Philips Android TV - No HEVC, UHD, DD or DTS

[ebr 14925]

I never used VLC. I isn't even installed.

 

Merry Christmas

 

The app has an internal implementation of VLC it will use in certain situations.  I saw in one of your logs that it was being used.

 

Merry Christmas to you too!

[pünktchen 1259]

I also own a Philips, so tested some things @@Gerrit507

If i set the tv audio settings to "Multichannel" then DTS 5.1 audio is transcoded to AAC stereo,

but if set audio to "Multichannel (Bypass)" then it's transcoded to AC3 5.1!

Edited December 24, 2017 by pünktchen

[Gerrit507 24]

Which model do you have?

 

I only have two options:

Stereo (unkomprimiert)

Mehrkanal

 

I have the 7272

[pünktchen 1259]

8102

[Gerrit507 24]

Ok so you have a 2017 model too. You have three options then?

[pünktchen 1259]

Yes, i have three options, but that will not help you.

We have to find a way to proof @@ebr that your tv can at least passthrough DD just fine.

Do you have Amazon Prime? If yes, try to play Mission Impossible: Phantom Protocol. I get DD+ 5.1 there.

[Gerrit507 24]

I don't know how I should proof it

Like I said, I get DD in Kodi and other apps like Amazon Prime, Netflix and the built-in player. My avr switches from PCM to DD. Basically in every app I've used on the tv DD worked except for the emby app. It's not just a fake of course. I mean you can hear if it's surround sound or not when watching a movie. I also played stuff like DD demo movies in Kodi, it's perfectly fine.

Edited December 26, 2017 by Gerrit507

[pünktchen 1259]

You didn't mention Amazon or Netflix, only Kodi which is always a bad choice [emoji6]

Maybe after the holidays @@ebr can give you a test app that ignores what your tv is reporting.

[pünktchen 1259]

Imho the app should have three audio settings:

Auto (Default. This should act like Direct currently does. Request the device for playback capabilities)

Direct (This should force a passthrough of all audio. Only visible if Debug option is enabled)

Stereo

[ebr 14925]

Imho the app should have three audio settings:

Auto (Default. This should act like Direct currently does. Request the device for playback capabilities)

Direct (This should force a passthrough of all audio. Only visible if Debug option is enabled)

Stereo

 

Only if we can get hard evidence that the force option will ever work properly.  So far, we have no such evidence.

[Gerrit507 24]

Only if we can get hard evidence that the force option will ever work properly.  So far, we have no such evidence.

I would appreciate a test build.

 

Thank You

[ebr 14925]

I would appreciate a test build.

 

Thank You

 

Do you know how to sideload an apk onto your TV?

 

Edit: Never mind - just install the normal beta (1.5.24) and let me know what happens with it.  Thanks.

[Gerrit507 24]

Do you know how to sideload an apk onto your TV?

 

Come on man You know that I'm a contributor, right?

 

Edit: Never mind - just install the normal beta (1.5.24) and let me know what happens with it.  Thanks.

 

Ok, I've installed it. It looks like the situation is unchanged.

 

To clear it up a bit, I summarize what happens:

 

Case 1 (100Mbps Bitrate, DD): AVR gets DD signal, but signal is cutting out every few seconds. This has probably something to do with the AC3 640 issues described here: https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=289735 , video is hevc hdr direct at the TV

Case 2 (5 Mbps, DD): AVR gets PCM Stereo

Case 3 (100Mbps, DTS): AVR gets PCM Stereo too, hevc hdr video is getting transcoded to h264 (this is the weirdest)

Case 4 (5Mbps, DTS): AVR gets PCM Stereo

 

media was 60 Mbps max. but also tried 10 Mbps, didn't matter

 

Addition to Case 3: I have hevc hdr movies, which have dts and dd audio. If I choose dd, the video is direct played and tv shows hdr but if I choose the dts line, emby transcodes to h264 (no hdr)

 

I tried the "Stereo" and "Multichannel" setting of the TV, both with same results

Edited December 27, 2017 by Gerrit507

[ebr 14925]

Can you please send a separate log from the app for each of those cases and then come back here and tell me when you sent them and what you played with each?

 

Thanks.

[Gerrit507 24]

Case 1: Played "The Lego Movie" primary audio is DD, log time: 03:14

Case 2: Played "The Lego Movie" again turned subtitles off because they are non text-based(slow transcode) , log time: 3:20

Case 3:

Played "Angrybirds Movie", started with german DTS audio, TV was getting HDR , log time: 03:24.

Played "E.T:", which has 7.1 DTS, hevc video is now transcoded again, log time: 03:29

Tried it again with Angrybirds, the video is now transcoded again log time 03:34.The movie has a DD and DTS audio, probably it started with DD in the first log and then switchted. Can't explain it.

Case 4: Played "Angrybirds Movie" again, log time 03:26

Case 5: Played "The Lego Movie" on 100 Mbps Limit, starting with a DD audio, then switching to second audio, which is DTS, video stays HDR, audio is stereo, log time 03:22

 

I hope this helps you

Edited December 29, 2017 by Gerrit507

[Gerrit507 24]

I've just found out that case 3 only appears when subtitles are activated, when I deavtivate them the video plays in HDR. The format is pgs, which the app probably can't handle :/ It still seems to be connected to DTS or 7.1 audio. If the movie has dolby I can activate subs without transcoding, if it has DTS for example it transcodes the video. As soon as I turn subs off in those movies, the tv reports HDR signal.

Edited December 30, 2017 by Gerrit507

[Gerrit507 24]

Is there any progress in this topic? If you need anything, more logs or testing an apk just write me.

[Luke 37100]

@@ebr is looking into it. Thanks for reporting.

[ebr 14925]

Case 1: Played "The Lego Movie" primary audio is DD, log time: 03:14

Case 2: Played "The Lego Movie" again turned subtitles off because they are non text-based(slow transcode) , log time: 3:20

Case 3:

Played "Angrybirds Movie", started with german DTS audio, TV was getting HDR , log time: 03:24.

Played "E.T:", which has 7.1 DTS, hevc video is now transcoded again, log time: 03:29

Tried it again with Angrybirds, the video is now transcoded again log time 03:34.The movie has a DD and DTS audio, probably it started with DD in the first log and then switchted. Can't explain it.

Case 4: Played "Angrybirds Movie" again, log time 03:26

Case 5: Played "The Lego Movie" on 100 Mbps Limit, starting with a DD audio, then switching to second audio, which is DTS, video stays HDR, audio is stereo, log time 03:22

 

I hope this helps you

 

 

Case 1 (100Mbps Bitrate, DD): AVR gets DD signal, but signal is cutting out every few seconds. This has probably something to do with the AC3 640 issues described here: https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=289735 , video is hevc hdr direct at the TV

Case 2 (5 Mbps, DD): AVR gets PCM Stereo

Case 3 (100Mbps, DTS): AVR gets PCM Stereo too, hevc hdr video is getting transcoded to h264 (this is the weirdest)

Case 4 (5Mbps, DTS): AVR gets PCM Stereo

 

Okay, sorry for the delay.

 

Case 1: The item played in VLC and tried to pass the DD through it.  The channel count didn't really come in as a factor here.

 

Case 2-4: The item transcoded due to bitrate settings.  This meant it didn't try to use VLC because it would need to transcode as well (and doesn't do as well with transcodes).  The app ignored the fact your system said it could only receive stereo and sent 5.1 PCM.  The fact you only saw stereo on your end appears to confirm that the system is not lying and only stereo is supported.  You probably couldn't hear the voices very well in this playback (unless maybe the TV mixed it down before sending it out).

12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:   Renderer:1 [
12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:     Group:0, adaptive_supported=N/A [
12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:       [X] Track:0, id=1/15, mimeType=audio/mp4a-latm, channels=6, sample_rate=48000, supported=YES
12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:     ]
12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:   ]

Your system is also not reporting support for DD as an input.

 

I don't see a lot of evidence here that would lead me to believe that it is going to work properly if we ignore what the system is telling us but, if you really want, I can try to create a build that will do that and see what happens.  You will need to be sure you set your bitrate high enough in the app to have that not be a factor in the transcode decision, however.

[Gerrit507 24]

Okay, sorry for the delay.

 

Case 1: The item played in VLC and tried to pass the DD through it.  The channel count didn't really come in as a factor here.

 

Case 2-4: The item transcoded due to bitrate settings.  This meant it didn't try to use VLC because it would need to transcode as well (and doesn't do as well with transcodes).  The app ignored the fact your system said it could only receive stereo and sent 5.1 PCM.  The fact you only saw stereo on your end appears to confirm that the system is not lying and only stereo is supported.  You probably couldn't hear the voices very well in this playback (unless maybe the TV mixed it down before sending it out).

12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:   Renderer:1 [
12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:     Group:0, adaptive_supported=N/A [
12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:       [X] Track:0, id=1/15, mimeType=audio/mp4a-latm, channels=6, sample_rate=48000, supported=YES
12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:     ]
12-29 03:19:16.191 17793 17793 I System.out:   ]

Your system is also not reporting support for DD as an input.

 

I don't see a lot of evidence here that would lead me to believe that it is going to work properly if we ignore what the system is telling us but, if you really want, I can try to create a build that will do that and see what happens.  You will need to be sure you set your bitrate high enough in the app to have that not be a factor in the transcode decision, however.

Ok, in the case of PCM 5.1 it could be that the avr received 5.1. My avr actually doesn't show how many PCM channels are used, only if it's PCM or not. I just thought that if it isn't DD it's probably just stereo.

 

edit: Ok I can confirm it is PCM 5.1. I tried it again with Angry Birds Movie with DTS sound and 100 Mbps limit and I got sound from the rear speakers.

 

I'd be happy to try an apk. I don't know why the system reports that it doesn't support multichannel nor DD. All I can say is that Kodi, Amazon, Netflix and the Built-In Player all send DD signals to the AVR.

 

I just have one more question: Is transcoding from DTS to PCM the default behavior? Or is it just my broken OS?

 

edit: And I forgot to add: There is still the issue with the DD 640kbps streams, like it is described in the kodi forum link I've posted. The audio is cutting out every few seconds. If the bitrate is lower then 640kbps it works fine. I don't know how the kodi guys fixed it, but in kodi v18 you don't even need to enable sync playback to display anymore and it still works. Maybe it's transcoded to a lower bitrate or whatever. I've tried to enable this setting in the emby app without any success.

Edited January 3, 2018 by Gerrit507

[ebr 14925]

Have you had a chance to try the latest beta of the app (.27)?

[ebr 14925]

edit: And I forgot to add: There is still the issue with the DD 640kbps streams, like it is described in the kodi forum link I've posted. The audio is cutting out every few seconds. If the bitrate is lower then 640kbps it works fine. I don't know how the kodi guys fixed it, but in kodi v18 you don't even need to enable sync playback to display anymore and it still works. Maybe it's transcoded to a lower bitrate or whatever. I've tried to enable this setting in the emby app without any success.

 

There is no notification when you edit a post so I missed this.  Sounds like we will need to limit the DD bitrate for this TV like we do for the Fire TV.  That is going to cause those items to have to transcode (but just the audio) though.

[Gerrit507 24]

Have you had a chance to try the latest beta of the app (.27)?

I've just tried it and it's working except for one small issue.

 

Every codec (DTS, TrueHD) is now transcoded to DD and there are no audio cut outs any more, which is great! When I play a movie, which has DD the video is fine. It direct plays hevc. When I start a movie with DTS or TrueHD the audio is DD and working but the video is transcoded to h264. Even when I start a movie which is in h264 already it reports that the video codec is not supported. I've completely disabled subtitles this time to exclude any mistakes. I've sent you two logs showing this issue at 05:31 and 05:32. If you could fix this, I think the app would be perfect, at least for me.

 

Thank you for your efforts so far

[ebr 14925]

Well, your device does not support DTS but the version of the app is ignoring that and trying to play it anyway.  Which results in an error and the app re-trying via transcoding.

01-05 05:13:08.133 17587 17587 I System.out:   Renderer:1 [
01-05 05:13:08.134 17587 17587 I System.out:     Group:0, adaptive_supported=N/A [
01-05 05:13:08.135 17587 17587 I System.out:       [X] Track:0, id=2, mimeType=audio/vnd.dts, channels=6, sample_rate=48000, language=ger, supported=NO_UNSUPPORTED_TYPE
01-05 05:13:08.135 17587 17587 I System.out:     ]
01-05 05:13:08.136 17587 17587 I System.out:     Group:1, adaptive_supported=N/A [
01-05 05:13:08.136 17587 17587 I System.out:       [ ] Track:0, id=3, mimeType=audio/vnd.dts, channels=8, sample_rate=48000, language=eng, supported=NO_UNSUPPORTED_TYPE
01-05 05:13:08.137 17587 17587 I System.out:     ]
01-05 05:13:08.138 17587 17587 I System.out:   ]
...
08.147 17587 17587 I System.out: ***** Got error from Exo player: Decoder init failed: [-49999], Format(2, null, audio/vnd.dts, -1, ger, [-1, -1, -1.0], [6, 48000])
01-05 05:13:08.148 17587 17587 I System.out: Playback error - Fehler beim laden des Videos
01-05 05:13:08.149 17587 17587 I System.out: Player error encountered - retrying

This is not surprising information .  If DD is working properly really being passed through then that is surprising.  Can you please play just a single item with a DD track and send the log for that?

 

BTW - these playback sessions did also have PGS subs selected.

 

Finally, completely unrelated but you should turn off the auto refresh rate switching.  Your TV doesn't support it.

[Gerrit507 24]

Well, your device does not support DTS but the version of the app is ignoring that and trying to play it anyway.  Which results in an error and the app re-trying via transcoding.

01-05 05:13:08.133 17587 17587 I System.out:   Renderer:1 [
01-05 05:13:08.134 17587 17587 I System.out:     Group:0, adaptive_supported=N/A [
01-05 05:13:08.135 17587 17587 I System.out:       [X] Track:0, id=2, mimeType=audio/vnd.dts, channels=6, sample_rate=48000, language=ger, supported=NO_UNSUPPORTED_TYPE
01-05 05:13:08.135 17587 17587 I System.out:     ]
01-05 05:13:08.136 17587 17587 I System.out:     Group:1, adaptive_supported=N/A [
01-05 05:13:08.136 17587 17587 I System.out:       [ ] Track:0, id=3, mimeType=audio/vnd.dts, channels=8, sample_rate=48000, language=eng, supported=NO_UNSUPPORTED_TYPE
01-05 05:13:08.137 17587 17587 I System.out:     ]
01-05 05:13:08.138 17587 17587 I System.out:   ]
...
08.147 17587 17587 I System.out: ***** Got error from Exo player: Decoder init failed: [-49999], Format(2, null, audio/vnd.dts, -1, ger, [-1, -1, -1.0], [6, 48000])
01-05 05:13:08.148 17587 17587 I System.out: Playback error - Fehler beim laden des Videos
01-05 05:13:08.149 17587 17587 I System.out: Player error encountered - retrying

This is not surprising information .  If DD is working properly really being passed through then that is surprising.  Can you please play just a single item with a DD track and send the log for that?

 

BTW - these playback sessions did also have PGS subs selected.

 

Finally, completely unrelated but you should turn off the auto refresh rate switching.  Your TV doesn't support it.

 

Yes dolby is working. A friend of mine has also tested it with a different Philips Android TV model and it's working for him too.

 

I've sent a log with a DD movie at 20:19

 

I've also sent you another log with DTS at 20:21 For me subitles were clearly off. The movie started with direct playing HDR but then it switched to transcoding, like you said. If I understand you right it is forced now to play dts but if you would only enable dd and disable dts it would work and the video would play directly in hevc?