Best audio formats that direct stream

[farside847 39]

I am used to encoding all my movies in stereo, but I am getting a new speaker system that can handle all the new formats and I want to take advantage of it.

 

I see on the wiki that dts is suported via pass through, and dolby digital via AC3. The source on most of my blurays is DTS-HD. Can I pass through any of the newer audio formats and still direct play?

 

I will be connecting my roku to my sound systems through hdmi and it supports Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital+, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD, and LPCM.

 

Thanks!

[speechles 1917]

All but TrueHD will pass through. DTS-HD will use the DTS (5.1) core. If you use the blueneon app it will transcode TrueHD into DD+ (ac3 7.1). If you lack DD+ this will transcode to DD (ac3 5.1). DTS can only pass through when direct playing. Dolby Digital (both dd and dd+) can always pass through direct as well as transcoded. LPCM also passes through direct or transcoded up to 5.1(6) channels.

 

The roku firmware update to version 7.1.0 build 4062-02 has fixes for subtitle and audio stream selection. You can choose between an aac, dts, ac3, or another languages audio track, all while directly playing on the fly.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Edited April 13, 2016 by speechles

[farside847 39]

Wow. That's more that I expected! I will try to pass through the DTS-HD first to preserve the original audio. I guess if I run into dolby trueHD I will encode it as DD+.

 

Good news about the firmware update. I want to keep a stereo track on there for compatability. Hopefully it will be released to everyone soon.

[farside847 39]

I made two test files to try first with handbrake, even though i am still waiting on my new receiver. I'm impatient

 - one was a DVD that I encoded to an MP4 with a stereo track like normal, but this time I added a second AC3 passthrough Dolby 5.1 track.

 - same thing with a bluray, converted to an MP4 with a stereo track and a second audio track with the DTS-HD passthrough. 

 

i also just gt the new 7.1 firmware today.

 

I left the HDMI audio setting in the Roku settings to auto, and it direct plays with the stereo track as expected.

I changed the HDMI audio setting from auto to DD and it then defaults and direct plays Dolby! Nice! cant her it yet, but that's expected.

 

issues

 - When i click the * during playback it says there are no audio options, so i cant change the track

 - If i go back to the emby app and click on Audio options before i play the file, it shows two tracks, both named "eng". 

 - if i select the other "eng" track and hit play, it transcodes.

 

questions:

 - should i be able to select the audio track during playback?

 - if i had DD enabled, should i be able to choose stereo or DD tracks in the Emby app before i play the file, and still direct play?

 - is there a way to change the track names displayed instead of "eng"? (i use handbrake and typed in a track name like "stereo" and "Dolby")

 

thanks!

[speechles 1917]

 

I know for anime and such, yes, on the fly caption and audio selection during direct play works fine.

 

If the roku detects DD it will choose the ac3 track. If the roku detects stereo it will default to the aac. If both are marked as default it may not let you choose which is which. How are the audio tracks marked in your media?

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[farside847 39]

thanks for the reply! Stereo is default, and I am ok with that if I can select the track.

 

I notice you are using

 - a mkv container.

 - the neon app - not the official

 

I am using the official app. does it matter for this feature?

 

[speechles 1917]

I use the blueneon app but it should not matter versus the official. It makes no difference for the audio stream change. It will work the same in either app. The part that may matter is the container. MKV might be the difference. I just havent tested this theory.

 

Also, because it is direct playing emby isnt involved in the audio stream handling when changing it on-the-fly. The roku controls the playback at thst point. This is why the "Audio & Subtitles" menu is there. In case the roku isnt allowing changes on-the-fly you can do so before you play the video. The penalty for doing it this way, is it may cause transcoding to allow your selection to play.

 

I will do more testing on this later to see mp4 vs mkv if there are differences to how the roku treats them.

Edited April 17, 2016 by speechles

[farside847 39]

Just did a quick test. Using a mkv container allows me to change the track while playing the movie and still direct play. mp4 does not work. No biggie now that I know.

 

Selecting a track from the emby app and then hitting play still causes transcode. Does this happen to you too?

 

Also is there any way to make the track more identifiable? Track 1 English or track 2 English does not tell me what is stereo and what is dolby.

 

Thanks!

[speechles 1917]

Selecting a track from the emby app and then hitting play still causes transcode. Does this happen to you too?

Yes, when you request emby to "intervene" in how audio or subtitles is handled prior to play this will assume direct play had issues. So it will remux the video/audio depending on what you selected there. Subtitles it may burn into the video this way.

 

Also is there any way to make the track more identifiable? Track 1 English or track 2 English does not tell me what is stereo and what is dolby.

Not that I know of offhand, but... The list is always "in order". So audio 1 of 2 will always be aac in your case. 2 of 2 will be ac3.

 

@@Luke the new firmware is now in the wild and auto updates users. It is rolling out, so you can undo the internal subtitle burn-in the server does on the roku. Thanks.

 

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Edited April 17, 2016 by speechles

[Luke 37060]

Support for media track display titles will be in the upcoming server release.

[farside847 39]

Awesome!

[Luke 37060]

that doesn't have anything to do with the main title of this topic, just be aware.

[stuartsjg 2]

Hi,

 

I am aware from reading the various forum posts on the subject that Emby / Roku (Now TV) cannot handle all sound stream configs, but im pretty sure it should be able to handle more of mine.  Emby bit rate setting is 20Mbps with wired Roku connection.

 

I bought a new (to me) Onkyo amplifier with the main reason of getting surround out of the HDMI on Roku as before i just had stereo via a box which pulled it off the HDMI before my old amplifier.

 

The amplifier can handle the following: DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS-HD Express, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Pro Logic® IIz.

 

Ive played various movies and test files (just looking randomly as without checking them all, ive no real idea what format they are in).

 

Often emby (web browser) will report 5.1 as available but i only get PCM stereo 48kHz out.   Suspect its due to file type and audio format combinations not being right.

 

Ive attached a heap of media info files for reference.

 

Would be handy to know whats going on as perhaps i can rebuild some of the files into a more compatible format.

 

EDIT:  Ive put some of the test files onto my google drive, these can be downloaded here.

Plays as DD - Star Trek 12 - Into Darkness.txt

Plays as DD EX - Terminator Genisys.txt

Plays as DTS - Interstellar.txt

Plays as DTS - Top Gun 1986 HD1080 DTS.txt

Plays as PCM - 2001.txt

Plays as PCM - Atmos TrueHD 7.1 1080 24P Lossless - Horizon.txt

Plays as PCM - DTS-HD MA 5.1 1080 24p Lossless - IMAX 2014 Pre-show.txt

Plays as PCM - Joy 2015.txt

Plays as PCM - The Terminator (1984).txt

Plays as PCM - TrueHD 5.1 1080 24p Lossless - Sports sound demo.txt

Edited May 20, 2016 by stuartsjg