I've had the exact opposite experience in the last year or 2. I find that I am truly getting a 5.1 signal from TV streaming apps. there are definitely unique audio coming out of each speaker. the largest change is in the surround audio (the L/R/C and sub were always fine)
I have a denon receiver and I think I have it set to DD+ decoding, but in truth I think it picks that automatically.
I've spent weeks trying to figure out and solve a very similar problem. I have an older high end Denon receiver with Dolby Digital but no HDMI inputs. Installed a 4k comcast box, they only provide HDMI ouputs, no longer digital audio outputs. Connected a HDMI Audio Extractor so I could separate video/audio for a digital audio output in 5.1.
Audio worked just fine with regular cable stations because they're broadcast in 1080 at best. However when going through apps with 4k like Netflix, Prime, Apple+, HboMax, the audio was terrible and would not present in Dolby Digital. After 14+ hours with Comcast, (online, phone, in person, having a tech visit, 4 different cable boxes) they had no concept or answer for the situation. As most of you know, Comcast/Xfinity has the most limited, if any, knowledge regarding basics of equipment or customer service. Best Buy/Magnolia, Samsung, Netflix had no insight to offer either.
In more research, it seems most 4k (UHD)content contains only newer audio formats like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +, or basic PCM stereo. It does not transmit, nor can it be converted into the Dolby Digital format. Apparently the only solution for my home theater is a new a/v receiver!
I hope this info helps.
Audio worked just fine with regular cable stations because they're broadcast in 1080 at best. However when going through apps with 4k like Netflix, Prime, Apple+, HboMax, the audio was terrible and would not present in Dolby Digital. After 14+ hours with Comcast, (online, phone, in person, having a tech visit, 4 different cable boxes) they had no concept or answer for the situation. As most of you know, Comcast/Xfinity has the most limited, if any, knowledge regarding basics of equipment or customer service. Best Buy/Magnolia, Samsung, Netflix had no insight to offer either.
In more research, it seems most 4k (UHD)content contains only newer audio formats like Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital +, or basic PCM stereo. It does not transmit, nor can it be converted into the Dolby Digital format. Apparently the only solution for my home theater is a new a/v receiver!
I hope this info helps.
EDIT: 4K content with newer audio formats cannot be converted to Dolby Digital (5.1) via optical link? If anyone has any additional info it would be greatly appreciated.
Of course having your own equipment, HTS and Movies are much better way to enjoy movies you like. I started 15 years ago with SONY DAP HT midget 5.1 system, that time had no idea what it was but equipment was shiny(LOL). Since than changed receivers a few times but didn't help a lot. So finally i bought used TSR-7850 7.2-Channel AV 7.1 receiver, most speakers i build by myself, especially Tower ones. Each time i'm making biger and better. I like it, can't afford new ones anyway so here's the solution(LOL). Sub's, Surrounds, Towers (just finished new Towers and Surrounds), now i wanted to make new Center Channel and that's why i'm here, wanted some advise: Can i reuse woofers from Stereo speakers(matching them with Surrounds) and how to determin which is good woofer and which cheap, by magnetics or there's more? Current Center Channel woofers got double magnets but faces are crap, surrounds i used are pretty but magnetics are small, for surrounds they sound OK but will it have good result in CC ? Sadly i couldn't find anything about woofers-midranges even forum is DIY.
Just added 4k Media player Zidoo instead of 4k Blu Ray player. Hate 4k media when you're cheking prices and now i have to no worry about scratched disk, it's all Digital. It's pretty good, especially if you got lot of digital files like me. Trying to have most of favorites in 4k, which i couldn't find creating it myself, and everything in Dolby Atmos, True HD because how i got DTS audio bass punches suck, so if movie is produced in DTS i'm changing it to TrueHD and they really sound phenomenal. You just have enough Hard Drives to store 50-60GB files on it.
Just added 4k Media player Zidoo instead of 4k Blu Ray player. Hate 4k media when you're cheking prices and now i have to no worry about scratched disk, it's all Digital. It's pretty good, especially if you got lot of digital files like me. Trying to have most of favorites in 4k, which i couldn't find creating it myself, and everything in Dolby Atmos, True HD because how i got DTS audio bass punches suck, so if movie is produced in DTS i'm changing it to TrueHD and they really sound phenomenal. You just have enough Hard Drives to store 50-60GB files on it.
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