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MarkyMarkFunkyBunch
Contributor I
May 7, 2020

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

  • 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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    Airgetlam
    Airgetlam
    June 4, 2020

    No, the Apple TV doesn’t send HDMI ARC, only HDMI. It’s the TV set that figures out what it can send as the Audio Return Channel (ARC). 

    Bruce
      farmerpissed
      Lyricist II
      June 5, 2020

      .

      Any thoughts ?


       

       

       

      I’m considering the same thing but with a smaller Samsung 43" Class TU8000.

      Anyway, what splitter have you found to support everything?

      Does this TV 100% def support Atmos passthrough ?
      No big deal but don’t think it has screen off function.

      Plently of hdmi splitters on Amazon - one I’m thinking about getting is Ezcootech SP12H2

       

       

      farmerpissed
      Lyricist II
      June 5, 2020

      Trying to get an answer to this question via this discussion:  will I get Atmos to my Arc if I feed the Arc directly from Apple TV, bypassing my TV audio, where the ATV app supports Atmos?   I believe the answer is no, as a result of the limitations of the type of ATV output - is that correct?

      Unfortunately no - Apple TV HDMI  is an output also Sonos HDMI is an output to the tv not an input. However it also receives audio back from the TV via the magic of arc.

      I don’t how how but the optical adapter does turn it into an input though so it must be possible to make an adapter for HDMI  ??

       

       

      airbag41
      Trending Lyricist I
      June 5, 2020

      .

      Any thoughts ?


       

       

       

      I’m considering the same thing but with a smaller Samsung 43" Class TU8000.

      Anyway, what splitter have you found to support everything?

      Does this TV 100% def support Atmos passthrough ?
      No big deal but don’t think it has screen off function.

      Plently of hdmi splitters on Amazon - one I’m thinking about getting is Ezcootech SP12H2

       

       

       

      The TV has eARC so I think it would be no issue on passthrough. Not sure about screen off but I thought all Samsung had it in this class.

       

      Saguaro7
      Enthusiast II
      June 5, 2020

      I’ve tested Atmos from Apple TV through LG C8 and can confirm this seems to be working for me right now:

      • ATV 4K > C8 HDMI-1 > C8 HDMI-ARC > Vizio SB3512-F6 (HDMI-ARC)

      Vizio SB shows green indicator when Atmos working. Tried with Apple content and Disney+.

      VTENGR
      VTENGR
      Lyricist III
      June 5, 2020

      I’ve tested Atmos from Apple TV through LG C8 and can confirm this seems to be working for me right now:

      • ATV 4K > C8 HDMI-1 > C8 HDMI-ARC > Vizio SB3512-F6 (HDMI-ARC)

      Vizio SB shows green indicator when Atmos working. Tried with Apple content and Disney+.

      I figure if ATV 4k is outputing PCM to the TV then the TV probably just downmixes it to DD+ through the ARC-HDMI to the SB.  I’m not an expert at it but that typically is how all AV equipment works.  you want your output signal to be the best possible version and then the receiving equipment will take that signal and down mix it to what will work.  That is different than forcing a specific codec.  If you tell your source to output DTS and your input doesn’t support DTS, then you’ll get no sound.  Since PCM isn’t a codec, I just imagine the TV will take the info and use what it needs, ie you’ll get DD+ 5.1 or Atmos.  

      tommo213
      Contributor I
      June 10, 2020

      Hi all,

       

      Received my Arc today. I can confirm you can use the Sonos Arc with 4K Apple TV. The Arc is plugged into the eARC port on my 2019 LG OLED, I can successfully watch movies from iTunes with fully Dolby Atmos.

      Disney plus however seems to be a problem on both the Apple TV and native app on the LG TV. I get audio, but not Dolby Atmos. Netflix works perfectly fine too with Atmos.

      VTENGR
      VTENGR
      Lyricist III
      June 10, 2020

      Hi all,

       

      Received my Arc today. I can confirm you can use the Sonos Arc with 4K Apple TV. The Arc is plugged into the eARC port on my 2019 LG OLED, I can successfully watch movies from iTunes with fully Dolby Atmos.

      Disney plus however seems to be a problem on both the Apple TV and native app on the LG TV. I get audio, but not Dolby Atmos. Netflix works perfectly fine too with Atmos.


      It was a given eARC would pass through.  The question at hand is will regular ARC pass through from ATV 4k. 

      tommo213
      Contributor I
      June 10, 2020

      Not to everyone it wasn’t, I’ve read all the messages on this subject and it was rife with confusion across the board. 
       

      My confirmation will satisfy the concerns of some, maybe not all. Helpful none the less. 

      jgatie
      jgatie
      June 10, 2020


      It was a given eARC would pass through.  The question at hand is will regular ARC pass through from ATV 4k. 

       

      Many claimed that since the Arc was not Multi-Channel LPCM capable, the Apple TV 4k would downgrade to stereo, eARC or no eArc.  Turns out it wasn’t true in most cases.  

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