Developer converts TrueHD Atmos to Apple's codec on Apple TV 4K
A developer showed a Mac-assisted pipeline that renders TrueHD Atmos to a 9.1.6 layout and plays it via APAC on tvOS 26.
A developer posting under the handle Agathorpt has demonstrated a method for playing Dolby TrueHD Atmos soundtracks from the third-generation Apple TV 4K to home theater speakers, according to TechRadar. The Apple TV 4K officially supports Dolby Digital Plus only, not Dolby TrueHD.
The pipeline decodes the TrueHD Atmos audio and its timed object metadata separately, renders them to a fixed 9.1.6 speaker layout, converts the result to Apple's Positional Audio Codec (APAC) and plays it through native tvOS.
Reproducing the setup is not a plug-and-play affair: it requires a Mac, Apple's Xcode, an Apple developer account to sign an app, tvOS 26 or later, and movie files carrying 48kHz TrueHD Atmos audio.
The project was built as an open-source alternative to the closed-source Native Player app and builds on AetherEngine, the media engine from developer Superuser404notfound, along with the LibTrueHD object audio decoder.
The feature has been proposed for addition to the Nuvio media player, but it is not yet available in an app. Apple's Apple TV 4K lineup already supports Dolby Digital Plus, the format used by most streaming services, while TrueHD is the format found on Blu-ray discs.
Quick answers
Does the Apple TV 4K support Dolby TrueHD?
No. The Apple TV 4K officially supports Dolby Digital Plus only, not Dolby TrueHD.
What do I need to try the TrueHD Atmos workaround?
A Mac, Apple's Xcode, an Apple developer account to sign an app, tvOS 26 or later, and movie files with 48kHz TrueHD Atmos audio.
Is the feature available in Nuvio?
Not yet. It has been proposed for Nuvio but is not available in an app.