Overview
In the first post in this series I bemoaned the poor audio and flat video quality of our current television setup. In that post I go into great detail about the existing hardware, our goals for a better system, and the choices we made to reach those goals.
I had already looked at the settings on the Gen 1 4K TV. The settings on the Apple TV change automatically based on what’s plugged in to the Apple TV. For example: When i replaced the old, slow HDMI cable with an HDMI 2.1 cable, the options in the Apple TV’s settings changed.
When the old cables were in use I ran a test on the HDMI connection, and the TV reported that the connection was poor. It has no connection issues with the new HDMI 2.1 cables.
What a Difference a Cable Makes
After replacing the HDMI cables with new HDMI 2.1 cables, the earth became spherical again! I had done nothing else. The dynamic range of the image on the television automatically and noticeably improved. Even the available settings on the TV changed.
So, apparently my old HDMI cables were constricting bandwidth. Now, with new HDMI 2.1 cables, I started to explore the settings in detail to tweak the audio and video quality of our current equipment. The new hardware (Sonos Arc Surround System, 2021 Apple TV, and Arcana eARC splitter) has not yet arrived as of this writing. When they do, I will revisit these settings once again and post about them in the fourth post in this series.
These new settings below are producing a greatly improved picture and lossless sound quality with my old, existing hardware.
Apple TV Video Settings
[tvOS: 15.2; in Settings → Video and Audio]
- Format: 4K HDR
- Chroma: 4:2:2
- 4:4:4 [Not a choice]
- 4:2:2 [Selected; 4:2:0 provides a high-quality picture that is compatible with most TVs and HDMI cables. 4:2:2 improves clarity, but requires high-speed cables.]
- 4:2:0 [Appears when an HDR setting is selected]
- Match Content: Range & Frame Rate
- Match Dynamic Range: On
- Match Frame Rate: On
- Check HDMI Connections: –– [Makes certain the HDMI connection supports the current settings.]
- Reset Video Settings: ––
Apple TV Audio Settings
[tvOS: 15.2; in Settings → Video and Audio]
- Audio Output
- Default Audio Output: TV Speakers
- Temporary Audio Output: Select…
- Audio Format: Auto
- Change Format: Off; [Audio will be decoded and sent to your equipment as uncompressed multichannel LPCM.]
- Reduce Loud Sounds: Off
- Navigation Clicks: On
- Sound Effects and Music: On
- Audio Mode: Auto
- Audio Language: English
- Subtitle Language: English
I did the Color Balance Calibration even though it was not required for my TV. After the test, which requires an iPhone, the OS replied that the TV did not need calibration.
Sony XBR-65X900C TV Video Settings
[in Settings → Picture & Display]
- External Inputs
- Manage Inputs [Personal Preference]
- IR Blaster Setup [Personal Preference]
- BRAVIA Sync Settings [Personal Preference]
- Customize TV Key [Personal Preference]
- HDMI Signal Format:
- HDMI 1
- HDMI 1/MHL
- HDMI 3
- HDMI 4/ARC
- Enhanced Format [Displays High-Quality HDMI signals. Select this option only if your device supports High-Quality HDMI formats such as: 4K 60p 4:2:0 10bit, 4:4:4, 4:2:2.]
- Picture & Display
- Picture Adjustments [Personal Preference]
- 3D Settings [Personal Preference]
- Screen [Personal Preference]
- Dynamic Range:
- HDMI 1: Auto
- HDMI 2/MHL: Auto
- HDMI 3: Auto
- HDMI 4/ARC: Auto
- Screen Mirroring: Limited [Personal Preference]
Sony XBR-65X900C TV Audio Settings
[in Settings → Sound]
- Sound Adjustments
- Clear Audio+: Toggled On
- Sound mode: Music [Personal Preference]
- Standard
- Cinema
- Music [Selected for concerts]
- Sports
- Surround: Auto
- Sound restoration (DSEE): Auto
- Voice Zoom: 3 [Personal Preference]
- Night: On (Clear sound at a low volume level)
- Wireless Subwoofer Power: Auto
- Advanced Setting HDMI 4/ARC:
- Common
- Advanced Auto Volume: Off
- Balance: 0
- Digital Audio Out Volume: Max [Personal Preference]
- Input Related
- Volume Offset: 0
- Dolby Dynamic Range: Standard [Compensates for audio level difference between channels (only for Dolby Digital audio).]
- Sound Mode Related
- Surround Effect: 6 [Personal Preference]
- Equalizer: –– [unavailable with TV speakers]
- Wireless Subwoofer: –– [none currently in use]
- Reset: ––
- Common
- Speakers: Audio System
- TV Speakers
- Audio System {Selected]
- Audio System Prioritization: On
- Headphone/Audio out: Audio Out (Variable) [Personal Preference]
- Headphone
- Audio Out (Fixed0
- Audio Out (Variable) [Selected]
- Subwoofer
- Headphone Speaker Link: Speakers Off
- Home Theater Control [NA]
- System Sounds: On [Personal Preference]
- Digital Audio Out: PCM
- Auto 1 (Output compressed audio without change.)
- Auto 2 (Output compressed audio for multi-channel content without change.)
- PCM (Always output PCM) [Selected]
- TV Position: Table-Top Stand
- Table-Top Stand [Selected]
- Wall Mount
iPhone Apple Music App Settings
[iOS 15.3; in iPhone Settings → Music]
- Cellular Data: On
- Add Playlist Songs: On
- Show Star Rating: Off
- Sync Library: On
- Dolby Atmos: Automatic
- Automatic [Selected]
- Always On
- Off
- Audio Quality:
- Lossless Audio: On
- Cellular Streaming: High Quality
- None
- High Efficiency
- High Quality [Selected]
- Lossless
- Hi-Res Lossless
- 5G & WiFi Streaming: Lossless
- High Quality (AAC 256)
- Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/48 kHz) [Selected]
- Hi-Res Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/192kHz)
- Downloads: Hi-Res Lossless
- High Quality (AAC 256)
- Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/48 kHz)
- Hi-Res Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/192kHz) [Selected – note: Download over cellular is turned off to conserve cellular data bandwidth.]
- EQ: Off [Numerous options from which to choose: Personal Preference]
- Sound Check: On [Personal Preference]
- Downloaded Music [Info upon touch this]
- Optimized Storage: Off [Personal Preference]
- Download over Cellular: Off [Personal Preference]
- Download in Dolby Atmos: On
- Automatic Downloads: On [Personal Preference]
- Animated Cover Art: On [Personal Preference]
- Use Listening History: On [Personal Preference]
- Home Sharing: Not activated [Personal Preference]
Apple TV’s Music App Settings
[in the Apple TV’s Settings → Apps, → App Settings, → Music App]
- Add Playlist Songs to Library: On [Personal preference]
- Top Shelf: Library + Top Albums [Personal preference]
- Dolby Atmos: Automatic [Supported songs will play in Dolby Atmos and other Dolby Audio formats whenever connected to HomePod or other compatible audio receivers or speakers.]
- Audio Quality:
- High Quality (AAC 256 kbps)
- Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/48 kHz) [Selected]
- Sound Check: On [Personal Preference]
- Use Listening History: On [Personal Preference
- See how your data is managed
Computer Apple Music App’s Settings
[version: 1.2.1 on macOS 12.1 (laptop and desktop computer hardware in the Music App preferences under the General and the Playback tabs)]
General Tab
(in Preferences)
- Be sure “Download Dolby Atmos” is checked [All other settings are personal preference.]
Playback Tab
(in Preferences)
- In Audio Quality
- Lossless Audio: Checked
- Streaming: Lossless (ALAC up to 24bit/48kHz)
- High Quality (AAC 256)
- Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/48 kHz) [Selected]
- Hi-Res Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/192kHz) [When Hi-Resolution (ALAC up to 24bit/48kHz) is selected, see the computer prompt below.]
- In Audio Quality (continued)
- Download: Lossless
- High Quality (AAC 256)
- Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/48 kHz) [Selected]
- Hi-Res Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/192kHz) [When Hi-Resolution (ALAC up to 24bit/48kHz) is selected, the computer prompt says the same thing as the above screenshot]
- Dolby Atmos: Automatic
- Download: Lossless
- In Video Quality
- Streaming: Best (Up to 4K)
- Good
- Better (up to 1080)
- Best (Up to 4K) [Selected]
- Download: Up to HD
- Up to HD [Selected]
- Up to SD
- Most Compatible Format
- Streaming: Best (Up to 4K)
Conclusion
I’m now really eager to get the Arcana and the Sonos equipment and set up Dolby Atmos. When I get that accomplished I will add a third post to this series about the final setup. After I have explored all of the settings once again, I will write about the new settings in a fourth and final post in the series.
I think I ignored or gave short shrift to most of the settings that focused on things that would be personal preferences. I tried to mostly focus on the settings that would be directly related to maximizing video and/or audio quality. And these are all of the settings I could find that seem to do that in my existing setup using HDMI 2.1 cables. (Remember: Use HDMI 2.1 cables for 4k and Lossless audio. They actually do make a huge difference on their own. And some of the above settings will not be available on the TV without them.)
Any thoughts or suggestions, let me know.
Other Posts in This Series
Post One: Setting Up the Apple TV 4K for Lossless Music and Dolby Atmos with the Sonos Arc Surround Sound System: The Hardware
This post covers an overview of the project: existing hardware, issues, goals, proposed solutions, reasons for those choices, etc. Part one of the series also contains a significant number of resources I used to learn more about these technologies and hardware solutions. The table of contents is below, and each link will take you to that section in part one of this series.
- Overview
- The Goal
- Learning about All of This
- Our Existing Hardware
- Combined Befuddlement
- So, What Is Dolby Atmos?
- Putting Together a New System
- Summary of our Proposed Solution
- Other Posts in This Series (coming soon)
- Post Two: Settings Prior to Sonos Surround Sound Arc Installation
- Post Three: Installing the New Hardware
- Post Four: Settings after the New Installation
- Footnotes
Post Two: Setting Up the Apple TV 4K for Lossless Music and Dolby Atmos with the Sonos Arc Surround Sound System: The Settings
This post
Post Three: Setting Up the Apple TV 4K for Lossless Music and Dolby Atmos with the Sonos Arc Surround Sound System: Installing the New Hardware
- Previously in this Series
- Two More Things
- Installing the New Hardware
- Trueplay
- Most Difficult Part
- How To Change the Digital Concert Hall App Audio Settings to Use Lossless Dolby Atmos
- So, How Does Dolby Atmos Sound on the Sonos Speakers?
- Bottom Line
- Footnotes
Post Four: Setting Up the Apple TV 4K for Lossless Music and Dolby Atmos with the Sonos Arc Surround Sound System: Settings After the New Installation
- Overview
- The Current Settings
A reminder: I never have nor ever will accept any requests or payments of any kind for my endorsements or negative comments. I buy the products I write about just like everyone else, and I report my own personal experiences with them. All opinions are my own. Your opinions and experiences may vary.