5.1 query

[Eidolon]

As of yet, I've just been using Youtube to play my Google Play movies on my TV.

How do you go about getting 5.1 in a practical sense?
For example, if I opened GooglePplay on the laptop browser, and plugged my laptop into the surround sound with a HDMI, will I get 5.1 then were available? Or is there more flaffing about to be done?
Thanks

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

As of yet, I've just been using Youtube to play my Google Play movies on my TV.

How do you go about getting 5.1 in a practical sense?
For example, if I opened GooglePplay on the laptop browser, and plugged my laptop into the surround sound with a HDMI, will I get 5.1 then were available? Or is there more flaffing about to be done?
Thanks

Playing movies through Google TV and YouTube is confusing:

I get 5.1 via my Google TV app as long as I use ARC from my Android TV and set audio output to Dolby Digital Plus.

I only get stereo via YouTube through Android TV and XBox Series X. However, on my Nintendo Switch, Movies & TV are in 5.1 surround. I forget how Apple TV handles it.

Your best bet is either a Chromecast plugged into the sound system or use Chrome to cast stuff from Google TV in Chrome. Or plug the laptop into the sound system and again use Chrome and Google TV.

Otherwise, expect stereo only using YouTube.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

What are the specs and browser of your PC? I assume it's Windows 10, but some web browsers handle DRM requirements differently. YT and Google Play playback on Google Chrome can go up to 1080p for most purchase/rentals, while some are SD due to whatever DRM restrictions the content holder sent to Google. Interestingly enough, some YT/GP titles that play only playback SD on a Win 10 Chrome browser are 720p on Firefox and 1080p on Edge, so it wildly varies.

As for audio, it depends on the title and DRM restrictions, not to mention if you're playing back on your devices 2 channel speakers or HDMI out. Youtube added 5.1 encoding to select videos that were uploaded with it, but very few are still native 5.1 and most were downfolded to stereo). Die Hard (1988) on YT for example is 2.0 stereo with the PC all up to date and it's audio HDMI out. The Google Play version is 5.1, though on Firefox it's 2.0.

[Eidolon]

I'm on Windows 8. Windows 10 bricked the PC, despite it being at the time a fairly new machine. I had go back to 8. Id' be playing back from the Google Chrome browser.