Hulu adds 5.1 Surround to LG WebOS 3.5 TV's

Yeah, I recently signed up for Hulu, and it is extremely disappointing that so little content offers 5.1 and on so few devices. I would at least expect it on their original content and on major streaming devices like FireTV, AppleTV, and Roku.

 

All too often when a streaming provider says they offer programming, there's something conspicuously missing. One of the first things to fall by the wayside seems to be the original audio format. I this case, it may be limited to a particular client, but it should be noted in big print that some may suffer substandard program features.

Most of the modern network TV programs feature 5.1 sound (such as it may be) so to claim that you're offering the programming, you should necessarily offer the sound that came with it.

 

It is a bummer that Hulu doesn't (yet) broadly support 5.1 audio. That said, though, their HD picture quality is better than what you see on cable, satellite and the vast majority of OTA. Really wish they'd expand their support for 4K to more devices beyond just two game consoles, though...

 

The number of such LG televisions out in the wild is surely a vanishingly small fraction of the gaming consoles, Roku, FireTV or Apple TVs. I'd imagine even the Nintendo Switch has many more units out there.

That the older LG TVs can't go there is a bit of a slap in the face. How often do they think they can get people to buy new televisions?

Smart TVs have a demonstrated track record of only being smart for a few years and then they become not-so-smart overnight. Even the TVs with modular brains haven't been all that up-to-date in practice and the cost to upgrade substantial.

 

I wasn't trying to take anything away from Hulu for supporting WebOS with 5.1. I was just surprised they support so few devices with 5.1 overall.

 

Baby steps?

 

Hulu is almost 10 years old. Hardly a baby anymore.

 

Steps with regard to the 5.1 rollout.... Maybe they are beta testing, Dish style....

 

I understood your meaning. I just don't understand what is taking so long. It isn't like their competitors just added it or something. Netflix is adding Dolby Atmos while Hulu is finally getting around to 5.1 on a limited number of devices and shows.

 

I hear that! In the same vein, CBS All Access is 2.0 as well. I might think about it if they were 5.1....

 

Yes! Absolutely. I did actually sub to watch the new Star Trek, and it was annoying to only get 2 channel stereo, especially when the pilot was broadcast in 5.1 OTA. Why anything professionally produced is available with less than 5.1 audio these days is a mystery to me.

 

You might think that the lesson of the original Terminator (monaural audio track) may not be so easily forgotten.

I blame crappy sound bars in leaving them an out.

 

^This. 10-15 years ago, people who wanted an inexpensive theater-like surround sound were picking up home-theater-in-a-box setups for ~$200; some even combined the DVD player. I talked a couple of girlfriends at the time into getting one (if they ever wanted me to come to their home for "movie night" ). Now retailers are pushing the sound bars as add-ons to new TV purchases. Even my dad, who was an earlier adopter for home theater audio, switched to a sound platform two years ago to eliminate the clutter of his 5.1 surround system (which is now my bedroom system). There definitely isn't as much incentive now for streaming platforms to stay current on the audio side, as the push for more 4K content has probably taken priority.

 

I watched 11-22-63 on Hulu a few years back. It looked very good, the sound, meh. Later I bought a bluray of the same program. OMG the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack was spectacular! I am now watching Castle Rock. Once again, picture looks great, sound, meh. I'll be buying the bluray first out....

That said, and to continue CBS All Access, I am doing a weeklong trial on it right now. It looks very good. Sound on Live and On Demand is stereo and not so good. I do notice that the Originals, Star Trek and the like have 5.1 sound!

 

Star Trek Discovery has 5.1? That was not the case previously. What device are you watching on?

 

AppleTV 4K. My Denon shows Multi Channel and my Denon app shows the same, 5.1 in and out. Now, I don’t hear anything coming out of the rears so it may well be stereo with sub on. I’ve got to play with it more.

 

OK. Interesting. It was definitely 2.0 out of my Roku Premier+ into my Pioneer when I watched.

 

I am watching Discovery, episode 2. I went speaker to speaker. I am getting soundtrack music front left and right. Voices are restricted to the center channel. I could hear just a touch of music in the rears. Then, I heard ship PA in the rears, not loud but there. The sub is rocking...