Contributor I

Arc/Atmos - TV support for passthrough from Apple 4k?

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
May 7, 2020
129 replies
32420 views

I’m a little confused. I have an Apple 4K going into a TV that’s older than a few years. Will the Atmos sound from the TV be pushed through the TV via the eARC/eHDMI connection even though Atmos isn’t native to the TV itself?

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H

Highfalutintodd

Prominent Collaborator I

Apple says the Apple TV will not pass Atmos (even compressed to DD+) over HDMI Arc. Apple requires eARC. “Apple TV 4K uses a high bandwidth form of Dolby Atmos that doesn’t work over ARC connections.” https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204069

That’s a limitation Apple has imposed.

Yep, which is why so many of us are eagerly awaiting the HD Fury Arcana to ship. It’s going to be the only real way for most of us TV users to get Dolby Atmos short of buying a new TV.

Arc + Sub 3 + One SLs = Awesome and Loving It!

E

ewolkoff

Enthusiast II

If your TV does not have/support eARC passthrough there is a new solution!

New Arcana device from HDFury solves the problem. https://hdfury.com/product/4k-arcana-18gbps/

Device separates out full audio up to Dolby Atmos over Dolby TrueHD from any external HDMI source and sends it to the Sonos Arc and passthrough full 4k video up to 18gbps! They are accepting pre orders now.

This seems like a product that will become a prerequisite for anyone who owns a TV without eARC and the Sonos Arc. Ordered one! Hope they are able to get it working and shipped! if we can get Apple TV to take this, it would be a huge win.

E

ewolkoff

Enthusiast II

Apple says the Apple TV will not pass Atmos (even compressed to DD+) over HDMI Arc. Apple requires eARC. “Apple TV 4K uses a high bandwidth form of Dolby Atmos that doesn’t work over ARC connections.” https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204069

That’s a limitation Apple has imposed.

Yep, which is why so many of us are eagerly awaiting the HD Fury Arcana to ship. It’s going to be the only real way for most of us TV users to get Dolby Atmos short of buying a new TV.

Agreed. I already bought 1 new TV to get my Sonos Arc fully working (great excuse to get a new LG OLED!)... Really don’t want to replace the other one, which is less than a year old...

J

jthomas009

I keep seeing people saying that Apple TV 4K only supports Dolby Atmos over eARC. That is not completely correct.

I and several others like me have a brand new 2020 model TVs with eARC. Apple TV 4K doesn’t play sound over Sonos Arc, that means No Sound is coming because Apple TV 4K is transmitting it in LPCM, which Sonos Arc doesn’t support.

Run a search on these forums and you will see the Moderator Ryan has confirmed Sonos is working on adding LPCM but have no ETA to share. I have a new 2020 LG 75 Nano and the Sonos Arc bought together and the only way I get ATMOS is playing over the built in LG apps of Apple TV+, Netflix, Prime and Disney.

You can still use Apple TV 4K but only in Dolby Digital 5.1, which means you need to turn off Atmos in the Apple TV 4K settings.

Now I say at the beginning the you don’t necessarily need eARC. I also have a 2017 LG OLED that supports Atmos. I can take that same above Sonos ARC and same Apple TV 4K and I get Atmos over the Sonos Arc (no eARC on this TV). You might ask what gives? LG issued an update to their LPCM in newer models i.e., 2019, 2020 which I guess is the root of the LPCM issue, because the LG is, I guess again, no longer decoding the Apple TV and passing LPCM straight through to Sonos Arc, which does not support LPCM until a software fix becomes available (if).

As to whether the Fury dongle which many are posting about works, I have no clue about and I don’t like adding another element in the mix. For me I will abandon the Apple TV 4K and use the internal apps as mentioned which support Atmos. Not my preference, but at least I get what I paid for in a new TV and new soundbar….Dolby Atmos. I truly hope Sonos does the update as moderator Ryan states.

E

ewolkoff

Enthusiast II

I keep seeing people saying that Apple TV 4K only supports Dolby Atmos over eARC. That is not completely correct.

I and several others like me have a brand new 2020 model TVs with eARC. Apple TV 4K doesn’t play sound over Sonos Arc, that means No Sound is coming because Apple TV 4K is transmitting it in LPCM, which Sonos Arc doesn’t support.

Run a search on these forums and you will see the Moderator Ryan has confirmed Sonos is working on adding LPCM but have no ETA to share. I have a new 2020 LG 75 Nano and the Sonos Arc bought together and the only way I get ATMOS is playing over the built in LG apps of Apple TV+, Netflix, Prime and Disney.

You can still use Apple TV 4K but only in Dolby Digital 5.1, which means you need to turn off Atmos in the Apple TV 4K settings.

Now I say at the beginning the you don’t necessarily need eARC. I also have a 2017 LG OLED that supports Atmos. I can take that same above Sonos ARC and same Apple TV 4K and I get Atmos over the Sonos Arc (no eARC on this TV). You might ask what gives? LG issued an update to their LPCM in newer models i.e., 2019, 2020 which I guess is the root of the LPCM issue, because the LG is, I guess again, no longer decoding the Apple TV and passing LPCM straight through to Sonos Arc, which does not support LPCM until a software fix becomes available (if).

As to whether the Fury dongle which many are posting about works, I have no clue about and I don’t like adding another element in the mix. For me I will abandon the Apple TV 4K and use the internal apps as mentioned which support Atmos. Not my preference, but at least I get what I paid for in a new TV and new soundbar….Dolby Atmos. I truly hope Sonos does the update as moderator Ryan states.

Do you get Atmos through Netflix on your OLED? I understood Netflix Atmos was an Apple TV exclusive. Not true?

J

jthomas009

Hi. Yes I get Atmos with Netflix on my OLED via Apple TV 4K and on my LG Nano I get it on the built in Netflix app.

B

BBH

Avid Contributor I

I’ve read some rumors about it being dependent on the TV set too, some TVs will pass the Apple TV’s data, some won’t. I’m anxious to see if my Vizio’s will. And keeping my eye open on potential HDMI switches that will generate an eARC signal, so I can get TrueHD signals to the Arc.

Take a peek at this….

https://hdfury.com/product/4k-arcana-18gbps/

D

Danio1137

I’ve read some rumors about it being dependent on the TV set too, some TVs will pass the Apple TV’s data, some won’t. I’m anxious to see if my Vizio’s will. And keeping my eye open on potential HDMI switches that will generate an eARC signal, so I can get TrueHD signals to the Arc.

Take a peek at this….

https://hdfury.com/product/4k-arcana-18gbps/

I have pre-ordered one 👍

V

Valynox

Trending Lyricist I

Hi everyone. I also bought the new LG 75NANO90UNA and Atmos does not work through Apple TV with Sonos Arc. I tried everything and then decided to check the forums..thought I had a bad TV. Whew., I normally don’t use the apps that come with the tv but I read that Netflix app on LG TV supports ATMOS if you have the Ultra HD plan….I set it up and it works with the ARC. So I am just going to disconnect the Apple TV 4K until Apple and Sonos fix this. I have been an Apple and Sonos user for a long time and it is really getting old when they say it supports „this“ and it doesn’t. Anyway I hope they correct soon.

From a network security standpoint, I would not. Connected TVs are just crap piece of software!!!
i would rather watch movies in stereo mode with the ATV rather than compromising my whole network security by connecting the TV...

T

Timpan1

Enthusiast I

Thanks! I’d love to upgrade to the the Arc but was unsure of my potential benefits. My Beam is underpowered for the room and my Playbar is under-featured.

Yes, my TV has HDMI-ARC but not eARC.

With the Apple 4K, this will be an excellent addition then. Thanks for the reply.

Personally I would settle for less features and stick with the Playbar. That’s what I’m doing. Having auditioned the Arc I think it’s disproportionately large and I’m less than convinced with the sound output. It sounds harsh and lacks the richness of the Playbar.

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