Samsung Smart TV app vs XBox app - pros and cons?

[oceanclub 12]

I have a Samsung S85F TV on the way and notice there is an Emby app for it.

Up until now I've used the XBox app on an XBox One X.

What are the pros and cons of using each from now on? Does anyone with both have a preference?

P.

[FrostByte 5392]

Codec support will probably be the big one.  Check the back of the user's manual online for your S85F to see a chart of supported codecs, subtitles, etc.  For instance, your Samsung will not support any HD audio, won't even passthrough.  Having a second audio track and subtitle format will be key if you play remuxes unless you want to transcode.  No DV of course.

If you watch mostly stuff from streaming sources, then Samsung's codec support may not be a big deal.

The level of support provided to Emby for the Samsung app store is only good for 5 years on TV models.  So, after your model is 5 years old you will no longer be able to download new versions of the app from the Samsung store.  Instead, you will need to use the developer's version of the app and sideload monthly because of its internal expiration.

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The Xbox of course doesn't pass HDR10+.  The Xbox is another box that needs powering up which may be a con to some.

Other than that, I have a remote for both and they function similar.  I tend to use the Samsung app for most of my stuff and use my Shield when I need the extra codec support.  My Xbox is usually my third option.

Edited November 1, 2025 by FrostByte

[oceanclub 12]

Should have mentioned I also got a Samsung Q990F surround sound: does that make a difference?

[FrostByte 5392]

25 minutes ago, oceanclub said:

Should have mentioned I also got a Samsung Q990F surround sound: does that make a difference?

Nope, the encoder/decoder still has to recognize a codec even to passthrough and Samsung did not pay for that.  Your user manual will have a chart like the one in the link below.  Anything else the app will transcode. 

https://developer.samsung.com/smarttv/develop/specifications/media-specifications/2025-tv-video-specifications.html

Atmos support is limited to DD+ only.  If you want any HD audio codec like TrueHD Atmos/DTS:X, etc you will want an external device something like the Shield and plug it into one of the HDMI input ports on your Q99F like I do.

[oceanclub 12]

So i had planned to:

• Connect Xbox → TV HDMI.

• Connect TV HDMI eARC → Soundbar.

• Enable bitstream / passthrough on the TV.

• Enable Dolby Atmos on Xbox.

Does this not actually work?

[FrostByte 5392]

You still need an encoder/decoder that supports TrueHD even to just passthrough on your TV. If it doesn't recognize it, then it won't passthrough.  Some codecs will work like that, others it won't.

What you may want to do is the following:

Hook the Xbox to the HDMI input on your soundbar then the soundbar will pass the video through the eARC to your TV. 

[FrostByte 5392]

Your soundbar has two HDMI 2.1 inputs, so you should be good there.

[FrostByte 5392]

Found a good link on a review of your Q85F by Rtings

https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/samsung/s85f-oled

Look toward the bottom of the page, it looks like TrueHD will actually bitstream from an external device on the TV like you want to do, but DTS, DD+ 7.1 will not.  So, it's going to be hit or miss on codecs and bitstreaming through the HDMI input of your TV.  Hooking it up the way I described above though should get you all codecs supported by your soundbar/Xbox.

 

Edited November 1, 2025 by FrostByte

[oceanclub 12]

Thanks for this: it's very informative. But maybe not exactly what I wanted to hear. And to think I bought a combo Samsung TV/soundbar in the educated assumption it would all just work together.... It looks like the more recent models of Samsung, and also LC TVs, don't support DTS either: the modern audio codec situation seems a mess. (I mean, why Dolby Atmos Over Dolby Digital Plus, but no Dolby Digital Plus 7.1?)

So for full audio compatibility, I should connect:

XBox -> Soundbar -> TV

?
 

[FrostByte 5392]

17 minutes ago, oceanclub said:

Thanks for this: it's very informative. But maybe not exactly what I wanted to hear. And to think I bought a combo Samsung TV/soundbar in the educated assumption it would all just work together.... It looks like the more recent models of Samsung, and also LC TVs, don't support DTS either: the modern audio codec situation seems a mess. (I mean, why Dolby Atmos Over Dolby Digital Plus, but no Dolby Digital Plus 7.1?)

So for full audio compatibility, I should connect:

XBox -> Soundbar -> TV

?
 

It always changes from year-to-year and even between higher and lower end models sometimes too.  Samsung stopped adding DTS in 2018 and I believe LG was going to start adding DTS in their premium sets only again at some point.

That's how I have mine setup with Xbox One X in one HDMI port and my Shield in the other port of the soundbar.  I get everything those devices support and I don't have to worry about whether my TV will passthrough anything.

As far as the Samsung app goes though you are stuck with what's in those charts.  Between the limits of the codec decoder and what Tizen supports it's really limited and somewhat geared toward what the streaming services use (DD+ Atmos, etc).  Emby will still play them, just transcoded on the fly.