Shield TV 2017 playing Hi-Res FLAC

[cchsieh 8]

I installed Emby for Android TV on my nVidia Shield TV 2017. My Shield TV connects to SONY STR-DN860. The audio channel (DTS-HD/TrueHD) of movies all plays correctly. But if I play Hi-Res FLAC (24bit, 96khz/192khz), it only plays as 48khz.

 

I installed KODI/SPMC on Shield TV, too. And found that they can play Hi-Res FLAC (24bit, 96khz/192khz) correctly without downgrading to 48khz.

 

BTW, KODI/SPMC can play DSD64/DSD128 as 176khz.

 

So how can I do for it ?

 

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

Jonathan Hsieh

Edited May 4, 2017 by cchsieh

[ebr 14913]

Hi.  I don't believe the Android OS supports that format (at least it didn't last I checked).

 

Kodi is not truly an Android app so it can get around some of the limitations in the OS.

[cchsieh 8]

Refer to http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4410/~/how-do-i-play-high-resolution-audio-on-my-shield-tv%3F

 

SHIELD TV supports up High Resolution Audio up to 32-bit 192 kHz audio delivered via HDMI as long as the app has supports for high resolution audio.   Additionally, your audio setup must support for these formats for work properly.

[ebr 14913]

We will have to investigate further but do you know of any app other than a Kodi variant that can do this on the box?

[cchsieh 8]

I tested PLEX and make sure it can play 96khz/192khz FLAC.

 

Google Play Music can play 96khz/192khz FLAC, too.

 

If you suggest to test any apps, please tell me. And I'll test it.

Edited May 5, 2017 by cchsieh

[cchsieh 8]

After reading some webpages, they seems be played correctly through android's ExoPlayer.

 

I don't understand android programming actually .

Edited May 10, 2017 by cchsieh

[ToddSexington 1]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but Emby currently wants to transcode 96/24 to 192 aac for an Android client, where Plex direct plays.

[ebr 14913]

Someone want to provide me a sample file for testing?

[ToddSexington 1]

Someone want to provide me a sample file for testing?

PM me, I can

[ebr 14913]

Thanks for the sample.  It is direct playing for me through the app on my Shield.  What is the issue?

 

 

Edit:  Ah, I see - the player/device is downsampling to 48khz.  I'm not sure exactly where that is occurring in the chain.

[ToddSexington 1]

In my signal path, it is transcoding the stream down to 192k aac for a Galaxy S4 phone as the endpoint, remote networked from the server (i.e. away from home). It seems to want to do this for only some higher bitrate/frequency FLACs. Some it will direct play. Not a huge issue, but one I want to expose and optimize in any way I can. 

 

I will try and do some more client-side testing with a Tab A to see if the client platform makes a difference. 

[Madaudio 0]

I have recently bought the Nvidia Shield TV (16Gb 2017 version) and added a Samsung 240Gb SSD disk chosen as adopted internal storage.

 

I have a number of 5.1 channel 96K 24bit flac files (most are rips from my own DVD-A discs, one or two from downloads).

 

Have tried playback via Kodi, vlc, google music player etc.

 

They either get converted to 2-channel, or down-mixed to 48K (not sure about the bit rate).

 

Can Emby in its present form for android tv os do better?  I have been told in a number of other forums that this is a problem not with any of the players, but with Android TV OS.

 

Playback is through my 7.1 channel NAD T775 HD receiver.  Files are stored in a 3TB HD plugged into my Nighthawk R7000 router.

 

Currently able to play through my Oppo 95 blu-ray player, perfect reproduction, but had hoped to move all audio/video playback to shield (esp for playback of ISO dvd files which the Oppo won't do)

[cchsieh 8]

I think that, for Android (TV) 7.0 above, the audio output is limited by the firmware of the machine, not Android itself. Of course, apps need to support it correctly.

 

nVidia Shield TV limits multi-channel sample rate to 48K only. It can play two-channel 48K/96K/176K/192Khz correctly as I tested. I can play 5.1 channel DSD as 5.1 channel 48Khz in KODI with Emby addon. Emby still has problems to play audio with multi-channel or high sample rate. Still hope to solve it.

Edited July 25, 2017 by cchsieh

[Luke 37064]

Why do you think emby has problems with multi channel audio?

[cchsieh 8]

Tested long ago and have wrong memory. Emby can play multi-channal FLAC, but cannot play 2-channel 96/192khz FLAC as KODI with Emby addon can.

 

Sorry for that.

[Madaudio 0]

Why do you think emby has problems with multi channel audio?

It is the ability of the shield - not Emby - I am asking about.  Or rather, their combined abilities.  But not multi-channel audio in general, but hi-res multi-channel audio in flac format.

 

Using passthrough, Kodi or plex can do the full DTS MA or Dolby Tru HD on the shield, but I suspect both attempt to transcode FLAC instead of passing it through.

 

Please note this from Nvidia:

http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4410/~/how-do-i-play-high-resolution-audio-on-my-shield-tv%3F

 

Note their comment:

 

"SHIELD TV supports up High Resolution Audio up to 32-bit 192 kHz audio delivered via HDMI as long as the app has supports for high resolution audio.   Additionally, your audio setup must support for these formats for work properly."

 

It seems Plex can handle all hires stereo flac, while Kodi and SPMC have probs with the 24bit 176K stereo flac.  But multi-channel hires flac doesn't get a look-in!!

 

I was hoping maybe Emby on the Shield could do this.

 

As stated, my setup is:  source files on a HD plugged into my router, accessed via ethernet by shield, passed via HDMI to my av receiver (NAD T775 HD)

[cchsieh 8]

Actually, KODI "17" in Shield TV can play two-channel DSD audio as 176Khz, the best result in PCM receiver I think. I don't have 176Khz FLAC, and I didn't test it.

 

For me, I installed both Emby and Plex server now, because they have different problems in their apps for me. I use KODI with Emby addon for hi-res audio, especially DSD audio, but KODI UI behavior is not like standard app UI, I don't like it. Plex only can play hi-res FLAC (DSD audio will be transcoded to low profile). Emby cannot play any hi-res FLAC as hi sample rate.

 

I still want only one server in my PC and only one app to choose for my family.

[Madaudio 0]

 

"Plex only can play hi-res FLAC (DSD audio will be transcoded to low profile)."

 

 

Yeh, but only STEREO hires flac, not multi-channel hires flac.  This is my problem.

 

I need an app that can play 5.1 channel 96K 24bit flac without changing it to stereo 2 channel or downsampling to 48K.

 

The big question is, is this just a matter of waiting until such an app is written (or present apps modified to do it) or is it a matter of the Shield TV hardware or firmware preventing any app from achieving this.  Or is it Androis OS preventing it??

Edited July 26, 2017 by Madaudio

[cchsieh 8]

For Shield TV, I think it is impossible now and it's the firmware limit. Maybe ask nVidia modify their firmware to support more audio profile in next update. Actually Shield TV doesn't support 44.1Khz audio (converted to 48Khz), that's really bad for CD audio and MP3.

[Luke 37064]

Just a correction to post #16 - we can also do full DTS MA or Dolby Tru HD

[cchsieh 8]

So ... still no way to solve the problem of playing high sample rate music ???

[Madaudio 0]

So ... still no way to solve the problem of playing high sample rate music ???

 

I did put this question to Nvidia a few days ago, but got a slightly ambiguous reply, which I have asked them to clarify.  But this is the reply so far (exact quote):

 

"This is likely a limitation of the Android N, its implementation on the SHIELD TV and media playback applications."

 

It is not clear from this how much this is "a limitation of the Android N, its implementation on the SHIELD TV" and how much is due to the "media playback applications".

 

There is no suggestion it is a problem of the shield itself, but then.............???

 

[cchsieh 8]

I am not familiar with Android programming.

 

Refer to https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=289735&pid=2409146#pid2409146

KODI v17 seems use standard Android API, and the API supports up to 192kHz and 32bits. I tested KODI v17, and make sure it supports two-channel 48/88.2/96/176.4/192kHz correctly in SHIELD TV 2017.

 

Or maybe KODI do some special for SHIELD TV.

[Madaudio 0]

For Shield TV, I think it is impossible now and it's the firmware limit. Maybe ask nVidia modify their firmware to support more audio profile in next update. Actually Shield TV doesn't support 44.1Khz audio (converted to 48Khz), that's really bad for CD audio and MP3.

I get conflicting information about whether it is the shield firmware limit or an Android OS (or Android TV OS) limit.  Or is that what you meant??  For example, in an e-mail Nvidia told me this:

"

Response By Email (Troy) (08/01/2017 01:48 PM)

Hi Peter,

 

Engineering and Product Management have confirmed that multi channel FLAC playback is a limitation of the Operating System

 

Google confirms this as well. https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/media/media-formats.html

 

Best Regards,

 

Troy

NVIDIA Customer Care L2"

 

So, it is Nvidia or Google to blame?  Does anyone know of any combination of Android Device and an android app that will give a bit-perfect multi-channel playback of multi-channel 96khz 24 bit flac audio files?  Or is this currently non-existent in the adroid hardware/software world??

 

Edit:  using the UAPP Pro player app, with output via usb to an external DAC (I use the Samsung Galaxy Galaxy Note Pro with Android 5.1, outputting to an Oppo HA2, I get the full 96khz, 24 bit, down-mixed to 2 channel (the surround channel sound has been re-routed to the left and right channels with no loss of content)

Edited August 13, 2017 by Madaudio

[StreamingMagic 0]

Any updates on when we might get full audio quality on the Emby for Android TV app?  For now the workaround for me is to enable use kodi with the Emby addon and have the proper settings to for pass through audio and "best match" to the source.