Emby app and Dolby Vision

[Ryansta 0]

Hi All

Just a query really, I recently got an LG G1 and started using HEVC content. Some of the content is Dolby Vision encoded. This makes the colours pink and green.

I have setup an Emby server and using the Emby app on my TV. However under stats for nerds, Stream Type is "Http". 

From a bit of reading this should be Direct for any chance of Dolby Vision content working correctly, is this correct? If so, with my setup (media server and Emby app) is it possible to get Streaming type to Direct?

[Luke 42077]

Hi, it can be both http and direct playing at the same time.

[Ryansta 0]

Is "direct" required for DV to work?

[Luke 42077]

16 minutes ago, Ryansta said:

Is "direct" required for DV to work?

Yes, although I don't think that's the problem here. What we have been seeing with these high end audio formats is that although the LG TV supports them, LG is not making it available for all third party apps to utilize.

@SamES can point to more info.

[Ryansta 0]

Cool thanks, Ill just avoid DV content then probably easier.

Just for my sanity, what is required to get the files to stream direct?

[Luke 42077]

4 hours ago, Ryansta said:

Cool thanks, Ill just avoid DV content then probably easier.

Just for my sanity, what is required to get the files to stream direct?

They just need to be something that the TV supports. All apps on LG TV's are using LG's built-in player, so as a result we're reliant on what video formats the TV supports natively.

[SamES 1056]

Yes, it needs to be DirectPlay for DV to work.  Most likely you are trying to play an unsupported audio track such as TrueHD or DTS, which is requiring the audio track to be converted.  Try an AC3 track and see if this improves it.

 

[rbjtech 5284]

We really need to see the MediaInfo to confirm - it may be a number of things - DV Profile, Container - MP4, MKV etc (LG won't like DV in an MKV), Audio streams (as SamEs has said..)

DV is a complicated 'format' and has caused no end of issues on shall we say unoriginal formats - it's certainly possible, but the chances of it just playing on default settings on the average setup is a lucky dip ..

 

 

[dcol 175]

I can't get any Dolby Vision media to play correctly using Emby. Colors are all wrong. This is on Shield, Fire Cube, or the LG TV Emby app. They all play correctly using Plex and pop up with Dolby Vision notice so I know the media is fine.

Is there an Emby setting I am missing?

Edited June 4, 2022 by dcol

[SamES 1056]

It sounds like it's not using DirectPlay.

Did you take note of these comments:

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/107476-emby-app-and-dolby-vision/&do=findComment&comment=1131622

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/107476-emby-app-and-dolby-vision/&do=findComment&comment=1131787

 

[Luke 42077]

Hi, yes let's look at a specific example. Thanks.

[dcol 175]

How do I enable direct play without affecting users who require transcoding. IDK, it just works in Plex for local and remote users. But I prefer to use Emby

When I look at nerd stats when playing DV it shows direct play, yet does not play in DV mode. The issue is something else.

Edited June 5, 2022 by dcol

[Luke 42077]

32 minutes ago, dcol said:

How do I enable direct play without affecting users who require transcoding. IDK, it just works in Plex for local and remote users. But I prefer to use Emby

When I look at nerd stats when playing DV it shows direct play, yet does not play in DV mode. The issue is something else.

There's nothing you need to do. Emby apps will already direct play whenever possible. Let's look at an example:

Thanks !

[SamES 1056]

3 hours ago, dcol said:

How do I enable direct play without affecting users who require transcoding. IDK, it just works in Plex for local and remote users. But I prefer to use Emby

When I look at nerd stats when playing DV it shows direct play, yet does not play in DV mode. The issue is something else.

My understanding is that it is not possible to maintain DV while transcoding

[dcol 175]

I made some changes to the shield and got DV working on Emby but still doesn,t work on LG or FireTV. Must have something to do with transcoding on the LG. The FireCube is probably not DV capable

[Luke 42077]

5 hours ago, dcol said:

I made some changes to the shield and got DV working on Emby but still doesn,t work on LG or FireTV. Must have something to do with transcoding on the LG. The FireCube is probably not DV capable

Hi, can we please look at an example? Thanks !

[rbjtech 5284]

Details of the file from MediaInfo will tell us the information we need to determine the likely cause - without an example, we are simply guessing.

FYI - The LG cannot natively play DV from an MKV (only MP4) and the FireTV Cube Gen 2 can play DV fine - but likely only Profile 5 and 8.

As explained above - DV is a minefield for anybody not using direct streaming services or playing UHD disks on UHD Hardware players....

[dcol 175]

Here is the Media Info

[rbjtech 5284]

2 minutes ago, dcol said:

Here is the Media Info

ok - so it's a DV Profile 5 - so should play ok on anything DV 'compatible' but you haven't listed if it's an MKV or an MP4 ?

I haven't used in a long while - but I believe the LG Client uses the LG TV Internal player - and that only supports MP4 containers for DV.

Unfortunately I don't have any experience on using the FireTV Cube with DV - it will definitely be ok with the Profile 5 - but may also need to be MP4.

All playback will need to be direct - for both Video, Audio and if needed Subs - the only Audio track is EAC3, so there should not be any issue from the Audio side of things.  Video Bitrate is only 18Mbit/sec, so the video stream should not present you with many issues either.

[dcol 175]

File is MP4. Will try again on LG.

[SamES 1056]

Try it on a usb drive on the TV with the internal player

[neik 873]

For me is the same, can't get DV to play with the LG app.
Already converted some mkv's to mp4 with mkvmerge (mkvmerge -o "output" "input") but nothing I do does seem to help, all I get is normal HDR.
Audio in this case is not the problem as it's AC3 or EAC3 with Atmos (detected correctly).
TV is a G1.

Unfortunately, no Shield to test the AndroidTV app against those files.
Any suggestions?

[rbjtech 5284]

2 hours ago, neik said:

For me is the same, can't get DV to play with the LG app.
Already converted some mkv's to mp4 with mkvmerge (mkvmerge -o "output" "input") but nothing I do does seem to help, all I get is normal HDR.
Audio in this case is not the problem as it's AC3 or EAC3 with Atmos (detected correctly).
TV is a G1.

Unfortunately, no Shield to test the AndroidTV app against those files.
Any suggestions?

The LG Emby client can only play DV via correctly constructed MP4 - converting from MKV to MP4 via any quick method is unlikely to work - and result in HDR only (meaning it was a DV profile 7 source) or purple/green mess if it was DV profile 5.

@FrostByte may be able to give you some advice on converting here - but my advice is to buy a Shield Pro and use that with the LG TV (lol) - because it plays everything - high bitrate UHD Remuxes (as it has gigabit Ethernet), all DV profiles and all HD Audio formats as well without all the messing about ..!      

[FrostByte 5392]

These scripts do just about anything DV related, and tutorial videos are good.  I don't use MP4, but there is an option for that.  The guy who created them has a C2 so I'm sure MP4 works.

Dolby-Vision-Tools - Google Drive

The guy hangs out on the Makemkv forum if you wish to communicate with him.

 

Edited June 30, 2022 by FrostByte

[dcol 175]

I wasn't able to get the Emby app to work with DV either on my LG CX. But DV plays fine using the Nvidia Shield. So it is the app and not the media.