eARC issue with LG TV and Denon AVR

[Freakbro]

Does anyone know why this isn't working?

I've got a 2022 LG OLED 77" C2 and a Denon X4400H AVR bought Nov 2017 and no matter what I do I can't get Dolby Atmos to stream from the TV apps via eARC, it always comes through as some form of Dolby Surround but with no height channels. AFAIK I've got correct settings on the LG, it's set to eARC and passthrough.

Now the Denon model says it's eARC compatible but the year seems to be on the cusp of when it was implemented (2018) but again, googling around seems to say a firmware update brought eARC to the older X4400H models (though in the setup menu it does still just say ARC) and it says my firmware is up to date.

Atmos works when using my Xbox One and I've got a work around that I can use the TV apps on my Shield Pro, and they stream with Atmos fine, it's just annoying why it doesn't work from the TV and I wondered if it's the TV, the AVR or just an issue with them talking to each other?

 

[Freakbro]

Is your Denon connected to your network ?

Yep

I have a similar issue on X2700H
To enable it I must do this:

Start playing Atmos enabled content
Set audio mode to "Auto" on the Denon using the green(?) button on the remote - even if you have already done it before

Then you'll get Atmos content

I'll try this, thanks

 

[Freakbro]

Let me know if you have any probs, happy to make a video or something

I've tried it and no change unfortunately.

I started Netflix on the TV app, played an Atmos enabled show then pressed the green (movie) button and it cycles through the options, but 'Auto' isn't one of them. The best I get is using DTS :Neural X and it defaults to Dolby Digital + and uses 5.1 with none of the height speakers.

I have got to an 'Auto' option when cycling the yellow (pure) button but that turns the sound to stereo!

 

[Freakbro]

That's strange. What type of hdmi cable are you using?

This one https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cable-Etseinri-Certified-Ultra-48Gbps/dp/B08SLR3HW9/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2X5UEEK8SUJKK&keywords=8k+hdmi+cable&qid=1704389353&sprefix=8k+,aps,236&sr=8-15&th=1

I'll send all my settings later on Denon and TV, but I have an LG C1 for reference

Cheers

I do wonder if it's because my Denon isn't natively eARC but supposedly just through a firmware update

 

[Freakbro]

Is the TV also set to bitstream and not auto?

It's set to passthrough

 

[Freakbro]

Dolby Atmos via the TV apps doesn't even need or use eARC as it's Dolby Digital used for Atmos so that rules out any sort of eARC issues anyway, there has to be a setting on the Denon you're missing.

That's interesting as I thought I had read it did need it, but I just found this on reddit

Dolby Atmos essentially comes in two versions.

Compressed and sent using DD+ - this is what the vast majority of streaming sites use including Netflix, Apple TV (???) , Amazon etc. You do NOT need eARC for this. Regular ARC can send this fine from your Atmos source device (be that your Apple TV or internal TV apps if your TV supports it).

Full Dolby Atmos - this is uncompressed Dolby Atmos. This obviously sounds better but uses much more data. The only way of getting this is if you have a 4K Blu Ray player. For this - you need to send the uncompressed audio to a soundbar from your Blu Ray player. To do this, you need eARC.

Which corroborates what I'm getting, as Netflix et al via the TV app is being decoded by the Denon as DD+

The bit that is confusing me now about this ARC terminology and your post below, is talking about eARC in reference to a BluRay player and Xbox, I thought it was just one set of HDMI input/outputs for the TV...

If you are getting Atmos on the Xbox that would suggest eARC is working as that uses PCM and Dolby MAT to provide Atmos and well without eARC PCM is limited to 2 channels.

...because the Xbox and Shield Pro (that I can use to get Atmos from Netflix etc) don't use an ARC input on the Denon, just a normal HDMI input? Or am I missing something?

So to narrow this down then, both the TV and Shield will send Netflix audio to the Denon in DD+ format, but when it's from the TV it stays in DD+ but from the Shield the Denon turns it into Atmos, this is getting even stranger!

 

[Freakbro]

I’m assuming you actually have height speakers connected and the Denon is set to see all your speakers?

Of course, since I get Atmos from both the Xbox and Shield and all the height speakers are working.

I'm running a 5.1.4 setup.

 

[Freakbro]

Are you definitely plugged into the eARC hdmi ports on both the TV and the Denon?

100% - Though my Denon it's just an ARC, it's supposedly been updated to eARC via a firmware upgrade. If it wasn't in both ARC ports I assume I wouldn't get any sound at all from the TV.

My receiver and TV both have 2 ARC but only 1 is eARC. The TV would normally default to eARC rather than need to be set.

The LG is set to eARC in the settings and it's set to passthrough. They are the only 2 settings available/relevant on the TV as far as I can see

I'd have to check if Atmos from TV apps comes as DD+ or Atmos over eARC though, but do you actually hear anything out of the heights when using TV apps?

No nothing, you can see on the display on the Denon that they aren't being used. Oddly, no matter what format the audio is from the TV (Dolby Digital, Dolby Surround, DD+) it doesn't use the heights, whereas from other sources (like the Shield) if it's using a format that doesn't natively have height channels you can get the Denon to 'artifically' use them, but no matter what audio type I set when using the TV (like DTS Neural: X etc) it won't output to the height speakers.

But when I run Netflix from the shield, that is in a different HDMI port on the Denon (non-ARC) and a pretty standard HDMI cable, I get Dolby Atmos with all the height channels, or if it's a programme not natively in Atmos, you can make the Denon use the heights with one of the other options.

 

[Freakbro]

No nothing, you can see on the display on the Denon that they aren't being used. Oddly, no matter what format the audio is from the TV (Dolby Digital, Dolby Surround, DD+) it doesn't use the heights, whereas from other sources (like the Shield) if it's using a format that doesn't natively have height channels you can get the Denon to 'artifically' use them, but no matter what audio type I set when using the TV (like DTS Neural: X etc) it won't output to the height speakers.

But when I run Netflix from the shield, that is in a different HDMI port on the Denon (non-ARC) and a pretty standard HDMI cable, I get Dolby Atmos with all the height channels, or if it's a programme not natively in Atmos, you can make the Denon use the heights with one of the other options.

Ok, I've just noticed something even stranger...

I was just taking some pics to show everything plugged in correctly, the settings on the TV etc and fired up Netflix from the TV app.

When it's on the menu of Netflix and showing a preview of the programme, eg: Wednesday, the Denon is outputting on all channels, including the height! (and thats with both Dolby Surround and DD+) but as soon as I start the programme it changes to DD+ with no height channels

 

[Freakbro]

Dolby surround is a ‘fake’ up mix from the amp, you need it to only output what it’s being given, no up mixing or fake surround.

None of this has anything to do with eARC as the built in TV apps don’t use HDMI.

The built in apps should deliver atmos even on an amp that doesn’t support eARC.

Agreed, I don't think it's an eARC issue now

On the amp in the amp assign menu what speaker set up have you set?

It's set as 9.1
Floor - 5 ch
Height - 4 ch

(It's slightly convoluted as the 2 fronts are done via pre-out into my stereo amp - not that that changes anything with regards to this issue)

I do feel we're getting into the weeds a little with this since Atmos works fine from the other sources (Xbox & Shield), so I'm not sure how the Amp/speakers can be set up incorrectly?

What I am finding odd and maybe relevant is why the TV Netflix app outputs to the height channels (all 5.1.4) when on the menu, but not when playing the programme?

So the sequence is :

Netflix Menu : Dolby Surround showing 5.1.4
Play Atmos content : Dolby Digital + showing 5.1 only
Back to menu : Now showing Dolby Digital + or Dolby Surround, but both in 5.1.4

 

[Freakbro]

Go into your TV's Sound settings, go to Advanced Settings and scroll down to DTV Audio Setting. Make shure it is set to Auto.

Yep it is

Well I'm at a loss. Your Denon even displays completely differently to mine.
I get Atmos & Auto displayed via eARC but it never shows what speakers are in use, regardless of if it's Atmos, DD etc.

My netflix menus are never full surround though so maybe it's just your receiver upmixing for those but sticking to what it's sent in the actual show?

No idea, I'll put up some pics tomorrow of what's happening