How to test surround?

If you go into settings / room settings / ( room where you have 5.1 set up ) / advanced audio / recalibrate audio

You can re set up your surround and also make sure everything is working.

I am also interested in testing the surround as well. I know I can re calibrate the audio for the Play 1 Speakers but when I play youtube surround test videos, it doesn't seem to work. They did work with my ordinary 5.1 system through a receiver. Is this because my TV optical isn't relaying 5.1 sound?

YouTube doesn't output Dolby Digital (or DTS), you should test with TV broadcast, DVD/Blu-ray or a game console.
You can check whether the Playbar is receiving DD or stereo in Settings => About My Sonos System => Playbar Audio In

Thanks for the quick response. I also used Disney WOW using Xbox 1 with the same results. I even patch the optical cable straight from the play bar to Xbox 1.

I would recommend trying a BluRay or DVD which you are 100% sure is encoded with Dolby Digital. They are often labelled as such, on the back. I do not know if Disney WOW is on Surround.

Thanks for the input. I'll try it with a bluray player when I get home today and see how it comes out. Disney WOW has surround calibration clips as well as color calibration. Pretty decent tool to adjust your TV and surround.

Thanks for the input. I'll try it with a bluray player when I get home today and see how it comes out. Disney WOW has surround calibration clips as well as color calibration. Pretty decent tool to adjust your TV and surround.

You need to ensure that the audio id definitely Dolby Digital 5.1, not just "surround" sound.

Don't forget in the app or controller you can select About My Sonos system and find the Playbar and it will tell you the format of audio being received (That output from About my Sonos doesn't update if you change the audio - so need to close and re-enter that menu if you change anything.

Most streaming video apps for TV channels/networks don't stream in surround sound (can't speak for all of them though, some might). Make sure that your XBox One is set to output audio to the Optical connection, not HDMI, and that it's Bitstream with Dolby Digital selected as the Bitstream format. Then put a Blu-Ray movie in your XBox One, download the Blu-Ray Player app if you don't already have it, and enjoy the movie.

As far as XBox One apps go, I know that Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, and Plex (if you have a Plex media server) will all stream 5.1 audio if it's available in whatever is being watched.

Most streaming video apps for TV channels/networks don't stream in surround sound (can't speak for all of them though, some might). Make sure that your XBox One is set to output audio to the Optical connection, not HDMI, and that it's Bitstream with Dolby Digital selected as the Bitstream format. Then put a Blu-Ray movie in your XBox One, download the Blu-Ray Player app if you don't already have it, and enjoy the movie.

As far as XBox One apps go, I know that Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, and Plex (if you have a Plex media server) will all stream 5.1 audio if it's available in whatever is being watched.

I have tested using the same method (YourTube and Disney WOW) with my Onkyo 7.1 home theater and it worked perfectly. Now with the Sonos 5.1, I can not hear the base nor the left and right rear channels. While i was testing with Xbox1, the audio was coming from the tosh link cable since it was directly connected to the play bar.

I can hear from the left and right rear speakers but i'm not sure if they are "Surround" sound.

What does "About my Sonos" say whilst listening to Youtube and Disney WOW?