Dolby Atmos from Netflix but not Disney and Apple on JBL 9.1 bar.

[Stevenposts]

Question. I have a 9.1 JBL Dolby Atmos soundbar. It is connected via Arc, not eArc from the TV.

Netflix via the TV app displays Atmos Dolby Sorround DD+ on the bar.

Disney+ and Apple TV + (via the TV streaming apps) only displays Dolby Surround, DD+. It doesn't mention Atmos at all for Disney+ and Apple TV+

So the question is why?

Are Disney+ and Apple TV + still outputting Atmos? Do they display it as Dolby Digital Plus only while Netflix displays it as Atmos DD+? (on the soundbar display.)

I know the Atmos is working because it displays Atmos from the Netflix TV app and my 4K player. Confused as to why the JBL 9.1 soundbar doesn't say Atmos for Apple and Disney. Thanks.

Everything must be set up correctly from my LG Oled C8 or I wouldn't get Atmos at all, which is displayed on the bar from Netflix and my 4K player.


Note. When I play 5.1 content, the bar says Dolby Surround Dolby Digital, there is no plus.

 

[Joe Fernand]

I suspect you should be asking the question in the LG C8 owners thread to fully understand the limitations/capabilities of the various Apps your TV supports as they will dictate what is being sent to the Soundbar.

Netflix is possibly the only onboard App which supports Atmos on your TV - you may need to consider adding an ATV 4K (with the correct subscriptions) if you want additional support for Atmos.

Joe

 

[Stevenposts]

Thanks Joe, I appreciate the reply. I never thought of that, if that's the case I just wasted a lot of money as I don't plan on upgrading my TV any time soon, unless it goes of course.

However, through the built in TV speakers Disney and Apple will play Atmos. So I'm confused. If it's playing Atmos through the TV speakers, it should play through the JBL. No?

 

[Morden]

Thanks Joe, I appreciate the reply. I never thought of that, if that's the case I just wasted a lot of money as I don't plan on upgrading my TV any time soon, unless it goes of course.

However, through the built in TV speakers Disney and Apple will play Atmos. So I'm confused. If it's playing Atmos through the TV speakers, it should play through the JBL. No?

There were issues with Sony tvs app recently were Atmos was no longer available when Imaxmode was introduced.

Does the description still say Atmos on the conent your watching?

 

[Stevenposts]

It does yes, it still says Atmos.

 

[Morden]

It does yes, it still says Atmos.

Its not the disney issue that Sonys had, as description said 5.1.

Answer may be a Fire stick or Apple tv, though a 4k fire stick is the cheapest option. Was at 25.99 in Black Friday, but now 49.99. should be discounted again in sales over xmas.

 

[Stevenposts]

Thanks. I don't know how to quote! I'm gonna contact LG early next week on chat. It might be that Disney and Apple don't support Atmos over Arc, for anyone (which sucks, if everyone thinks they are getting Atmos and they aren't), or maybe it's just on the C8.

If so, as you said I need to buy an Apple stick or an Apple box. More money, sigh. I just hope a HDMI splitter will work on the back of the soundbar, so I can keep both the Apple box and the 4K player plugged in.

Maybe LG will tell me that Disney and Apple with Atmos are displayed as DD+, if so then I might be getting it. I watched Black Widow via Disney and Ready Player One via Apple TV and both sounded amazing. Both displaying as Dolby Surround, DD+. While Red Notice in definite Atmos on Netflix didn't sound as good. So, who knows?

I'm gonna try Amazon later, as there is some sparse Dolby Atmos content on there.

 

[Stevenposts]

On another note, I asked this question on the cesspit that is Reddit, and got nothing but abuse for owning a soundbar. Then I got banned by power hungry, home theater obsessed, Nazi moderators. This guy called Bill posted three links trashing soundbars and then locked the thread. Last time I go on there.

 

[Morden]

Thanks. I don't know how to quote! I'm gonna contact LG early next week on chat. It might be that Disney and Apple don't support Atmos over Arc, for anyone (which sucks, if everyone thinks they are getting Atmos and they aren't), or maybe it's just on the C8.

If so, as you said I need to buy an Apple stick or an Apple box. More money, sigh. I just hope a HDMI splitter will work on the back of the soundbar, so I can keep both the Apple box and the 4K player plugged in.

Maybe LG will tell me that Disney and Apple with Atmos are displayed as DD+, if so then I might be getting it. I watched Black Widow via Disney and Ready Player One via Apple TV and both sounded amazing. Both displaying as Dolby Surround, DD+. While Red Notice in definite Atmos on Netflix didn't sound as good. So, who knows?

I'm gonna try Amazon later, as there is some sparse Dolby Atmos content on there.

On my sony it says atmos dd+ on my sound bar.

 

[Stevenposts]

Mine too for Netflix, it says Atmos DD+, but on Disney, Apple and Amazon (checked), it doesn't. It says Dolby Surround, DD+

Oddly, today I played a title on Apple and for the first time it said Atmos DD+, but it was a fluke because all the other Atmos titles don't. Maybe Disney, Amazon and Apple have stopped Atmos due to the pandemic. I need to ask LG on chat next week.

Noticed a NEW issue today, the rear speakers cut out and there was a buzzing sound from the front and rear, the soundtrack was still present but breaking up. I stopped Now TV and put it back on and the sound was there again. The JBL is proving problematic.

 

[Stevenposts]

I am at my wits end with this terrible, terrible product. I have downloaded the latest firmware to an SD card, instead of reading it the bar says No Firmware. On reddit someone suggested plugging in a stereo 3.5 mm cable from the sub to the bar, there is no space for this. JBL are a waste of time, do not buy this awful product. You don't even get Atmos from Disney, Apple or Amazon via ARC. You only get Dolby Surround DD plus. I will be leaving them a one star review everywhere for wasting my time.

 

[Stevenposts]

10 reasons why you shouldn't buy this terrible product from JBL.

1 The firmware will not update using a USB stick, it says No Firmware.

2 On Apple, Disney and Amazon via Arc it will not display Atmos on the bar. Instead it says Dolby Surround, DD+ Is Atmos added on to the DD+? Who knows? Netflix does display Atmos on the bar for the record, so Atmos is working. You can get no answers from JBL, I have asked them, they are clueless. Maybe a firmware update would fix the LED message (If it is indeed only the LED message that is wrong, who knows?), but you can't update the firmware. It could be that the bar will not except Atmos from Disney, Apple and Amazon, via ARC, once again, who knows? JBL sure doesn't.

Now if Arc will not except Atmos through the bar, you will have to buy an Apple TV stick, an Apple 4K box or an Amazon firestick and plug it directly into the bar, using your only HDMI in port, which you want to use for your 4K player.

3 At one point the sound broke up and there was a terrible buzzing noise on the rear and front speakers.

4 The measurements of the front soundbar are wrong. The bar is longer with the detached speakers on. Keep that in mind or it won't fit on your unit.

5 The instructions are the worse instructions ever. If you want the correct instructions you will need to print the full booklet off the internet.

6 The rear speakers will only charge when the soundbar is off, yes that's correct! Which is ludicrous.

7 The TV remote and the SKY remote switches the bar on and off, infuriating when you're trying to charge it and watch regular TV through the TV speakers.

8 When the TV and soundbar is turned off on a night, the red charging lights come on, on the detachable speakers, fine, but the bar then switches itself back on, by itself, meaning it gets no complete charge, throughout the night.

9 Although the front and rear speakers are good, you will be hard pressed to hear many overhead, if any, effects.

10 The calibration was faulty, saying calibration failed, on the bar, numerous times, until I unplugged it and rebooted it. The sound this thing makes is deafening and you don't want to do it more than once.

 

[-gonzo-]

Thanks. I don't know how to quote!

Press reply on the post you want to quote

 

[Stevenposts]

Press reply on the post you want to quote

Thanks -gonzo- you are very helpful.

 

[Stevenposts]

I took the HDMI ARC cable out and put it back in again, unfortunately now Netflix displays 5.1, rather than Atmos as it should, on the Netflix app. I've switched the TV off and on, re-plugged in the HDMI cables, same thing. I removed the Netflix app, re-added it, same thing. Sigh.

 

[outoftheknow]

Copying your own posts from the owners thread into a new one isn't helpful to members trying to follow along if they have similar issues. This thread is closed - please continue your questions about these issues where you started them in the owners thread @Stevenposts