Hulu adds 5.1 Surround to LG WebOS 3.5 TV's

[schneid]

^This. 10-15 years ago, people who wanted an inexpensive theater-like surround sound were picking up home-theater-in-a-box setups for ~$200; some even combined the DVD player. I talked a couple of girlfriends at the time into getting one (if they ever wanted me to come to their home for "movie night" ). Now retailers are pushing the sound bars as add-ons to new TV purchases. Even my dad, who was an earlier adopter for home theater audio, switched to a sound platform two years ago to eliminate the clutter of his 5.1 surround system (which is now my bedroom system). There definitely isn't as much incentive now for streaming platforms to stay current on the audio side, as the push for more 4K content has probably taken priority.

I must be weird. I think my 5.2.2 "true" Atmos pairs nicely with my 65" OLED 4k HDR10 or DV. I started this post and now that I have watched HM2 I'll be leaving Hulu again after my latest free month is up. I just refuse to watch programs with stereo.

 

[NashGuy]

I must be weird. I think my 5.2.2 "true" Atmos pairs nicely with my 65" OLED 4k HDR10 or DV. I started this post and now that I have watched HM2 I'll be leaving Hulu again after my latest free month is up. I just refuse to watch programs with stereo.

I have a 5.1 setup with rear mounted speakers and, while I would prefer true DD 5.1 audio from Hulu, I'm fine with ProLogic psuedo-5.1 derived from Hulu's stereo audio. My Yamaha receiver does a very nice job with it, sorting out ambient noises, music, etc. and routing some/all of that sound to the rear speakers.

 

[ncted]

I have a 5.1 setup with rear mounted speakers and, while I would prefer true DD 5.1 audio from Hulu, I'm fine with ProLogic psuedo-5.1 derived from Hulu's stereo audio. My Yamaha receiver does a very nice job with it, sorting out ambient noises, music, etc. and routing some/all of that sound to the rear speakers.

If 2-channel audio is all the program has (or 1-channel like The Daily Show), Dolby Surround is fine, but if the original content included 5.1, that is what we should get. At least, in my humble opinion.

 

[NashGuy]

If 2-channel audio is all the program has (or 1-channel like The Daily Show), Dolby Surround is fine, but if the original content included 5.1, that is what we should get. At least, in my humble opinion.

Well, I agree. I don't know why there's not wider support among OTT streaming services for 5.1. Seems like a simple, relatively inexpensive thing to implement. I'm just saying that, for me, there are other enhancements (like 4K, HDR, etc.) that are higher are my list of wants than 5.1. YMMV.

 

[harshness]

Well, I agree. I don't know why there's not wider support among OTT streaming services for 5.1.

How many of these services that offer inferior audio are there?

I know that Amazon and Netflix aren't very good about Star Trek shows that were originally delivered in surround (whether Dolby Surround or Dolby Digital) but it sounds like there are entire services that are giving surround the bird.

That CBS All Access doesn't offer surround (where available) is wholly unacceptable. According to some anecdotal reports I've seen, the Amazon version of CBS All Access is reported to offer 5.1 sound! Can anyone confirm this rumor and whether it isn't just a 5.1 tagged presentation of stereo audio?

 

[Bobby]

How many of these services that offer inferior audio are there?

I know that Amazon and Netflix aren't very good about Star Trek shows that were originally delivered in surround (whether Dolby Surround or Dolby Digital) but it sounds like there are entire services that are giving surround the bird.

That CBS All Access doesn't offer surround (where available) is wholly unacceptable. According to some anecdotal reports I've seen, the Amazon version of CBS All Access is reported to offer 5.1 sound! Can anyone confirm this rumor and whether it isn't just a 5.1 tagged presentation of stereo audio?

I recently tested All Access. I watch it via an Apple 4K unit fed into my Denon X2300W AVR. I can say that while watching Star Trek Discovery I am getting 5.1. It sounds that way and my Denon app on my iPad says it is so. The Denon itself shows Multi-In when viewing and the app shows PCM 5.1 in and out... Looking at most other programming it shows stereo....

 

[schneid]

Which are inferior is a really tough question as they are all different even across their own products. DirecTV SAT is 5.1 if they can get it while DirecTV Now is all stereo as far as I have read. For me, the best hardware is my LG OLED with WebOS where it will push Netflix Dolby Atmos and Vison. Best streamers, my opinion, are DirecTV SAT (it is the original cord-cutter) for regular TV and OTT and Netflix and Prime for 4K premiums. DirecTV SAT has some 4K but not worth signing another 2-year contract for. I use Vudu often for 4K rentals. For HD, OTA TV has better video than most as it is not compresses then decoded plus a lot of 5.1.

I imagine AppleTV is great too but i don't do that eco-system.

As for Hulu, cancelled it again yesterday..

Cord-cutting, what ever that really means, is really, really, hard.

 

[Zookster]

Lack of 5.1 for Hulu and CBS All Access is indeed disappointing. But Do!by Digital Plus on Netflix, Prime, and HBO Now coupled with 1080p has pretty much made me forget about renting anthing on blu-ray. Not saying streaming's better than HD blu-ray, but for the convenience and cost, it's my go to option ATM.

 

[harshness]

For HD, OTA TV has better video than most as it is not compresses then decoded plus a lot of 5.1.

This can go either way. Some providers get their video via network rather than OTA so they start with something that is potentially much better than OTA (but not necessarily).

Since subchannels became popular, OTA has become much less attractive and the stations don't seem to mind enough. Perhaps it is because they figure that most of their viewers aren't watching an OTA broadcast.

 

[NashGuy]

Looks like DirecTV Now is experimenting with widespread availability of Dolby Digital 5.1 audio on various local and cable channels, per posts over at AVS Forum. Some folks are seeing it and others aren't right now. But I think AT&T has said that the service will support it. Looks like it's on its way.

 

[harshness]

Looks like DirecTV Now is experimenting with widespread availability of Dolby Digital 5.1 audio on various local and cable channels, per posts over at AVS Forum.

This is excellent news.

Some folks are seeing it and others aren't right now.

...and at the same time, this is baffling.

 

[NashGuy]

This is excellent news....and at the same time, this is baffling.

Not baffling when you've experienced the schizoid way that AT&T tests and rolls out various aspects of the DirecTV Now service. I was a beta tester for their new app+cloudDVR+streaming platform for a few months at the start of the year. Chatting with other beta testers would reveal a range of different experiences among us, with various improvements and bugs coming and going all the time.

My guess is that, before rolling out DD 5.1 on all channels to all subscribers, they're quietly (no announcement) testing it out here and there with a subset of subscribers on their production app. (They closed the beta program awhile back when the new redesigned app rolled out to everyone.)

 

[harshness]

My guess is that, before rolling out DD 5.1 on all channels to all subscribers, they're quietly (no announcement) testing it out here and there with a subset of subscribers on their production app. (They closed the beta program awhile back when the new redesigned app rolled out to everyone.)

I can't imagine they had to change anything on the client side.

They simply needed to make streams with 5.1 available. I'm betting that's the content owners deliver 5.1 and AT&T smooshes it into stereo as part of their transcoding process.

The key to understanding this comes in AT&T's recently stated/reiterated vision of DIRECTV Now as a mobile platform where anything more than stereo is largely wasted so we return to the question about what AT&T intends to do for DBS customers going forward.

 

[ncted]

A/B testing - Wikipedia

 

[NashGuy]

I can't imagine they had to change anything on the client side.

They simply needed to make streams with 5.1 available.

Who knows, perhaps they're evaluating how it impacts traffic in their CDN or other operational arcana. At any rate, I'd say it won't be too long before it's officially available. Just another step that they're taking to get their cloud-based streaming platform up to snuff quality-wise to reach parity with their existing DBS service. Next up: 4K HDR.

 

[Bellbm]

Has anyone been able to get this to work on an LG tv? I’m on software 5.30.25, and updated the Hulu ap today. Still in stereo. I’d really like to watch as much as possible on Hulu, since the picture quality is so much better than TiVo.

 

[harshness]

Has anyone been able to get this to work on an LG tv? I’m on software 5.30.25, and updated the Hulu ap today. Still in stereo.

How is your TV connected to your sound system?

 

[Zookster]

I heard it depends on what you're watching and the content available in 5.1 is limited to mainly Hulu originals, so I would test on a season of a Hulu original released in the past year or so if you aren't already.

 

[Bellbm]

How is your TV connected to your sound system?

It's connected to the receiver via coax input. 5.1 works fine on Netflix, Amazon, antenna, and Tivo through the same connection.

 

[Bellbm]

I heard it depends on what you're watching and the content available in 5.1 is limited to mainly Hulu originals, so I would test on a season of a Hulu original released in the past year or so if you aren't already.

Yes, I tried some of their originals.
Crazy they only offer 5.1 on those, broadcast tv has been offering most programs in 5.1 for well over 10 years.