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expectingtofly
Scholar

No 5.1 Surround sound with Now TV Boost

I cannot get any Now content 5.1 surround sound to work on any Now tv content from the older black Now TV box.  It's driving me potty!

 

I have :

  • An active Now TV Boost with cinema, entertainment and sport  (through BT VIP)
  • An older now tv black box
  • The now tv box connected to a Sony DN1080 AV Receiver that supports Dolby Digital Plus

I have configured as follows :

  • settings->audio->audio mode->"Auto (DD+)"
  • settings->audio->HDMI->"Dolby Digital Plus"

I've rebooted, factory reset, logged out, logged in, tried every setting in "settings->audio" and pulled my hair out.  Whatever happens, whatever I select, when I play Now tv content that is marked as 5.1,  only "linear PCM Stereo" is played through my AV receiver.   Everything else played through the receiver plays fine including other Dolby Digital Plus content.

 

Bizarrely, if I play 5.1 content through the Netflix app on the now tv box, 5.1 surround sound works perfectly (and it is Dolby Digital Plus just like the Now tv content) !!! 

So, the box is capable of sending Dolby Digital Plus content, it just won't do it for Now content (sky cinema or sky entertainment).  Has anyone any ideas how I can get this working?

 

Many thanks

35 REPLIES 35
schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @expectingtofly 

 

I haven't got access to my television at the moment with a camera, but this Roku Guide where there is a attached video will show you about the Volume Levelling to give you a general idea.

 

The pop up display on my NOW 4K box is slightly different and doesn't offer all the same features has a full blown Roku Player.

 

In theory the Volume Levelling feature shouldn't have any bearing on the NOW surround sound, but the only reason i mentioned it on my first reply was because in the past a couple of customers couldn't get 5.1 surround sound on their AV Receivers until they played around with the Volume Levelling where i am sure Off was the pre-set that seemed to work for them.

 

https://support.roku.com/en-gb/article/226802507 

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @expectingtofly 

 

If you can live with Dolby Digital rather DD+ on Apps such has Netflix, Amazon Prime Video then does your television offer optical out ?

 

Because i don't know your system layout and configuration and if you have an optical cable lying around the house of sufficient length, then maybe try that instead with your Sony AV Receiver and plug your Now Box into the HDMI port on your television.

 

This is not ideal rather than using HDMI or HDMI ARC and just a test to see if you can somehow force 5.1 out of the NOW black box when watching NOW 5.1 content.

 

If it was me and nobody can come up with the solution, then i would bite the bullet and get a newer NOW playback device that supports 5.1 surround sound.

 

 

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @expectingtofly 

 

Don't know if there is anything in this linked thread below discussing 5.1 surround sound on NOW Boost helps or not ?

 

https://community.nowtv.com/t5/NOW-Stick/NOW-TV-Boost-no-5-1/td-p/512800/page/4 

expectingtofly
Scholar

This is nuts.   I've bought a brand new Roku Express.  I may have made the wrong choice 😞

The exact same problem exists!!

 

I got suspicious when all the menu appeared the same (even down to the "go to settings->audio" when you go into the settings of boost on the manage account)

 

I set the settings to output Dolby Digital plus.  All works fine on every other app on the box apart from Now TV,  whatever device dolby digital plus supporting device I attach it to. 

Now tv refuses to output Dolby Digital Plus 5.1.  I have an av receiver that supports DD+ and a television (in a seperate room) that supports DD+.   If I play netflix from the box DD+ works.  If I play movie from Now tv it outputs linear pcm stereo.  aaaargh!

 

I just don't believe these boxes support 5.1  .  Please can someone, for my sanity, confirm that they have 5.1 working from either the Roku express or the old black now tv box?

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @expectingtofly

 

My Roku Stick Plus runs Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound perfectly fine on the NOW App on my Pioneer AV Receiver.

 

Would have thought the Roku Express would work the same.

 

Is there an option for Volume Levelling on the Roku Express and if so is it set to Off.

 

Have you tried all the different Audio Settings on the Roku Express.

 

From memory my Roku Stick Plus was set to Auto.

 

What happens if you use the Roku Express on your second Surround System in your other Room is the result the same? 

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @expectingtofly

 

One thing I forgot to mention in my above post is that I haven't run or tested my Roku Stick Plus out on my AV Reciever in my back Projector Cinema Room in a while.

 

So I haven't tested the 5.1 surround sound since the latest NOW App new look refresh layout on my Roku Stick Plus and Pioneer AV Reciever. 

 

Though I doubt the new look NOW App would have broken the 5.1 DD audio.

 

I could fire up the projector tonight to double check if you wish by playing a 5.1 NOW movie with Boost.

 

Hopefully a Roku Express or NOW black box owner will confirm that they are getting DD 5.1 from their Roku Express or NOW box when watching NOW content with the 5.1 icon with NOW Boost to save me firing up my projector this evening. 

expectingtofly
Scholar

Hi @schnapps   Thank you for your continued help.

 

Your configuration is the same as I am trying to achieve.  I am adding the now tv box / roku express to an av receiver that is connected to a projector (and an older tv in this room when I don't want to use the projector.  To recap :

 

  • I have the audio settings set to "Audio mode" : "Auto" and "HDMI" : Dolby Digital + as per instructions
  • There is no noise levelling feature on the now box or roku express.
  • On the same device with the above audio settings I get DD+ on netflix on the av receiver, as expected.
  • If I play a Now TV Movie from the library or from the live guide I never get DD+ on the AV Receiver only "Linear PCM stereo".  Every time.

 

There is something wrong that I just don't understand.  I'm not naive at this stuff.  And as I say, Netflix DD+ just works, on the same devices.

 

To confirm, if I use my BT youview box Now tv app in the same set up, DD+ works fine, so there is nothing wrong with my account. 

 

I am also out of ideas.  Please don't fire up your projector on my account, but next time you use it, I would be very grateful if you would report back to confirm it is still working for you on your Roku stick  (I'm sure it will, else I'm sure there would be more people complaining, not just me!)

 

 

(edit:  Forgot to mention, I have a sony tv that is DD+ compatible in a different room, I've connected both devices to that tv.  Same result, I get DD+ on Netflix, but not on Now TV)

 

 

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @expectingtofly 

 

I just dug out my old Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and connected it to my Philips TV (save me firing up the projector with my Pioneer AV Receiver).

 

I had no problems getting DD+ 5.1 on both the Netflix App and NOW App from my Roku Stick Plus when the Roku Stick was plugged directly into one of the HDMI ports on the Onkyo.

 

Because my Onkyo doesn't support ARC or 4K i had to make some adjustments on my Philips 4K TV under the Sound menu and change the HDMI profile for 1.4 instead of  HDMI profile 2.0 Enhanced mode.

 

The Audio Settings on my Roku Stick Plus was HDMI Auto Detect.

 

I do own a Roku Express, but haven't used it in two or three years because i bought the Roku Stick Plus.

 

Give me an hour and i will dig out my Roku Express and delete one of my registered devices to see if i can get DD 5.1 with the NOW App on my Onkyo Receiver.

 

i may has well do the exercise because i want to check the surround sound NOW output from it.

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @expectingtofly 

 

Just played 2 minutes of Mad Max Fury Rd on my NOW Cinema Membership on my Roku Express and again no problems with 5.1 DD+ on the Roku Express NOW App directly connected to my Onkyo AV Receiver.

 

Also my Roku Express model is 3900EU (which you can find in the About information Settings).

 

My Roku Express offers the Volume Listening level feature when you press the star button on the Roku Remote when for example Mad Max was playing and was available for me which was set to Off.

 

Under About the Roku software version is 9.4.0 build 4200-51.

 

The NOW App software version is 6.4.3 which you can find under My Account on the bottom of the NOW home screen page layout.

 

I don't know why there is an issue with NOW 5.1 DD on your setup if running Boost and everything is setup properly on both your AV Receiver and Display.

 

I am guessing you have tried another logout and log back in on the Roku Express NOW App under My Account to see if it triggers the Boost 5.1 sound ?

 

Because you mentioned you are a BT TV customer, there was a person on the NOW Forum a few months back who couldn't get surround sound out of the Chromecast when watching NOW with Boost (where i had no problem using my Chromecast with DD 5.1).

 

Apparently the person was a BT TV customer and also posted on the BT TV Community and if my memory serves me right there was some sort of issues with surround sound on certain devices when watching NOW if you are a BT TV customer.

 

Apparently BT are looking into it.

 

i can't remember the outcome or if it was resolved.

 

If you haven't already maybe pop over to the BT TV Community Forum if you are a BT Customer with the NOW bolt on package to see if anybody over there has any ideas or have encountered something similar.

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @expectingtofly 

 

Here's the thread i was talking about with regards to Chromecast and a BT TV customer with a NOW bolt on package.

 

I haven't read it yet to refresh my memory.

 

https://community.nowtv.com/t5/Mobile/Chromecast-5-1-issue/td-p/531531