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Bugsizzy
Contributor I
June 19, 2023

getting atmos on beam gen 2 without earc

I want to find out if there are any streaming devices that will provide Atmos sound over my second generation beam without having to purchase a pass-through device. I made the mistake of getting the Apple TV not knowing that it requires the earc input to get Atmos without some secondary device like the HDfury. Are there any devices like the Nvidia shield or something else that will play Atmos quality sound with a tv that has only arc, not earc?

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2 replies

Airgetlam
Airgetlam
June 19, 2023

There are two types of signal that can carry an Atmos signal. The ‘compressed’ version is carried by Dolby Digital plus, which your Beam can handle. The ‘uncompressed’ version is carried by eARC, which your Beam can not deal with. 

You should be able to set your Apple TV’s audio output to ‘Dolby Digital Plus’ and get an Atmos signal that way. Do not leave your Apple TV on ‘best signal’ or whatever other options it has ( I’m nowhere near my Apple TV to double check the settings) 

Note that while the Beam can process and simulate an Atmos signal, it does not have the separate upward firing speakers for Atmos content that the Sonos Arc does. 

Bruce
GuitarSuperstar
Lead Maestro
June 20, 2023

@Bugsizzy You are correct that the Apple TV 4K usually requires a TV with eARC to play Dolby Atmos audio. I would recommend trying the Nvidia Shield Pro or latest generation Roku Ultra.

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