TrueHD behaving strangely on my hardware

[Lazyace 1]

Hi there

I wasn't entirely sure where to post this.

I had this issue with Plex, but they couldn't care less about their supporters so I cancelled my PlexPass and am looking to use Emby. 

My setup is as follows: Synology 920+ NAS, Shield TV 2019 Pro to LG CX via HDMI. 

The default internal player on the Shield, when fed TrueHD on 4K remux handles the files incorrectly and on my LG CX this outputs the 'Dolby Atmos' logo in the corner. This would be fine, however...the logo appears multiple times in the movie and detracts from the experience. Using an external player such as VLC entirely remedies this...but...VLC does not let me switch resolutions automatically so I'm stuck at 60fps rather than 24fps. I have tried the same 4k files directly on my TV and it handles audio correctly. MrMC also handles the audio correctly and, like the TV handling the files, it doesn't push the Dolby Atmos logo at me all the time. 

I've tried several other apps and methods and I'm about 99.9% it is the internal player on emby. Could this please be remedied to avoid me having to 'downgrade' my audio experience by choosing another stream. I would gladly pay for emby if this is remedied as it would be perfect on all counts. If anyone knows a workaround for this please let me know. 

Thanks 

[ebr 14910]

Hi.  Why do you feel the audio "isn't handled correctly"?

[Lazyace 1]

2 hours ago, ebr said:

Hi.  Why do you feel the audio "isn't handled correctly 

As I explain above: when I stream a 4K remux or indeed anything with TrueHD the DolbyAtmos logo pops up in the right hand corner of the TV. This is normal on Atmos supported content on Netflix, Disney + etc. However after doing it once with the 4K TrueHD stream it then repeatedly does it at points throughout the film. So throughout the film I have the Atmos logo appearing on screen randomly or when the bitrate seems to burst or peak. Using MrMC, Kodi or the LG CXs Webos I do not get the notification repeatedly interrupting viewing. Additionally if I change the external player in emby to VLC I also have no issues. The issues persist in Emby (and plex) when using the internal player. Unfortunately if I choose to use an external player with emby the 'match framerate' option is greyed out so I have to choose: watch a film with the internal player and have the Atmos logo pop up on screen or have it operate correctly but have a jerky framerate. Doing a Google search this issue has been around for a while, albeit it has mainly been reported in Plex. I am running a fully wired network with a cat6 gigabit connection and new 2.1 hdmi leads. The issue is always reproduced when using the internal player, as I mentioned above. 

[FrostByte 5049]

Does it help if accessing the movie directly instead of streaming it through the server?

 

[Lazyace 1]

4 minutes ago, FrostByte said:

Does it help if accessing the movie directly instead of streaming it through the server?

 

As long as exoplayer is used the issue persists. The only common denominator amongst all of this issue is exoplayer on the Shield.  Remove that from the scenario and everything is perfect. I would be happy to use an external player but the frame rate matching is unable to be used and the shields framerate match beta option is hit and miss with VLC sadly  

[FrostByte 5049]

When using an external player like VLC it's directly accessing the movie though and not using http to stream through the server.  Worth a shot, but it may not help

[Lazyace 1]

22 minutes ago, FrostByte said:

When using an external player like VLC it's directly accessing the movie though and not using http to stream through the server.  Worth a shot, but it may not help

Sorry, I'm not entirely sure what you're suggesting I try here? I can use a workaround whereby I log into MrMC and connect that to the emby server. That works well since exoplayer is taken out of the equation I believe. 

[Luke 37053]

Hi, can you try sideloading this on the Shield and see how it compares?

https://emby.media/emby-for-android.html

Thanks.

[Lazyace 1]

7 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, can you try sideloading this on the Shield and see how it compares?

https://emby.media/emby-for-android.html

Thanks.

Sure thing. Sorry to be daft do I need the arm or x68 fork? 

[Lazyace 1]

9 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, can you try sideloading this on the Shield and see how it compares?

https://emby.media/emby-for-android.html

Thanks.

Ah okay this has seemed to fix it! But I can't test it properly as the arm. Apk only let's me play 1 minute of content without a subscription the app tells me

edit: okay so this also plays Dolby Vision way better than Plex. Maybe I'm convinced

Edited January 24, 2021 by Lazyace

[ebr 14910]

3 minutes ago, Lazyace said:

Apk only let's me play 1 minute of content

So how do you know it fixed it?

[Lazyace 1]

Just now, ebr said:

So how do you know it fixed it?

I assume as it doesn't throw up the Dolby Atmos logo when I play a TrueHD file! Before it was throwing it up at the start when there wasn't an Atmos track present, only TrueHD. 

[ebr 14910]

9 minutes ago, Lazyace said:

I assume as it doesn't throw up the Dolby Atmos logo when I play a TrueHD file! Before it was throwing it up at the start when there wasn't an Atmos track present, only TrueHD. 

Were you actually getting TrueHD audio?

I'd be very surprised if the two apps delivered this audio differently - unless maybe the other app was downmixing it.

[Lazyace 1]

Just now, ebr said:

Were you actually getting TrueHD audio?

I'd be very surprised if the two apps delivered this audio differently - unless maybe the other app was downmixing it.

Yes I was, but it was displaying the Atmos logo incorrectly .Plex behaves exactly the same. MrMC does not.

They cleary do handle it differently. Otherwise I would be getting the Atmos logo pop up at the start of TrueHD files. I don't anymore. Can I ask what the difference is between the GoogePlay app and the ones linked above? The GUI is completely different and I seem to have to have Premiere to use the one linked. I don't have a problem with paying, I just want to know what the difference is between build revisions? I also noticed playing a minute of DoVi files the one linked above works way better than Plex and plays DoVi every time, where as Plex needs the content to be restarted numerous times. 

[ebr 14910]

3 minutes ago, Lazyace said:

I also noticed playing a minute of DoVi files the one linked above works way better than Plex and plays DoVi every time, where as Plex needs the content to be restarted numerous times. 

The beta version of the TV app will do this too.

Have you tested with the beta of the standard app?

 

[Lazyace 1]

I've signed up to Emby Premiere as I was impressed, and the Beta testing. Will the beta install automatically? Can I ask again, the version @Luke linked above, is that a beta? Thanks 

[Lazyace 1]

10 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, can you try sideloading this on the Shield and see how it compares?

https://emby.media/emby-for-android.html

Thanks.

 

25 minutes ago, ebr said:

Were you actually getting TrueHD audio?

I'd be very surprised if the two apps delivered this audio differently - unless maybe the other app was downmixing it.

After upgrading to premiere and further testing I still get the issue initially it seemed fine as it didn't display the Atmos logo on the first minute. Now it is again. This is utterlymaddening.

Can I download the beta app from anywhere now and try that?

[Lazyace 1]

Okay so after fart arsing around for ages it seems I've found a workaround which is annoying but seemingly works. I tried this first yesterday and it did nothing but if you turn the Atmos option on, off, on and off again it seems to remedy it completely. I tried turning it off and encountered an even more irritating issue with a large pop up. Now it seems to have gone completely! I only seem to have to do this once. I'm going to try some more but it's bizarre. Even stranger than running TrueHD content via MrMC prompts no Atmos prompt at all. 

[rbjtech 4255]

Do you have the Shield set to 'Auto' - or are you manually selecting the Audio Codecs ?

Does this happen to all your True-HD files (no Atmos)  and/or True-HD with Atmos files ?

I have a Shield 2019 Pro - it's not directly connected to my LG C8 though, it goes via an AVR but I do not get this Atmos behaviour.    My Shield is set to Auto.  I believe the latest Shield firmware addressed some manual Codec selection issues.  Are you running the latest Shield firmware ?

[Lazyace 1]

13 minutes ago, rbjtech said:

Do you have the Shield set to 'Auto' - or are you manually selecting the Audio Codecs ?

Does this happen to all your True-HD files (no Atmos)  and/or True-HD with Atmos files ?

I have a Shield 2019 Pro - it's not directly connected to my LG C8 though, it goes via an AVR but I do not get this Atmos behaviour.    My Shield is set to Auto.  I believe the latest Shield firmware addressed some manual Codec selection issues.  Are you running the latest Shield firmware ?

Hi mate

Yes the latest update from a couple of days ago. When you 'set to auto' what are you referring to specifically? 

[rbjtech 4255]

The shield itself - can't remember the exact setting, but in Audio settings - the default is 'Auto' but you can also individually select the codec's you want the shield to passthrough if you wish.  It's those that I'm referring to and it's those I believe the firmware issue addressed.  

Emby has to 'read' what Audio codec's are supported when the Emby/Shield is powered up - so if you modify these (maybe remove DTS as the CX doesn't support for example) then this may be causing the issues.

Just putting some ideas out there - I don't run my Emby Server on the Shield itself, so hopefully others will chime in with their experience here.

[Lazyace 1]

1 hour ago, rbjtech said:

The shield itself - can't remember the exact setting, but in Audio settings - the default is 'Auto' but you can also individually select the codec's you want the shield to passthrough if you wish.  It's those that I'm referring to and it's those I believe the firmware issue addressed.  

Emby has to 'read' what Audio codec's are supported when the Emby/Shield is powered up - so if you modify these (maybe remove DTS as the CX doesn't support for example) then this may be causing the issues.

Just putting some ideas out there - I don't run my Emby Server on the Shield itself, so hopefully others will chime in with their experience here.

Hi mate has tried everything with this in those specific settings in Shield and no joy. It is on automatic but have tried everything else and  no luck. Can I ask, did you make all of your own remuxes? I'm wondering if it's a file issue?

[rbjtech 4255]

Worth downloading some True-Hd and Atmos test files - granted they won't run for long - but if the Atmos indicator works as expected, then it may point to the files being the issue rather than your setup.

[Lazyace 1]

9 minutes ago, rbjtech said:

Worth downloading some True-Hd and Atmos test files - granted they won't run for long - but if the Atmos indicator works as expected, then it may point to the files being the issue rather than your setup.

The difficult is with the length of time as you say. While it's a good idea, the Atmos logo always displays correctly at the start it's the random pop ups throughout. That said do you have any suggestions for links of solid test files? Thanks 

[speechles 1917]

@Lazyace Is there an "Instant Game Response" setting on your TV in some setting somewhere? That is what is causing the issue with your random pop ups.

Edited January 27, 2021 by speechles