Airplay 2: DD 5.1 format supported by Sonos 5.1 system?

Hi Chris,

ok thanks for your reply, much appreciated!

so via AirPlay I can send stereo only to my Sonos speakers, correct?
Then the only way to send the 5.1 sound to my system is from the Sonos app?

i am confused now, how can I exploit my 5.1 Sonos system via Apple TV?

any advice?

big up if you have a solution:)

cheers!

Ron,

The Sonos App is irrelevant here... that is just a Sonos 'remote' controller.

You will likely need an A/V splitter that supports DD5.1 audio (perhaps search Amazon for that) and cable the ATV to that using HDMI.

Send the audio output to the Sonos HT device (Playbar/Beam etc.) using an optical cable ...and the video output to the projector over HDMI.

Hi Ken,

great, super clear! What I miss is the A/V splitter in my workflow.
I am on it and will keep you posted, just need to find good stable spitter, especially for the synchronization audio/video...

thank you so much for the support, Ken, big up!:)

Ron

Not sure why you use AirPlay 2 to send the signal to the Sonos. Wouldn't it be easier to get an HDMI switch, and pull the audio out of the HDMI feed before it hits your projector, and use an optical connection from that to your PLAYBASE? That way, you'd get the Dolby Digital signal. I suppose you may have distance issues, but HDMI can run quite a few feet.

Hey Airgetlam,

exactly the same idea than Ken! It makes totally sense now that you guys told me that.
what I do is to select the AirPlay sound output in the Apple TV settings, it made sense to me as the Apple TV manages the synchro between audio and video. But I did not know that the audio output format would be stereo only... it is weird to me that Apple Airplay does not support DD5.1 or they did not make this improvement from AirPlay v1 to v2...

no distance issue as my Aplple TV is super close to my video projector and Playbase.

the cool thing about that is that my sound will be much better, now I can’t wait to try eheh

thanks guys, your are the best!

I suspect that at some point in the future, AirPlay 2 will support Dolby Digital 5.1, but Apple had enough trouble shipping AirPlay 2 without it, it may be a while. And they may be trying to go the extra mile and support Atmos, since the Apple TV 4K does now, which may be more of a delay. Who knows 🙂

True, who knows 🙂 then Sonos will need to support Dolby Atmos, never ending story haha

even if I am French, I do not complain! What we are able to do today is just amazing: from the Apple TV to Netflix to Sonos and perfect syncro audio/video, waouh it is just great and with a super great sound please! And the funny part is that I was in STEREO eheh
Let’s be positive and happy to experience that today, with a cool and supportive international community, lucky us!

I am buying the spitter now because I can’t wait... and keep u posted!

merci!

If I remember correctly, pas de quoi (?) L’ecole de garçon, Louvecienne, 1965, 1966 :)

Bonne chance!

Merci, Bruce! Ton français est parfait! Louveciennes in 65/66, waouh! Hope it is a good souvenir for you:)

May I consult you for a last thing please? I bought this HDMI splitter yesterday to try:
https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0183FQAXO/ref=pe_3044141_185740131_TE_item

But to be transparent, I am afraid that this cheap one will not well manage the syncro between audio and video, I will try and let you know. As you seem to be an expert, any advice on a good quality HDMI audio splitter? Budget is not the main issue as soon as the quality is secured, the problem I faced when I checked the different ones is that there is HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0, ARC, etc. supported, some of them are for 4K and I am not sure they support just 4K format while I need 1080p only, etc. (descriptions are not that precise for almost all of them...) and not being an expert for this type of product, any specific tech specs that are mandatory to secure the syncro or any specific brand that you know is good?

Merci d'avance for all your help! Last one, I promise 🙂