Cannot get Dolby Atmos on Denon AVRX4500H. Are my settings correct?

Dinsdale

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Hey everyone

Sorry for the long thread, wanted to get as much info in as possible with screenshots of various settings of my TV, AV, and software (Kodi). If I have missed out on anything, please let me know.

Anyway, I have a 5.1.4 setup, with a Denon AVRX4500H, a Monitor Audio IWA-250 Amplifier, and a Sony Bravia TV.
  • 1 Center Speaker
  • 1 Left Speaker
  • 1 Right Speaker
  • 1 Left Surround Speaker
  • 1 Right Sound Speaker
  • 1 Front Left Ceiling Speaker
  • 1 Front Right Ceiling Speaker
  • 1 Back Left Ceiling Speaker
  • 1 Back Right Ceiling Speaker
  • 1 Subwoofer

All my speakers are Monitor Audio and are Atmos enabled. I am trying to get Atmos. Until now, I've never bothered with it, and in fact thing I had the settings wrong which made my ceiling speakers redundant. Fiddled with the speaker settings and can now hear sound coming from all speakers - but my Denon won't show that it is playing an Atmos stream.

How do I rectify this? Ideally, I want to be able to always output the best format whatever I'm playing (as long as the correct stream is selected on my software, of course), and, a minor thing, but I'd love it if it would always upmix any stereo signals to output all my speakers, without me having to change the settings all the time (though this is a secondary point).

Here are my settings, again - if anyone wants me to post shots of other settings, let me know.

TV:
Sony1.jpg

Sony2.jpg

Sony3.jpg

Denon:

Denon1.jpg

Denon2.jpg

Denon3.jpg

Denon4.png

Kodi:
Kodi.jpg
 
If you have actual in-ceiling speakers rather than upfirers then you need to select Height Sp x 4 in the Amp Assign menu and then select their position. E.g Top Front & Top Rear.

Currently you have them set as Dolby Enabled Upfiring speakers.
 
Are you running optical rather than hdmi connection between the tv and avr? If so, I don't believe you can get Atmos.
 
Confirm the above statement - HD audio formats (inc Atmos) can ONLY be conveyed via HDMI, not optical (bandwidth limitation)

Also, some TV's cannot output Atmos via HDMI unless they have EARC capability, standard ARC will only output lower resolution audio.
 
Your last photograph shows that you have the connected device as having 5.1. This does suggest that the configuration on the TV is wrong or you do indeed have digital optical connected between the TV and the amp.
 
I can confirm I'm using HDMI and not optical. I am connected to an ARC port, it doesn't say eARC, but Sony's website says "Your TV doesn't display the eARC connection status. To confirm if eARC is working, try playing an audio format only supported by eARC such as DTS-HD Master Audio or Dolby TrueHD, and then check your sound system display for confirmation."

If you have actual in-ceiling speakers rather than upfirers then you need to select Height Sp x 4 in the Amp Assign menu and then select their position. E.g Top Front & Top Rear.

Currently you have them set as Dolby Enabled Upfiring speakers.

OK, have done that.
EDIT: I don't have that choice. See a

Denon5.jpg

Have you tried auto 2 on the bravia settings? that is for the multi channel audio
No, I have now changed that setting.
 
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When you next try with a known Atmos programme or disc then go to the Set Up Menu. Scroll to the bottom and select General. You then select Audio and that will tell you in incoming signal and that should confirm any Atmos signal beit from Dolby TrueHD which is disc only, or Dolby Digital Plus. It will also confirm what speakers are being used.

If you have a Sky UHD subscription then try Britannia II as that does have a very good Atmos (via Dolby Digital Plus) soundtrack.
 
When you next try with a known Atmos programme or disc then go to the Set Up Menu. Scroll to the bottom and select General. You then select Audio and that will tell you in incoming signal and that should confirm any Atmos signal beit from Dolby TrueHD which is disc only, or Dolby Digital Plus. It will also confirm what speakers are being used.

If you have a Sky UHD subscription then try Britannia II as that does have a very good Atmos (via Dolby Digital Plus) soundtrack.
I don't have any discs and don't subscribe to Sky, but I do have files on my NAS that are Atmos, and of course, I ensure that the Atos track is selected. Good check though.
 
I don't have any discs and don't subscribe to Sky, but I do have files on my NAS that are Atmos, and of course, I ensure that the Atos track is selected. Good check though.
I know nothing about NAS, that's 21st century stuff and I'm an old fart.
 
I don't have any discs and don't subscribe to Sky, but I do have files on my NAS that are Atmos, and of course, I ensure that the Atos track is selected. Good check though.
If the files are Blu-ray rips then the Atmos audio will be packaged with TrueHD. If using a TV's own inbuilt media player to play these then you'd not get the TrueHD audio and therefore wouldn't be able to convey this inclusive of the Atmos metadata from the TV to your AV receiver. No TV has inbuiltTrueHD playback capabilities.

You'd need to use an external media player if wanting to access Atmos packaged with TrueHD. The TV's own media player cannot access this.
 
If the files are Blu-ray rips then the Atmos audio will be packaged with TrueHD. If using a TV's own inbuilt media player to play these then you'd not get the TrueHD audio and therefore wouldn't be able to convey this inclusive of the Atmos metadata from the TV to your AV receiver. No TV has inbuiltTrueHD playback capabilities.

You'd need to use an external media player if wanting to access Atmos packaged with TrueHD. The TV's own media player cannot access this.
Thanks. I'm actually using Kodi. Would what you did still stand?
 
Depends upon the device you are using and that device's ability to bitstream TrueHD. Ensure that the device is configured to bitstream audio as opposed to decoding it at source. Whether you get TrueHD and Atmos will ulyimately depend upon the hardwares capabilities though as opposed to the OS or the software running on it.

You'd need to ask within a forum specialising in such devices for the correct configuarations relating to your particular device.
 
OK, so I'm still no further forward. So far it may be that my Sony TV can't handle Atmos as it isn't clear if it is eARC. For now, I can live with that - BUT I would still like to get my settings correct.

So, @Jase said I needed to change my settings on the amp assign. I did this, but it ended up with a worse setup in that nothing was coming out of my ceiling speakers (which is how it's been for the past year). When I put them back to how it is in the screenshot, I get audio coming from the ceiling speakers - so I'd prefer that setup... BUT, only if it is the right setup for Atmos.

Can anyone help further or explain more as to what I am doing wrong, eARC capability aside?
 
eARC should work is both units connected are eARC compliant. From the TV built in Apps or broadcast TV then the maximum format you will get will be Dolby Digital Plus and any associated Atmos metadata. If you have a 4K player connected direct to the TV then that should be able to pass through in the HD formats of Dolby TrueHD and any associated Atmos.

Your Amp Assign looks correct from the photograph you posted last but it does seem as if you have front ceiling Atmos speakers and upfiring speakers are rear Atmos. That's fine as they can be mixed with no problem.

You will only get Atmos from an Atmos source and there is some confusion as you are playing the correct sources. Something I know nothing about being firmly routed in the 20th century. If your Atmos speakers are not working then that suggests that those sources are indeed not Atmos. To bring your speakers into use then scroll through the options on the green movie button on the remote until Dolby Surround is highlighted. That will bring in those speakers as the 5.1 audio will be upmixed to all available speakers.

On your yellow Direct button scroll through until Auto is shown. Leave it this.
 
I can confirm I'm using HDMI and not optical. I am connected to an ARC port, it doesn't say eARC, but Sony's website says "Your TV doesn't display the eARC connection status. To confirm if eARC is working, try playing an audio format only supported by eARC such as DTS-HD Master Audio or Dolby TrueHD, and then check your sound system display for confirmation."



OK, have done that.
EDIT: I don't have that choice. See a

View attachment 1464021

No, I have now changed that setting.

Do you have four in-ceiling speakers in your room? If so, then you need to select Height Sp - 4ch and Dolby Sp - None. You'll then get other options appearing in the Layout section that you can scroll through such as Top Front & Top Rear.

You can also set the Assign Mode to 9.1 as you have a 5.1.4 setup.

Once done make sure the speaker configuration is correct in Speaker Config menu and then check the levels in the Levels menu to confirm they're all working.
 
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Do you have four in-ceiling speakers in your room? If so, then you need to select Height Sp - 4ch and Dolby Sp - None. You'll then get other options appearing in the Layout section that you can scroll through such as Top Front & Top Rear.

You can also set the Assign Mode to 9.1 as you have a 5.1.4 setup.

Once done make sure the speaker configuration is correct in Speaker Config menu and then check the levels in the Levels menu to confirm they're all working.

Yes, I have four in-ceiling speakers. See pic.
Layout.jpg


I have now set this to 9.1 and selected Height Sp to 4ch, with the layout as "Front Height & Rear Height". See pic below. Three questions.

1. The graphic on the right doesn't match my actual physical layout. Am I safe to assume that is irrelevant?
2. Why am I not selecting Dolby Speakers? This is what is throwing me, surely these are Dolby speakers. Why is my thought process wrong?
3. Why now I've done what you've suggested, I get nothing out of my ceiling speakers anymore...?



Denon6.jpg
 
"Dolby" speakers are the ones that are designed to be placed on top of your floor standers and fire up to the ceiling.

What other options do you have?

For your situation, you should be looking for Top Front, and Top middle (or top rear if they are behind your MLP)

Just looked at the user manual - page 33 is the one you want...
 
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I understand. I have read in another thread that it is a bit confusing having them labelled as Dolby. I understand now, thanks.

Options under 4ch for Height Sp are:
  • Front Height & Rear Height
  • Front Height & Surr. Height
  • Top Front & Top Rear (side note, the graphic for this perfectly matches my physical setup)
  • Top Front & Rear Height
  • Top Middle & Rear Height
  • Front Height & Top Middle
  • Front Height & Top Rear
The rear ceiling speakers are just slightly infront of my seating position.

EDIT: I just chose Top Front and Top Rear, and I now get the option on my Denon app to select the sound option under "Movie" of "Dolby Atmos/DSur". When I select this, sound comes out of all the speakers. Great... but the AV display shows "DD+ DDSur"... not Atmos. Is this because my TV doesn't support eARC?
 
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Yup, we are making progress (see my edit)... I think the last issue of eARC could be causing the problem?
 
What's your source for Atmos?
 

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