- Disney+ subscribers think the platform is changing the availability of Dolby Atmos at different times of the day
- They believe this is due to server load during chat streaming hours.
- Disney has not yet resolved the situation
Have you noticed any changes in audio quality when streaming titles on Disney+ recently? If so, you’ll be happy to know that you’re not alone in this.
Some Disney+ subscribers have noticed that the platform appears to adjust the audio formats available at certain times – mainly during peak times – depending on server load. While this could simply be a misinterpretation, it appears that a handful of users have experienced this, and some have taken to Reddit to resolve the issue.
In the main Reddit post, the author notes that they were able to stream with Dolby Atmos during the day, but only in 5.1 audio in the evening, despite subscribing to Disney+ Premium.
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Only the Premium Disney+ plan ($18.99/£14.99/AU$20.99 per month) gives you access to Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision viewing, while the ad-supported Basic plan at $11.99/£5.99/AU$9.99 per month offers viewing of up to 5.1 audio and 1080p Full HD video.
Unsurprisingly, users don’t understand why they’re experiencing this apparent issue when they think they should be able to access Dolby Atmos-supported titles regardless of the time of day since they’re subscribed to the Premium plan. “I only noticed it because the sound was a lot lower, then I noticed it was only showing 5.1 even though I was sure it was Dolby Atmos. I thought I was going crazy,” the author of the original Reddit post said in a reply to another user.
The issue appears to occur during peak evening streaming times, and several posters suggest that because Disney+ servers are busier during these times, there isn’t enough bandwidth for users to stream Dolby Atmos-supported content, with one Reddit user describing it as “a pressure relief valve.”
It looks like this is also happening across a range of devices where Disney+ is available. One user shared “This happened on all my devices, LG C3, Xbox, PS5 and even on my phone. I was in a live chat with [Disney+] “The Disney+ help page describes cases where the highest quality audio may not be streamed. The company states that while “Disney+ will automatically use the highest quality audio supported on your device (including external sound systems or soundbars) and available with your plan,” it still depends on the internet connection, device capability, and platform settings, emphasizing that not all content on the platform is Dolby. Atmos supported.
Disney+ has yet to publicly address the issue, but we’ve reached out to them for comment and to ask if there are any workarounds users can try. We will update this article if and when we receive a response.
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