For Netflix, make sure you have a premium subscription. Also be sure you are playing the original language audio track. And log in to your Netflix account on a web browser. Under your profile settings, make sure “Data usage per screen” under playback settings is set to HIGH.

On the Xbox, HDMI eARC is required to play Dolby Atmos audio.

It’s all connected via hdmi arc… it works for 5.1, 5.1+ but not atmos

i have somehow managed to make Netflix work by reinstalling the app, plus Amazon prime works. So it’s now only the Xbox which is quite frustrating

The Xbox uses a Dolby MAT encoder which requires eARC to play Atmos audio. You either need a new TV with eARC or an eARC adapter like an HDFury Arcana.

Ah ha! Ok thanks. So old arc isn’t good enough for Xbox to pick it up, it needs a proper earc. If you use the adapter is there a degradation in AV quality? What are pros and cons vs a new tv?

Their will be no degradation in AV quality if you use the Arcana.

The pros are the Arcana is cheaper than purchasing a new TV and if you still like your current TV, you can continue to use it. And you will get Atmos audio from the Xbox.

The cons are the Arcana is still a little expensive and you are adding another device to your setup that requires a couple of more HDMI cables.

Thanks this is super helpful (and I can believe is not something that Samsung or Xbox support could have told me...)… 

One more question, just trying to figure out the implementation of this. 
 

if I use the external earc adapter will I have to move wires around if I want to go from Xbox to using the Netflix app on the tv?

obviously there is only one port on the Sonos arc… 

The Arcana will only affect the Xbox as it will allow it to bypass your TV and send audio directly to the Arc. The Arcana has no affect on the TV’s native apps.

This is how everything will connect:

Xbox connects to Arcana’s HDMI IN.

Sonos Arc connects to Arcana’s eARC OUT.

TV connects from HDMI ARC to Arcana’s HDMI OUT.

Thanks. Maybe I am being stupid but when I use the native Netflix app on the tv how does the sound get to the Sonos? I guess you are saying it doesn’t so I need another solution? 
 

Side question: reading about ARC on TVs it seems they shouldn’t support Dolby atmos… is what I am getting from appletv+ app on tv outputted to sound bar truly atmos (Sonos app says yes) or some kind of lossy Dolby digital plus disguised as atmos?

The Arc is still connected to the TV through the Arcana. So you will get the same audio from the native apps as you are currently getting.

There are three flavors of Dolby Atmos - Dolby TrueHD, Dolby MAT, and Dolby Digital Plus. The first two are lossless and require HDMI eARC. The last is lossy and only requires HDMI ARC. The TV’s native apps use the Dolby Digital Plus version of Dolby Atmos. The Xbox uses Dolby MAT. You typically see Dolby TrueHD on Blu-ray discs.

Brilliant thanks so much. So the fact that the TV is plugged into the hdmi out on the adapter is no issue and the adapter can receive the audio on that port?

With the Arcana connected, there will be no issue with the Arc playing the audio from the TV’s native apps.