Netflix Audio Capability Fail/Oversight

[Meticulous G]

I switched to an external app generally for a much better selection of available apps plus hate ARC/HDMI-CEC.....perhaps a newer tv is better at that. I don't know which has greater app access, but the firestick has way more than I'll ever need (and more than my smart tvs). What would constitute a step down do you think?

Trying resets, including even pulling/refitting cables, would be good ways to help eliminate what's going on or not....

Yeah...well it's at least 99.99% clear to me that it's something about the netflix app alone, since others send atmos as they're supposed to, so that makes it appear as though it's nothing to do with the tv, or my avr (however only fools fully discount the realm of possibility)

Could it specifically be netflix app support for just my brand/model...sure

I did soft and hard resets on everything, the only suggestion I haven't tried yet, is uninstalling and reinstalling the app itself, and I should be able to get to that at some point today

I did have a strange thing pop up for the 1st time yesterday (long after I had been having this neflix exclusive atmos deal) where my avr got stuck displaying that it was in atmos mode, as if it were a user selectable sound mode, I even turned the receiver off & back on again, figuring it was just a l'il glitch & would reset, but it came back on still displaying atmos as the output (even though it wasn't)

...but this was only for as long as I was watching non-surround encoded source material (like youtube, tubi) as soon as I thought maybe it would stay that way for Netflix, I went there to see, and the avr immediately went back to its normal behavior as soon as it got that 5.1 signal & the display switched to reading Dolby D+ +DDS as it had been for all 'flix titles

However, while I was looking in all the various places for clues as to why that happened (being "stuck" in atmos mode for non surround material) I noticed in the marantz 2016 avr remote app that I have auto update off, aand that I have missed at least 1 update...so I'll do that at some point today too

I'm unsure if that's just an update for the avr remote app, or if that contols updates for the avr itself, or both (actually yeah, I'll check the reciever for that, independent of the app) but the reciever is obviously online too, so if the remote app setting doesn't change the receiver's update protocols
...the reciever should be on auto update, but I'll check to confirm

If that setting in the remote app turned off the updates for the avr itself too...I think that may actually have a chance at being the culprit for why the netflix app & my equipment could be miscommunicating

Oh...as far as considering running a firestick as a step down, that's because it would be adding another device to a system that came with all the capability I need onboard

Thx again y'all...will keep ya posted

 

[NINaudio]

I'd bet that the app for your TV version isn't certified to handle ATMOS for some reason.

An external streamer is almost always better than the native TV apps and plugging it directly into your AVR eliminates the headaches of ARC and HDMI-CEC. So maybe consider it a step up.

 

[Trebdp83]

Be careful when using eARC TVs with receivers that only support ARC. It’s not just about being able to use the audio return feature with being tied to HDMI-CEC. Using eARC will increase bandwidth throughput that will exceed the limits of ARC.

Some TVs like those from LG can re encode signals to fit within the ARC spec when they are too large This is necessary when devices such as the Amazon Fire Cube Gen 3 or Apple TV 4K are set to “Best Available” audio output as they convert to LPCM. It is also necessary for lossless multichannel signals such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio.

If there are no external devices connected directly to the TV needing to output lossless multichannel signals using eARC and only lossy signals from the TV Smart apps are going to the receiver, ARC will have sufficient bandwidth for the job and eARC support should be turned OFF if connecting to a receiver that only supports ARC.

A signal mistaken for Dolby Atmos or Dolby MAT(Atmos over LPCM) is not an uncommon occurrence that causes issues at the receiving end. There are those devices and TVs that aren’t sending signals out properly for various reasons. There also those services that do not support Dolby Atmos on every device or TV out there.

When wanting to play Dolby Atmos from Paramount+, I cannot do so using the Paramount+ app in my TV. It is not supported there and I have to choose an external streaming device to do so.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yeah...well it's at least 99.99% clear to me that it's something about the netflix app alone, since others send atmos as they're supposed to, so that makes it appear as though it's nothing to do with the tv, or my avr (however only fools fully discount the realm of possibility)

Could it specifically be netflix app support for just my brand/model...sure

I did soft and hard resets on everything, the only suggestion I haven't tried yet, is uninstalling and reinstalling the app itself, and I should be able to get to that at some point today

I did have a strange thing pop up for the 1st time yesterday (long after I had been having this neflix exclusive atmos deal) where my avr got stuck displaying that it was in atmos mode, as if it were a user selectable sound mode, I even turned the receiver off & back on again, figuring it was just a l'il glitch & would reset, but it came back on still displaying atmos as the output (even though it wasn't)

...but this was only for as long as I was watching non-surround encoded source material (like youtube, tubi) as soon as I thought maybe it would stay that way for Netflix, I went there to see, and the avr immediately went back to its normal behavior as soon as it got that 5.1 signal & the display switched to reading Dolby D+ +DDS as it had been for all 'flix titles

However, while I was looking in all the various places for clues as to why that happened (being "stuck" in atmos mode for non surround material) I noticed in the marantz 2016 avr remote app that I have auto update off, aand that I have missed at least 1 update...so I'll do that at some point today too

I'm unsure if that's just an update for the avr remote app, or if that contols updates for the avr itself, or both (actually yeah, I'll check the reciever for that, independent of the app) but the reciever is obviously online too, so if the remote app setting doesn't change the receiver's update protocols
...the reciever should be on auto update, but I'll check to confirm

If that setting in the remote app turned off the updates for the avr itself too...I think that may actually have a chance at being the culprit for why the netflix app & my equipment could be miscommunicating

Oh...as far as considering running a firestick as a step down, that's because it would be adding another device to a system that came with all the capability I need onboard

Thx again y'all...will keep ya posted

Good luck. I thought the same way about my smart tvs at one point, but audio was what chased me to the external streamer....couldn't get but stereo out of my tvs via ARC anyways plus it did weird things with the "tv" input. The firesticks have been pretty good overall, and picking them up on sale I didn't spend a lot....and they're dongles hang off the backs of my avrs and I don't even see them so not another box....

 

[Phil J N.Z.]

Yup, it's running earc, with ultra high speed hdmi, cec on, etc

OK are you when you look at playing something on Netflix is it saying Dolby Atmos as the sound, you have to pay extra to get it unlike some other streaming services.

What amplifier are you using?

 

[lovinthehd]

OK are you when you look at playing something on Netflix is it saying Dolby Atmos as the sound, you have to pay extra to get it unlike some other streaming services.

What amplifier are you using?

I assumed he's got the premium membership.... https://help.netflix.com/en/node/24926

He mentioned a Marantz 7012 for avr.

 

[isolar8001]

Some Hisense models are downmixing to 2 channel via passthrough (if passthrough even works)
For some reason the poster won't say which Hisense he has...cant help without that info. Different models, different issues.

After owning three Hisense models and spending 3 years on the AVS Hisense threads, I will say that his issue has come up...oh, maybe three million times.

 

[Meticulous G]

I'd bet that the app for your TV version isn't certified to handle ATMOS

That's an interesting possibility, although that would be an odd thing for their customer service reps not to be aware of, I'd say

And ahhh, firestick into avr 1st, is something that never crossed my mind...although that's not surprising, since I have no personal experience with those sorts of devices. My sis has a roku, I could prolly borrow for a sec & try, but idk if it's a 4K, etc version

I may get around to trying that, but seriously netflix is so low priority for me, it would take something pretty special & unique being on there to motivate me to buy anything solely for it, since all my favorites behave

If it is just about their onboard tv app version...it's prolly just a matter of time 'til it gets updated in anyway

To come across a sure and reasonable explanation for what the problem is would probably satisfy me

I just don't like mysteries that don't make sense

 

[lovinthehd]

That's an interesting possibility, although that would be an odd thing for their customer service reps not to be aware of, I'd say

And ahhh, firestick into avr 1st, is something that never crossed my mind...although that's not surprising, since I have no personal experience with those sorts of devices. My sis has a roku, I could prolly borrow for a sec & try, but idk if it's a 4K, etc version

I may get around to trying that, but seriously netflix is so low priority for me, it would take something pretty special & unique being on there to motivate me to buy anything solely for it, since all my favorites behave

If it is just about their onboard tv app version...it's prolly just a matter of time 'til it gets updated in anyway

To come across a sure and reasonable explanation for what the problem is would probably satisfy me

I just don't like mysteries that don't make sense

I wouldn't expect the basic customer service level to know a whole lot about technical differences among the many apps out there.

What's the model of your tv? Just upmixing Netflix with DS and be done with it is a good alternative, too....

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I wouldn't expect the basic customer service level to know a whole lot about technical differences among the many apps out there.

What's the model of your tv? Just upmixing Netflix with DS and be done with it is a good alternative, too....

Most CS agents these days are just barely trained monkeys who can hardly speak English! Frustrating.
Probably not relevant, but I’ll share anyway.
My “premium” Netflix subscription came with uhd and Atmos, so I thought hey! I’ll have access to so much cool Atmos stuff. Problem is when Netflix pinged my system it discovered my 1080p plasma and won’t support the Atmos stream. Fukkin stoopid. So I need to buy an upscaler to trick the system. Been holding out for a new display, but this ol plasma keeps on truckin.
DS and DTSnx do a good job, but when native Atmos is done right, it’s just in a different league.

 

[Phil J N.Z.]

I assumed he's got the premium membership.... https://help.netflix.com/en/node/24926

He mentioned a Marantz 7012 for avr.

There is a possibility of another issue as I had and that was how to select Dolby Atmos in the Marantz, it's not easy using the remote and the port screen so I resorted to downloading the Marantz App on to my phone and it is far easier to use.

 

[lovinthehd]

There is a possibility of another issue as I had and that was how to select Dolby Atmos in the Marantz, it's not easy using the remote and the port screen so I resorted to downloading the Marantz App on to my phone and it is far easier to use.

Did you have to long press the movie/music/game buttons to get the available options? I have an older Denon like that....the newer Denon I have its fairly simple to bring up the available sound modes.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Did you have to long press the movie/music/game buttons to get the available options? I have an older Denon like that....the newer Denon I have its fairly simple to bring up the available sound modes.

On my 6012 it’s a more a medium press than long. Compared to my Onkyos and Yamahas it does seem longer. Maybe Phil is having a different issue, but on my AVR it’s very easy to scroll through them with the on screen display. He mentioned porthole, but the gui should come up.

 

[lovinthehd]

On my 6012 it’s a more a medium press than long. Compared to my Onkyos and Yamahas it does seem longer. Maybe Phil is having a different issue, but on my AVR it’s very easy to scroll through them with the on screen display. He mentioned porthole, but the gui should come up.

On my Denon 4520 it's a fairly long press, no other button has anything like it.....and on my newer 4700 its a simple press of the button.....bigger annoyance on both is how long the screen to make choices lasts

 

[Phil J N.Z.]

Did you have to long press the movie/music/game buttons to get the available options? I have an older Denon like that....the newer Denon I have its fairly simple to bring up the available sound modes.

So you press the Movie button on the remote then press again and it will change for that mode then change again, as I am using Netflix and it's connected via eARC the gui is not on the TV, so i now use the App its so mush easier.

If am using DVD on the Oppo the GUI will tell me what is selected but i now still prefer the app over the remote.

 

[lovinthehd]

So you press the Movie button on the remote then press again and it will change for that mode then change again, as I am using Netflix and it's connected via eARC the gui is not on the TV, so i now use the App its so mush easier.

If am using DVD on the Oppo the GUI will tell me what is selected but i now still prefer the app over the remote.

Yeah, I don't bother with tv apps/arc. App for the avr would be way easier than the porthole!