AC3 5.1 playing as stereo

[Shindou12 0]

I have a sony HTA 5000 which supports AC3 5.1. Some of the files that I have converted from AAC to AC3 5.1 are only playing as stereo. I converted them with the same program with the same settings as other video files that make use of the back left and right speakers. On emby and through MKV toolnix I have confirmed that it converted to AC3 5.1 successfully. Trying to figure out why it would only be playing as stereo.

[Luke 42077]

HI there, are you using our android tv app? Did you check the settings in the app? You might have enabled the stereo downmix option by mistake.

[Shindou12 0]

Hi, I am using the android tv app. I did check to see if the downmix option was on. I even changed it to convert unsupported audio to Dolby digital and to the auto option and it did not change it.

Edited April 3, 2022 by Shindou12

[FrostByte 5392]

Which version of ATV are you running?

[Shindou12 0]

If you mean the version of Emby its 4.6.7.0

[Happy2Play 9780]

27 minutes ago, Shindou12 said:

If you mean the version of Emby its 4.6.7.0

That is server, they are looking for client version?

 

[Shindou12 0]

Would it be version 2.7.70g registered. That’s what’s on the bottom left screen of the android Emby app.

[FrostByte 5392]

Okay, I was just checking to see if you had the latest since there were a lot of changes in the latest as far as down mixing audio.

You may wish to play something which isn't working correctly and send the in app logs to ebr

[Shindou12 0]

I will do that. One interesting thing I've noticed also is that the DTS files that always decode because of the tv only supporting ARC pushes more sound to the surround speakers when it converts to unsupported audio to Dolby digital. The sound that it produces is better than my direct play AC3 5.1 files that are using the speakers. These are with the same file that I converted to DTS and AC3 from an AAC file to see if there was a difference. Is it possible that the file being converted to AC3 5.1 (side) could be the problem?

[ebr 16169]

Hi.   Can you please play that item for a few seconds and then follow the instructions to send a log from the app?

 

 

[rbjtech 5284]

To confirm - you have converted an AAC 5.1 source to an AC3 5.1 destination correct ?

If the AAC is 2.0 (Stereo) - then the AC3 is also going to be 2.0 as well - unless your application is up-mixing to other channels to create a fake 'surround sound'.

What app did you use for the conversion ?

I also just checked the soundbar - this is a reasonable top end soundbar with Tru-HD/Atmos & DTS:X - and yet Sony are crazy to not including AAC in the supported codecs ! 

Edited April 6, 2022 by rbjtech

[Luke 42077]

@Shindou12 ?

[Edrock200 53]

The actual android tv client has audio downmix and passthrough options as well. I would ensure passthrough is enabled. Also, it is my understanding that some Dolby digital formats require the extra bandwidth provided by eArc vs the original Arc standard. Not sure if this is a factor in your case.

Edited April 7, 2022 by Edrock200

[Shindou12 0]

I looked all through my android tv setting and could not fine the log button. I'm sending the log from my computer but not sure if that will help. Yes I am up mixing to AC3 5.1. My TV actually shows that it direct plays AAC 5.1. However, that is doing the same thing as some of the AC3 5.1 files. I have attempted with Bigasoft audio converter and Aiseesoft video converter to no avail. I have attempted passthrough and auto since my tv does not have hdmi 2.0 and it does not support DTS files so i either have to force it to convert automatically to AC3 in settings or through audio playback error in osc as auto automatically downmixes which I dont want.  The odd thing is that I'm converting with the same settings and it works for some files and not others. All of them are saying AC3 5.1 direct play. 

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by Shindou12

[GrimReaper 4739]

2 minutes ago, Shindou12 said:

I looked all through my android tv setting and could not fine the log button.

Quote

Emby for Android TV/Fire TV and Emby for Roku Logs

 

These apps have the option to send an app log to us electronically.  You enter the settings page and turn on the "Debug Options".  Now there will be a new option on the user menu at the top of your app home page labelled "Send Log". 

Once you enable Debug options, you can find "Send Logs" option in dropdown either on Home Screen (select your user top-right) or in OSD during playback (select Cog icon). 

[Shindou12 0]

I sent the Log. It does not play AC3 5.1 on some files correctly (i.e. no sound from back and left speaker), I sent the log at 9:44 am and it is shindou12 username.

[ebr 16169]

Hi.  Thanks for the log.  The app is passing through your DD track in full.  If you are not hearing what you think you should, it must be the conversion/encoding.

04-08 09:43:02.609  9189  9189 D EventLogger:   MediaCodecAudioRenderer [
04-08 09:43:02.609  9189  9189 D EventLogger:     Group:0, adaptive_supported=N/A [
04-08 09:43:02.609  9189  9189 D EventLogger:       [X] Track:0, id=2, mimeType=audio/ac3, channels=6, sample_rate=48000, language=und, supported=YES
04-08 09:43:02.609  9189  9189 D EventLogger:     ]

Or, possibly, something downstream is downmixing it.

[Shindou12 0]

Hi, yeah when I select playback correction twice and it plays correctly through the back speakers. This happens when converted through both Bigasoft audio converter and Aiseesoft video converter. Is there a better/more accurate converter that you know of?

Edited April 8, 2022 by Shindou12

[ebr 16169]

3 minutes ago, Shindou12 said:

Hi, yeah when I select playback correction twice and it plays through the back speakers. This is when converted through both converters.

That could be causing something to simulate surround sound.  Can I see the ffmpeg log from when you do that?

[Shindou12 0]

Just went the log

[Shindou12 0]

I'm sorry. I had to sent another log because I only clicked playback correction once. I sent another after clicking it a second time. Just to make sure that is the log that I sent before? Is ther another log that I need to send from my android app?

Edited April 8, 2022 by Shindou12

[ebr 16169]

Okay, so when you use playback correction (twice), the app is actually downmixing the track to stereo and sending that out.  So, based on all of that, I would surmise that your original 5.1 track has no actual audio in the surround tracks (or, perhaps, mapped incorrectly).  When you send stereo out, however, your receiver or something else is simulating surround sound.

[Shindou12 0]

So that meets the settings in the conversion app are not working correctly. Do you know if a better one to use?

[rbjtech 5284]

I would concur with Eric - I think your AAC 5.1 files are either AAC 2.0 files and your conversion software is making a hash of mapping/upmixing it to AC5 5.1 - or the AAC 5.1 has incorrect mapping in the first place and thus the conversion software is not at fault - it's your source file that is wrong.

Lets go back to basics - can you profile a readout of a MediaInfo on the file - I'm interested in what it lists for the Audio Tracks.

[Shindou12 0]

The file did start out as AAC 2.O and I was attempting to switch it to AC3 5.1. I was under the impression that if I converted it the app would do so correctly. Is that incorrect?