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Anonymous User
Not applicable

5.1 Audio output ??

Hi there ....

Having had a lengthy 'web chat' with one of The NOW help persons, they assured me that the Black Now box should output a 5.1 Dolby signal .... Which I was failing to get, so .... After several hours of fiddling with settings on both my AV amp & resetting the Now box a couple of times, I'm still not convinced a 5.1 output is happening.

Within the settings/audio menu I've tried both the 'auto detect' ..... Which did as it said & recognised the HDMI could carry DD and DTS .... And also manually set the audio at DD (along with all the other settings) but alas all that is being fed from the Now box appears to be stereo.

 

Has anyone out there managed to configure a 5.1 output & inform if I'm missing something really simple & stupid !

Thanks in advance for any info

Cheers

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Anonymous User
Not applicable

@Anonymous User

 

NOW TV only supply stereo audio.  Hopefully 5.1 is something on their list for the future, especially moviesSmiley Happy

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173 REPLIES 173
ukbobboy
Legend

@Anonymous User

 

Hi XS

 

I've just read your post and, I must admit, I agree with your post more than I would with others users complaining about the lack of  or lobbying for 5.1 Surround Sound and 1080p.

 

However, in order to have two levels of Internet streaming, i.e. Standard to 720p/Stereo and 720p - 1080p/5.1 Surround Sound, would mean a substantial investment in new more powerful servers and bigger Internet pipe, which would have to be approved by Now TVs parent company.

 

However, before any money can be spent on new equipment and staff training, someone would have to authorise market research, to see if this new investment will be worthwhile, and obviously compose and submit a strong business case to convince the decision makers in both companies (Now TV and it's parent).

 

Such details take time (a lot of time) to finalise, especially now as the most important thing coming up, on 29th June, is possibly the announcement of the new Now TV box, which in itself will require some technical infrastructure changes within Now TV (as well as support staff training).

 

Personally, I believe that Surround Sound and 1080p encoded audio/visuals will happen but it is unlikely to happen this year and I think sensibly Now TV is making evolutionary technical steps rather than revolutionary ones.  Doing a "Big Bang" could blow up in the company's face, loosing it customers and wasting it's investment.

 

 

UK Bob

Anonymous User
Not applicable

I totally agree that Now TV has to improve quality levels of their content. It is unacceptable in 2016 to have  SD only movies.  Most of the people who are currently subscribing to the services  at least have 720p capable device and internet connection. I'm considering to stop my subscription (not to mention the subscription fee is substantially higher than the competitions) till they upgrade the quality of their services. 

SeeMoreDigital
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User wrote:

I totally agree that Now TV has to improve quality levels of their content. It is unacceptable in 2016 to have  SD only movies. 


It's 720p on my NOW TV playback devices (which are LG televisions with in-built NOW TV app) 😉

Anonymous User
Not applicable

The ONLY way to get 5.1 sound through NOW TV presently is to watch the service via an XBOX - as long as it's rigged to an amp and the output set to 5.1.

 

Watching NOW TV via the NOW TV box gives only 2.0 sound.

 

Sky is MILES behind Amazon and Netflix in respect of this - threads asking for this go back FIVE years! It's the ONLY thing stopping me from getting Sky Movies via NOW TV.

 

BD

commanda6
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User wrote:

The ONLY way to get 5.1 sound through NOW TV presently is to watch the service via an XBOX - as long as it's rigged to an amp and the output set to 5.1.

 

Watching NOW TV via the NOW TV box gives only 2.0 sound.

 

 

 


Hi @Anonymous User

 

Actually that is incorrect. NowTV does not provide 5.1 audio on any device Smiley Sad

 

When you set an Xbox one to use audio out, either via optical or HDMI. You can either choose between Dolby Digital or DTS, but that does not necessarily mean that 5.1 audio is being output. There is a stereo variant of Dolby Digital at best an Xbox one would be transcoding the audio feed to suit the audio settings that have been selected. But as all of NowTV's sources are stereo and not 5.1. 5.1 output is by definition impossible.

 

It's true that surroundsound can sometimes be simulated when using some devices with an AV receiver by using Dolby pro Logic, however, due to the way an Xbox one handle sound, it does not allow you to do this. The device you're using to play the content has to allow your AV receiver to have significant control over the way audio is output in order for Dolby pro Logic to be used on Xbox one does not give AV receivers that control. It's worth noting that when surroundsound is simulated using Dolby pro Logic it's nowhere near as good as real 5.1 audio.

 

http://help.nowtv.com/article/Subtitles

 

The help article link above will confirm that now TV does not support 5.1 audio on any device.

 

 


I do not work for Now . I am simply a Now customer trying to help I am a Community Contributor This means that I know a lot about the service. But just like you I am still a customer. This means I cannot help you with issues that would involve looking into your account directly. A member of the now TV forum team or live chat will need to assist you with these issues.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

My AMP, when connected to the NOW TV box, shows Dolby Digital / PCM in 2.0.

When I connect the XBOX and it starts streaming NOW TV content, it shows Dolby Digital 5.1 / 3.2.

 

The sound coming out is definitely Dolby Digital 5.1 surround because the two rear speakers have separate signals. It most certainly is not Dolby Pro-Logic.

 

 

commanda6
Legend 5
Legend 5

Acheron wrote:

When I connect the XBOX and it starts streaming NOW TV content, it shows Dolby Digital 5.1 / 3.2.

 

The sound coming out is definitely Dolby Digital 5.1 surround because the two rear speakers have separate signals. It most certainly is not Dolby Pro-Logic.

 

 


Hi @Anonymous User

It would be normal for your AV receiver to show that when you're using now TV on Xbox. just because it's showing that it does not actually mean it actually doing it. I would actually recommend you don't trust the display on on the front of your AV receiver when you're using your Xbox because the AV receiver can only allow what your Xbox allows it to show it doesn't have any real control over the audio. It is your Xbox that has control the AV receiver just outputs the audio feed nothing more. For example when I'm screaming BBC iPlayer on my Xbox one and have audio output set to DTS my AV receiver will still show that DTS 5.1 audio is being output despite the fact that BBC iPlayer is definitely not DTS 5.1 and iPlayer uses stereo sources just like NowTV.

 

Just to clarify, when you say Xbox. I knew using an Xbox one or Xbox 360 because what I have been advising is based on how Xbox one handles audio


I do not work for Now . I am simply a Now customer trying to help I am a Community Contributor This means that I know a lot about the service. But just like you I am still a customer. This means I cannot help you with issues that would involve looking into your account directly. A member of the now TV forum team or live chat will need to assist you with these issues.
Anonymous User
Not applicable

I'm using an XBOX 360.

 

If I played something from the XBOX that is in 2.0 sound, the display on my AMP changes dynamically to reflect that. If I then play something in 5.1 sound, the AMP changes to reflect that also.

 

Also, I can tell the difference between the two sound outputs. One is flat and only coming out of the front two speakers. The rest is full-on 5.1.

 

SeeMoreDigital
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User wrote:

I'm using an XBOX 360.

 

If I played something from the XBOX that is in 2.0 sound, the display on my AMP changes dynamically to reflect that. If I then play something in 5.1 sound, the AMP changes to reflect that also.

 

Also, I can tell the difference between the two sound outputs. One is flat and only coming out of the front two speakers. The rest is full-on 5.1.


Hi @Anonymous User,

 

It sounds like your Xbox is performing some 'on-the-fly' 2Ch PCM -to- Dolby Digital 'audio transcoding'. I can do much the same with some of my gear! 

 

 

Cheers

Anonymous User
Not applicable
I don't believe it is. My XBOX is capable of putting out Dolby Digital
signals dependent on the source material.