Netflix Dolby Atmos suddenly stopped working

  • 12 September 2022
  • 12 replies
  • 2447 views
D
  • D818
  • Contributor I
  • 4 replies

Kit - Samsung Neo QLED QE65QN85AATXXU and Sonos Arc 

I’m hoping someone can help please.  I’ve had this set up for 12 months and it’s been working faultlessly apart from once or twice needing to power down the sound bar to address lag.
 

Weirdly Netflix is no longer displaying any content in atmos just 5.1.  Disney plus is working absolutely fine. Within the sonos app I get the following audio confirmation

terrestrial - Dolby multichannel PCM 2.0

netflix content I know is atmos - Dolby multichannel PCM 5.1

disney + - Dolby Atmos 

I’ve spent hours on the phone to Samsung, Sonos and Netflix support and no further forward. I’ve even had samsung support take over my tv and check settings.

So far for troubleshooting I’ve powered down both devices, reinstalled Netflix, cleared tv cookies, checked firmware of tv and sonos latest versions, checked advanced sound settings in tv for HDMI e-arc. I’ve also checked my Netflix account which remains Premium ultra HD and updated quality settings from default to high.  As I said it’s been working absolutely fine up until last couple of weeks. Any help will be much appreciated.

 

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12 replies

Ken_Griffiths

If you switch off AnyNet+ and switchover to the TV internal speakers, does that show as playing/outputting the Dolby Atmos audio codec?

Also..

What audio-output do you get from the Sonos Arc if you switch off eARC and just use HDMI-ARC with AnyNet+ (eARC is really only needed for uncompressed lossless audio formats).

D

Hi Ken,

Thank you very much for trying to help with this.  
switching off any net+ leaving everything else connected Netflix shows 5.1 and sound comes through tv speakers which won’t be atmos and the sonos app doesn’t recognise a connection. 

 

So with e-arc switched off and any net + on, the tv shows output received HMDI, playing Netflix title like 6 underground in the sonos app again shows Dolby digital plus 5.1 which is slightly different to before which showed Dolby multichannel pcm 5.1.  I’ll be honest I’m not sure what the difference is.

The only other thing samsung suggested was a factory reset on the tv which I’ve done and made no difference. It’s incredibly frustrating when I know it’s been faultless for nearly a year.

Thanks

Danny

Ken_Griffiths

I have an LG OLED TV, and if I switch off Simplink (the CEC protocol & equivalent to AnyNet+). The TV here shows it’s playing Atmos audio through the internal TV speakers (presumably its pseudo DD+ Atmos).

 I can goto the TV sound settings and toggle Atmos on/off, but that setting only applies to the TV internal speakers and by default I get Atmos audio when I switch its audio output to the ARC/eARC port and enable CEC to play the audio to the Sonos Arc and surrounds.

In your case you are getting DD+ (Compressed lossy) with the ARC and Multichannel PCM 5.1 (uncompressed lossless) with eARC so I’m thinking you have switched the TV "HDMI input audio" format from bitstream and perhaps changed it to PCM - I’m just not sure where that setting is on your TV, or source device (if using a connected product to play your movies).. So maybe look in the sound settings and ensure that bitstream is selected aswell as DD+ and see if that resolves the issue.

Also, if available, set the ‘Digital Sound Out’ on the HDMI-ARC to ‘passthrough’ if you have that option on your TV.

D

Thanks Ken, the pass through option is greyed out on this model of samsung tv and from researching online it seems that’s only available if you have an external source hdmi in rather than using the native tv apps.  I’ve done a little more trial and error this evening, I’ve signed up to Apple TV and Dolby atmos is working correctly as per sonos app (see screenshot) as is Disney plus.  I’ve come to the conclusion there must be something not quite right with the native Netflix app on the samsung tv given two other platforms are working fine. 

Thanks for trying to resolve 

 

 

Ken_Griffiths

Yes, that must be the case if it is working for the one App, it must be either the Netflix App or your subscription and I see you mentioned already that you have checked the subscription.

Are you playing the movies in their English Original (Atmos) language format, as I understand that other languages/settings may not support Atmos audio in some cases. See screenshot from the ‘6 Underground’ movie audio settings on my TV Netflix App.

1 Attachment
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I’m sorry your screenshot isn’t coming through but I had seen this feedback on other forums. In terms of the subscription it’s got the 4K tag which only comes with premium. On the audio versions I can see English original, and English original 5.1 should there be a further version for Atmos?

 

Ken_Griffiths

@D818 
Sorry, I don’t know what happened to the screenshot in my post 🤔? - so I re-posted it, but here it is again (just in case) to show you what I see in the Netflix App audio settings for the ‘6 Underground’ movie.

I have English [Original] (Atmos) which shows up here in the list.

D

Thank you, yes I definitely didn’t have that option as I only had English original and English original 5.1.

However this evening just as quickly as it disappeared it’s returned! I wondered if my contact with samsung Netflix support resulted in an app update. Looking at the app release dates it looks like they’ve restored a previous version as the current version is 2021.

 

Today - 15th Sept 22
Developer: Netflix, Inc. | Updated: 5/11/2021 | Latest Version: 5.3.27(5.3.27 Installed)

Tuesday 13th September 

Developer: Netflix, Inc. | Updated: 4/4/2022 | Latest Version: 5.3.30(5.3.30 Installed)

Thanks for taking the time to try and help - joys of software and tech! 

 

Ken_Griffiths

I think some services in some areas were reduced due to covid and the sudden extra demand on services and the internet infrastructure in some regions, so it perhaps might have been that too. FYI.

S

Hi All,

I am no longer getting Dolby Atmos audio when I use Netflix. All other apps seem to be working fine. 
 

I have all the following:

 

- Netflix premium package 

- Sky UHD package 

- Dolby Atmos compatible external soundbar (Sonos Arc)

- Sufficient internet speeds 

 

Everything was working fine until recently. Disney, Amazon and few channels still put out Atmos. Netflix is the only app that doesn't work even though they have confirmed I tick all the boxes. 
 

One thing I can't understand is when I turn off the tv at the mains then turn back on, It all starts working again. However, when I then go into standby mode it all goes back to showing 5.1. It's not just a couple of titles but everything on the Netflix catalog. 

Neither Sky or Netflix want to take responsibility and they're quick to point the finger at each other. This will be the last time is use Sky and I could not recommend Sky Glass any less. 
 

To be clear the Arc is working perfectly. My beef is with Sky and Netflix. 

Ken_Griffiths

Maybe check this setting (taken from a Sky Support Page)…

  1. Press Home on your Sky Q remote, select Settings, and then Setup.
  2. Choose Audio Visual, then Digital audio output HDMI and set it to Dolby Digital Plus.
S

Maybe check this setting (taken from a Sky Support Page)…

  1. Press Home on your Sky Q remote, select Settings, and then Setup.
  2. Choose Audio Visual, then Digital audio output HDMI and set it to Dolby Digital Plus.

Hi Ken,

 

Thanks for the reply  

I have Sky Glass which has a different interface than Sky Q. I don’t have the above options to choose from. 

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