Chromecast with Google TV won't play movies in MKV container with DTS 5.1

[HaraldBluetooth 16]

Hi I have a setup with a Chromecast with Google TV connected to my Sony STR-DH590 surround receiver connected to a LG C8 4K OLED and Emby server running on a NUC PC with Windows 10

When I try to play a movie in mkv contrainer with DTS 5.1 it ends with an error message: Can't play - too many errors.

Android TV OS version 10 build QTS2.200918.033.7115981
Emby Android version 1.8.54g.

Emby server version 4.6.0.29 beta

My Sony STR-DH590 supports DSD, Dolby® Digital, Dolby® Dual Mono, DTS-HD Master Audio™, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS®, DTS 96/24 

Both my TV and surround receiver supports HDCP 2.2

I've tried with the DTS pass-through options enabled and disabled in the Emby Android app, nothing helps. I've also tried with other movies with DTS 5.1 without any luck.

Can you tell me if, DTS should pass-through with my setup, or if not it should at least transcode the audio to Dolby Digital 5.1 (AC3 5.1) (as it is for ordinary Chromecasts).

 

 

embyserver.txt L'affaire.Farewell.2009.720p.BluRay.DTS.x264-CRiSC.nfo

Edited February 27, 2021 by HaraldBluetooth

[ebr 15662]

Hi.  That device doesn't support DTS but the app should convert to DD for you.

Was an ffmpeg log produced?

[HaraldBluetooth 16]

Hi, no ffmpeg transcode log was produced.

[ebr 15662]

7 minutes ago, HaraldBluetooth said:

Emby Android version 1.8.54g.

Won't have any impact on this issue but there should be an update to 1.8.55 available.

[ebr 15662]

2 minutes ago, HaraldBluetooth said:

no ffmpeg transcode log was produced

Possibly because you disabled transcoding:

EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding: False

If you re-enable that, does playback work?

[HaraldBluetooth 16]

I've have just upgraded, and no change. Ups didn't see your last reply....

 

Is it on my user profile, or where do I change that.

Edited February 27, 2021 by HaraldBluetooth

[HaraldBluetooth 16]

Oh I have disabled video transcoding, only audio transcoding is allowed on the server.

[HaraldBluetooth 16]

Okay now I tried to enable video transcoding too and now it is playing. But why do the player also need to transcode the video, when it's the audio, it can't direct play?

 

And why only transcode to AAC 2.0 and not DD 5.1? For the other Chromecast versions, also Ultra, the DTS 5.1 audio (and only the audio) is transcoded to DD 5.1.

Edited February 27, 2021 by HaraldBluetooth

[ebr 15662]

1 hour ago, HaraldBluetooth said:

Okay now I tried to enable video transcoding too and now it is playing. But why do the player also need to transcode the video, when it's the audio, it can't direct play?

 

And why only transcode to AAC 2.0 and not DD 5.1? For the other Chromecast versions, also Ultra, the DTS 5.1 audio (and only the audio) is transcoded to DD 5.1.

Please post the ffmpeg log and we can probably answer those questions.  My guess is that you probably had subtitles selected that required the transcode (burn in).

[HaraldBluetooth 16]

Thanks for your answer, but there is no PGS, vobsub, or ass subtitles for this movie.

ffmpeg-transcode-f68a4d8f-4e04-44ed-b4f4-efc19bf379ae_1.txt mediainfo.txt

[ebr 15662]

The transcode is occurring due to an error attempting to direct play.

Since you are running the beta server, you should probably also run the beta of the app though.  Can you give that a try?

 

[HaraldBluetooth 16]

Yes thanks ebr, I will try that tomorrow and report back here.

[HaraldBluetooth 16]

I have now installed the beta version of the android TV app and now it's playing DTS 5.1 direct as PCM 5.1 without transcoding anything. 

Thanks a lot ebr

 

[ebr 15662]

12 hours ago, HaraldBluetooth said:

and now it's playing DTS 5.1 direct as PCM 5.1

This is using the new Google Chromecast device?

[HaraldBluetooth 16]

Yes the new Google Chromecast with Google TV (android TV with Google TV overlay). The original power supply connected to a iVANKY 7-in-1 USB-C hub (pass-through power) with ethernet cable connected, and then the Chromecast with Google TV into the surround receiver's HDMI port.

Stat for nerds:

Playback Info
Player: ExoPlayer
HDR Support: HLG HDR10,DV
Play method: Direct Play
Stream type: HTTP

Streaming Info

Video resolution: 1280x694
Video codec: H264 (direct)
Bitrate: 8,76 Mbps
Audio codec: DTS (software decoder)

Original Media Info

Container: mkv
Video codec: H264
Video bitrate: 8,76 Mbps
Frame rate: 23,98 fps
Audio codec: DTS
Audio bitrate: 1,54 Mbps
Audio channels: 5.1

 

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by HaraldBluetooth