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AppleTV 4K - how is it as a dedicated Emby client?


ShoutingMan

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ShoutingMan

How is the new AppleTV 4K as an Emby client? Does it support Dolby Atmos or DTS:X? Does it do refresh rate switching for proper 23.976Hz in movies, and such?

 

I’m having problems with Windows 10 automatically updating to newer drivers which break Emby Theater playback. I’m wondering if life would be easier if I switched to Shield as the main Emby client instead of constantly fighting with Windows for playback. The machine would remain as dedicated NAS and Emby server.

 

I’m leaning towards trying the Nvidia Shield since I think it plays MKVs without transcoding. The 4th gen HD AppleTV does it, limited to 5.1 surround and transcoding on many videos.

 

It maybe the new 4K aTV can do everything without server-Side transcoding?

 

I appreciate any feedback! :)

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CBers

I have 3 Shield TV's, with one connected to a 4K TV.

 

Playback is 99.9% Direct Streamed, even 4K content.

 

I would never go back to a HTPC or use another client.

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legallink

I have the previous version of the Apple TV (4th Gen), and I'm with @@CBers.  I had an HTPC before and after first getting a roku and now with an Apple TV, I would never go back to an HTPC setup.  The simplicity is just too overwhelmingly better than the flexibility of an HTPC.

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I have 3 Shield TV's, with one connected to a 4K TV.

 

Playback is 99.9% Direct Streamed, even 4K content.

 

I would never go back to a HTPC or use another client.

 

But how do you customize your cpu fan LED colors with a Shield TV? 

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Jdiesel

I am an Apple hater at heart but the new Apple TV is showing a lot of promise. People are even recommending it over the Shield TV on the Kodi forums when it comes to 4K HDR playback, crazy I know. Only downside is that it doesn't support HD-Audio, yet at least.

 

I might even pick one up myself someday.

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ShoutingMan

I have the previous version of the Apple TV (4th Gen), and I'm with @@CBers.  I had an HTPC before and after first getting a roku and now with an Apple TV, I would never go back to an HTPC setup.  The simplicity is just too overwhelmingly better than the flexibility of an HTPC.

I have a 4th gen AppleTV. It’s fine for what it is; I use it for streaming some TV shows (tranferred from TiVo to HTPC) on a secondary TV. But its audio options and need for transcoding are inadequate for Emby use on my main system.

 

 

I am an Apple hater at heart but the new Apple TV is showing a lot of promise. People are even recommending it over the Shield TV on the Kodi forums when it comes to 4K HDR playback, crazy I know. Only downside is that it doesn't support HD-Audio, yet at least.

 

I might even pick one up myself someday.

That’s what concerns me: the 7.1 track on “War for the Planet of the Apes” (for example) is DTS-HD Master Audio. While I don’t care about HD audio itself, I want the 7.1 and above audio tracks. If the AppleTV and Sheild can’t do that, I’ll stick with the HTPC until otherwise.
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If the AppleTV and Sheild can’t do that, I’ll stick with the HTPC until otherwise.

 

The Shield can play that fine - even in DTS-HD.

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ShoutingMan

(I’m an Apple household except for the HTPC, so aTV over Shield would be simpler for me. If it can do all the things.)

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My Shield can play DTS-HD in Plex, but not in Emby.

 

I don't believe that is a true statement. I think your audio setup doesn't actually support DTS HD and Plex simply converts it (and so do we).

 

For anyone with a receiver that accepts DTS-HD streams, the Emby app will deliver them.

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(I’m an Apple household except for the HTPC, so aTV over Shield would be simpler for me. If it can do all the things.)

 

The Apple TV will be much more limited in format support right now but, if you are an Apple household, you probably already know that.  Basically, h264 in an mp4 container with AAC or DD audio is what you get with Apple.  Just about anything else will have to undergo some sort of conversion.

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well infuse play everything without any conversion on my appletv 4k even 4K UHD HDR, and now MrMC also play everyting even 4K UHD HDR, you guys just dont work on apple products you just care about android, or dont care about apple costumers, so the only limited here is emby

Edited by mata7
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well infuse play everything without any conversion on my appletv 4k even 4K UHD HDR, and now MrMC also play everyting even 4K UHD HDR, you guys just dont work on apple products you just care about android, or dont care about apple costumers, so the only limited here is emby

 

I believe our app will also play 4K HDR (with the proper tvOS version).

 

Conversion of audio and video is happening with almost every player.  It is just a matter of exactly where and whether or not you realize it.  What really matters is what appears at the eyes and ears.  If that is all the same, what and where something was converted is not very important (except for perception).

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ShoutingMan

The Apple TV will be much more limited in format support right now but, if you are an Apple household, you probably already know that.  Basically, h264 in an mp4 container with AAC or DD audio is what you get with Apple.  Just about anything else will have to undergo some sort of conversion.

That’s exactly my experience with my HD AppleTV’s. And I have specific transcoding settings in Handbrake for content that I plan to watch in tvOS Emby.

 

But it sounds like the 5th gen 4K AppleTV doesn’t have the same limitations. If that’s true, is that on the tvOS Emby roadmap? Or do they come for free on the new device?

 

I really like Emby Theater for Windows :) and would like to stay with it. But Microsoft’s making it more difficult to use Windows as a stable platform for niche software like ET..

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But it sounds like the 5th gen 4K AppleTV doesn’t have the same limitations. If that’s true, is that on the tvOS Emby roadmap? Or do they come for free on the new device?

 

Exactly what limitations are you talking about?  I'm not aware of any major differences in the format support for the two (as far as containers and audio, etc.)...

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I believe our app will also play 4K HDR (with the proper tvOS version).

 

Conversion of audio and video is happening with almost every player.  It is just a matter of exactly where and whether or not you realize it.  What really matters is what appears at the eyes and ears.  If that is all the same, what and where something was converted is not very important (except for perception).

im talking about Infuse and MrMC, infuse dont trans-code nothing and support DTS-HD And Dolby TrueHD Dynamic Range and Match Frame, mrmc i support dts and dolby passthrough Dynamic Range and Match Frame

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ShoutingMan

Exactly what limitations are you talking about?  I'm not aware of any major differences in the format support for the two (as far as containers and audio, etc.)...

Nvidia Shield supports Dolby TrueHD passthrough. My impression that the new AppleTV can do that, but I think you’re saying the Emby app doesn’t support that. The Plex app doesn’t support this either and it requires workarounds like Infuse and still can’t do Atmos.

https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/299253/what-do-i-need-to-direct-play-hevc-4k-10bit-files-from-a-low-powered-plex-server

 

That’s why I’m asking: it’s not clear how close these devices come to completely matching direct playback in Windows.

 

It may be I have to buy a Shield or AppleTV to really find out.

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ShoutingMan

In short: I want an Emby client that can play MKV made from my blu-rays, with full audio and video quality I get on Windows. And doesn’t require server-side transcoding down to lower quality (like the HD AppleTV does). I’m hoping the Shield or 4K AppleTV do this. But I don’t know.

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Jdiesel

im talking about Infuse and MrMC, infuse dont trans-code nothing and support DTS-HD And Dolby TrueHD Dynamic Range and Match Frame, mrmc i support dts and dolby passthrough Dynamic Range and Match Frame

 

This is how I understand things as well. I don't have any experience with mrmc but it sounds like it does a good job dynamically switch refreshrates and colorspaces. I kind of want at new ATV to test...

 

So if infuse can do HD audio is it just a matter of time before mrmc adds support?

Edited by Jdiesel
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ShoutingMan

I think the Shield is what you are looking for.

Thanks. I wish the 4K aTV did everything. That would be a trivial upgrade to my system. Adding a whole new box is a lot more work.

 

If I can’t get Windows tamed shortly, I’ll buy a Shield to test.

 

For anyone interested in a Shield, they’re on sale for $150 until the 24th.

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Jdiesel

I think the confusion comes from apps like mrmc and infuse that don't use iOS's internal player and allow unsupported formats to be played

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clarkss12

Why can't my Mecool Android (Amlogic) boxes passthrough HD audio??  My boxes natively passthrough HD audio using VLC or Kodi?

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CBers

I don't believe that is a true statement. I think your audio setup doesn't actually support DTS HD and Plex simply converts it (and so do we).

 

For anyone with a receiver that accepts DTS-HD streams, the Emby app will deliver them.

Yes, you're probably right.

 

I'll have to stick with Dolby Atmos then :)

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