YouTube getting 5.1 support?

[PurpleMoustache]

So, this is a bit confusing, I’ve done my best to explain it all here:

Last year YouTube announced its “cut the cable” service YouTube TV will broadcast Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, much like most cable TV, and they’ve been slowly rolling that out. Article about that Here.

But today I woke up, checked Reddit and saw…this.

Yes it seems that basic free (non-cable streaming) YouTube is getting 5.1 support. The user who uploaded that video has issues where it’s much quieter than stereo playback (I’m getting… no rear or sub activity)

The video the user found it on was for this Foo Fighters Rock and Roll Hall of Fame video:



I got to searching and found a link to this on the Reddit YouTube community:


Which *does* work for me (albeit with the quiet issue).

YouTube supports quite a few file formats most people wouldn’t expect, like VR 180, which supports its own flavor of “spatial audio” that can shift based where the user is looking, so them allowing 5.1 uploads doesn’t seem impossible.

However these are the only two videos, or really… anything I can find out about it.

For those with Apple TV’s, try watching these videos (hint: try watching them on your computer/phone first, scroll to Library, then history to find them easier). You can find the toggle for it by swiping up and hitting the 3 vertically stacked dots that allow you to change resolution, subtitles etc.

No official word from YouTube yet (as far as I can tell), but exciting that this seems to be a feature coming soon.

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

Well...YouTube DID have 5.1 support for regular videos.
Then they pulled it. But that was at least 5 years ago, if not more.
Now they're bringing it back? I am extremely confused.
I could be misinformed but I distinctly remember YouTube having 5.1 functionality in 2015-ish or so.

 

[fcormier]

I remember stumbling upon 2-3 YouTube videos in surround. From what I understand, you have to upload it with a surround audio track, unsure if it has to be AC3 (Dolby) or AAC.

 

[bookofsaturdays]

I’ve come across a few videos encoded in Dolby 5.1 and they play fine through the optical out on my TV from the YouTube app

 

[mandrix]

Not a major DD fan but it would certainly be an upgrade over stereo if 5.1 output of most any kind were allowed (maybe not mp3).

I was not aware they ever did allow 5.1 so I thank you guys and the OP for bringing this up. Slowwwwwllllllyyyy but surely maybe the rest of the world can be drug into multichannel audio.
I mean come on...if tv soaps are in DD5.1 can't we get some 5.1 lossless love on the Tube Google?

 

[Wunlow]

YouTube has allowed for aac multi channel for years now, but most of the YT apps ignore these streams and play the stereo mix. Add to that AAC often gets muxed to stereo in some hardware.

At least ac3 Dolby Digital (love it or hate it) is an established format and YouTube now seems to pushing to have their apps recognize this stream by default.

 

[mandrix]

YouTube has allowed for aac multi channel for years now, but most of the YT apps ignore these streams and play the stereo mix. Add to that AAC often gets muxed to stereo in some hardware.

At least ac3 Dolby Digital (love it or hate it) is an established format and YouTube now seems to pushing to have their apps recognize this stream by default.

I did not know that, but I agree about the DD. Better that than nothing.
Thanks for the info!

 

[MidiMagic]

You can always post in Dolby Surround.

 

[kfbkfb]

Maybe Dolby Pro-Logic 2 Music mode encoding could be used on (stereo) YouTube (DD 5.1 content could be encoded using DPL2 music).

Or maybe QS encoding.


Kirk Bayne

 

[mlrocker]

ac3 is great, I liked it from the beginning.

 

[wrat]

Neither of those vids played in 5.1 for me tried directly from YT and nope oh well

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Neither of those vids played in 5.1 for me tried directly from YT and nope oh well

What playback device are you using?

 

[wrat]

What playback device are you using?

PC

 

[bookofsaturdays]

PC

I don’t think you can hear the 5.1 stream from using your PC’s web browser. If you download the video you’ll be able to get the 5.1 stream.

 

[wrat]

I don’t think you can hear the 5.1 stream from using your PC’s web browser. If you download the video you’ll be able to get the 5.1 stream.

well thats about useless for me then

 

[fcormier]

well thats about useless for me then

There is a link in another thread specifying that surround does not work on PC, only devices that support surround. If you want Youtube in surround on PC, you have to use a Youtube downloader and download the video with a surround soundtrack.
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/11904456?hl=en&ref_topic=9257587

 

[uselessoldman]

If your PC sound is setup for 5.1 or above it should work. For Atmos you need to buy and install the Dolby Access app from the Microsoft store and that works over HDMI with a compatible AV receiver. I know it works 100% cos I use it with my digital mixer/audio interfaces and as stated above if you are creating Youtube content you need to mixdown your video/sound with full 5.1 surround support.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

PC

Some PC users might be able to obtain multi-channel audio from Youtube if their PC's are directly connected to an AVR via HDMI. It's all about the connected devices performing the correct 'handshakes' in order to determine their specifications!

 

[wrat]

Some PC users might be able to obtain multi-channel audio from Youtube if their PC's are directly connected to an AVR via HDMI. It's all about the connected devices performing the correct 'handshakes' in order to determine their specifications!

Which is EXACTLY what I am doing and have played plenty of mch/dts/ac3/ movies ,music,games etc generally without issue

 

[mlrocker]

sweet! I'll try that tonight