The support for the Dolby 5.1 surround sound on YouTube was not that extensive. But Google finally has decided to extend the list of supported devices.
Apple TV 4K brings Dolby Atmos for immersive, room-filling sound, 4K High Frame Rate HDR with Dolby Vision for fluid and crisp video.
Now, Fire TV and Apple TV will both be capable of running YouTube content with Dolby 5.1 surround sound.
When Google first announced the multi-channel audio functionality, it was only limited to Roku and Google TV platforms. The announcement was a part of the 4K plus add-on tier.
And as you can guess, not many people could access the feature when it launched. However, at the time of the announcement, Google pledged to roll the feature out to Fire TV, Apple TV, and gaming consoles.
It seems like the brand stuck with its promise. The subscribers of YouTube TV can now automatically enjoy surround sound when they are streaming Dolby 5.1 content on compatible devices.
Of course, to enjoy the multi-channel audio, you will definitely need a compatible speaker system as well. To check whether the Dolby 5.1 audio is working for you or not, you can head to the ‘Stats for nerds’ option that is available on YouTube TV.
To get to that option, you will need to select ‘More’ in the Player Controls. Afterward, press the bug icon. With that, you will be capable of confirming whether AC-3/EAC-3 codecs are working or not.
That said, YouTube TV has tons of surround-sound compatible products on the website. Although, the website does not have Apple TV on its list.
However, it includes the TVs from LG, Samsung, and Vizio. Furthermore, there are Google TV, Android TV, Chromecasts, Roku, and Fire TV sticks present on the website. This list is basically there to inform you all about compatible devices.
Nonetheless, support for gaming consoles is still on its way. Considering that, you could say that Google has fulfilled 2/3rd of the promise that it made after announcing the Dolby 5.1 surround for YouTube.
According to the Tweet from YouTube TV, gaming console users can soon enjoy the multi-channel compatible content from the devices.
To stay up to date regarding the matter, you can give the account a follow as it promises to share live updates about the availability.
If you are finding that the 5.1 surround is not working for you with a compatible device, you will need to turn it on manually. For this, you need to select the video you want to play.
After that, a player control bar will show up. Go to the 5.1 surround sound icon and click it. That should turn the surround sound on for the content that you are watching.
Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.
This post was last updated on 2023-12-03 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.