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Chromecast google tv + Sonos surround 5.1?

  • 18 January 2022
  • 24 replies
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Hi! There have been some questions about this before but I have to ask ones more. I have an LG tv (65uf772v-zw) set up with Beam, sub and two ikea symfonisk. My tv is to old for having the Disney + app and I'm thinking of buying the new Chromecast with google tv. But... does anyone here att this forum know if I will get 5.1 with Disney +? If I read about my tv it have DD and dts decoder. 

Best regards

/Calle

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Best answer by GuitarSuperstar 18 January 2022, 20:40

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24 replies

Userlevel 7

Based on my research, your TV model was released in 2015, so there is probably a 50% chance that your TV will not be able to pass through 5.1 audio from any external media device. And more than likely, there isn’t going to be anyone in this community with your exact LG TV model using a Chromecast with Google TV. If I were you, I would just get the Chromecast and test it. If it works, then great. If it doesn’t, return the Chromecast or consider getting the HDFury Arcana. The Arcana allows any external media device, like a Chromecast, to bypass your TV’s limitations and send audio directly to the Beam.

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

Userlevel 7
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Even if your TV is able to pass a form of 5.1 to a Beam, a Chromecast uses DD+, a specific form of 5.1. If your TV passes DD+ to a Beam is the next question. And, maybe even more important: only the Beam (Gen 2) is capable of playing DD+, so if you own a Gen 1 a Chromecast would only be playing stereo even if your TV would be DD+ ready.

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Ok, thanks. Is it the same problem if I use a Xiaomi mi tv stick? 

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Does anyone use my set up and a tv box (not chromecast) or stick that gives you 5.1?

Userlevel 7
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My old Samsung did not get 5.1 from a Chromecast, but did give me 5.1 from an Apple TV 3.

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My old Samsung did not get 5.1 from a Chromecast, but did give me 5.1 from an Apple TV 3.

Ok. Was that from DD+ to DD?

My issue is that I want to "down"code disney + from DD+ to DD.  I heard that appletv4k is able to do that but I wonder if other boxen like mi box is able too.

Userlevel 7
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As I understand it the Chromecast can only do DD+ (or possibly stereo too). Your TV and your Beam (gen 1) cannot do DD+, so the TV reverts (or asks the Chromecast to revert) to stereo. An Apple TV can do DD, do when the TV tells it it can do DD but not DD+, the TV gets DD to relay to the Beam.

This is a trial and error process, so be sure you can send an item back when you order it and it doesn't work.

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As I understand it the Chromecast can only do DD+ (or possibly stereo too). Your TV and your Beam (gen 1) cannot do DD+, so the TV reverts (or asks the Chromecast to revert) to stereo. An Apple TV can do DD, do when the TV tells it it can do DD but not DD+, the TV gets DD to relay to the Beam.

This is a trial and error process, so be sure you can send an item back when you order it and it doesn't work.

I think is so amazing bad of Sonos that Beam can't do DD+. It's not that old. I had never bought it If I knew I couldn't watch Disney + with surround. I thought Sonos was quality but...maybe I will sell and get another brand that you can trust. 

As I understand it the Chromecast can only do DD+ (or possibly stereo too). Your TV and your Beam (gen 1) cannot do DD+, so the TV reverts (or asks the Chromecast to revert) to stereo. An Apple TV can do DD, do when the TV tells it it can do DD but not DD+, the TV gets DD to relay to the Beam.

This is a trial and error process, so be sure you can send an item back when you order it and it doesn't work.

I think is so amazing bad of Sonos that Beam can't do DD+. It's not that old. I had never bought it If I knew I couldn't watch Disney + with surround. I thought Sonos was quality but...maybe I will sell and get another brand that you can trust. 

Sorry, but I think this is mistaken.  The Beam will play DD5.1 from a DD+ stream - the ‘handshake between the Beam and the TV would tell the TV to send DD5.1.  Most TVs would do this.  Disney+ broadcasting in DD+ does NOT mean that one cannot get surround from the Beam.

See, for example, this thread

 

I think is so amazing bad of Sonos that Beam can't do DD+. It's not that old. I had never bought it If I knew I couldn't watch Disney + with surround. I thought Sonos was quality but...maybe I will sell and get another brand that you can trust. 

The gen2 Beam already does DD+ 5.1. That wasn’t a popular codec amongst the streaming services when the gen1 Beam was first released and so that older HT speaker supports DD5.1.. that codec still works fine today though with most streaming services, that’s as long as the ‘older’ TV will pass-through that audio format. If it doesn’t, then the answer is to perhaps use a compatible audio extractor and bypass the TV altogether.

As Ken says, the problem is your TV's inability to pass any surround format from an HDMI source.

It wouldn't happen to be a Panasonic would it?

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I think is so amazing bad of Sonos that Beam can't do DD+. It's not that old. I had never bought it If I knew I couldn't watch Disney + with surround. I thought Sonos was quality but...maybe I will sell and get another brand that you can trust. 

The gen2 Beam already does DD+ 5.1. That wasn’t a popular codec amongst the streaming services when the gen1 Beam was first released and so that older HT speaker supports DD5.1.. that codec still works fine today though with most streaming services, that’s as long as the ‘older’ TV will pass-through that audio format. If it doesn’t, then the answer is to perhaps use a compatible audio extractor and bypass the TV altogether.

Ok. Thanks for the answer. Today I watch Netflix with my tv box (no disney app) without a problem. But I don't know If the movies I watch has dd+ but dd works fine. So If I understand right I have to try different boxes to see If my tv pass it through? It don't work with Chromecast Ultra. Just stereo.

Ok. Thanks for the answer. Today I watch Netflix with my tv box (no disney app) without a problem. But I don't know If the movies I watch has dd+ but dd works fine. So If I understand right I have to try different boxes to see If my tv pass it through? It don't work with Chromecast Ultra. Just stereo.

If the Netflix App is working from a connected cable TV box and you’re getting Dolby Digital 5.1, then the TV is allowing that codec through its ports - check what the audio out is set to on the chromecast and perhaps switch it to Dolby Digital (not DD+) if that codec is available on the chromecast TV device.

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Ok. Thanks for the answer. Today I watch Netflix with my tv box (no disney app) without a problem. But I don't know If the movies I watch has dd+ but dd works fine. So If I understand right I have to try different boxes to see If my tv pass it through? It don't work with Chromecast Ultra. Just stereo.

If the Netflix App is working from a connected cable TV box and you’re getting Dolby Digital 5.1, then the TV is allowing that codec through its ports - check what the audio out is set to on the chromecast and perhaps switch it to Dolby Digital (not DD+) if that codec is available on the chromecast TV device.

I tried but the sonos app just says "Stereo-pcm". I choose ac3 both in tv and chromecast. Nothing happens. 

I tried but the sonos app just says "Stereo-pcm". I choose ac3 both in tv and chromecast. Nothing happens. 

I did come across this article online, but it is an old story, but may still be relevant:

https://piunikaweb.com/2021/03/01/chromecast-with-google-tv-5-1-surround-sound-disney-dolby-issues/

 

Userlevel 7
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@John B I do not have much technical insight in why the Chromecast does not do 5.1 through older TV’s. My post is based in my experience with my 2011 Samsung that did do 5.1 from an Apple TV 3 (so was capable of relaying 5.1 from external sources) but never from my Chromecast. At the time someone told me the problem was the DD+ only capability of the Chromecast, combined with the impossibility of my Beam (Gen 1) to do DD+, resulting in stereo only from the Chromecast.

It would be good to know if @Carl-Magnus Owns a Gen 1 or Gen 2 Beam. Since the Gen 2 does do DD+ it would indeed be the TV that would be the problem.

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@John B I do not have much technical insight in why the Chromecast does not do 5.1 through older TV’s. My post is based in my experience with my 2011 Samsung that did do 5.1 from an Apple TV 3 (so was capable of relaying 5.1 from external sources) but never from my Chromecast. At the time someone told me the problem was the DD+ only capability of the Chromecast, combined with the impossibility of my Beam (Gen 1) to do DD+, resulting in stereo only from the Chromecast.

It would be good to know if @Carl-Magnus Owns a Gen 1 or Gen 2 Beam. Since the Gen 2 does do DD+ it would indeed be the TV that would be the problem.

I own a gen 1. I don't need dd+. It's ok just to have dd 5.1.

Userlevel 7
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OK, so the jury is still out on the question if TV can pas surround to the Beam from  external sources…. 

@Carl-Magnus . What make and model is the TV please? 

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According to the first post: “LG tv (65uf772v-zw)”.

According to the first post: “LG tv (65uf772v-zw)”.

Thanks. Sorry, I missed that.

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I have tried a little more. I have an chromecast ultra. I can't get 5.1 with Netflix. I tried a lot of different soundsettings (stereosound or no sound). But when I use svtplay app (swedish) I get 5.1 with the ultra. They probebly obly sens DD. So the problem is two things. Netflix (and Disney + I think) will not send in DD thru my phone (only DD+) and my tv will not send DD+ to my sound system. When I use Netflix with my tv box (Arris 4302) Netflix seems to only send DD which works. I will further try an Apple TV and se what happends. 

Userlevel 7
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You could be on to something. Just a small correction: your phone only sends the Chromecast the link and your log in to Netflix etc. It does not send any stream (unlike Airplay 1).

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Solution!

I bought a fire stick and now I have 5.1! Nice!

So, problem solved. 👌