Issues with 5.1 Surround Sound with Windows 10

The answer is simple, Microsoft didn't pay for it.

For the last 20 years, Microsoft had only paid for it during Windows 7's 2009-2012 existence.

You bought a computer in the Windows XP era and you bought a DVD burner --- the DVD burner came with DVD software player so you didn't have to pay for extra money for the Media Center edition. You skip Vista because everybody hated Vista. You got Windows 7, used your old DVD burner but Microsoft gave you a free DVD software player. You skip Windows 8 because everybody skipped Windows 8. You now have Windows 10, which like Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 8, doesn't come with Dolby Digital.

Maybe you even bought a motherboard or sound card that came with Dolby Digital Live which does real time Dolby Digital encoding.

The Netflix app is basically the Edge browser + Dolby license --- and it is Netflix that is paying Dolby money for the licensing fee.

You know why Google/Youtube created their own codecs? They don't want to pay for the licensing fees.

The sooner you understand that this is a money issue and not a technical issue --- the sooner you will realize that there is no possible fix.

What? You think that Microsoft couldn't fix a simple "bug" in 5 year's Windows 10 lifetime.

There were 4 parties that could have paid for it in the past for you --- the DVD burner manufacturer, Microsoft, motherboard manufacturer and sound card manufacturer. You can go to Microsoft Store and pay $15 for Dolby Atmos.

Not really an answer. Dolby is the industry standard in both movies and music. I do understand what you are saying when you ask whom for certain services. Example netflix.  You get 5.1 in the app....but not in a browser....unless you add come coding in the browser....so it works fine for me now without the app.  Now if I only watch Netflix that would be nice....lol.  maybe I will after Susan Rice is no longer on the board.  If it is 5.1 encoded it should play 5.1. I don't know if it is even a microsoft issue....or care. I just want it to work.  It often doesn't.  DVD's, music cd's always play 5.1.  Downloaded content even though it should because it is 5.1 encoded (I can see the coding) doesn't. Just looking for a possible fix.

The music encoded with 5.1 by WHOM. They will provide you with an app player playing the music with 5.1. If it is a streaming music service, then that streaming music service will also provide you with an app player.

Every thing works in test. Everything works watching a dvd.  I have the latest codecs.  I built the computer. It decodes Dolby...etc.....  When streaming or playing music that has been downloaded it is in stereo. Just trying to find answers on that. The stereo playing items are encoded with 5.1 but won't play 5.1. Just trying to figure out why. I freely admit I may be missing something simple. Just reaching out to see what I may have missed. As a side note I mentioned I used to be able to "fill" but that driver seems to be a windows 7 deal.

1. "Speaker Fill" (aka stereo upmix to 5.1) is a "feature" in the Realtek driver that is enabled or disabled by your computer manufacturer. Nothing to do with Microsoft.

2. Testing digital optical with test signal --- is testing whether or not your AV receiver can decode Dolby Digital or DTS. It does not mean your computer can decode encrypted Dolby Digital or DTS.