Force Stereo->5.1

[fizzyade 132]

How can I do this, I can't seem to find a setting that accomplishes this either on shield or in the admin settings.

I have real problems when I get stereo output with the volume being incredibly low (out of the Sonos playbar), if I hit the playback correction then I get a transcode of the audio to 5.1 and the volume is correct.

 

[ebr 16169]

There is no way to make the app convert your stereo audio to 5.1 but there is an option to convert any unsupported audio formats to DD.  Have you tried that?

[fizzyade 132]

Yeah, that doesn't help.  This is purely an issue with a stereo source, if I switch to playback correct the stereo is transcoded to 5.1 and the volume is correct.

[FrostByte 5392]

On the Shield under Advanced Audio settings there is a Stereo upmix setting.  I know it works with music, not sure about video.

[fizzyade 132]

That’s already set.

[Luke 42077]

hi @fizzyade, are you still having an issue with this?

[ebr 16169]

There is no way for the app to do what he wants here.  Some outboard audio equipment can, however.

[fizzyade 132]

@Luke Yes, this is still a problem, a big problem for us as we leave the TV on for the dogs (don't ask, the noise stops them being disturbed from outside noises, we have a neighbour 2 doors away who has no consideration for anybody and shouts throughout the day) and if nobody checks whether the volume has been put up to 60% before leaving, well, let's just say our neighbours get quite a shock when an episode plays which is in 5.1 with the correct volume.

@ebrWhy is this not possible? Add a "Force Stereo to 5.1" in the app and then tell the sever that the client doesn't support Stereo.  Yes it forces a transcode, and no, that's not a problem.  Heck if I could force "Playback Correction" that would solve it for me.

[ebr 16169]

Just now, fizzyade said:

Why is this not possible?

Okay, there is no way for the app to do it without involving the server is what I meant.  You basically want an option to transcode all stereo sources to DD.  I guess that is possible but I'm not sure it would be very popular...

[fizzyade 132]

Just now, ebr said:

Okay, there is no way for the app to do it without involving the server is what I meant.  You basically want an option to transcode all stereo sources to DD.  I guess that is possible but I'm not sure it would be very popular...

It's really just an extension of being able to select in app which codecs you want to allow on your side.which goes all the way back to when I was first considering switching to emby from another media player and I needed to disable DTS because the Sonos player doesn't support it and would result in no sound.

If we're talking of options that wouldn't be very popular, I still need some way of switching the front left and right channels ! lol

I did see that you have an option now in the settings to select a different ffmpeg binary, I guess technically I could do this by writing a stub binary that parses the command line, changes it as necessary and them invokes it on the real ffmpeg?  I was hoping there was an option to set overrides for parameters.  If the former is possible, then additionally know the client id in an environment variable or something would help.

[fizzyade 132]

btw all the extra advanced settings are a real step forward!

[Carlo 4560]

Does it really matter if it's 2 to 5.1 or everything to 2 channel?
As long as you can force the same type of audio that would solve your loudness issue correct?

[ebr 16169]

Just now, cayars said:

As long as you can force the same type of audio that would solve your loudness issue correct?

Well, yes, I guess that's true for the case of the dog soundtrack but, I imagine, in normal usage they want the 5.1 sound so don't want to leave the app in "mixdown to stereo".

[fizzyade 132]

1 hour ago, cayars said:

Does it really matter if it's 2 to 5.1 or everything to 2 channel?
As long as you can force the same type of audio that would solve your loudness issue correct?

Everything to stereo would not fix it, everything would be at 60%-70% volume, switch to something other than emby and we'd wake up the neighbours, plus and I'd lose 5.1.

 

[thegrunge 29]

@fizzyade @Luke @ebr @cayars I can't find a function in the chromecast tv. I have a bit of the same problem with my stereo tv. When I listen to stereo content the sound quite loud, but when it is 5.1 I have to turn the volume to maximum and again the sound is not very loud. Any solution?

Thanks!

Edited June 13, 2021 by thegrunge

[Carlo 4560]

1 hour ago, thegrunge said:

@fizzyade @Luke @ebr @cayars I can't find a function in the chromecast tv. I have a bit of the same problem with my stereo tv. When I listen to stereo content the sound quite loud, but when it is 5.1 I have to turn the volume to maximum and again the sound is not very loud. Any solution?

Thanks!

If you play the media back in another program do you get the same results with a difference in loudness?

[thegrunge 29]

@cayarsit seems to be only on my girlfriend's tv and with emby in 5.1, because netflix does not have this problem on the same chromecast tv. at home I have a more recent TV with a suround system, so I don't have this problem.

I even bought a sound bar thinking to correct the problem but no it's only a little better, because it is more powerful than the TV speakers. This is optically connected

The sound cuts in half when I play 5.1

thanks!

Edited June 13, 2021 by thegrunge

[Carlo 4560]

Just curious but do you have the ability to connect the sound bar via HDMI vs optical?

If you could try a test this may be helpful.  Put the same piece of media on a thumb drive and try plugging that into the LG and play it back natively (outside of Emby).  
How is the sound now?

[dansblackcat 37]

On Chromecast with Google TV is there a way to force emby to upmix audio to utilise all channels.  

Theatre has this setting does the android TV app?

[ebr 16169]

Hi.  There is no option to upmix.  This would involve an algorithm to achieve some sort of virtual surround.  The only way you could do this probably is via a device that has the option to output everything as Dolby Digital - but I'm still not sure that is going to get you surround from a stereo input.

[roaku 842]

32 minutes ago, ebr said:

Hi.  There is no option to upmix.  This would involve an algorithm to achieve some sort of virtual surround.  The only way you could do this probably is via a device that has the option to output everything as Dolby Digital - but I'm still not sure that is going to get you surround from a stereo input.

My receiver does a good job with this with stereo sources and has various DTS and Dolby preset modes to choose from.

It pulls crowd sounds into the surrounds while leaving the dialogue in the front for example.

But Emby or whatever app isn't involved in the process other than delivering the source audio as is.

[Guest]

Can't exoplayer access ffmpeg's audio filters? Then you can just use the surround filter. 

[ebr 16169]

1 hour ago, generiq said:

Can't exoplayer access ffmpeg's audio filters?

No.  Exoplayer is not based on ffmpeg but I'm not sure what algorithm would be getting applied with that filter either.

[Guest]

11 hours ago, ebr said:

No.  Exoplayer is not based on ffmpeg but I'm not sure what algorithm would be getting applied with that filter either.

Yes, I know it isn't built on ffmpeg. I thought the extension might allow access to the filters. But after looking at the extension, I see that it only allows software decoding of the audio and no filters. That's a pity. I use the surround filter, prolifically. It's a great filter.

[ebr 16169]

Doesn't just about any receiver have a mode to do this to any stereo source?  Are those of you requesting this using soundbars or other virtual 5.1 systems?