Xbox Streams in Atmos for All Apps Disabling Yamaha DSP for 5.1 Non Atmos Content

[Consultant]

So I have an Xbox and it's set to output Bitstream with Dolby Atmos. This means any time I'm using my Xbox as a playback device, my Yamaha RX-V781 displays Dolby Atmos on the screen. Whenever it does this I can't select any of the Yamaha DSP modes (SciFi, Drama, etc) and I can't change the dialog settings in options (Dialog level, Dialog lift, etc.) This is because Atmos decoding replaces any digital signal processing or options that control dialog and renders them disabled. Atmos is basically saying, I know what I'm doing, don't mess with me.

But here's the problem. When I use any app on the Xbox for playback, such as Disney+, HBO Max, etc. the Xbox will always send a Dolby Atmos signal even if the content being streamed isn't Atmos (which is most content these days.) Watching Ad Astra via HBO Max is one example. It shows right on the detailed info in HBO Max for Ad Astra it's 5.1 with no Atmos indicator. This doesn't happen on BluRays, the Xbox switches the audio signal to DTS Surround on Planet Earth II for example because it isn't in Dolby Atmos. All streaming apps and games, my Yamaha info display shows it's Atmos / PCM, even if it's just normal 5.1 Dolby Digital.

So basically should I put my Xbox in Dolby Digital or Dolby DTS bitstream mode and only change it to Dolby Atmos when I know the source content will be streamed in Dolby Atmos as otherwise I can't use any of the DSP programs with non-Atmos content (which is the majority) using any of the streaming apps?

Apparently I need to "think for it" and constantly look for the audio encoding info shown by the streaming service of whatever I'm about to play then manually change the settings on my Xbox accordingly (or just forget about using DSP with my Xbox and leave it in Atmos mode for non-Atmos content.) Pretty lame.

 

[Trebdp83]

The XBOX is similar to the Apple TV in the way it handles streaming audio. My receiver is not able to select DSP modes when streaming Dolby Atmos labeled content from Apple TV. Non Atmos content is sent over as PCM unless the audio setting is changed to Dolby Digital and then the Atmos ability is lost for Atmos content. I've read that the XBOX runs gaming and streaming content in Dolby Atmos regardless of the actual content codec. But, like any other blu-ray disc player, the XBOX actually bitstreams the blu-ray disc's audio codec to the AVR to decode. You are right, it is lame.

 

[Consultant]

Well until the Microsoft Xbox Engineers figure this out, I'll just have to live with manually switching it depending on what my playback source is encoded in. Granted a very small percentage of the content is Atmos these days but that will change over time. The Xbox is a great versatile device, but obviously has its drawbacks.