spectacular anchor for your AV system (DRC/Dirac or equivalent, Decoding, etc) for pas top cher ...

What I saw is a hack , a geek affair. I stopped reading it after a few paragraphs. I (likely , most enthusiasts ) will continue to use my (their) AVR ...

Peace.

 

[abdo123]

Netflix now supports Dolby Atmos on Windows 10

Besides Xbox One and LG OLED TVs, you can now enjoy Netflix’s Dolby Atmos content from the Windows 10 app

www.flatpanelshd.com

I will give that a read but keep in mind the method in the OP does not work for this anyhow.

So the usefulness is very limited.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I will give that a read but keep in mind the method in the OP does not work for this anyhow.

So the usefulness is very limited.

Now that's a mystery to me. While it's true the bulk of the article is dedicated to taking about how to rip Blue Ray Atmos True HD disks and prep the files in MKV to make them playable on your pc, it is also true that the software (Dolby Media Encoder/Dolby Reference Player) he describes will perfectly well decode the Atmos Dolby Digital Plus streams that Netflix or any other streaming services produce.

 

[abdo123]

But you must use HomePods right?

He shared earlier on the forum that a USB 8-channel DAC connected to a macbook outputs 5.1.2 from Apple music.

 

[srrxr71]

He shared earlier on the forum that a USB 8-channel DAC connected to a macbook outputs 5.1.2 from Apple music.

Oh wow. Thanks.

 

[ShadowFiend]

A geek solution with lots of effort and limited use case, but still a good attempt. The truth is Dolby will never let Atmos to go to normal PC platform without something priority attached to it. So we must accept that to play Atmos content, we will stuck with priority hardware with inherent audio compromise (soundbar) or decent AVRs like Denon ones with not so good room correction hardware, as well as not-so-great engineering number and/or buggy firmware or this method with limited content. If we want better than that, the only way is to pay more than 15k USD for something like Trinnov.

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

So what do you all think..?

Thanks but .. uuuh ... I stick to my crappy AVRs that have ugly looking measurements but still sound transparent enough in real world scenarios to not be a bother in any sonic sense.

 

[Axo1989]

He shared earlier on the forum that a USB 8-channel DAC connected to a macbook outputs 5.1.2 from Apple music.

Yes, that was a revelation to me also.

While 5.1.2 is the limit for an 8-channel DAC, if you have more channels you can go farther. I don't have an actual hardware device with more channels, but I can create a target aggregate or virtual audio device with more channels. For that, Audio Midi Setup displays a 7.1.4 Atmos option. That seems to be as high as it goes.

 

[threni]

Did this change?

I used to rip discs 10 to 15 years ago and it was legal to make backup copies for yourself.

Yep. They changed it back.

 

[threni]

It's an unholy mess that depends on what country you're in and what sort of disc it is, among other things, so if you want an accurate answer go hire a lawyer.

I'm talking specifically about the UK.

 

[Chromatischism]

I am in the United States.