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


ShoutingMan

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We are working on a new version that should expand that support to other containers like mkv but the audio support will likely remain limited to AAC/DD for at least the time being.

 

I really hope the new player would be able to play DTS-HD and TrueHD content via LPCM 48khz - 24bit that the Apple TV DOES support. Infuse (media player) can do it so I don't see why Emby's new player couldn't...

 

This is THE feature that's keeping me from buying an Apple TV 4K and fully commiting and recommending Emby to everyone I know (most have Apple TVs and use Infuse just for this feature). I love the product and the support and really hope you guys can make it work.

 

Regardless, keep up the great work! : - )

Edited by abat119
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ShoutingMan

I really hope the new player would be able to play DTS-HD and TrueHD content via LPCM 48khz - 24bit that the Apple TV DOES support. Infuse (media player) can do it so I don't see why Emby's new player couldn't...

 

This is THE feature that's keeping me from buying an Apple TV 4K and fully commiting and recommending Emby to everyone I know (most have Apple TVs and use Infuse just for this feature). I love the product and the support and really hope you guys can make it work.

 

Regardless, keep up the great work! : - )

 

I have the same question: is it possible for Emby to support DTS-X and Dolby Atmos on the 4K aTV? Is this on the development roadmap? I don't know if this is possible due to the aTV core feature set. But I'd love to have these features. I could then upgrade to the 4K aTV and have a unified streaming box. Otherwise, I need Windows or a Shield TV dedicated to Emby, and the Apple TV for Netflix and everything else.

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raven-au

I have the same question: is it possible for Emby to support DTS-X and Dolby Atmos on the 4K aTV? Is this on the development roadmap? I don't know if this is possible due to the aTV core feature set. But I'd love to have these features. I could then upgrade to the 4K aTV and have a unified streaming box. Otherwise, I need Windows or a Shield TV dedicated to Emby, and the Apple TV for Netflix and everything else.

 

The short answer is no aTV 4K will not allow applications to play/pass through DTS-X or Dolby Atmos.

 

The longer answer involves persuading Apple to allow apps other than streaming apps (like Netflix) to play Atmos, there's no HD DTS or TrueHD support other than some apps like InFuse that have licensed the relevant decoders and that results in up to 7.1 LPCM from the aTV.

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  • 1 month later...

there's no HD DTS or TrueHD support other than some apps like InFuse that have licensed the relevant decoders and that results in up to 7.1 LPCM from the aTV.

 

I would pay Emby to get the license either via a one-time-purchase or the Emby Premiere route. Either way, I know quite a few people who love Emby as a whole but are holding back on switching because of this one feature.

 

Emby team - think about it : - )

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Just watched a movie using Emby on ATV 4K. After watching the movie I chose to delete it using ATV. However, it did was not deleted on the server.

 

Does this feature work? 

 

Running Emby on Qnap Version 3.6.0.81 beta

Edited by slyfox
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Charlie117

I would pay Emby to get the license either via a one-time-purchase or the Emby Premiere route. Either way, I know quite a few people who love Emby as a whole but are holding back on switching because of this one feature.

 

Emby team - think about it : - )

 

Even if you do get those licensed decoders, you're still not going to get DTS:X or Dolby Atmos as the object based metadata is lost in the decoding to LPCM. The audio receiver needs to get bitstreamed  DTS:X or Dolby Atmos otherwise it won't do object based audio.

Edited by Charlie117
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Even if you do get those licensed decoders, you're still not going to get DTS:X or Dolby Atmos as the object based metadata is lost in the decoding to LPCM. The audio receiver needs to get bitstreamed  DTS:X or Dolby Atmos otherwise it won't do object based audio.

 

Thanks for the info but unfortunately I am well aware of that... however, I still think it's worth the upgrade for the time being until Apple changes things.

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I would pay Emby to get the license either via a one-time-purchase or the Emby Premiere route. Either way, I know quite a few people who love Emby as a whole but are holding back on switching because of this one feature.

 

Emby team - think about it : - )

 

Based on our past experience on other platforms, I don't think very many users would be happy with software decoding to LPCM.  People always want bitstreaming so converting to DD usually provides a more satisfying experience.

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Based on our past experience on other platforms, I don't think very many users would be happy with software decoding to LPCM.  People always want bitstreaming so converting to DD usually provides a more satisfying experience.

 

From what I've researched the Apple TV decodes the audio to PCM anyway - so why wouldn't people be happy with software decoding to LPCM considering it's the same lossless process? It's just a matter of which device is doing the decoding - Emby Server or Apple TV...

 

Here's a quote from Dolby Labs: "When a user plays media with stereo or multichannel audio (including Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Digital audio), the audio soundtrack is decoded to two or more PCM channels (uncompressed digital audio) before it is sent to the AVR or other downstream device."

 

Link: https://developer.dolby.com/blog/dolby-audio-support-on-apple-tv/

 

Edit: I've just come across that Plex is developing a similar player to yours for the Apple TV - so if you can implement this feature you will 1+ them : - )

 

Anyway, I'm still sticking with Emby on my Apple TV - I love the product and want you guys to flourish! Just trying to help Emby be the complete package.

Edited by abat119
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From what I've researched the Apple TV decodes the audio to PCM anyway - so why wouldn't people be happy with software decoding to LPCM considering it's the same lossless process? It's just a matter of which device is doing the decoding - Emby Server or Apple TV...

 

Here's a quote from Dolby Labs: "When a user plays media with stereo or multichannel audio (including Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Digital audio), the audio soundtrack is decoded to two or more PCM channels (uncompressed digital audio) before it is sent to the AVR or other downstream device."

 

Link: https://developer.dolby.com/blog/dolby-audio-support-on-apple-tv/

 

Edit: I've just come across that Plex is developing a similar player to yours for the Apple TV - so if you can implement this feature you will 1+ them : - )

 

Anyway, I'm still sticking with Emby on my Apple TV - I love the product and want you guys to flourish! Just trying to help Emby be the complete package.

 

The Apple TV can be set to output everything as DD I believe...

 

I cannot really answer your question as to why people are not happy with the software conversion.  I just know they usually aren't (if they care about 5.1 audio in the first place).  Search the Android TV forum from a few years ago if you'd like some examples :).

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vdatanet

Just watched a movie using Emby on ATV 4K. After watching the movie I chose to delete it using ATV. However, it did was not deleted on the server.

 

Does this feature work? 

 

Running Emby on Qnap Version 3.6.0.81 beta

 

For me, delete action has no effect.

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For me, delete action has no effect.

 

Does your server have proper permissions?

 

log...?

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vdatanet

Yes, permissions are correct. I can delete files from the web application, ios, android ...

 

Edit: changed attachement

embyserver.txt

Edited by vdatanet
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abat119

The Apple TV can be set to output everything as DD I believe...

 

I cannot really answer your question as to why people are not happy with the software conversion.  I just know they usually aren't (if they care about 5.1 audio in the first place).  Search the Android TV forum from a few years ago if you'd like some examples :).

 

True... however this results in loss of audio quality since it decodes the stream and then re-encodes it to DD. This is primarily used for legacy devices. "Auto" (where Apple TV sends the decoded PCM signal) is the best option with no loss in quality and up to 7.1 channels with 24bit/48khz support -- again, Infuse and a couple other 3rd-party apps do this.

 

Quote from Dolby:

 

"Dolby Surround – This setting is intended to force the Apple TV to output a Dolby Digital (also known as “AC3”) compressed bitstream. This may be required with certain legacy devices or sound bars that support the older Dolby Digital format but do not yet support Dolby Digital Plus or multichannel PCM audio. Remember that Dolby Digital is only capable of up to 5.1 channels of audio, so this option will never be able to send 7.1 channel audio to the connected HDMI device."
 
"Note: When this setting is selected, the audio is first decoded (although constrained to 5.1 channels) and mixed with other system sounds, and is then reencoded to the legacy Dolby Digital format just prior to the HDMI output. The connected device (TV, sound bar or AVR) will then receive a Dolby Digital bitstream."
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  • 6 months later...
Senna

Some time has past and some things have changed in the Emby Apple TV app, since last post here, so it is time for an update...
So what can we say half a year later, since last post in this topic, for users planning to buy an Apple TV 4K, for using it as a dedicated Emby Client ?
 
If I speak for myself and probably also for A LOT of other Emby users, I can say "EMBY AND THE APPLE TV(4K) STILL DON'T MATCH".
Before I sum up current issues, my current advise WHEN you don't have an Apple TV 4K yet, is to stay away from Emby on the Apple TV platform and GO FOR for Emby on the Android TV platform (like on Smart TV/Shield etc).
 
The Apple TV platform is the one, getting the least Dev resource time, due to all sorts of reasons, because users see long outstanding basic playability issues on this platform not getting fixed.
 
A snippet of current issues with the Emby Apple TV app TO CONSIDER when purchasing an Apple TV 4K:

  • No 4K HDR playback
    So you think finally, I have the Apple TV 4K version now and I want to play my shiny HDR movies on my HDR supporting TV set with Emby in HDR...... You thought wrong, you CAN NOT do that now with the current Emby Apple TV app.
     
  • No Content matching to Frame Rate
    The Apple TV 4K is capable to automatically change your display refresh rate, to match the frame rate of the content you are playing..... Also this is NOT possible with the current Emby Apple TV app, which CAN cause judder/stuttering during playback. So if you have lots of different content in all sorts of frame rates and resolutions, you don't get OPTIMAL playback the way it should be, with the current Emby Apple TV app
     
  • No sound support for DTS
    This is a licensing issue by Emby, as discussed already in this and other topics.
     
  • No in app subtitle options regarding size, color and download
    If you are depended on subtitles, like most people where English is not their native tongue.... you CAN NOT change your subtitle size and color or download subtitles in the current Emby Apple TV app
     
  • I stop here, just to point out the most important outstanding issues with the current Emby Apple TV app, users want to see FIXED when possible.
    For a full list go here

Above issues are ONLY issues that EMBY has on the Apple TV platform. They are NOT present in other apps on the Apple TV platform, like Infuse, Plex, MrMC.
So if above issues are important to you and want to use Emby, I advise to buy a Shield, because no timeline is set to FIX above issues in the Apple TV Emby client.
 
*Will update this topic too, when items of list above are fixed.

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vdatanet

I only recommend Apple TV (as Emby client) to users of the Apple ecosystem. When I can, I use the Emby client, and if not, I use Infuse to play 4K HDR media. If you are not user of Apple ecosystem, stay away and purchase an Nvidia Shield.

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horstepipe

If you‘re a little techy get some friends and pay for the Apple developer account. Then you can put Kodi on your devices, just have to redo this process once a year (without losing Kodi configuration).

 

It’s beautifully soft with Sualfred’s Embuary skin.

 

Currently only Kodi 17 is available for tvOS, but there’s active work for Kodi 19.

 

Thanks again to @@Angelblue05 and @@sualfred for keeping this alive on Krypton :-)

Edited by horstepipe
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Jdiesel

Looks like Plex managed to get HDR working on the ATV 4K. Does anyone know if they are rolling their own player or using the internal player?

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vdatanet

Looks like Plex managed to get HDR working on the ATV 4K. Does anyone know if they are rolling their own player or using the internal player?

 

Both, you can choose between the internal player and the experimental mpv.

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Jdiesel

Both, you can choose between the internal player and the experimental mpv.

 

So they managed to get HDR working with mpv?

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vdatanet

So they managed to get HDR working with mpv?

Yes, it works for both players.

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Everbrave

Yes, it works for both players.

 

In fact, the native player in tvOS 13 beta is capable of playing 4K HDR HEVC mkv media files as direct streams without a hick!

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