GoKawiil
Tech News
Microsoft confirmed that installing the optional September 2026 KB5124010 preview update for Windows 11 can crash games, media players and productivity apps that rely on built-in AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio decoding. Affected apps may fail to launch, close unexpectedly, or work until audio features are triggered. Microsoft says the issue mainly hits legacy software and has not given a timeline for a fix.
Streaming tags like 'Dolby Atmos' and 'Lossless' refer to two separate audio technologies: Atmos creates a 3D soundstage by placing sounds in space, while lossless audio preserves the full quality of a recording without the data loss found in formats like MP3 or AAC. Because Atmos typically relies on the lossy Dolby Digital Plus codec, and lossless streaming uses formats like FLAC or ALAC, most platforms can't offer both simultaneously.
Dolby Digital Plus, or E-AC-3, is a lossy audio codec that can support up to 7.1 channels, but it can also carry standard 5.1 audio, meaning its presence doesn't guarantee extra surround channels. It was built specifically for streaming and downloadable content, which is why services like Netflix rely on it, and it can also serve as a delivery method for Dolby Atmos object-based audio.