YouTube continues to reign as the number one video platform and community for users looking to share content online. Over the years Google has continued to enhance support for modern technologies that the platform supported, keeping it ahead of the others. However, these enhancements weren’t always cross-platform.
Although YouTube does indeed offer support for surround sound using the AC-3 codec, this was limited to certain platforms (ie, website), which meant that services like YouTube TV didn’t get the love it requires to hang out with the top subscription streaming brands. Now, that has finally started to change as the company rolls out surround support to additional devices.
This just in ?????????????????
We know you've been waiting, and it’s *finally* ready. 5.1 Audio is rolling out this week across Google TV, Android TV, and Roku devices.
— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) June 7, 2022
The company announced on Twitter that it was rolling out surround support for Google TV, Android TV, and Roku devices. This means subscribers of YouTube TV making use of one of these devices will be able to enjoy content in 5.1 surround finally. Assuming the content itself was encoded as such, at least. If the content is stereo, it will still decode as stereo.
Google plans to roll out additional support to other devices that still lack support for this in the near future. Eventually, allowing YouTube TV to step up to compete with the other big streaming subscription brands, Like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
1 Comment
This is a lie and a hoax. Google TV has now told me three times that “Chromecast with Google TV is not supported.” Although Google TV is listed among supported devices on YTTV’s Help web page, apparently Chromecast with Google TV is not a Google TV device.