16. AVR / Surround Audio Setup

SHIELD TV supports Dolby Digital (AC3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3), Dolby ATMOS, Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X, and DTS Core Audio Streams over HDMI.  Dolby audio can be decoded/converted to the best available format for your home theater.  DTS audio will not be converted and will be passed directly to the HDMI output.

In order to experience surround sound, use an AV receiver or TV capable of decoding these audio streams.

Note If your receiver or HDMI TV does not have the capability to decode the streams, then there may not be any audio.
Note Make sure your receiver has been updated with the latest firmware. In some cases, this can resolve compatibility or audio/video issues.

(I) Recommended setup: SHIELD > AVR > TV

  • Connect your SHIELD TV to a receiver with an HDMI cable.
  • Plug another HDMI cable from your receiver's HDMI OUT port to the TV.
Note If you have a 4K or HDR TV, you must attach HDMI 2.0 compatible cables between both the SHIELD and the AVR and between the AVR and the display. Your AVR must also be compatible with HDMI 2.0 (HDCP 2.2) signal.

(II)  Soundbar or legacy AVR: SHIELD > TV > AVR

Warning: This configuration should only be used if your Soundbar or AVR does not support 4K, HDR or Dolby Vision. Your soundbar must support Dolby Digital
  • Connect your SHIELD TV to a TV with an HDMI cable.
  • Connect TV to the receiver using Optical SPDIF or HDMI Audio Return Channel (HDMI-ARC)
  • Under Settings > Device Preferences > Display & Sound > Advanced sound settings > Available formats select Manual and disable all Dolby formats except AC3.

Enable SHIELD to Turn on and Off Your TV/AVR

SHIELD can control the power of your TV/AVR using HDMI-CEC. Go to Display & Sound > Power control to customize how your SHIELD controls your TV/AVR.

If your TV/AVR does not support HDMI-CEC, you can configure your SHIELD remote to send IR commands to your devices from this menu.

Note Most TVs have HDMI-CEC "turn TV off" disabled in the TV settings menu. HDMI-CEC (One Touch Play and TV off) must be enabled in your TV's settings. Search for your TV manufacturer's name and HDMI-CEC to find out what they call it and how to enable it.
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