Amazon Prime Video on Apple TV limited to 2.1 stereo sound, despite streaming 4K HDR video...

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 33
    nhughes said:
    Soli said:
    Soli said:
    fallenjt said:
    I was about to get ATV 4K and this really holds me back. I’m ok to live with the inconvenience of using build-in Netflix and Anazon Video apps in my smart TV to stream the 4K contents or just use my Xbox One S to do that. Save my $160 there.
    This seems like a very temporary issue. This app was only release a few hours ago.
    I guess that depends on if it is actually a "temporary issue" or a design decision.
    They haven't done it to any other device, and I'd argue that they more directly compete with Roku for this space. Plus, I think that the majority of people with 4K+HDR TVs are only using the TV's speakers which means this won't affect them, while keeping 4K content out of he Prime Video app for the Apple TV would be a clear indicator that they want to steer you to a different device.
    You think the *majority* of people who own 4K HDR TVs use the built-in speakers? I don't have any data to dispute that, but I would suspect that people who own 4K HDR TVs are the most likely to *not* use the built-in speakers. Certainly early adopters would be most likely to have a full home theater setup. The only question is whether we are past the "tipping point" where casual consumers are now the majority of not only 4K television buyers, but Apple TV 4K buyers as well. Who also happen to use Amazon Prime Video.
    The latest statistics I've seen from earlier in the year said 30% of TV's now sold worldwide are 4K TV's. 4K adoption rate in the U.S. has surpassed the adoption rate of HDTV's. Projections from earlier in the year predicted 20 million 4K TV's will be sold in the U.S. in 2017. All these stats were from the first quarter in 2017 so I'm sure the numbers are probably higher now. 
    edited December 2017
  • Reply 22 of 33
    That's pretty ridiculous about the sound. For me, I'm only getting PCM 2.0. I'm deleting it and will continue to use the app on my TV. Figures Amazon would do something like this. 

    EDIT: I read somewhere else Amazon is aware of the issue and a fix is coming. 
    I also read elsewhere someone contacted amazon help and they said a fix should be coming 24-48 hrs. Probably a bug or oversight.
  • Reply 23 of 33
    According to Amazon's support Twitter account, this is a bug:


  • Reply 24 of 33
    zroger73 said:
    I remember a few years ago when DD5.1 stopped working on Netflix on Apple TV following an OS update. Apple kept saying it was a Netflix problem and Netflix kept saying it was an Apple problem. A few months passed before it was finally fixed during which time Netflix issued a credit to my account for the months the feature didn't work.

    I still can't believe that Hulu doesn't support DD5.1 on any device in this day and age.

    On the other hand, the vast majority of people I know don't have the equipment to decode and reproduce DD5.1. If they do have the equipment, it's not properly configured. If it is properly configured, they don't know how to operate it. If they do know how to operate it, they're deaf in one ear. So, I guess for the vast majority of the population DD5.1 vs. stereo makes no difference - especially for those who only use their TV speakers or have cheap sound bars from Malwart that are used in addition their TV speakers (CRINGE!).
    Your second paragraph told you the reason for  Hulu’s lack of DD5.1 I think. 

    Also, my cheap sound bar is off of Amazon purchased for price and prime shipping availability. 

    Hope me this helps. :-)
  • Reply 25 of 33
    I'm positively getting 2.1.
    Are you positively positive you have three discrete channels (L/R/LFE) and that you don't have bass management enabled? Depending on the signal processing involved, you may be routing the low-frequency material from a stereo mix to the sub. It's been known to fool even very knowledgable, skilled, professional audio engineers.
    pscooter63ebernet
  • Reply 26 of 33
    The app is pretty poor. Better than nothing.
    But I live in Germany and I have my settings on the ATV 4K to English and USA (I am American and have the iTunes account in the USA) but the UI is in German. 
    I understand the content will be regional, but Netflix has no issues showing me the UI in the language I want. Namely, English. 
    And the “settings” menu, has no real settings either apart child lock. The rest are useless descriptions of prime video and the such. 
    So for each move and tv show I have to reset the language and subtitles to English each time...

  • Reply 27 of 33
    Hey guys.  I'm a LTL (long time lurker) that finally decided to take part in the conversation.  First I wanted to thank everyone for the tremendous advice and helpful discussions I've benefited from over the last 8 years.

    pakitt said:
    The app is pretty poor. Better than nothing.
    But I live in Germany and I have my settings on the ATV 4K to English and USA (I am American and have the iTunes account in the USA) but the UI is in German. 
    I understand the content will be regional, but Netflix has no issues showing me the UI in the language I want. Namely, English. 
    And the “settings” menu, has no real settings either apart child lock. The rest are useless descriptions of prime video and the such. 
    So for each move and tv show I have to reset the language and subtitles to English each time...

    It is funny, but this is the exact situation I'm in.  Can I ask you, did you sign in on the Apple TV using the "Sign in and start watching" option or the "Register Apple TV online" option.  I want to make sure that the app recognizes my German Prime credentials. 

    Also, Do you find the TV App support to be better than Netflix.  Because I have a US Netflix account, the TV app support is spotty because occasionally the search results tell me something is available on Netflix and when I click it I get the error in the Netflix app that this program isn't available in my area.  I guess the TV app defaults in Netflix's case to searches and so forth in the US library and of course there are many programs that are available in the US library that aren't available here.
    Solipscooter63
  • Reply 28 of 33
    The latest statistics I've seen from earlier in the year said 30% of TV's now sold worldwide are 4K TV's. 4K adoption rate in the U.S. has surpassed the adoption rate of HDTV's. Projections from earlier in the year predicted 20 million 4K TV's will be sold in the U.S. in 2017. All these stats were from the first quarter in 2017 so I'm sure the numbers are probably higher now. 
    That probably has more to do with manufacturers pushing "cheap" 4K TVs rather than people actually having a large enough screen at a short enough viewing distance to be able to see the difference between 4K and 1080p...or even 720p for that matter! 


    pscooter63
  • Reply 29 of 33
    sanssans Posts: 58member
    I suspect this is intentional.  Amazon wants people to buy Fire devices for Christmas.  Afterwards the “bug” will suddenly be fixed.

    I recommend voting with your feet and buying a Roku instead.

    The infighting between Apple, Amazon and Google is disgusting and anti-consumer.

    Apple’s “walled garden” sometimes gets out of had, but Amazon and Google are worse (lately).


    I don't understand this. You end saying that Amazon is worse (lately) than Apple, but say we should buy a Roku instead. This only punishes Apple as you would still be using Prime Video.


    Soliebernet
  • Reply 30 of 33
    jeromec said:
    It seems to me it is not 2.1, but just plain stereo, maybe encoded in Dolby Prologic II.
    Anyway, that is what my soundbar recognizes (and it can produce 2.1 sound out of this)/
    I'm positively getting 2.1. That said, it isn't 5.1 or 7.1 which the Fire and the streamed content supports.
    I totally believe you are SEEING 2.1, I doubt you are getting 2.1. What you are getting is stereo. A 2.1 speaker set does generally not have a separate physical channel for the low-frequency effects, as the speaker set downmixes the low-frequency components of the two stereo channels into one channel for the subwoofer. The Apple TV does not support anything called 2.1. It supports stereo, 5.1, 7.1 AC-3, and E-AC-3 (and other stuff, but not 2.1).
  • Reply 31 of 33
    Soli said:
    Soli said:
    fallenjt said:
    I was about to get ATV 4K and this really holds me back. I’m ok to live with the inconvenience of using build-in Netflix and Anazon Video apps in my smart TV to stream the 4K contents or just use my Xbox One S to do that. Save my $160 there.
    This seems like a very temporary issue. This app was only release a few hours ago.
    I guess that depends on if it is actually a "temporary issue" or a design decision.
    They haven't done it to any other device, and I'd argue that they more directly compete with Roku for this space. Plus, I think that the majority of people with 4K+HDR TVs are only using the TV's speakers which means this won't affect them, while keeping 4K content out of he Prime Video app for the Apple TV would be a clear indicator that they want to steer you to a different device.
    I would disagree that the majority of 4K TV users are using the built in speakers, since they opted for 4K. Additionally, I would assume even more the case that Apple TV 4 users are more likely to be using a surround sound capable system then other Prime customers. While I agree this is not a reason to not get the Apple TV, I DO think it is disgraceful of Amazon. I hope it was an overbite (how I don't know) and will be resolved soon, as in before the holidays....
    mac_128
  • Reply 32 of 33
    The Grand Tour Season 1 and 2 seems to play in 5.1 now (it was stereo yesterday).

    Other show and movies are still in stereo.
    And The Grand Tour is still not advertised as 5.1.

    But it seems Amazon is working on it.

    :)
    edited December 2017
  • Reply 33 of 33
    jeromec said:
    The Grand Tour Season 1 and 2 seems to play in 5.1 now (it was stereo yesterday).

    Other show and movies are still in stereo.
    Wait... there are shows on Amazon BESIDES The Grand Tour? Bonus! The only reason I'm even aware of the existence of Amazon Video is the "Clarkson, Hammond, and May Ostensibly Vehicular Fun-Time Variety Hour." I hadn't dared to dream that the price of admission might include other shows too!

    I haven't signed up yet because I'm waiting for episodes of TGT accumulate. Once I start watching I don't intend to stop for at least a day or two.
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