I love my movies. I am a little predictable for a late 30s UK male loving the late 80s early 90s American action movies. Terminator 2, Predator, Commando and even a bit of True Lies. All of these films had large characters, stories and best of all – soundtracks. Remember the Cyberdyne explosion or nuclear detonation from the Predator explodion (if not, stop reading and start watching these films NOW). These soundtracks were made for surround sound. Now, we are in an era where surround sound has been given HEIGHT through Dolby Atmos. The T1000 helicopter flying overhead can be replicated from the sound (sadly not in T2 case as there is no Dolby Atmos upgrade but we are planning a petition but get the idea). I have spent last few years setting up my Dolby Atmos setup, sourced the best kit, content and want to share this with you.
The xbox one is the device of choice for Dolby Atmos. It has a 4K disc tray. It supports Netflix and Amazon Dolby Atmos content (something the Playstation 4 does not). It has some shit hot games with Dolby Atmos content. There are a few xbox devices – Xbox one S and Xbox one X but all will play Dolby Atmos content. I am a KEEN gamer and rather than putting the basic premise of the game, there is a brief review against each. Some have a more detailed review – hey, any excuse to play games deep into the night! I’ve also put my top five Dolby Atmos xbox one games list at the top.
Xbox one Dolby Atmos games are all found on Amazon.
Assasin’s Creed Origins – The DADDY for Dolby Atmos. Yes, the action filled scenes burst with sound but it is the slower open area parts where the sound comes into its own. The dry arid setting is done really well with subtle hot crackling sounds of bone dry sand blown across the hot desert. It will get you reaching for a water. Oh, and the gameplay isn’t bad either. Currently at Amazon for less than £14.
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard – The resident evil series have perfected the eerie jump horror action. BUT now with Dolby Atmos it takes the pant filling scare levels over 10. The start of the game is by FAR the best. Set in an eerie house, your head will be on a swivel as you walk into the “abandoned” house. The Dolby Atmos really drops you into that house. Without any spoilers, the best part is walking through the water filled basement under the floorboards of first floor. As you walk through the water the sounds make you believe you can reach up to touch the wet rough creaking floorboards. At £17 on Amazon, it’s a bargain.
Gears of War 4 and Gears of War 5. I can recall the first Gears of War game on the Xbox 360. The sharp amazing graphics with effective first person over the shoulder shooter was mind blowing. It set the standard. The two latest installments continue the same amazing gameplay but now with Dolby Atmos it puts you even more in the horde enslaught. Personally there isn’t much difference in the two games and Gears 4 at less than £11 it is a selfish guilt free orc killing Dolby Atmos treat.
You have all the kit for Dolby Atmos. You have the Netflix premium account. You have the Netflix device to play Dolby Atmos. Now you want to know, what titles are their? The list is below but in crude summary – any film and TV series made through Netflix will most likely have Dolby Atmos. Most other film studios, especially older films, will not have Dolby Atmos. This MAY change, but it is unlikely. Any film studio would need to ensure updating to Dolby Atmos would need the investment in time and people to rewarded with sales. Don’t expect to see Top Gun in Dolby Atmos soon (fingers crossed though).
You have Netflix….who doesn’t? You have Dolby Atmos or thinking about it. For Netflix, what devices do you need to enjoy your Dolby Atmos experience. This page is written assuming you have a Dolby Atmos setup (AV receiver, Dolby Atmos speakers for home OR a Dolby Atmos bluetooth speaker) and want to know what devices you need for Netflix Dolby Atmos. You’re asking – now where is all that juicy Dolby Atmos content? If you have NO Dolby Atmos setup at all and need to know what is needed for Netflix Dolby Atmos – then go to What equipment do I need to enjoy Dolby Atmos? then return here specifically for Netflix.
It should be noted, that it doesn’t matter if you have Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 speaker placement, 7.2.4 speaker placement or 3.1.2 speaker placement. For Netflix and the Dolby Atmos content it doesn’t matter the size of your setup. Anyway let’s go……
SO ……You have the Dolby Atmos setup but want to know what devices are needed for Netflix Dolby Atmos.
Although Netflix has the greatest content of Dolby Atmos in a monthly one off payment streaming package (Disney+ are soon to rival this), annoyingly not all devices will support playing this content. As an example, if you have a Virgin, Sky or BT box with Netflix NONE of them will allow you to play the films with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. It automatically reverts to surround sound (5.1). There are a handful of devices that will allow Dolby Atmos to play through Netflix and as long as have a Premium account you can unlock it. Starting at the top with the most recommended, a complete list of devices are:
Our recommendation – not only can you watch Dolby Atmos Netflix streamed films BUT you can watch 4k and BluRay Dolby Atmos films via disc drive. You can play Xbox Dolby Atmos sweet ass games. You can watch Amazon Prime Dolby Atmos films. You’re not reliant on a certain version of firmware or year of manufacture. AND for the Xbox One S – it is the cheapest device option for watching Netflix Dolby Atmos (okay about comparable to the Apple TV 4K).
Supports Dolby Atmos content from Amazon Prime and Apple TV. The content on the Apple TV selection with Dolby Atmos soundtrack is vast. Apple TV at the present time offers by far the most Dolby Atmos content from the catalogue of films. Basically any title that had a Dolby Atmos soundtrack at cinema can be paid for individually and enjoyed at home. Dolby Atmos is only supported on the 4k version NOT HD version and ensure Dolby Atmos setting is on …..can default to off
LG OLED TVs (2017 or newer models)
Panasonic TVs (2019 or newer models)
Sony Bravia Android TVs (2018 or newer models)
Toshiba TVs (2019 or newer models)
Vizio TVs (2018 or newer models)
You may be in a position where your looking for a new TV at the same time as trying to open up the Netflix Dolby Atmos content or you may be fortunate to have a newer TV from last 3 years that is either LG (OLED only), Panasonic, Sony Bravia, Toshibia or lesser known Vizio. If you are looking for a new TV then our pick of the bunch as a device to enjoy Dolby Atmos on Netflix is:
BEST OVERALL MONEY NO OBJECT 55inch . LG OLED55C9PLA. Winner of What HIFI best 55INch TV of 2019. LED screen provides amazing picture quality, some have questioned the sound quality BUT that wont impact you due to your amazing Dolby Atmos setup. Cheapest you will find it is £1100 from Amazon so it is an expensive option.
MOST COST EFFECTIVE WITH 4K 55inch _ Panasonic TV TX-55FX550B – at £409 at time of writing an amazing Television. Some question the image quality for darker scenes however with this exception it is a device with: Netflix Dolby Atmos. 4k. 3 HDMI. 2 USB. Wifi Streaming. ALL the apps ever want. 15HD Freeview channels out the box. Really slick user interface (not clunky like earlier Panasonic TVs). ALL at only £409 on Amazon AND 55 INCH?? Madness.
If you want consider other options go to our Best TVs with Dolby Atmos Netflix.
Windows 10 computer or tablet (requires Windows 10 RS3 Build 16299 or later)
If you have a Windows 10 laptop or tablet you may already have what you need. You will more likely have a laptop because who has a Windows tablet? This option is likely to be clunky as you need to output from your laptop via HDMI into your AV receiver or Atmos soundbar.
Pixela 4K Smart Tuner
The most obscure option and as a smart tuner, you would be best getting Xbox or Apple TV. They are really difficult to source from anything but Hong Kong or Chinese websites. Amazon do not source them.
This is it, now go plug it in and enjoy that Dolby Atmos Netflix content.
For home cinema there have been many developments in the last 15 years. Prior to 2005 we didn’t have High Definition (HD) at home and were in a fuzzy world of Standard Definition (SD). You couldn’t make out the newscasters skin blemishes. See the individual grass blades flick up during football slow mo replay.
Now, we have 4k. Even more definition. Even more blemishes. Now you can see the dew on the the blade of grass. However, I would argue this step forward is minor compared to sound. Stick with me here and let me see if I can convince you.
The TV and cinema is and always will be portraying movement via a flat image. It may be Virtual Reality (VR) changes this which works well for gaming but TV and film makers are not yet seriously considering this area. How do you film a VR experience? How do install the infrastructure to have a whole cinema full? Is it worth the investment? If VR won’t be installed, how do you provide the audience that immersive experience with a flat screen?
James Cameron’s 3D Avatar got people excited for a while. The experience was amazing but sadly, the movie world didn’t take to it. 3D TVs are on the decline and no longer in favour.
If 3D is dead – How do you provide an audience an immersive experience with a flat screen? Simple. Sound. Trick the viewer into getting a sense of movement from the sound travelling with the image. A car rushing into shot from the right can be enhanced through sound. The engine revving up in the right speaker transitioning across the screen with the image. Finally leaving the left with only that speaker having an engine noise fade giving the impression of the car disappearing.
Next step. Speakers behind and around the viewer. Now you can manipulate the sound around the viewer. The limit. Height. That is where Dolby Atmos comes in. Speakers on the same horizontal plain as the viewer will not give height to the sound. A helicopter hovering overhead. The patter of rain on the metal roof. The swishing trees. None of these can be portrayed above the viewer with only surround sound. What if you could put a sound source above the viewer? This is the basic premise of Dolby Atmos.
Many cinemas now have speakers fitted into the ceiling. It allows film and sound producers to develop a sound track which provides height. Any new high budget action film will definitely use this technology. Now…a helicopter hovering overhead coming into shot at the top of the screen can actual produce sound from above. Hurrah, what a world we live in!
What equipment do you need for Dolby Atmos at home? Do you need a Dolby Atmos AV receiver?
Let us assume you have a TV (well who hasn’t these days?). Your TV will come as standard with a left and right speaker. This just wont do. You need more speakers. That is the first challenge. In order to provide height in your sound for Dolby Atmos, you need the sound to come from above you.
FIRST – Speakers that can produce sound with height. This can be achieved in four main ways. Install speakers into the ceiling facing down. Not the easiest of feats as each speaker will mean drilling a big hole into the ceiling to install the speaker. In addition, you will need to hide speaker cables somewhere in the ceiling cavity but if done well hidden in a nice lounge.
If this isn’t an option (which for many it isn’t) then you can SECOND option – have standard speakers fixed above the viewer. Just think of a standard speaker with a bracket to hold it above the viewer. You still may have issues with trailing wires but at least you don’t have to open up big holes in your ceiling. You may however want something a little more discrete.
THIRD option – A dedicated Atmos speaker that reflects the sound from your ceiling. Okay. Bear with me. Sound waves bounce off solid objects which can portray the sound is coming from elsewhere. Think of a time when you can hear a low flying helicopter in a built up area. You would have difficulty pin pointing its location. The sound is bouncing off local buildings and disorientating you. Now imagine you focus sound from a speaker onto a solid surface to bounce off. It would trick your brain that the sound came from that point in bounced off, not the origin (the speaker). This is how a dedicated Atmos speaker works.
It sits at floor level and concentrates the sound onto the ceiling. The sound reflects on the ceiling and acts as though it comes from above. The advantage is these can be discrete and fairly cost effective. See the Onkyo options below.
FOURTH option – Single soundbar with ability to send sound vertically and horizontal. It is the simplest option, and unlike the other options doesn’t need a dedicated amplifier to drive the seperate speakers. One HDMI in and out. What’s the catch? The biggest catch is that it will never be able to replicate sound coming from a dedicated speaker source. Think, why don’t cinema’s use this technology rather than a large vast array of single speakers? In addition, if you’re lounge area is like mine…..soft furnishings. This will kill the bluetooth speaker’s ability to bounce the sound fully around the room and replicate that surround sound experience. BUT….it is the most cost effective.
Now you have an amp (AV Receiver) and speakers, or a dedicated bluetooth atmos soundbar…you are ready to open your ears to Dolby Atmos. Next you need some means to play content. Go to our other sites to see
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
What topics do you think you’ll write about?
Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
Dolby Atmos Movies 