Dolby Atmos support coming to Xbox One and Windows 10

As part of Atmos support, the Xbox One and Xbox One S will also finally feature Dolby Bitstream pass-through, which fires audio data over HDMI untouched to a TV or receiver for decoding.

If you are not familiar with Dolby Atmos, we have included some information below about this new and exciting audio technology.

Dolby is once again bringing the thrilling impact of the movie theater experience into your living room. Their latest surround sound technology, Dolby Atmos, offers new levels of depth and realism that will make movie and game soundtracks even more immersive and exciting.

Dolby Atmos is a new audio format for creating and playing back multichannel movie soundtracks. It was developed to give movie sound a more three-dimensional effect. Traditional 5.1- and 7.1-channel surround sound setups deliver captivating sound using speakers placed all around your room. Dolby Atmos takes this to another level with speakers to create a “height” layer of sound above the listener.

This overhead sound extends the height of your system’s soundstage while also allowing for some very cool effects. Imagine hearing an airplane flying over your head ‑ not just in front of and behind you. With a Dolby Atmos setup, your ears can locate sounds with pinpoint accuracy, for a more realistic and enveloping listening experience to complement the visual excitement on your TV.

While Dolby Atmos may be new to home theaters, it’s already in use in hundreds of movie theaters. Movie soundtracks are being created and mixed to take advantage of the unique experience Dolby Atmos offers. This technology is poised to inject more excitement and drama into your home theater ‑ no matter if you have a modest living room setup or a dedicated theater room.

What do you need for Dolby Atmos?

Blu-ray discs with Dolby Atmos soundtracks are already hitting stores (don’t worry ‑ they’ll work in your current Blu-ray player). In a conventional surround setup, you’ll need a home theater receiver capable of decoding Dolby Atmos soundtracks, as well as speakers to project sound from above you. For a simpler solution, check out Atmos enabled sound bars — they make it easy to get Atmos in your home.