topic Re: Dolby atmos in Sky Q

Dolby atmos

Chip71 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:44:29 GMT

Hello I have a Samsung OLED tv which has Dolby atmos, I have a sky q box too, I believe all wired correctly via a cable to run from box to arc socket in back of tv. When a Dolby atmos assisted program- film is on would it automatically go to the Dolby atmos sound?

could someone send a link or explain if I've done it right please. If I go to settings on tv it says it has atmos but the toggle between the 2 on and off is on but when I click on it it says function not available? I presume it's permanently on is it? Any simple advise would be greatly appreciated Thankyou

Re: Dolby atmos

nigea99 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 07:21:22 GMT

@Chip71 wrote:

Hello I have a Samsung OLED tv which has Dolby atmos, I have a sky q box too, I believe all wired correctly via a cable to run from box to arc socket in back of tv. When a Dolby atmos assisted program- film is on would it automatically go to the Dolby atmos sound?

could someone send a link or explain if I've done it right please. If I go to settings on tv it says it has atmos but the toggle between the 2 on and off is on but when I click on it it says function not available? I presume it's permanently on is it? Any simple advise would be greatly appreciated Thankyou

hi @Chip71

I can't advise on your TV's settings as I have Panasonic TVs & AV Amplifiers

To get Dolby Atmos Sound from SKY Q the first thing is to set the sound to Dolby Digital Plus

Home - Settings - Setup - Audio Visual
Digital audio output HDMI

After that you need to note that Dolby Atmos is fairly limited.

It is only availble on UHD content & then depends on what

I think most live Football on Main Event UHD carries Atmos & Some Cricket when in UHD - F1 does not have Atmos (only 5.1)

Possibly on some other live sports but not that common

Otherwise it is on some UHD downloads for fillms and top entertainment

BTW I should advise that SKY are not great at labelling content and sometimes mention Atmos when it is not available and can have it when not mentioned.

If you are trying to watch something specific that you think should have it, let us know & we can see if we get it.

(Obviously for live sport you need to ask in 'real time')

Re: Dolby atmos

nigea99 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 07:50:05 GMT

@Chip71 wrote:

Hello I have a Samsung OLED tv which has Dolby atmos, I have a sky q box too, I believe all wired correctly via a cable to run from box to arc socket in back of tv. When a Dolby atmos assisted program- film is on would it automatically go to the Dolby atmos sound?

could someone send a link or explain if I've done it right please. If I go to settings on tv it says it has atmos but the toggle between the 2 on and off is on but when I click on it it says function not available? I presume it's permanently on is it? Any simple advise would be greatly appreciated Thankyou

hi again @Chip71

I have just re-read your post & a minor point

This should not stop you getting Atmos on your TV but the (e)ARC designated HDMI on TVs is not generally intended for any inputs from SKY Q boxes and other devices like games players & dvd/blu-ray players.

The (e)ARC HDMI port is intended for use with audio equipment such as Sound Bars & AV receivers as it sends audio from the TV to the audio equipment. (ARC standing for Audio Retrun Channel)

They do act as inputs so sources can be routed via the sound equiplment - I plug most things into my AV receiver which is linked to the ARC port on my TV

If you don't have any Sound equipment needing (e)ARC then, as I say, it can be used but I generally advise against using it, leaving it free should you get a Sound bar etc in future.

Re: Dolby atmos

Chip71 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:15:01 GMT

I do have a hdmi lead plugged into my soundbar and then into the e arc port of the tv or should I plug it into another tv port?

Re: Dolby atmos

nigea99 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:28:59 GMT

@Chip71 wrote:

I do have a hdmi lead plugged into my soundbar and then into the e arc port of the tv or should I plug it into another tv port?

@Chip71

Apologies, I think I misunderstood your original post.

If your SKY Q box is plugged into a Soundbar & then the Soundbar is connected to the eARC port then this is likely to be the best route (assuming your Sound bar passes through the full 4K/HDR signal) - as I mentioned I use this route with my AVR.

Does your soundbar not process Atmos, or are you asking about the TV giving Atmos when the Soundbar is not on.

Note : Your TV will not show Atmos if your Soundbar is on & processing the sound.

Re: Dolby atmos

Sharcuk — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:29:13 GMT

@Chip71 Just to clarify, do you have an HDMI lead running from your Sky Q box to an HDMI port on the Samsung (but not the port marked ARC/eARC), and another running from the ARC port on the Samsung to your soundbar?

Re: Dolby atmos

cuke — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 10:24:36 GMT

@Chip71 wrote:
Hello I have a Samsung OLED tv which has Dolby atmos, I have a sky q box too, I believe all wired correctly via a cable to run from box to arc socket in back of tv. When a Dolby atmos assisted program- film is on would it automatically go to the Dolby atmos sound?
could someone send a link or explain if I've done it right please. If I go to settings on tv it says it has atmos but the toggle between the 2 on and off is on but when I click on it it says function not available? I presume it's permanently on is it? Any simple advise would be greatly appreciated Thankyou

Have you got a soundbar capable of Dolby atmos? If so then set the advanced audio to passthrough within the tv's sound settings.

If you haven't a soundbar then you are unlikely to have the tv reproducing atmos.

@nigea99 is correct, the SkyQ box should be connected to any other hdmi port aside from the eARC one.

If you have a soundbar is it actually capable of DA?

Re: Dolby atmos

Chip71 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:23:24 GMT

Yes that is correct the soundbar lead is connected to e arc port tv and sky q is running from hdmi sky to hdmi tv

Re: Dolby atmos

nigea99 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:48:08 GMT

@Chip71 wrote:

Yes that is correct the soundbar lead is connected to e arc port tv and sky q is running from hdmi sky to hdmi tv

hi @Chip71

Thanks for clearing that up & sorry, again, for my misunderstanding.

With this set up, you need to make sure that the TV is set to pass through Dolby Digital + signal (assuming you are using the sound bar for Atmos)

Most probably are by default these days but there is no guarantee

You need to look for options such as Dolby Digital plus or, as my Panasonic is, just 'Bitstream' (auto setting may be OK)

The setting on my Pansaonic is called HDMI Audio Format but your TV setting may be called something different

Re: Dolby atmos

Chip71 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:52:30 GMT

Ok I will check tonight Thankyou but are all programs Dolby atmos?

Re: Dolby atmos

nigea99 — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:57:14 GMT

@Chip71 wrote:

Ok I will check tonight Thankyou but are all programs Dolby atmos?

No - I refer you to my first post (#2)

(BTW although the setting used is Dolby Digital + most content is only ordinary Dolby Digital (2.0 or 5.1) & SD programmes are in PCM)

Re: Dolby atmos

TimmyBGood — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:58:45 GMT

@Chip71 wrote:

are all programs Dolby atmos?

Very few on broadcast television: it's a mix which has to be captured and produced specifically, and would bring no benefit to a great deal of regular programming. There's a higher percentage on the on-demand and streaming platforms, typically in UHD.

https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/dolby-atmos-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-spatial-audio-format/

Re: Dolby atmos

cuke — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:19:22 GMT

@Chip71 wrote:
Ok I will check tonight Thankyou but are all programs Dolby atmos?

Please also make sure the tv's expert audio settings are set to passthrough as it will then be the soundbar processing DA, not the tv.