The Google TV Streamer, launched in August 2024, has received its first major update of the year. While updates usually bring improvements and new features, this one has a mixed bag of changes, especially for those who prioritize high-quality audio.
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What is Google TV Streamer?
Google launched its latest TV streaming device at the end of summer 2024, ditching the Chromecast name and opting for a set-top-box design like Apple TV. It also sounded a move away from the dongle format and the popular Amazon Fire TV Stick, towards a more sleek-looking device with plenty of features.
In addition to supporting various picture and audio formats, the Google TV Streamer includes Matter, enabling it to connect with and control various smart home devices directly from your TV.
Audio Codec Controversy
Originally, the Google TV Streamer supported a range of high-end audio codecs, including Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus. It even detected Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, raising hopes for future support.
The Update: What Changed?
Unfortunately, a recent software update seems to have dashed those hopes. According to a report on Android Authority, the update has removed the options for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Google hasn’t released detailed information about the update, but users on an Android TV subreddit have documented the changes.
While the update fixes issues with Dolby Atmos and webcam detection and updates the remote to version 1.02, the removal of lossless audio format support is a significant drawback for audiophiles.
Hope for the Future
Despite this setback, there’s still a chance that Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio support could return in a future update. For now, users who were anticipating these features will have to wait and see.
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