Apple TV 4th Gen and Playbar

I'm confused as to why that doesn't work. It's exactly the way that I have my 4K Apple TV set up. Goes via HDMI to my Vizio, and the PLAYBAR is connected to the Vizio with the optical connection. I happen to be watching a football game right now.

Is it only the Apple TV that doesn't generate sound? If so, you may want to go in to the audio settings on the Apple TV, and set it to Dolby Digital. Assuming that Pioneer can pass through a Dolby Digital signal from the HDMI input to the optical out (check your TV's manual), it should work fine. Might be worth double checking the audio settings on the Pioneer, too, just to be safe.

But generally speaking, your setup is exactly what most people have, and it works.

Hi Airgetlam,

Than you for your response, correct its only the Apple TV I am having issue with the TV sound is fine as its attached directly via optical.
I currently have the audio setting on Apple TV as best available, so I f i go in and change to Dolby Digital 5.1 it may work?

I'd think so, yes. Best available is sometimes/often DTS or something higher than Dolby Digital. The Sonos has certain limitations (as do many TVs, and the optical connection that the PLAYBAR uses, too).

Thank you but it did not work, I tried all of the settings, best available, Dolby 5.1 and stereo. Any ideas on where and what to do next?
I have called Apple support too and they could not help. Stuck and not sure how to get this working?

Hi Jay Mackay

Try this...assuming your Sonos Playbar is connected via optical to your TV and the other speakers are properly bonded to it.

1. Connect your cable to HDMI 1
2. Connect your AppleTV to an open HDMI port (2, 3, 4 etc.)
3. In the AppleTV settings Go to > Video and Audio > Audio Output > HDMI > Menu Button > Audio Format > Auto > Audio Mode > Auto > Menu Button (Exit Out).

You may have to manually select AppleTV via the TV input selector. FYI, I have the exact same setup on a Panasonic Plasma and a Samsung Plasma. The only difference may be that the Samsung is a smart TV and hitting the AppleTV remote automictically turns on the TV and selects the proper input. The Panasonic is a manual selection. Let us know the outcome.

Cheers!

AjTrek, I'd argue with you on that last step. Under the Apple TV's settings, I'd go to Video and Audio, scroll down to the Audio section, and then under Audio Format I would choose Dolby Digital 5.1, not Auto.

And, let me update to the latest release on Apple that came out today, and make sure it's the same one.

But a question to the OP. Do you have a 4th gen Apple TV, or a 4K Apple TV? I've got one of each, and will go check to make sure that the settings are the same.

Aha, the settings are slightly different for the 2 devices (the Apple TV gen 4 and the Apple TV 4K) and AJTrek was absolutely correct. On the 4K device, you should set it to Dolby Digital 5.1.

Memory being jogged, I think it's only the Apple TV 4K device that will do DTS, and it isn't available for the 4th gen Apple TV.

Would be nice if Apple had better names for all of these things, especially as they all look the same, too.

My apologies, AJTrek!

@Airgetlam

No problem...Thanks for checking. I agree that AppleTV builds can be confusing. The trick that tipped me off was the absence of an optical out as mentioned by Jay. I have multiple gens of AppleTV as well. I just hope my advice resolves Jay's issue :8

Cheers!

Hi AjTrek1 and thank you for your reply. I have tried the steps you advised and it is still not working, it has to be a settings issue as I am able to get TV sound through the playbar via the optical.

I did updated Apple TV last night and can now see the HDMI in the audio output instead of apple TV.

I do have a question though, you mention in point 1 connect cable to HDMI 1,and then point 2 is connect Apple TV to HDMI 4, what cable am I connection to HDMI 1? Surely its just HDMI from Apple TV to my only working HDMI 4 port on my TV. I only have HDMI 3 and 4 on the TV.

Hi

Getting ready for work. Will get back to you later. For now I have 1 question...Do you have cable tv?

Cheers!

Hi Jay MacKay

I guess the time difference between the States and Australia is messing with us :8

My reference to "Connect your cable to HDMI 1" was assuming you have a Cable TV provider with some type of interface box. If that is the case use HDMI 1 for it.

You may then connect your AppleTV to any available HDMI port. It doesn't matter which one, although if you only have the Cable box and AppleTV then HDMI 2 would be the most logical.

I'm going to share my connections that I have on 3 TV's using Cable TV and AppleTV each with a complete Sonos HT setup using either a Playbar or Beam.

TV_Samsung Plasma & Panasonic Plasma_Optical Connection to Sonos Playbar
1. Cable TV box to HDMI 1
2. AppleTV to HDMI 2
3. TV internal speakers turned off or set to external (to recognize the Sonos Playbar)

TV_Sony Bravia_HDMI-ARC connection to Sonos Beam
1. Beam to HDMI-ARC port on TV. It matters not which number (i.e. HDMI 1, 2, 3, or 4) it has to be the port labeled as HDMI-ARC. In this case it happens to be HDMI 3
2. Cable TV box to HDMI 1
3. AppleTV to HDMI 2

If you don't use CableTV you would connect your AppleTV to HDMI 1. You are correct to select HDMI as the source connection to your TV in the AppleTV menu.

Regardless if you have Cable TV or not....your AppleTV 4K settings should be as I described above...Go to > Video and Audio > Audio Output > HDMI > Menu Button > Audio Format > Auto > Audio Mode > Auto > Menu Button (Exit Out)


Here's the caveat...
1. If AppleTV is connected to HDMI 1 your TV should default to it and you should see the AppleTV landing page to select whatever you want (i.e. movies, music, apps or anything you desire)
2. If AppleTV is connected to HDMI 2, 3, or 4 you'll have to manually select the input.

If you are not getting sound when using AppleTV...check your TV's audio menu to make sure the speakers are set to an external source and not internal. This can happen with AppleTV as it does with my Samsung Smart TV. Samsung's version of AnyNet Connect for some reason rejects my Playbar as the audio player when I select AppleTV as the source (HDMI 2). I have to manually select External (in the Samsung menu) for the audio output. It only occurs when viewing AppleTV....with Cable there's no issue. I haven't determined what causes that anomaly...yet!

Since you say you are getting sound to your Playbar; when not using AppleTV, I'll rule out a defective optical cable. The only other request is that I would like to know the model number of your Pioneer Plasma; as there maybe something I can research about it.

Cheers!

Hi and appreciate your detailed response, I have tried all of the above and till not working.
Must be something wit the TV lie you say, the TV is a Pioneer Plasma PDP-427XD or XDA, i have had it quite a few years 🙂

Jay, quick bit of input, I see above Airgetlam says his PLAYBAR is connected to his Vizio TV with the optical connection. Reading elsewhere here in the Forum, I think Vizio is among the few TV's that can pass through signal from an external device (like Apple TV) through the TV and out the optical and output DD5.1. This is a very common obstacle and one of the reasons I am still using an earlier gen Apple TV with optical output to my PLAYBAR. See this article: http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/How-to-Get-5-1-Dolby-Surround-Sound-from-a-SONOS-PlayBar.shtml

Well, I think I'd characterize it more as "Vizio is one of the many TVs", rather than "few".

Thanks Tolltec21, I have read the article and was interesting. So basically i should buy a HDMI switch as my TV probably does not pass 5.1 through it correct? Would I still not get stereo out of the sonos system or would a switch solve all my issues?

I do have another question, is this just a playbar issue or would a beam solve this issue, and is a beam better than a playbar?

To be honest I do not mind if i have TV sound through the playbar, I really would be happy If I only had the Apple TV running through the sonos system, would I still need a switch for this to happen? If i do buy a switch I can have both though correct?

Thank you.

I'm still having the same issues and I am not able to use my sonos system with apple TV, any ideas on a fix? is the HDMI switch the best way or is it settings?

I'll try. I am set up similar to you. go to settings/video-audio/audio output and see what it says. If connected to HDMI ARC it should show HDMI selected. My sonos beam is called "Family Room". It shows up as well but is not selected. If you select it, your TV sound will come out of the Beam. If not, Tell alexa to play tv speaker, she will say "family room"? I say yes and then sound comes!

The annoying part for me is family room does not stay connected. So each time I switch to TV I have to go thru this process.

Any ideas from you guys? I only use Apple tv 4k and Hulu live thru Apple TV 4k as a source.

THX