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Direct Streaming DTS 5.1 playback interrupts until hardware transcode takes over


10479
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10479

I was mentioning this in another topic, however, it appears my issue, while similar, is not the same as that one.

Currently on Emby Server Beta 4.5.13, but it doesn't matter if it's 4.4.2 or 4.4.3 either.

Clients are multiple Roku devices

When direct streaming a file encoded with DTS 5.1, playback will fail and buffer reliably after a few minutes. It will then resume playback and do the same thing shortly after. After this playback failure, Emby kicks to hardware transcoding at a very low bitrate and then plays through. Playing a similar bitrate file encoded with AC3 5.1 will direct stream perfectly fine. Both files are Direct Streamed for the same reason - Audio Codec Not Supported. If I disable transcode throttling, the DTS file will play through entirely without any issues.

I have attached all of the logs for the playback of two episodes. One in each format, including the server log with the relevant times logged. The log files are named according to the file type. There are multiple DTS files for the same episode because every time it buffers/restarts playback, it creates a new log file.

I can reproduce this 100% of the time, so if any additional info is needed, just let me know.

direct-stream-ac3-1.txt direct-stream-dts-1.txt direct-stream-dts-2.txt direct-stream-dts-3.txt direct-stream-dts-4.txt embyserver.txt

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mastrmind11

what device is your roku connected to?  Roku's don't support DTS so they will us passthrough.  If your device doesn't support DTS, Emby will remux to a supported format.

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Sounds like the Roku firmware 9.3 issue.  We are looking into it but maybe they'll fix it in an update before we can figure out what is going on :).

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10479
1 hour ago, mastrmind11 said:

what device is your roku connected to?  Roku's don't support DTS so they will us passthrough.  If your device doesn't support DTS, Emby will remux to a supported format.

Just a stereo TV and another TV with a sound bar that supports DTS. It does go to to AAC, however, it starts out strong and then just falls on its face from direct streaming (not direct playback) and interrupts playback quite often. It's a new development and has worked fine in the past.

45 minutes ago, ebr said:

Sounds like the Roku firmware 9.3 issue.  We are looking into it but maybe they'll fix it in an update before we can figure out what is going on :).

Okay. Hopefully it gets sorted one way or another. It looks like there's no options to roll back Roku firmware and lock it in. I've tried just about every arrangement of configurations to get it to work, but so far the only thing is to disable throttling, which implies some sort of compatibility. It's just less than ideal with some of my more indecisive viewers to fully transcode multiple files that never get watched.

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10479

Yeah, so it looks specific to roku. An Xbox will direct stream fine and when in force the roku to DTS on the stereo TV, it will direct play fine, albeit without sound. Not sure if this can be moved to the roku forum or not, but it isn't Linux related.

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The Emby app on Roku reads the supported codecs directly from the device. To disable DTS you just need to choose something other than AUTO in your HDMI/Audio settings on your Roku. The Emby app reads the main Roku audio/video settings to determine specific support for each and every codec(and for a few other things) for both audio and video. You can choose Dolby or Dolby+ but don't choose one with DTS included. This is easy to fix for users they just need to be educated that we do not have settings for this in the app. The main Roku settings are all you need.

It is unfortunate that Roku has some problems with either their engineers or their pool of Beta testers for their new firmwares is incredibly small, if not, microscopic. A drop in the ocean. Either way, there seems to be more problems inherited by Emby that were created by Roku that we wind up having to temporarily solve. This does slow down some features and cool things from being worked on because we have to chase our tails, so to speak. Known as "chasing rabbits" or "..in the rabbit hole". This is why we are HOPE and will CROSS OUR FINGERS that Roku understands their userbase is upset, does something about it, and pushes a new firmware update with bug fixes. Hope is the dream that things can get better when control of things are not within your grasp. We can only hope.

Edited by speechles
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10479

Just to make sure, I just went back and tried PCM, DD and DD+ and all of them experienced the same issue with playback failing and buffering throughout until finally ending up on hardware transcoding and playing through just fine.

I'm happy to take any specific steps and provide debug logging if needed. Everything works great if I disable throttling.

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18 hours ago, 10479 said:

Everything works great if I disable throttling

Something in the 9.3 Roku firmware update has somehow impacted our throttling and we are still trying to figure out what it is.

Thanks.

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10479

Okay, that definitely makes sense. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out what had gone wrong as I had just also recently rebuilt the server. I sent you a fairly detailed description with a debug log from the Roku just a little bit ago. Going through all of these steps at least put my mind at ease for now. Thanks for you time.

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10479

Yeah. I just turned throttling off and started testing both the stable emby for Roku and the current beta build 7 and it happened in both of them.

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  • 4 weeks later...
5 hours ago, 10479 said:

Purely informational - Roku just had a firmware update and the issue persists.

What version of the server are you on now?

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6 hours ago, 10479 said:

4.4.3.0.

Easy enough to test the latest betas if needed as well.

That would be great, thanks.

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  • Solution
26 minutes ago, 10479 said:

Still no luck. Tested on 4.5.0.15.

That's not the latest though. Please try the latest.

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You're right. The AUR isn't updated. I built 4.5.0.16 manually and played back both on the new (picked up today) emby beta for roku and the emby stable for roku and both played back DTS files with throttling enabled successfully. So it looks like the fix is in 4.5.0.16. Thanks!

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