How to test surround?

I didn't say to use Youtube or Disney WOW. I said to put in a Blu-Ray movie. Like Stuart said... what does "About my Sonos System" show when you use those apps? I'll bet it's stereo and not Dolby Digital 5.1.

Your Onkyo receiver may only be receiving a Stereo signal but is making it fill all speakers. Receivers have all kinds of settings to make things sound different than they were originally intended to sound.

Yes, I understood that. Audio input on "about my sonos" only says stereo when it is connected to the Blu-ray player.

Just tried with different sources and get different results. With the Blu-ray player, I get stereo. After playing with audio settings on Blu-ray player, I get unsupported.

With Amazon fire TV stick (thru TV optical out), I get stereo.

With over the air TV channel, I get 5.1 surround.

That's an indication that you need to check what each device is sending out to the TV. Each one should have an "audio" settings page, make sure they're set properly.

Of course, each device's settings page is likely in a different place, otherwise life would be easy, and fun. I've just gone through this myself, having gotten a new TV, and suddenly found out last night that the optical out was set to PCM, rather than Bitstream. Sonos does a fair job of interpreting that stereo signal into something resembling Dolby Digital, but since all of my devices inputting to the TV are set up to use Dolby Digital, I'd prefer the TV to just be passing the same data out.

Vexing. 🙂

That's an indication that you need to check what each device is sending out to the TV. Each one should have an "audio" settings page, make sure they're set properly.

Of course, each device's settings page is likely in a different place, otherwise life would be easy, and fun. I've just gone through this myself, having gotten a new TV, and suddenly found out last night that the optical out was set to PCM, rather than Bitstream. Sonos does a fair job of interpreting that stereo signal into something resembling Dolby Digital, but since all of my devices inputting to the TV are set up to use Dolby Digital, I'd prefer the TV to just be passing the same data out.

Vexing. :)

Thanks for the tip. I just finished tweaking my Amazon Fire TV and Samsung BluRay player. I was able to get 5.1 Surround from Amazon Fire TV but apps such as YouTube and Netflix on Fire TV stick can only output stereo. From the BluRay player, I have an option to set to PCM and Bitstream with both setting output stereo sound.

Seems like I need to get another device to get the surround sound. Any suggestion on a device that can output 5.1 surround on Youtue, Netflix, Kodi or any other 3rd party video players? HDMI pass thru surround system was so much easier compare to this.

Your bluray player should be able to transcode to dolby. Check the sound setting and set output to recoded dolby and surround.

Your bluray player should be able to transcode to dolby. Check the sound setting and set output to recoded dolby and surround.

Maybe because my BluRay is 5 year old, i only have 3 options under Autio Options. PCM, Bitstream (uncoded) and Bitstream (audiophile). All settings gives me stereo sound.

Yea, you've entered in to my "I have a minor amount of knowledge, just to be dangerous" zone.

I'd listen to many of the others here on these boards who have run into this issue. Their experiences will be ultimately more satisfying than any guesses that I would make. There are a lot of posts about devices that will take inputs, be they HDMI or other, an then do some transcoding, and provide an output that's Dolby Digital (I think). But I can't point to one that I am confident, having no experience whatsoever. So I'll bow out of this thread, and allow others who have more expertise give you their opinions and knowledge. Best of luck!

Yea, you've entered in to my "I have a minor amount of knowledge, just to be dangerous" zone.

I'd listen to many of the others here on these boards who have run into this issue. Their experiences will be ultimately more satisfying than any guesses that I would make. There are a lot of posts about devices that will take inputs, be they HDMI or other, an then do some transcoding, and provide an output that's Dolby Digital (I think). But I can't point to one that I am confident, having no experience whatsoever. So I'll bow out of this thread, and allow others who have more expertise give you their opinions and knowledge. Best of luck!

Thanks again for the tips. All of them help me understand more.

Then I'm happy. Learning about how it actually works is a big step in the right direction 🙂