Re:Intel A770 16GB audio issue when Dolby Atmos (via Dolby Access app) is enabled

laxesta · ‎01-06-2023

I always use Dolby Atmos on my computer ever since I purchased Dolby Access years ago, when it was launched.

Although rare, sometimes the sound goes, and most of those times, you can't get it back and must restart the OS. I could only recover the sound once changing the bitrate and the Spatial Audio option in W11 Settings. (the other fix is switching the audio output to the MOBO speakers/headphones though you must have external speakers or headphones connected, of course, so....)

This issue doesn't happen when the sound comes from the MOBO audio connector, it only happens when the sound comes from the HDMI 2.1 cable connected to my TV, it's a GPU thing.

Although rare, but not quite uncommon -having to restart the OS is an annoyance-, there is a way where this sound issue reproduces ALL the time for me.

Via the HDMI 2.1 cable of my TV -not from the regular 3.5mm connector where I just use Dolby Atmos for Headphones- there is an extra option called Dolby Atmos for Home Theater.

If I launch Doom Eternal with the sound coming from the TV and Dolby Atmos for Home Theater is active, once Doom Eternal launches the sound is gone, just like that.

The issue happens when Dolby Atmos for Headphones is enabled on the TV, but it is rare and the sound can go at random. It affects any version of W11 I tried, insider and regular W11.

Intel System Support Utility file attached.

Carlos_L_Intel · ‎01-09-2023

Hello @laxesta

Thank you for posting on the Intel®️ communities. We are sorry to hear that you are having issues with your system, we will do our best to help you.

In order to have a better understanding of the issue, please share with us the following information:

When did the issue start? Were there any recent changes?
Does this happen with any other apps as it does with Doom Eternal?
Is Resizable Bar enabled in the BIOS?
Did you have any other graphics cards installed previously?

Regards,

Carlos L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

laxesta · ‎01-09-2023

Hello @Carlos_L_Intel

When did the issue start? Were there any recent changes?

Not many changes. It was noticeable when I was using the HDMI 2.1 cable on the TV and playing Doom Eternal when Dolby Atmos for Home Theater was enabled. But sometimes it can happen at random when Dolby Atmos for Headphones is enabled using the HDMI 2.1 cable for sound output on the TV. This is very very rare and it was easily fixed just changing the sound output device to the MOBO speaker/headphones or just changing the spatial audio to something else rather than Atmos. -this "fix" doesn't work when the sound just goes because of Dolby Atmos for Home Theater being enabled, the only fix I found was restarting the OS-

Does this happen with any other apps as it does with Doom Eternal?

No that I know of. Any game or app that I tried with Dolby Atmos for Home Theater just worked fine, but this started to happen a month ago or so where I was completing Doom Etermal and it was a pretty common issue.

Is Resizable Bar enabled in the BIOS?

Yes, I wouldn't have this GPU if my MOBO didn't have resizable BAR support.

Did you have any other graphics cards installed previously?

The GTX 1080 and a GTX 1060 3GB were my previous cards but ever since I got the A770 I installed it using a clean install of Windows 11 and never used those GPUs anymore.

laxesta · ‎01-10-2023

it's also worth mentioning that the Dolby Atmos for Home Theater option doesn't appear if you choose the Speakers output from the MOBO or the headphones jack. In that case, only Dolby Atmos for Headphone is available.

My TV is a Samsung Q80A, 50" VA panel, which when connected to the PC via a HDMI 2.1 cable in the HDMI port 4 gives has some features that allow for Dolby Atmos for Home Theater to be available as an option.

Carlos_L_Intel · ‎01-10-2023

Hi @laxesta

Thank you for all this detailed information. I just want to know a couple more things to continue with my research:

Did you test this feature with any of your previous cards? If so, did it work fine?
Have you tested this game and feature in any other systems?

Regards,

Carlos L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

laxesta · ‎01-10-2023

Hi @Carlos_L_Intel

Did you test this feature with any of your previous cards? If so, did it work fine?

no, my previous GPUs weren't HDMI 2.1 compatible, and the option wasn't available, plus I purchased the TV for gaming and to use it with the Intel A770.

Have you tested this game and feature in any other systems?

I didn't, I just have a computer capable of running relatively demanding games, and a fanless laptop for work and mobility purposes which isn't capable of running most games.

Carlos_L_Intel · ‎01-11-2023

Hi @laxesta

Thank you for the information provided. I will proceed to check the issue internally and post back soon with more details.

Best regards,

Carlos L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

Carlos_L_Intel · ‎01-12-2023

Hi @laxesta

Thank you for your time. I'd like to clarify a couple of things to continue with my research:

What OS builds did you try?
Do you happen to know what drivers have you already tried?
Have you confirmed with the Doom Eternal developers that Dolby Atmos for Home Theater is supported on the game?

Best regards,

Carlos L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

laxesta · ‎01-12-2023

Hi @Carlos_L_Intel

It seems fixed now, but here is the thing, using the regular version of Windows 11 and the latest drivers (31.0.101.4032) I launched Doom Eternal a few minutes ago.

The game behaved as expected. The first splash screen had sound, however the sound was gone afterwards, (an Intel pop up window appears saying "Device changed"), and once I got to the main screen of the game there was no music, anything.

However, when I closed the game, the OS still had sound using the TV sound output and Dolby Atmos for Home Theater. That's a first, or maybe this is the typical behaviour in a regular Windows 11 build.

What OS builds did you try?

The last regular version of Windows 11.

Do you happen to know what drivers have you already tried?

I completed the game the past month and I always update my drivers, but the issue could also be replicated with the latest drivers, til now, at least on a non insider version of Windows 11.

Have you confirmed with the Doom Eternal developers that Dolby Atmos for Home Theater is suported on the game?

No I didn't tbh.

laxesta · ‎01-12-2023

soooo, after that expected and initial failure launching Doom Eternal, and seeing that after returning from the game to the OS the sound was working fine on the OS -unexpectedly so-, I relaunched the game several times using a regular version of Windows 11.

The sound worked totally fine in the game after relaunching it several times.

Then I returned to my insider version of Windows 11, and the bug was still there, as expected. Maybe it's something related to the OS being an insider version.

I am going to use Dolby Atmos for Home Theater and play sound directly from the TV for a few days, but the issue might be solved if you just don't use an insider version of W11.

laxesta · ‎01-12-2023

new twist. This happened in a regular -non insider- version of Windows 11.

I was listening to a song on youtube, Dolby Atmos for Home Theater was sounding great and all, and then I disabled HDR in the Display menu, and then enabled it again. Changing that, the sound was totally gone once again -had to restart the OS, no fix-.

It might be something similar to what Doom Eternal does, since its HDR is not conventional and in fact when you leave the game the look of the OS' desktop is different, so maybe it's related to the HDR after all.

laxesta · ‎01-12-2023

recorded a video using GameBar (regular W11) expecting to record the sound breaking when switching HDR on and off.

The result was what I expected, after a couple of times disabling/enabling HDR the sound was gone. However in the recorded video the sound is recorded although I couldn't physically listen to it on the TV.

That being said, I just think that Dolby Atmos for Home Theater is broken and that's it. I restarted the PC to have sound again and upon selecting the insider W11 partition this time, the OS was set -like I left it- to Dolby Atmos for Home Theater in that version. Guess what? There was no sound when the OS launched. 😅

The only difference, however, was that once I switched to 24bits, 48000Hz and Spatial Audio as Dolby Atmos for Headphones, the sound was functioning perfectly, it wasn't like the sound was gone forever.

As I said, a broken setting, or maybe it just needs a proper Dolby Atmos subsystem. But I won't bother with it anymore that's for sure.

Carlos_L_Intel · ‎01-13-2023

Hi @laxesta

I appreciate all this information you have provided. In this case, I recommend checking with Dolby to ensure that the feature is working correctly with HDR enabled or if there are any special requirements on their part. On the other hand, I would like to ask if, besides this issue with Dolby Atmos, everything else seems to be working well for you? Or are there any questions you might have that we could help with?

Best regards,

Carlos L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

laxesta · ‎01-13-2023

thanks @Carlos_L_Intel

Aside from that, I didn't have any other issue.

Best regards

Carlos_L_Intel · ‎01-16-2023

Hi @laxesta

Thank you for your post. In that case, I will go ahead and close this threat, if you need any additional information, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards,

Carlos L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

sebastianserfas234 · ‎01-25-2023

You won't see the Dolby Atmos for Home Theater option.

If you select the MOBO's speakers or headphones jack. There is only Dolby Atmos for Headphones available in that case.
When connected to my PC via an HDMI 2.1 cable in HDMI port 4, my Samsung Q80A 50" VA panel allows Dolby Atmos for Home Theater to be available as an option.