Dolby Atmos with Optical out 5.1?

[Vikram Raman]

Hi,

I just want to know how can we achieve real surround sound effect . I have a laptop with Ubuntu OS (16.04) . I have LG TV (43 LH576T), TV has got optical audio out. I connected my laptop with TV via HDMI cable and it works fine with video as well as audio(Stereo only). I am able to play the Dolby atmos enabled movies using kodi player. If I connect my TV with a soundbar like(Sony HT RT3) or Logitech Z906 via optical cable and if I play the Dolby atmos enabled movie in laptop(which is connected to TV), can I get the real surround sound effect? What is the cheapest device that accept the optical in and provide the real surround sound effect with Dolby atmos content?

 

[everettT]

Optical cannot carry higher than DD/+ DTS formats. You need HDMI if you want the HiRes and you need overhead speakers for the newest codecs.

 

[j_garcia]

Via optical, you will only get stereo this way AFAIK. Atmos can be downmixed by an AVR to some level of DD, but it may not sound correct as an Atmos mix is different than say a TrueHD mix.

 

[lovinthehd]

Via optical, you will only get stereo this way AFAIK. Atmos can be downmixed by an AVR to some level of DD, but it may not sound correct as an Atmos mix is different than say a TrueHD mix.

Isn't Dolby Atmos using a TrueHD core with metadata for the Atmos info? Thought I'd read that somewhere at least....

 

[j_garcia]

Isn't Dolby Atmos using a TrueHD core with metadata for the Atmos info? Thought I'd read that somewhere at least....

Yes I believe so, which is why it can be downmixed, but over optical you may still only get stereo out of it as I am not sure it can handle that signal type just like DVD-A and SACD. Via HDMI, you should get some flavor of DD core (TrueHD, DD+, or whatever) when playing an Atmos track.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes I believe so, which is why it can be downmixed, but over optical you may still only get stereo out of it as I am not sure it can handle that signal type just like DVD-A and SACD. Via HDMI, you should get some flavor of DD core (TrueHD, DD+, or whatever) when playing an Atmos track.

Wasn't thinking just optical when I wrote that, but when I've played an Atmos disc I get Dolby TrueHD automatically via hdmi (not having an Atmos setup).

I don't think it's going to matter to the OP's setup in any case. He simply needs better setup of processing, connections and speakers to enjoy better surround...

 

[Vikram Raman]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for sharing your opinions regarding this. I just saw this video

and I believe that in this way we can achieve at least 5.1 surround sound effect.

 

[bikdav]

Via optical, you will only get stereo this way AFAIK. Atmos can be downmixed by an AVR to some level of DD, but it may not sound correct as an Atmos mix is different than say a TrueHD mix.

That’s what happened to me. The program got downmixed to basic Dolby Digital or Dolby Pro Logic Surround 2. As Far As I Know, Dolby Atmos and the new DTS are only available by way of HDMI only (and there are no guarantees there either).