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Hardware & Software Setup Guides

Step-by-step configuration guides for Nvidia Shield TV Pro, Apple TV, Windows PC, and more to ensure your hardware and software is optimised for high-fidelity playback.
Rob Skarin
By Rob Skarin
• 4 articles

Nvidia Shield TV Pro

The Nvidia Shield TV Pro (2019) remains the gold standard for playing MKV files with advanced audio formats. SHIELD TV supports our Dolby Atmos (E-AC3) and Dolby TrueHD Atmos audio tracks over HDMI. Here's how to enable audio passthrough on Nvidia Shield to enable Dolby TrueHD Atmos capability: System Audio Settings: Go to Settings > Device Preferences > Display & Sound > Advanced sound settings. - Set "Available formats" to Auto (or Manual and ensure Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD are checked). - Enable "Match content audio resolution" to ensure 96kHz files aren't downsampled to 48kHz. 1. App-Specific Settings (Plex/Kodi): * In Plex: Go to Settings > Advanced > Passthrough and set it to HDMI. - In Kodi: Go to Settings > System > Audio. Enable "Allow passthrough" and specifically check the box for "TrueHD capable receiver." 2. Physical Connection: The Shield must be plugged directly into an HDMI input on your AV Receiver or Soundbar. Plugging it into the TV first may result in the TV "stripping" the Atmos metadata before it reaches your speakers. More help on that below! 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 1. Connect your SHIELD TV to a receiver with an HDMI cable. 2. 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. 1. Connect your SHIELD TV to a TV with an HDMI cable. 2. Connect TV to the receiver using Optical SPDIF or HDMI Audio Return Channel (HDMI-ARC) 3. Under Settings > Device Preferences > Display & Sound > Advanced sound settings > Available formatsselect Manual and disable all Dolby formats except AC3.

Last updated on Feb 08, 2026

Apple TV 4K & Infuse Pro

We recommend the app Infuse for playback on Apple devices, like the Apple TV 4K. It's fully capable of playing back the 4K H.265 video and Hi-Res Stereo, Hi-Res 5.1 Surround and Dolby Atmos (E-AC3) audio tracks found on the Headphone Dust MKV files. Please note: Dolby TrueHD Atmos is NOT supported on Infuse Pro. Infuse Pro will decode the Dolby TrueHD Atmos track internally and send it to your receiver as LPCM 7.1. While this is "lossless" and does sound pretty good, you will lose the Atmos height metadata (your receiver will display "PCM" or "Multi-CH"). Apple TV 4K handles audio differently than other streamers as it does not support "Bitstream Passthrough" required for Dolby TrueHD Atmos playback. - Recommended Settings: Go to Apple TV Settings > Video and Audio > Audio Format. Ensure this is set to Auto. - Best Experience: If you want the "Atmos" logo to light up on your receiver while using Apple TV, select the Dolby Atmos (E-AC3) track in your Headphone Dust MKV. Apple TV supports Atmos natively via this specific "streaming" format, with object height data retained! Dolby Atmos Infuse supports Dolby Atmos when using E-AC3 audio track that is included in our Headphone Dust MKV files. To take full advantage of this, an Apple TV connected to a Dolby Atmos capable device (such as an AV receiver, soundbar, or other audio device) is recommended. Please note: An active subscription to Infuse Pro is required to enable Dolby Atmos playback. Audio Output Settings (tvOS) Audio settings on the Apple TV can be adjusted through Apple TV > Settings > Video and Audio > Audio Format. - Auto (recommended): Audio will be sent as uncompressed, multi-channel LPCM (up to 7.1 channels and 24-bit) - Dolby Digital 5.1: Audio will be sent as Dolby Digital AC3 (5.1 channels and 16-bit) - Stereo: Audio will be sent as stereo (2.0 channels) The Apple TV does not currently support 96khz sample rates, but if these are played in Infuse they will automatically be converted to 48KHz. Note: Dolby TrueHD audio tracks included in the Headphone Dust MKV files are encoded at 48KHz. Are the Hi-Res Stereo and Hi-Res 5.1 Surround tracks in the Headphone Dust MKV supported on Infuse? Yes! Infuse will pass these formats as multi-channel LPCM.

Last updated on Feb 08, 2026

Recommended Hardware & Software Combinations

To hear the full artistic intent of a Headphone Dust MKV file, your Player, Software, and Speaker System must all be compatible. Identify your setup below: Tier 1: The Reference Experience Full support for Lossless Dolby Atmos TrueHD. - Nvidia Shield TV Pro - Recommended Apps: Plex, Kodi - Why: It is the best mainstream streamer that passes the raw, untouched studio data to your receiver. - Zidoo (Z9X / UHD Series) - Recommended Apps: Native "Home Theater" Player. - Why: High-end hardware designed specifically for massive 4K MKV files and lossless audio. - Dune HD Players - Recommended Apps: Native Dune Media Center. - Why: Handles advanced Dolby TrueHD Atmos metadata flawlessly. Tier 2: The Convenience Experience High-quality audio, but involves some internal conversion or loss of Atmos "height" data. - Apple TV 4K - Recommended App: Infuse Pro. - Note: Infuse converts TrueHD to "LPCM." It sounds excellent, but you will lose the specific Atmos "3D object" placement. You can still enjoy the standard Dolby Atmos audio though to get the "3D object" placement, just with compressed audio quality. - Mac (macOS) - Recommended Apps: Infuse Pro. - Note: Best for Stereo, 5.1 and Dolby Atmos listening. Optimised for the standard Dolby Atmos E-AC3 Atmos track. Perfect for playing back Dolby Atmos audio on AirPods Pro/Max! - iPhone / iPad - Recommended App: Infuse Pro. - Note: The note from above about the Mac app applies here too as Infuse is a universal app! - Fire TV Stick 4K Max - Recommended Apps: Kodi or Plex. - Note: Capable of Dolby TrueHD Atmos passthrough, but it may struggle with the very high bitrates of our 4K H265 video. Tier 3: Incompatible / Not Recommended These setups will likely result in "No Sound" or a significant drop in quality. - Internal Smart TV Apps: Apps like Plex inside your LG, Samsung, or Sony TV usually cannot handle TrueHD. They will downgrade the audio to standard 5.1. - Optical (TOSLINK) Cables: These cables do not have the bandwidth for Atmos or 96kHz audio. You will only hear standard Stereo or 5.1 Surround in 48kHz. - Standard HDMI ARC: To play our Dolby TrueHD Atmos tracks, you need HDMI eARC (the 'e' stands for Enhanced). Standard ARC is limited to "Streaming-grade" Atmos only. Our recommendation on selecting the right audio track for you: If your gear falls into Tier 2 or 3, we strongly recommend opening your player's audio menu and selecting the "Dolby Atmos (E-AC3)" or "Hi-Res Stereo/5.1 Surround" track for the best results.

Last updated on Feb 08, 2026