Problem transcoding AAC 6 channel files

[baileyby 2]

Just an additional heads up that all AAC 6 channel files suddenly stopped working for me as well (movies wouldn't even start).  Like you, I've been playing these movies for years with the same tv, roku stick, server, etc.  The only thing that may have changed is auto updates to emby server, emby client, or roku.

Once I went into Roku and forced everything to Dolby/stereo, everything's working okay again (which is fine as I'm just playing through this TV).  Attaching the relevant debug data from embyserver.txt.  I'm back up and running sufficiently, but hoping it helps gives some clues for the problem threnos is hitting.

 

2026-05-06 22:00:01.932 Debug EncodingManager: KillTranscodingJob - JobId cf20eb47-db09-43c2-b366-1588c9027849 PlaySessionId 143fb49421974b878b976ca5d73e23b7. Killing transcoding
2026-05-06 22:00:01.932 Error DynamicHlsService-0HNKV6226T45R:00000001: Error processing request
    *** Error Report ***
    Version: 4.9.3.0
    Command line: C:\Users\Byron\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\system\EmbyServer.dll -noautorunwebapp
    Operating system: Microsoft Windows 10.0.19045
    OS/Process: x64/x64
    Framework: .NET 8.0.22
    Runtime: C:/Users/Byron/AppData/Roaming/Emby-Server/system/System.Private.CoreLib.dll
    Processor count: 8
    Data path: C:\Users\Byron\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata
    Application path: C:\Users\Byron\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\system
    Emby.Server.MediaEncoding.Unified.Ffmpeg.FfRunException: Emby.Server.MediaEncoding.Unified.Ffmpeg.FfRunException: Error starting ffmpeg
-loglevel +timing -y -print_graphs_file "C:\Users\Byron\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\logs\ffmpeg-transcode-cf20eb47-db09-43c2-b366-1588c9027849_1graph.txt" -copyts -start_at_zero -f mp4 -c:v:0 h264 -noautorotate -i "H:\Movies\Ocean's Eleven (2001)\Ocean's Eleven (2001).m4v" -map 0:0 -map 0:1 -sn -c:v:0 libx264 -g:v:0 90 -maxrate:v:0 1866630 -bufsize:v:0 3733260 -sc_threshold:v:0 0 -keyint_min:v:0 90 -r:v:0 29.970029830932617 -pix_fmt:v:0 yuv420p -preset:v:0 veryfast -profile:v:0 high -x264opts:v:0 "subme=0:me_range=4:rc_lookahead=10:partitions=none" -crf:v:0 23 -c:a:0 ac3 -ab:a:0 384000 -ar:a:0 48000 -ac:a:0 6 -disposition:a:0 default -max_delay 5000000 -avoid_negative_ts disabled -f segment -map_metadata -1 -map_chapters -1 -segment_format mpegts -segment_list "C:\Users\Byron\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\transcoding-temp\D95AD5\D95AD5.m3u8" -segment_list_type m3u8 -segment_time 00:00:03.000 -segment_start_number 0 -individual_header_trailer 0 -write_header_trailer 0 -segment_write_temp 1 "C:\Users\Byron\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\transcoding-temp\D95AD5\D95AD5_%d.ts"

22:00:01.836 ffmpeg version 5.1-emby_2023_06_25_p4 Copyright (c) 2000-2022 the FFmpeg developers and softworkz for Emby LLC
    22:00:01.836   built with gcc 12.2.0 (Rev10, Built by MSYS2 project)
    22:00:01.836 Execution Date: 2026-05-06 22:00:01
    22:00:01.891 Guessed Channel Layout for Input Stream #0.1 : 5.1
    22:00:01.891 Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'H:\Movies\Ocean's Eleven (2001)\Ocean's Eleven (2001).m4v':
    22:00:01.891   Metadata:
    22:00:01.891     major_brand     : M4V 
    22:00:01.891     minor_version   : 512
    22:00:01.891     compatible_brands: M4V isomiso2avc1
    22:00:01.891     encoder         : Lavf59.27.100
    22:00:01.891   Duration: 01:56:34.66, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1025 kb/s
    22:00:01.891   Stream #0:0[0x1](und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(progressive), 720x480 [SAR 32:27 DAR 16:9], 622 kb/s, Level 30, 29.97 fps, 29.97 tbr, 30k tbn (default)
    22:00:01.892     Metadata:
    22:00:01.892       handler_name    : VideoHandler
    22:00:01.892       vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
    22:00:01.892   Stream #0:1[0x2](und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, 5.1, fltp, 394 kb/s (default)
    22:00:01.892     Metadata:
    22:00:01.892       handler_name    : SoundHandler
    22:00:01.892       vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
    22:00:01.898 Stream mapping:
    22:00:01.898   Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (h264 (native) -> h264 (libx264))
    22:00:01.898   Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (aac (native) -> ac3 (native))
    22:00:01.898 Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
    22:00:01.903 [Parsed_anull_0 @ 0000017181eeff00] Channel layout change is not supported
    22:00:01.903 Error while filtering: Not yet implemented in FFmpeg, patches welcome
    22:00:01.903 Failed to inject frame into filter network: Not yet implemented in FFmpeg, patches welcome
    22:00:01.903 Error while processing the decoded data for stream #0:1
    22:00:01.908 Conversion failed!
    22:00:01.908 EXIT

 

 

[speechles 2070]

6-Channel Bug: FFmpeg can create an incorrect 6-channel layout (L R C Cb Lb Rb) rather than standard 5.1 (C L R Ls Rs LFE).

Quote

22:00:01.891 Guessed Channel Layout for Input Stream #0.1 : 5.1

It looks like the "-ac 6" was removed from the ffmpeg parameters? @softworkz

-ac:a:0 6

I mean it is in there. But before this was just "-ac 6". Seeing the "Guessed Channel Layout" makes me believe it cannot understand the channel count. 

Edited Thursday at 02:54 PM by speechles