Home Troubleshooting & Fixes My Receiver says "PCM" or "Multi-CH," not "Atmos"

My Receiver says "PCM" or "Multi-CH," not "Atmos"

Last updated on Feb 08, 2026

If you are hearing sound from all speakers but the "Atmos" light isn't on, your player is likely "decoding" the audio before it reaches your receiver.

  • Apple TV Users: This is normal. Apple TV converts Dolby TrueHD Atmos to LPCM. You are still hearing lossless, high-quality audio, but the "Atmos" metadata has been stripped during the conversion. Use the Infuse Proapp and select the Dolby Atmos (E-AC3) track to enjoy Atmos on Apple TV!

  • Windows Users: You must set your player (VLC/MPC) to "Bitstream" or "Passthrough" mode. If the player decodes the audio, the receiver will only see "PCM."

  • The Fix: If you absolutely want to see the "Atmos" logo on your equipment and you aren't using a Nvidia Shield TV Pro or Zidoo, switch to the Dolby Atmos (E-AC3) track in the audio menu of your player.