5.1 Dolby Surround Test

Dolby Digital 5.1 Mixing

[nairblab]

"THIS is the right surround channel"
Me: *this is not the right surround channel*

[darklinggolem]

I am surprised that the uploader actually uploaded this in Dolby Digital

YouTube recognized it and now 5.1 actually works

[KoD]

"THIS is the right surround channel"
Me: THIS is bullshit!

[ScutuRC]

Thanks for this CONFUSING STEREO Sound video ..

[PrashantAgrawal]

Youtube doesn't have surround 5.1 output. I wasted so much time, thinking it was my speaker's fault.

[mescudidolo]

I played this with headphones on. It put a smile on my face

[ashz]

This is 5.1. Thank you the person who uploaded it.

So for 9 years, Youtube only allowed 2 channel playback. Users can upload any surround sound format that Youtube understands. And they will stay in that original format in your account, so you can re-download if you need. I have an account since 2008, but lost my access to it. I used to test Youtube surround sound capabilities by uploading videos like this one to my private channel. It never worked, and neither did this video. All these times, till a few months ago, Youtube will only play stereo down mixed audio (identified by format code 140). And that was the only choice. Even if you download any other sound formats provided by Youtube, they were always in stereo.


Then I recently download one of my own video files back that I needed, understanding that it would be stereo only and I will lose my original 5.1 track. I was surprised to see 6 channels when I loaded it in Audacity.

So I came to my default test track - this one, to check if this one actually every had 5.1 audio. And yes, this one does. There were many other dolby test video tracks on Youtube but I could not extract 5.1 audio from them. Only this one has original 5.1 audio still attached.

Youtube has only enabled this for a few devices and you may not here 5.1 tracks on many devices yet. Hopefully they will enable that soon for all users.

For those that want to verify themselves, download format id 258 for this video. I did and loaded that into Audacity. I can play and check each tracks individually, and that exactly plays as per the voice over in this video. Here is the image link for the wave forms I see in Audacity

Here is the blog post from Youtube from few months ago, announcing the same.

Look for this text in the blog post.
"Last, but not least: We’re adding 5.1 Dolby audio capabilities for all YouTube TV members, which has been one of your biggest requests."

I comment once or twice a year, but had to make this post for the benefit of audiophiles and youtube fans like me.

[victorfigueroa]

This was 5. 1 some years ago, but now It is not. Youtube is not suppprting 5.1 sounds. I thought it was my HT

[normjohnson]

on windows right click the speaker icon in the bottom right select sounds then click on the playback tab. from there your current jack in use should be highlighted green, right click and click configure speakers. there, you can configure 5.1 AND test in windows with full capability (unlike youtube in 2021..)

[harryrcarmichael]

Thank you !!! resurrecting an old system and this is invaluable.

[HaloEliteLegend]

Wonderful! My headphones picked it up great!

[darklinggolem]

After the recent YouTube update, Dolby 5.1 finally works on YouTube and this video supports 5.1

You just need a compatible device (Like a PS5, Fire TV, Roku, or Android TV Devices). Browsers doesn’t work at the moment

[cristianmejia]

Well, obviously Youtube does not support 5.1 native, however, the magic with Dolby is that the Stereo signals (L + R) are mixed in such way that any Dolby decoder system can recalculate and understand what goes to satellital speakers (Lback, Cback, Rback) based on sound balance and phase. We can't expect a 100% accurate result, but it is still pretty much decent. The test was accurate enough for me (Sony muteki HT-DDW5500 Dolby ProLogic II-X "movie" mode). So it works.

[anthonyp]

To everyone saying it doesn’t work, it depends on the device your using. Chrome does not support 5.1 with YouTube, but the YouTube app on Xbox or PS4 does support 5.1 surround. Also, make sure you are using the correct cables. Digital Audio is the only output you can use for surround sound on the Xbox. Not sure about the PS4.

[timothylewis]

People complaining about this video must be doing something wrong.  I used this with my TV and the YouTube app on Xbox One and it works like a dream!

[progenitorx]

Wanted to point out that when the lady is talking over the left and right surround channels, they don't actually come out of the correct speakers. However, when just the sounds play in the second part of the test, they correctly come out of the correct left and right surround speakers. Wait until the end before re-configuring your setup in case the video is just off at the beginning.

[XZenon]

Well, it's good enough for my "5.0" stereo

[GabePickles]

Woah, this sounds great on stereo headphones. 0_0

[Elementallade]

It's sounds awesome on the Sony WH-1000XM3, it's like surround sound in my head!

[rayray]

1. right click on the little speaker on the lower right hand side of your screen, 2. click on sound ( it should open a window called sound ) 3. click on the upper left Playback. 4. click on the one your trying to test so it becomes light blue . 5 click on configure on the lower left hand side . 6 click on 5.1 surround or any of them 7 .click test 8 . be happy :)