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Can’t get Atmos to work on Beam 2 with Roku and Samsung TV

  • 20 January 2022
  • 10 replies
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I have a Beam 2 with a sub and 2 surround speakers, but I can’t get Atmos to work from my Roku through my reasonably new Samsung 4K TV.  I believe that the Netflix movie “6 Underground” provides Atmos.  My TV recognizes that the Beam supports Atmos.  But the movie is sent to the Beam as PCM (stereo).

I am hooking up the Beam to the TV through the ARC port.

Is there something special that I need to do to get it working?

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Best answer by GuitarSuperstar 20 January 2022, 15:45

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A receiver isnt designed to be a switcher, and probably sending only 2.0 to the TV because a TV is only stereo.  It has no idea that there is another home theater component down stream from the TV.  You are probably going to use the TV as a switch, bypassing the receiver.

I’ve been playing around and have some info.  Changing the Roku Digital Output Format didn’t help.  I did a few more experiments, and it seems as if even Dolby Digital 5.1 from a Blu Ray isn’t even getting through from the Denon to the TV.  If I hook it up directly to the TV, it works.

The Denon should just be switching from the input HDMI to the output.  It then goes through an HDMI/Ethernet extender box, and that is rated to allow all of the multi-channel formats.

I want to be able to use the Denon for selecting the input.  Is there something that I should be using for setup within the gear?

Huh.  That definitely explains the symptoms.  Thanks.  I will need to figure out a way to make the limited number of inputs work.

One more issue.  The TV doesn’t pass through DTS.  Any ideas on how to make Blu Rays works with the Sonos Beam, which now supports it?  If I simply run the Blu Ray through the TV, it won’t work.

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One more issue. The TV doesn’t pass through DTS. Any ideas on how to make Blu Rays works with the Sonos Beam, which now supports it? If I simply run the Blu Ray through the TV, it won’t work.

If your TV is equipped with HDMI eARC, set your Blu-ray player to convert DTS to PCM. This will send lossless Multichannel PCM audio to your Beam which sounds just as good as DTS-HD Master Audio. If your TV doesn’t have eARC, consider getting an HDFury Arcana eARC adapter that will allow your Blu-ray player, and any other external media device, to bypass your TV’s limitations and send audio directly to the Beam.

Thanks.  My TV does not support eARC.  Just so that I understand, I would put an HDMI switch in front of the Arcana?  
 

I use Control4 to control my system, so I would then run an IR output from C4 to the switch?  If so, does anyone have a switch that plays well with C4?

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Thanks.  My TV does not support eARC.  Just so that I understand, I would put an HDMI switch in front of the Arcana?  
 

I use Control4 to control my system, so I would then run an IR output from C4 to the switch?  If so, does anyone have a switch that plays well with C4?

You would use the HDMI switch with the Arcana like this:

This ROOFULL switch works well with the Arcana:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CF793HQ/

I can’t comment on the Control4.

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What specific model TV and Roku do you have?

Make sure you set the audio settings on the Roku to Dolby Digital Plus, and change the Digital Output Audio Format setting on the TV to Auto (or Dolby Digital Plus depending on your TV model). Also be sure you have a Netflix premium subscription.

Thanks for the quick response.  I have the Premium Ultra HD subscription.  My Roku is a Ultra 4670X.  The Audio Mode is Auto (DD+, DTS-HD), and Streaming Audio Mode and Digital Output Format are both set at Auto.

My TV is a Samsung QN75Q80RAF.  The audio output format only allows PCM.  Dolby Digital and DD+ are grayed out even when playing the Atmos movie.  The TV recognizes that the Beam is Atmos Compatible (option is on in the TV UI).  There doesn’t seem to be any way to set the output to auto.  I assume that it will automatically choose DD+ if it sees Atmos content.

The Roku is going through a Denon x3500 - basically just switching HDMI inputs to the output.  

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Try setting Digital Output Format on the Roku to Custom > Dolby > Dolby Digital Plus.

You also should try testing the Roku with it directly connected to your TV to rule out the Denon causing the issue.

I wanted to provide a follow-up for others and the system is finally hooked up and running.  I used a J-Tech HDMI switch, and their Control4 driver works.  So it is hooked up and functioning as outlined in the previous posts.

Thanks for everyone’s help.