2021 new gen Apple tv 4k Dolby Atmos Problems

[JonFo]

The cables are nothing fancy, just correct specs.

Because I was in my Amazon order history just now, here are the cables I use in the media room system:

The 10' from the 4K Splitter to the TV is this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S196T4Z/

The others are these 6' long ones: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081NXV3ZR/

And the Receiver to the splitter is one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081NTWGYN/


PS: The splitter is there to 'lie' to the ATV4K that the 'TV' is always a 4K display, as that's the only way to get it to output Atmos to my Smyth Realiser A16 Atmos headphone processor, and to split the output of the receiver to both the TV and the A16, that way I can watch DV/Atmos content over headphones.

 

[Robert D]

Wow, that's some pretty nasty behavior from that TV!

On the LG OLEDs, they will happily live offline for years, I keep mine disconnected unless I plan on applying a firmware update. All the onboard apps are a lesser version of what can be found on the ATV4K, and the networking stack of all smart TV's I've seen really suck. For instance, on wifi, they will connect to the first access point they see, even if it's the furthest / weakest one of the three in the home. Luckily, I run an Omada managed network of switches and wifi APs, and it will 'push' devices that stupid like that to the closest AP.
But all my AV gear is wired, so no problems there.

As for frequent lease renewal, that should never interrupt video delivery, so guessing that's just a coincidence. I'd check the HDMI connections (they get loose if under strain), and the cables themselves.

If cable strain is an issue, then some of these HDMI cable holders / locks can help: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GX8N78B/

I had an HDMI cable go bad and it was doing this behavior. The screen would go black with no signal.

 

[ttocs]

. . . I keep mine disconnected unless I plan on applying a firmware update.

I do the same.

 

[Robert D]

I keep my LG OLED plugged in all of the time for updates. i just let it auto update. Ive had no issues. The tv is about 1 year old, the 77 inch. Dont remember model #.

 

[DaVinci Media]

Can you elaborate on this a little on how this is manifesting itself, and maybe describe the setup?

I started getting video dropouts lately, too. Started (coincidentally?) around the latest tvOS 15 I tired prior to jumping to the 16 beta, and has continued. No more audio crackling/popping/muting/decoder-dropping since moving to 16. When video issues happen, I'll see the TV go blank for a fraction of a second, see the TV's "looking for signal" screen, and then it returns to my Apple TV content with it paused. The whole sequence of events is similar to the ATV's "match dynamic range/match frame rate" handshake that happens when starting content (that gets a bit annoying, but livable - I think QMS fixes this?). Anyway, I've been able to rule out my Apple TV on this one (99% sure), so the culprit for me is either my TV or my Marantz (or, cabling). I was watching a disc the other night and had it happen, so can't see how it would be the ATV in my case, unless it was doing something weird in the background that somehow affected a different source on the Marantz, but not sure that's too likely. It also seems wildly variable; once I thought I was clocking it happening every 30 min. Other times seemed like it went away entirely. Another weird correlation (not necessarily causation) is that I have been playing with my DHCP lease times on my network that coincided with change in frequency of occurrence, as well as my adblocking config (that my TV absolutely hates - sits there and broadcast storms my network when I block access to the tracking URL's. Also, just taking it off the network induces the LEDs to flash twice every two sec and is super annoying - they want their ad revenue and are dicks about it). I'm wondering if the TV trying to lease a new address and it's somehow affecting the AV processing. I don't think that's too likely, but it is hard to ignore to regular frequency of occurrence and my newer short DHCP leases. In the end, it's probably an HDMI thing. Going to shorten some connections temporarily to see if that solves it.

Dolby Vision changes to just HDR, Using LG G2 OLED, Acurus Muse, Apple TV Nordost HDMI cables. I have to turn off and unplug everything, restart. Which doesnt always work. Very frustating. I just ordered some other cables to try as well.

 

[Robert D]

No issues so far with Atmos for me. Im happy to say it has been perfect. Seems they figured it out, at least for now!

 

[Robert D]

Dolby Vision changes to just HDR, Using LG G2 OLED, Acurus Muse, Apple TV Nordost HDMI cables. I have to turn off and unplug everything, restart. Which doesnt always work. Very frustating. I just ordered some other cables to try as well.

Are you still having this issue?

 

[user 49813]

No issues so far with Atmos for me. Im happy to say it has been perfect. Seems they figured it out, at least for now!

Same here!

 

[Robert D]

I've had OS updates turned off again, and so I'm still running 16 0. Looks like 4 updates have been released since. Is anyone running any of them? Any problems? Here is a screenshot of the updates now. I got a message tonight that an update is available, that's what brought me to make this post.

 

[Robert D]

I've run into a problem tonight with the Netflix App. I tried to watch All Quiet On The Western Front, their new movie, and it wasn't coming through in Atmos. It's supposed to be, at least it's labeled that way on its page. It seemed to just be PCM on my Marantz. Atmos on other shows always shows as Atmos.

So I closed the app out and then reopened. When I tried to play the movie again it wouldn't even start. Click the button and nothing happens. I tried another Atmos show and it came on, again no Atmos. I tried to play that movie and then it wouldn't play at all either. I monkeyed around with it a bunch and was able to get both movies on once again. The Western Front movie never would play in Atmos.

Can anyone else get that movie in Atmos? Wondering if they just have it labeled wrong.

So I'm wondering if my problems are due to my OS bring older than the newest. Right now I'm updating the Apple tv device. I'm assuming its installing 16.1

I will see what happens next.

 

[Robert D]

It's 16.1 I have now.

Now Netflix starts shows fine, even if I quit a movie and then come back again. It used to play the 1st time and then when I'd come back to restart it would not launch. It wouldnt even start from the beginning. That seems fixed.

All Quiet On The Western Front must not really be in Atmos because it's still not working. Shame, I was looking forward to some awesome sound in a war movie. The 5.1 should be good though.

Hopefully this new OS won't have any bugs.

 

[Robert D]

I wondered about it bring dubbed. So I tried it in German and sure enough that's Atmos! So I will play it in German with English subtitles. The default for me was in English language. Threw me for a loop. I thought the main track was English.

Just the opening scene in the wilderness sounded wonderful in Atmos, much better

 

[JonFo]

I wondered about it bring dubbed. So I tried it in German and sure enough that's Atmos! So I will play it in German with English subtitles. The default for me was in English language. Threw me for a loop. I thought the main track was English

Ah, glad you figured it out and posted this. I want to watch this one, and Atmos is preferred. We watch a lot of subtitled content (it's a big world), so that's fine.

BTW- zero problems with TVOS lately, and mine is set to auto-update, so I assume I'm current.

 

[mkg3]

Just got the 2022 version w/A15 and Atoms works just fine tvOS 16.1. Just FYI

 

[Robert D]

Ah, glad you figured it out and posted this. I want to watch this one, and Atmos is preferred. We watch a lot of subtitled content (it's a big world), so that's fine.

BTW- zero problems with TVOS lately, and mine is set to auto-update, so I assume I'm current.

Last night Netflix was kinda screwy when using OS 16.0. I'm not sure what the heck was wrong. Rebooting did not fix. I updated to 16.1 and the problem is gone. It could be that the Netflix App was fully updated but the OS was several updates behind.

 

[Robert D]

Watching a show with subtitles many times is better anyhow, since the voices match perfectly the lips and the actors are usually more talented.

 

[RDrake523]

I had continued to have audio dropouts (about two per 1 hour program) while using tvOS 16.0 and 16.1

At one point, when so many were indicating the issue had been fixed for them with 16.0, I wondered if there was something else in my system contributing to this issue, so I took the AppleTV out of it and we watched the full season 3 of For All Mankind via the built-in app our Samsung TV without a single dropout with Dolby Atmos audio over the 10 episodes.

Hoping with new hardware with the 2022 AppleTV released on Friday and the new tvOS that would solve the issue, I bought one. We watched our first show last night (Ms. Marvel on Disney+) and unfortunately had two dropouts in the 50 minute program so about the same performance we've always had. I bought the new AppleTV 4k that has Wi-Fi and Ethernet and initially hooked it up with Ethernet but will also see if the performance with Wi-Fi is any better.

 

[Robert D]

I had continued to have audio dropouts (about two per 1 hour program) while using tvOS 16.0 and 16.1

At one point, when so many were indicating the issue had been fixed for them with 16.0, I wondered if there was something else in my system contributing to this issue, so I took the AppleTV out of it and we watched the full season 3 of For All Mankind via the built-in app our Samsung TV without a single dropout with Dolby Atmos audio over the 10 episodes.

Hoping with new hardware with the 2022 AppleTV released on Friday and the new tvOS that would solve the issue, I bought one. We watched our first show last night (Ms. Marvel on Disney+) and unfortunately had two dropouts in the 50 minute program so about the same performance we've always had. I bought the new AppleTV 4k that has Wi-Fi and Ethernet and initially hooked it up with Ethernet but will also see if the performance with Wi-Fi is any better.

Some on here reported that wi-fi wasn't having the problem. I never tried.

Sorry to hear that the new Apple tv hardware is no better. I wasn't even aware one was coming out. I hope you returned it.

Mine has been fine since installing 16.0. What's all of the hardware in the chain you have? Mine goes Apple tv - Marantz receiver-LG oled tv. So mu Apple is plugged directly into the Marantz receiver, and then the receiver is connected to the tv.

Have you tried different components? Like a different receiver? How about hdmi cables?

How fast is your connection? I'm using fiber a d getting about 750 mbps. I was getting that and still had dropouts with the older OS.

Your post has me worried! Maybe I've just been lucky. Last night I watched 2 1/2 hrs of a new movie in Atmos on Netflix with zero dropouts.

 

[RDrake523]

Some on here reported that wi-fi wasn't having the problem. I never tried.

Sorry to hear that the new Apple tv hardware is no better. I wasn't even aware one was coming out. I hope you returned it.

Mine has been fine since installing 16.0. What's all of the hardware in the chain you have? Mine goes Apple tv - Marantz receiver-LG oled tv. So mu Apple is plugged directly into the Marantz receiver, and then the receiver is connected to the tv.

Have you tried different components? Like a different receiver? How about hdmi cables?

How fast is your connection? I'm using fiber a d getting about 750 mbps. I was getting that and still had dropouts with the older OS.

Your post has me worried! Maybe I've just been lucky. Last night I watched 2 1/2 hrs of a new movie in Atmos on Netflix with zero dropouts.

Thanks for your response. Sorry not trying to worry others - I'm just hoping to have the no-dropout success that others have seen!

I am going to try using Wi-Fi to see if that makes a difference.

Our set-up is pretty simple. The AppleTV connects to a Samsung 55" TV then the eARC on the TV connects to a Vizio Elevate 5.1.4 soundbar. Got new HDMI cables when this first started but was going to buy some higher-end ones to see if that impacts the dropouts. I haven't returned the new AppleTV yet but will if I continue to have issues with the sound dropouts.

 

[Robert D]

Thanks for your response. Sorry not trying to worry others - I'm just hoping to have the no-dropout success that others have seen!

I am going to try using Wi-Fi to see if that makes a difference.

Our set-up is pretty simple. The AppleTV connects to a Samsung 55" TV then the eARC on the TV connects to a Vizio Elevate 5.1.4 soundbar. Got new HDMI cables when this first started but was going to buy some higher-end ones to see if that impacts the dropouts. I haven't returned the new AppleTV yet but will if I continue to have issues with the sound dropouts.

Are you able to connect the Apple tv to the soundbar and then have that feed the picture to the tv? Wondering if that will make a difference.