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Set up a home theater 5.1.2. but hard to get Atmos sources to play

Vince2

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So, I took the plunge and updated my old home theater set up with a new Denon receiver (x1600h) and added 2 height speakers. Have a Blu-ray DVD player, a Samsung k8500 tv, a Roku 4k + device, and computer with windows 10 and HDMI out. All sources are connected to receiver with HDMI. Receiver connected to tv with HDMI through arc.
Tried many ways to listen to dolby Atmos recordings:
1. Had recent Blu-ray DVD from Eric Clapton with an Atmos track. Receiver indicated the dd Atmos logo, but very little info in height or rear channels when listened closer to these channels. Otherwise sounds great.
2. Played YouTube Atmos sound tests on TV app. Receiver shows dd dsur. No Atmos logo indication on receiver.
Played same on Roku app. No Atmos.
Played same on computer. No Atmos.
3. Played Atmos music on tidal app on Roku. No Atmos. Tried to play tidal app through Denon heos platform. No Atmos logo.
Played tidal through computer app. No Atmos.
Casted from phone to Roku. No Atmos.
4. Have not tried Netflix or prime video channel on Roku device but expect similar results.
Am I getting Atmos but the receiver is not indicating it except when I use Blu-ray or more likely, the apps don't pass through the Atmos correctly? How do you source your Atmos tracks? How can I get tidal or YouTube to work with authentic Dolby Atmos?
 
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Sancus

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Most of those things don't support Atmos. Youtube does not support Atmos. TIDAL does not support Roku players for Atmos afaik, and certainly does not support it via PC. TIDAL Atmos works on my Nvidia Shield TV Pro.

Prime Video only supports Atmos for a very small list of TV shows and it's a bit janky, but it does work. The Wheel of Time Season 1 is in Atmos and so is Expanse Season 5(but not 6).

If your receiver says "Dolby Atmos" on the front when something is playing, then it's Atmos. Not every BluRay Atmos track has a lot of surround and height information.

Netflix has the most widespread Atmos support of any streaming service, almost all their big shows and (first party) movies are Atmos. And they clearly show which have it and which don't.

Basically you're gonna have to research what services support Atmos on Roku. The devices with the best(eg: works with most things that have Atmos) compatibility are the Nvidia Shield TV and the Apple TV.
 
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Vince2

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Thanks. I got the Roku 4k + device as it explicitly stated that it would pass through Dolby Atmos. Seems that none of the apps that I tried are working but you believe that Netflix is a possibility? Guessed that tidal through the Denon heos app would work but again it only is dd sur
 

Sancus

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Thanks. I got the Roku 4k + device as it explicitly stated that it would pass through Dolby Atmos. Seems that none of the apps that I tried are working but you believe that Netflix is a possibility? Guessed that tidal through the Denon heos app would work but again it only is dd sur


Here's the list of supported Roku devices for Netflix and the audio you'll get.

Most services use device white lists, not just sending Atmos. So it's unfortunately a lot more complicated than just seeing that a device says it supports Atmos. Some work with some devices, some don't. Same with Dolby Vision.
 

Golfx

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The only way to hear Tidal atmos music is via Apple TV 4K but it is then downsampled to 48hz not capable of hi-res music. Instead I use Roon Tidal (does not play in Atmos either) and use the Auro 3D upmixer (auromatic) to listen to music on my 7.2.4 system. It sounds great.
 

Benedium

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Netflix definitely works. Use the denon avr remote to select auto under sound mode direct. Or go to sound mode movie and toggle to dolby surr/atmos. If content has atmos it will appear on the avr display. Gotta play with the sound mode buttons.
 

ThatM1key

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The only way to hear Tidal atmos music is via Apple TV 4K but it is then downsampled to 48hz not capable of hi-res music. Instead I use Roon Tidal (does not play in Atmos either) and use the Auro 3D upmixer (auromatic) to listen to music on my 7.2.4 system. It sounds great.
Dolby Atmos Music (on streaming services) has never been lossless but its always been at 48khz, never downscaled.
Screenshot 2022-01-07 025400.jpg

Played tidal through computer app. No Atmos.

Sadly on PC, Tidal (Using the app) cannot bitstream Dolby Atmos, you have to buy a capable device and hope that it works.

Secondly on PC, You can use VLC to bitstream Dolby Atmos content.

2. Played YouTube Atmos sound tests on TV app. Receiver shows dd dsur. No Atmos logo indication on receiver.
YouTube never supported Dolby Atmos, let alone 5.1. Reminds me of people trying to hear DSD through YouTube.
 

plugto

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I find Atmos to be pretty bad. So many things wrong. Unfortunately I got it before I knew much about immersive formats. Auro is the master of them all. The best speaker layout, and their layout works for Atmos and DTS-X. Dolby Atmos has now agreed that the Auro 30 degree angle on the wall is doable. Do yourself a favor and go to YouTube and watch a few videos on Auro. It is far superior in every aspect, and no comparison when it comes to music. Read read read and watch the vids. Maybe you can return the Denon for a model that includes Auro. And even Atmos signals sound better with Auromatic playback. Golfx is dead on. Dolby has a death grip on the industry, but only a matter of time before consumers get educated and demand better. Many receivers have Auro. I hope this information helps you.
 

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polmuaddib

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I find Atmos to be pretty bad. So many things wrong. Unfortunately I got it before I knew much about immersive formats. Auro is the master of them all. The best speaker layout, and their layout works for Atmos and DTS-X. Dolby Atmos has now agreed that the Auro 30 degree angle on the wall is doable. Do yourself a favor and go to YouTube and watch a few videos on Auro. It is far superior in every aspect, and no comparison when it comes to music. Read read read and watch the vids. Maybe you can return the Denon for a model that includes Auro. And even Atmos signals sound better with Auromatic playback. Golfx is dead on. Dolby has a death grip on the industry, but only a matter of time before consumers get educated and demand better. Many receivers have Auro. I hope this information helps you.
I disagree.
First of all, there is only a trace amount of native Auro content, so you are basically using Auro upmixer only. Almost all of immersive native content available is Atmos and some DTS-X.

Then you are basically comparing which upmixer is better. And that is a matter of opinion, not fact. I know of no scientific (blind test) research that states that Auro upmixer is better then Atmos. Same goes for speaker layout.
At the end of the day, even if Auro upmixer were better, I would still choose native content then upmixed. And then there is no contest, Atmos wins.

But the problem is that, as OP found, there is very little content mixed in height channels. You do find some gems here and there.
There are some great classical concerts on Bluray mixed in Atmos and very few movies that really use the immersive sound format, but when you find them, you are rewarded.
 

plugto

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I fully agree with you that there is little content in the US. But it will change. Glad I got your attention though. Scope out a few of the vids on YouTube and you will see where I'm coming from. I have an example of a disc that has ALL codecs. Atmos, DTS-X, and Auro. Perfect example to compare. Please read the 2 PDFs I posted so you can get an idea of how long Auro has been at this, and how good the signal is. They can even stream their signal without compression. No one else can do it.
And yes many discs lack any content in the height channel on Atmos, but there is many that are loaded, and there is videos on YouTube with lists of the better Atmos content. I happen to love electronic music, as much as many other genres, and an old master no longer on the planet is the example I am giving the link to. I can only read it in Google Chrome with the translation to english. Be open minded as you absorb the information. You won't learn anything if you decide ahead of time.
 

SaltyCDogg

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Hijacking this thread, telling the OP to try and return his receiver because you're all excited about a different format that there's hardly any content in. Suggest starting your own thread if you want to have that discussion.
 

plugto

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Hijacking this thread, telling the OP to try and return his receiver because you're all excited about a different format that there's hardly any content in. Suggest starting your own thread if you want to have that discussion.
Just wanted to educate. Sorry to offend you! Seems to me the original OP was a little like me several years ago just getting into immersive. Sucks when you don't know. For some anyway.
 
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Vince2

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So, tidal tells me that I can use an Android tv box, apple tv 4k or fire stick. Nvidia shield is also recommended. Don't want to invest a lot more money into this as my experiences have been less than I hoped for. What would be a reasonable pick?
 

Golfx

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Dolby Atmos Music (on streaming services) has never been lossless but its always been at 48khz, never downscaled.
View attachment 177342


Sadly on PC, Tidal (Using the app) cannot bitstream Dolby Atmos, you have to buy a capable device and hope that it works.

Secondly on PC, You can use VLC to bitstream Dolby Atmos content.


YouTube never supported Dolby Atmos, let alone 5.1. Reminds me of people trying to hear DSD through YouTube.
Did not know most of that. Thanks.
 

polmuaddib

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I bought apple tv 4k just so that i can play Atmos music on Tidal. It can also play Atmos on apple music.
It works fine for that. But since my main media source is Windows PC, I hate switching to apple tv.

When I do switch to apple tv, I enjoyed Atmos music better on Tidal then on Apple music. Atmos on apple music sounds like regular stereo was just upmixed. I could be wrong, though.

I would have used apple tv for movies also if they supported Atmos on lossless sources, but unfortunately, they don't.
Maybe Nvidia shield is better, but do research it well before you buy, so that it fits your needs.
 
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Vince2

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Ended up trying the fire stick max. Now Atmos on tidal works and is a real difference from what I was hearing before. Thanks for your input.
 
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