Apple TV 4K tvOS 16.1 no ALAC multichannel?

[FLX]

Hello,

I have a new Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) with tvOS 16.1.

With this new Apple TV all my movies with ALAC audio streams are playing back in stereo now via iTunes 12.12.6.1 Home Sharing.

With old Apple TV 4K (1nd generation) and tvOS 14.4 movies with ALAC audio stream are playing back fine up to 7.1 channels.

Same movie with AAC audio stream is playing back fine with multichannel.

ALAC:

© WARNER BROS.

AAC:

© WARNER BROS.

Apple TV audio settings:

The same file with ALAC is playing back fine in multichannel with iTunes 12.12.6.1:

ALAC audio stream:

Audio #1
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : ALAC
Codec ID                                 : alac
Codec ID/Info                            : Apple Lossless Audio Codec
Duration                                 : 2 h 56 min
Duration_LastFrame                       : -49 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 4 650 kb/s
Nominal bit rate                         : 9 216 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 8 channels
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Bit depth                                : 24 bits
Stream size                              : 5.72 GiB (16%)
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : No
Alternate group                          : 1

AAC audio stream:

Audio #1
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 2 h 56 min
Source duration                          : 2 h 56 min
Source_Duration_LastFrame                : -6 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 724 kb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 1 102 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 8 channels
Channel layout                           : C L R Ls Rs Lb Rb LFE
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 912 MiB (3%)
Source stream size                       : 912 MiB (3%)
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : No
Alternate group                          : 1
Menus                                    : 4
mdhd_Duration                            : 10570874

Does anybody facing the same problems?
I can only use 2 of my 8 speakers now for more than 500 movies.
So this is a big problem ...

Will open a ticket at Apple support.
But maybe others can share their experience with ALAC multichannel on Apple TV 4K.

 

[FLX]

Workaround: Ripping in surround for Apple TV

Both tracks need to be in a playlist.