Not all programs are transmitted in DD 5.1Some are sent in 2.0 so first check the program is a 5.1 one. 

On your setup, you say you have stereo paired Ones. If they haven’t been set as Surrounds bonded to the Beam, there is nothing to play the effects channels. 

First off, thank you for the reply nik9669a!

Sorry I got a little excited before reviewing my post. They are set as surrounds as shown below!

Also the content I am watching on the tv (from the VUDU app) says “HDX 1080P, Dolby Digital” I am actually watching an older Christmas movie from 1996… if that means anything in terms of audio quality.

Surrounds they are - but always best to check the basics first! 
What tv make/model do you have? There may be someone on here that can check your settings or suggest different ones. 

I have a 65” Samsung KS8000 in the living room where I should have the 5.1 setup.

I also have a second beam and the surrounds upstairs in my loft (no sub) and I seem to get the 2.0 a lot there too. That tv is a 65” LG B7OLED

If the Sonos is reporting Dolby 2.0 then that is what is being received.

I suspect that the signal being received is only Dolby 2.0. You’re going to have to find a source that you KNOW is Dolby 5.1 to test I think.

I’d be very surprised if your TV were converting Dolby 5.1 to Dolby 2.0 weather than simple stereo.

I’m going to test a few things tonight. For example most the content I do watch are digital copies movies, or steaming movies/services or even movies on my cable provider box. 
 

here is a screen shot of Jurassic park fallen kingdom info from the vudu app:

(I’ll test this tonight)

so you can see it supports DD5.1 which is the case with a lot of content I watch but the app shows 2.0 a lot. 
 

howvwer I know I have all my stuff correctly set up because it does show 5.1 sometimes. Just not all the time when it should so I don’t know the reason or logic behind it. 
 

ironically enough cable seems to show 5.1 the most when I don’t think it’s truly even really using the surround sound paired L & R speakers (or its so quiet you can’t hear)

Don’t forget Sonos only supports Dolby Digital. DD+ and DTS are not supported. 

So if I watch the movie in 4K, would my setup automatically use DD? Or watching in 4K forces me to use atmos or vision?

In your listing example above, I interpret that to be:

UHD version is with Dolby Atmos audio;

HDX version is with DD+ audio;

SD version is with DD+

If so, I’m not sure of the compatibility of the audio your Beam will receive, or what it will do with it. If I’m wrong, I apologise! 

so what I’m curious about then in the example I shown. I naturally want to watch the movie in 4K as I have paid for that version and have a tv capable of 4K. So I’m I stuck between watching 4k and NOT using DD or using SD and using DD? Or is it very well possible to watch in 4K but also use DD. 

Basically can you mix or match for lack of better terms or am I forced to only use atmos or digital if I watch in 4K? If so that’s really shitty 

As I say, if I’ve misunderstood, I apologise. But it looks to me like the program you’ve highlighted may have the video quality you want, but it doesn’t have a DD audio option to go with it.

The broadcaster sends out their chosen “format” of programs. The broadcast signal has a combined video and audio element. The example you show seems to me to have the hi-res video you want, but not the audio element that the Beam can handle.

The Beam doesn’t have any processing capability to convert an audio format from, say DTS, Dolby Atmos or DD+ to DD. In all probability, nor does your TV. So, I don’t know what audio you will get when you watch the program. I would expect either stereo/DD2.0, or nothing as the audio signal is incompatible.

TBH, I hope I’m wrong. When you watch it, post back the result, and hopefully someone can give other suggestions.

So reporting back… home from work and I played the fallen kingdom that I shown in my screen shot above. I picked UHD/4K for the video quality. Indeed the sound my Sonos system is producing is Dolby Digital 5.1 per the about my system.

So I think everything should be working properly. I am not the most knowledgeable with audio… the movie that made me post this topic yesterday was also being streamed via VUDU and was “HD” … It was Jingle all the way (lol) from 1996. it says it supports “Dolby Digital” with no numbers… is it possible that means only 2.0 vs 5.1?

I just notice a lot of content doesn't seem to actual pick up the 5.1, cable, older movies (90’s) and a lot of content I watch is ripped/downloaded MP4 content… which im assuming could be part of the 5.1 issue. However this Jurrasic Park Fallen Kingdom is 5.1 and sounds awesome!

Glad it worked - and sounded so good. 
 

As I said in an earlier post, not all HD programs are broadcast with 5.1 audio, which I personally find very disappointing. Many are just Dolby Digital 2.0 - ie stereo. But when they are 5.1, WOW! 

Just saw on another thread:

Some TVs when connected on HDMI-ARC will send the Beam a DD signal from a DD+ source. 
 

That explains it, if you care to know how that signal worked. 
 

Cheers!

Sometimes their could be a glitch in the app. Just today, I kept getting “Stereo” on the app when I knew I was getting 5.1 surround (I own the Beam and the Playbar). So, I went to my TV settings to be sure it was on Dolby Digital. I clicked on it twice, and the app started reading 5.1 again. Even in 2.0, the sound is pretty good...surrounds are very strong, only the subwoofer might not be as apparent.
 

I have the Samsung N950 soundbar set up in another room, and it’s surrounds and subwoofer are not half as strong as the Sonos...JMHO

One thing to note, and this may not have any application to Pawl’s comments, but the report on the app is not constantly updating. It reads the data at the moment it is run, and if something changes in the background, the report won’t update until you run it again.

I’ve never seen a glitch, but then again, I don’t check all that frequently. :)