Quick answer: the Google TV Streamer, Fire TV Cube, Apple TV 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Plus do Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Atmos. The Nvidia Shield TV Pro skips HDR10+ but is the only one that passes DTS:X and TrueHD to a receiver. The Fire TV Stick 4K Select does HDR10+ only. Also in this guide: which TV brands use which format, and how to get Atmos to your soundbar.
A Dolby Vision streaming device is only worth it if your TV speaks Dolby Vision too, and that’s where most people trip up. Every 4K box and stick I cover plays HDR10. After that they split, and the split follows TV brands more than price. A ₹5,500 Fire TV Stick can show a better picture on a Samsung TV than a ₹37,000 Shield, purely because of which formats each one supports.
The table below puts all seven devices against each format, from each maker’s own spec page. “Not listed” means the maker doesn’t list it. Under the table I explain what each format needs from your TV and sound system, so you don’t pay for a feature your screen can’t use.
Which Dolby Vision streaming device supports what
| Device | Dolby Vision | HDR10+ | Dolby Atmos | DTS and TrueHD passthrough | Price in India |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia Shield TV Pro | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | About ₹37,000 from Amazon US |
| Google TV Streamer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | About ₹14,000 |
| Fire TV Cube | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Launched at ₹13,999 |
| Apple TV 4K | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | ₹39,900 |
| Fire TV Stick 4K Plus | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | About ₹5,500 |
| Fire TV Stick 4K Select | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | About ₹4,000 |
| Chromecast with Google TV (4K) | Yes | Yes | Dolby pass-through | Not listed | Discontinued |
All seven play plain HDR10, and the Google TV Streamer, Fire TV Cube, Apple TV 4K and Chromecast add HLG as well. Every one of them outputs 4K at up to 60 fps.
Dolby Vision vs HDR10+: what the difference is
HDR10 is the baseline. Every 4K HDR TV understands it, and it sets brightness once for the whole film. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ both go a step further: they carry extra data in the video that adjusts brightness scene by scene, so a dark night scene and a bright daytime scene each get tuned on their own.
Dolby Vision is Dolby’s format. HDR10+ is the one Samsung backs. On a TV that supports them, both look better than plain HDR10, and I wouldn’t lose sleep over which of the two is “better”. What matters is which one your TV has, because a box sending a format your TV can’t read just falls back to HDR10.
Your streaming plan matters too. Dolby Vision needs the app, the title and your subscription tier to carry it. Netflix gives 4K only on its top plan, so check your plan before you blame the box.
Which TV brands in India use which format
LG, Sony and most TCL and Xiaomi TVs sold in India do Dolby Vision, usually from the mid-range up. Samsung is the odd one out. Its TVs skip Dolby Vision and use HDR10+ instead. That one fact decides more streaming-box purchases than anything else on this page.
Don’t go by brand alone, though. Look up your exact model number on the maker’s site and read the HDR line in the spec sheet. Dolby Vision tends to start from the mid-range, so entry-level models don’t always have it.
Streaming device for a Samsung TV with HDR10+
Pick anything except the Shield. The Shield doesn’t output HDR10+, so on a Samsung it only sends plain HDR10. The Google TV Streamer, Fire TV Cube, Apple TV 4K and both Fire TV 4K sticks all send HDR10+. On a budget, the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is the one I’d buy for a Samsung. With more to spend, the Google TV Streamer.
Streaming device for a Dolby Vision TV
Five boxes list it: the Shield TV Pro, Google TV Streamer, Fire TV Cube, Apple TV 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Plus. The Chromecast does too, but it’s discontinued. Skip the Fire TV Stick 4K Select for a Dolby Vision TV, because Amazon doesn’t list Dolby Vision for it. The two sticks look almost identical, so read the name before you pay. I’ve compared them in Fire TV Stick 4K Plus vs Select.
Dolby Atmos streaming devices in India: the eARC chain
Every box in the table except the 4K Select lists Dolby Atmos. Getting Atmos to actually play is less about the box and more about the path the sound takes to your speakers. Most streaming boxes send Atmos inside a Dolby Digital Plus stream, and every device in the chain has to pass it along.
- Plug the streaming box into one of the TV’s HDMI ports that supports 4K HDR.
- Connect your soundbar or receiver to the TV’s HDMI port marked eARC (or ARC on older TVs).
- In the TV’s sound settings, set the HDMI audio output to pass the sound through to the soundbar or receiver.
- Play a title that has an Atmos track in an app that streams it.
Your soundbar or receiver has to decode Atmos too. If you’re still shopping for one, my budget soundbar picks are a good place to start, and my Creative soundbar picks cover a few more.
DTS and TrueHD passthrough
This only matters if you own an AV receiver and play films ripped from Blu-ray discs through Plex or Kodi. Those files often carry DTS-HD, DTS:X or Dolby TrueHD audio. Streaming apps like Netflix and Prime Video don’t use these formats, so for them it makes no difference.
Only the Nvidia Shield TV Pro lists DTS:X, DTS-HD and TrueHD passthrough. It sends the original track to your receiver untouched, and the receiver does the decoding. The other boxes list Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Atmos, so a DTS-HD or TrueHD track may drop to a lossy mix. If you’ve got the receiver and the library, the Shield is the one. My Kodi, Stremio and Nuvio guide covers the app side of that setup.
Check these before you blame the box
Cable and port
Use the cable that came in the box or any Ultra High Speed HDMI cable, and plug into the TV port that supports 4K HDR. A wrong port is the most common reason Dolby Vision never switches on. If you need a new cable, my premium HDMI cable picks have a few that work.
TV input settings
Many TVs ship with each HDMI input in a standard mode. Switch the input your box uses to its enhanced or full-range mode if your TV offers one, otherwise HDR can stay off.
The box’s own settings
What Hi-Fi noted that the Fire TV Cube sometimes doesn’t switch into Dolby Vision by itself. You can select Dolby Vision manually in its display settings. And if one show lacks the Dolby Vision or Atmos badge, that’s the show, not your box.
The best pick for each setup
Three boxes cover almost every TV and sound system in Indian homes. Here’s which one I’d buy for which setup.
1. Google TV Streamer
Best for any TV. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ in one box, so it suits both Samsung and LG or Sony screens.
It plays Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG at 4K 60 fps, plus Dolby Atmos over HDMI 2.1, and it has Gigabit Ethernet built in. If you might change your TV in a few years, this is the safe pick, because it covers whichever format the next one uses. It’s about ₹14,000 on Amazon.in. My Google TV Streamer India guide has more.
2. Nvidia Shield TV Pro
Best for a receiver. The only box here that passes DTS:X, DTS-HD and TrueHD.
It plays Dolby Vision and HDR10 at 4K 60 fps and sends Atmos, DTS:X, DTS-HD and TrueHD to a receiver untouched. Two USB 3.0 ports take a hard drive full of films. It doesn’t do HDR10+, so it’s the wrong box for a Samsung TV. It’s listed on Amazon.in, and Amazon US delivers it for about ₹37,000 with duty included at checkout. I’ve put it against Google’s box in Shield TV Pro vs Google TV Streamer.
3. Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
Best budget pick. Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Atmos for about ₹5,500.
It lists the same three formats as boxes that cost two or three times as much, runs on Wi-Fi 6, and the Alexa remote controls your TV’s power and volume. It has no Ethernet port, so add Amazon’s adapter if your Wi-Fi is weak. Make sure the listing says 4K Plus, not 4K Select, because the Select doesn’t list Dolby Vision or Atmos.
The Apple TV 4K also does all three formats and has an official India price of ₹39,900. It makes sense if your home runs on iPhones. The Fire TV Cube does them too, and is the pick if you want hands-free Alexa.
Warranty and support
The Fire TV sticks and the Apple TV 4K are sold in India, so they’re covered here like any other Amazon.in or Apple purchase. The Shield and the Google TV Streamer aren’t sold officially in India, so their maker warranty stays with the country you bought from. Amazon’s return window still covers an Amazon-fulfilled order of either.
Frequently asked questions
Which streaming device supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+?
The Google TV Streamer, Fire TV Cube, Apple TV 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Plus and Chromecast with Google TV all list both. The Nvidia Shield TV Pro lists Dolby Vision and HDR10 but not HDR10+.
What is the best HDR10+ streaming device for a Samsung TV?
The Google TV Streamer at about ₹14,000, or the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus at about ₹5,500 on a budget. Both send HDR10+, which Samsung TVs use in place of Dolby Vision.
Which Dolby Atmos streaming device should I buy in India?
For a soundbar, the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is enough, and it’s on Amazon.in for about ₹5,500. For a receiver with DTS-HD or TrueHD files, buy the Nvidia Shield TV Pro.
Does the Fire TV Stick 4K Select support Dolby Vision?
Amazon lists HDR10+ for the Select and doesn’t list Dolby Vision or Atmos. The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus lists both.
Do I need a special HDMI cable for Dolby Vision?
Use the cable in the box or an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable, plugged into a TV port that supports 4K HDR.
Verdict
Look up your TV’s HDR formats first, then pick the box. For a Dolby Vision TV, any of the five boxes that list it will do. For a Samsung with HDR10+, skip the Shield and get the Google TV Streamer or the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus. For a receiver with DTS-HD or TrueHD tracks, the Shield is the one. Everything else comes down to price, apps and ports, and that’s all in my best streaming device in India ranking. If you’re importing, my Amazon US buying guide walks through the order.
