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sakendrick's avatar
sakendrick
Streaming Star
5 years ago
Solved

No Dolby Digital (or DTS)

I've read some posts about surround sound output from Rokus being deprecated with recent updates, so, I'm 'not sure if that's what I'm experiencing. I feel like I was getting Dolby Digital before, bu...
Audio quality
AV receiver setup
Dolby
TV & Player Setup
  • StreamerUser's avatar
    StreamerUser
    5 years ago
    sakendrick wrote:

    Correct - ARC is not in play here (I corrected my Subject, problem remains the same). Older yamaha AVR with no HDMI ins.. so as stated, HDMI to the TV, optical out of the TV. Several apps work, Netflix not one of them.

    Ultra 4660X

    Software Version 10.0.0 build 4195-46

    I do have the HDMI setting under Audio set to Dolby Digital, DTS. Based on your response, sounds like some apps ignore that setting and only output DD+ which is why it's not coming through to the AVR? I do feel like this is newly occurring.

    The 4660 doesnt have a Dolby decoder - it only bitstreams, so something else has to transcode the DD+ to DD for NetFlix/Prime/Disney+ et al (like your TV, maybe).

    The audio settings for the bitstream-only models dont do anything except limit app configuration and output - put Settings/Audio/HMDMI="Auto detect" - if it detects DD+/DTS connecting to your TV's HDMI it will allow the DD+ apps to be 5.1 enabled (if Auto only detects DD, or you manually configure it to DD, then the DD+ apps will be PCM 2.0 only)

    You'll then be able to see if your TV will transcode DD+ to DD from HDMI to Optical.

StreamerUser's avatar
StreamerUser
Roku Guru
5 years ago
sakendrick wrote:

I've read some posts about surround sound output from Rokus being deprecated with recent updates, so, I'm 'not sure if that's what I'm experiencing. I feel like I was getting Dolby Digital before, but definitely not now.

- Roku Ultra

- Connected via HDMI into my Vizio E70 (in HDMI with the ARC support)

- Optical out of Vizio into Yamaha 5.1 Receiver

Playing Netflix via the Smart TV app (cutting the Roku out of the mix) - I get Dolby Digital. But when playing via the Roku, no true surround sound. Not sure if it's a Roku upgrade issue, or if for some reason this setup isn't supported.

Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks.

Your post title is entirely misleading and not applicable in your setup - you arent ARC connected, you are Optical connected: ARC isnt in use in your setup (apparently you have your Roku Ultra connected to you ARC port)

If your Yamaha receiver (AVR) supports ARC you should be connecting its ARC port to the TV's ARC port (with a HDMI w/Ethernet cable for best results) and disconnecting the Optical from the TV>AVR.

(if your TV and AVR support ARC, you MUST connect an HDMI cable to each end of the ARC chain with the HDMI(ARC) port of each device to enable/use it).

ARC (DD+/DD/DTS/PCM2.0) supports more/higher rate formats than Optical (DD/DTS/PCM2.0), depending on the connected devices.

Furthermore, I havent seen any posts about "surround sound being deprecated" by Roku (that would be a very weird statement to make), but its not the case regardless.

You didnt mention which model Ultra you have or its current firmware version, which matters (Settings/System/About):  The current 4800 and several years old 4640 can both transcode DD+ to DD, but none of the other Ultra models can.

In case you missed it, Dolby Digital Plus (DD+, EAC3) superceded Dolby Digital (DD, AC3) about 10 years ago.

Most services are using DD+ (EAC3), not DD (AC3), though some use both (DD+ and DD) and some use only DD - it all depends on the service, the device, and the configuration.

NetFlix (Prime/etc) exclusively uses DD+, and with your current setup your TV is transcoding the DD+ from the internal NF app to DD via optical.

The Roku Channel (DD), Paramount+ (DD+/DD), HBO Max (DD+/DD), and Apple TV+ (DD+/DD) all either can (if configured to) or always use DD (The Roku Channel).

Since you arent getting it from your Ultra from all apps, its mostly likely not a 4800/4640 (or its misconfigured) and your TV cannot transcode DD+ from HDMI to Optical (not uncommon, many TV's will transcode DD+ from internal apps but not from HDMI).

You need to:

1) Figure out if your AVR supports ARC.

2) Connect the TV and AVR via ARC if it does.

3) If connecting via ARC, remove Optical connection.

4) Figure out your Ultra model #/firmware version. (Settings/System/About)

5)  Configure your Ultra (if necessary, depending on model #).

6)  Configure your TV if necessary for ARC usage (update firmware to latest as part of this)

Ultimately, if you dont have a 4800 or 4640 another device needs to transcode the DD+ to DD (for NetFlix/Prime/Disney+/etc) if you want 5.1 output - if its your TV, it needs to at least be able to transcode DD+ from HDMI to DD for Optical (it may or may not transcode from HDMI to ARC).

If you do have a 4800/4640, it may need to be reconfigured to get 5.1 output from all supporting apps.

sakendrick's avatar
sakendrick
Streaming Star
5 years ago

Correct - ARC is not in play here (I corrected my Subject, problem remains the same). Older yamaha AVR with no HDMI ins.. so as stated, HDMI to the TV, optical out of the TV. Several apps work, Netflix not one of them.

Ultra 4660X

Software Version 10.0.0 build 4195-46

I do have the HDMI setting under Audio set to Dolby Digital, DTS. Based on your response, sounds like some apps ignore that setting and only output DD+ which is why it's not coming through to the AVR? I do feel like this is newly occurring.

  • StreamerUser's avatar
    StreamerUser
    Roku Guru
    5 years ago
    sakendrick wrote:

    Correct - ARC is not in play here (I corrected my Subject, problem remains the same). Older yamaha AVR with no HDMI ins.. so as stated, HDMI to the TV, optical out of the TV. Several apps work, Netflix not one of them.

    Ultra 4660X

    Software Version 10.0.0 build 4195-46

    I do have the HDMI setting under Audio set to Dolby Digital, DTS. Based on your response, sounds like some apps ignore that setting and only output DD+ which is why it's not coming through to the AVR? I do feel like this is newly occurring.

    The 4660 doesnt have a Dolby decoder - it only bitstreams, so something else has to transcode the DD+ to DD for NetFlix/Prime/Disney+ et al (like your TV, maybe).

    The audio settings for the bitstream-only models dont do anything except limit app configuration and output - put Settings/Audio/HMDMI="Auto detect" - if it detects DD+/DTS connecting to your TV's HDMI it will allow the DD+ apps to be 5.1 enabled (if Auto only detects DD, or you manually configure it to DD, then the DD+ apps will be PCM 2.0 only)

    You'll then be able to see if your TV will transcode DD+ to DD from HDMI to Optical.

    • sakendrick's avatar
      sakendrick
      Streaming Star
      5 years ago

      That worked -- I could swear I only changed HDMI to DD/DTS as a way to troubleshoot this issue, but regardless, setting to Auto now has either DTS or Dolby Digital coming out of Netflix depending on the show.  Thank you.

      • StreamerUser's avatar
        StreamerUser
        Roku Guru
        5 years ago
        sakendrick wrote:

        That worked -- I could swear I only changed HDMI to DD/DTS as a way to troubleshoot this issue, but regardless, setting to Auto now has either DTS or Dolby Digital coming out of Netflix depending on the show.  Thank you.

        You're welcome.

        Should also enable it for Prime and Disney+ and Hulu (any services that are DD+ only).

    • Mark_Huggard's avatar
      Mark_Huggard
      Newbie
      4 years ago

      I believe I am having a similar issue with recent Roku updates.

      Stereo PCM output issue appears isolated to Roku ultra 4660x  in certain App cases.  Apps which the Roku ultra outputs stereo PCM include Pandora,  Spotify, and YouTube music. These  same apps output Dolby digital Plus 2.0 to my Sonos arc using the Sony x900h TV.  This issue remains after 'updating' my software from 10.5 to 10.0,  build 4209-46.

       

      It is worth noting that the Roku ultra can output Dolby Atmos and other high quality sound  for movies and TV shows. It is just, apparently, the music that the Roku cannot output original sound.

       

      Equipment; Roku ultra 4660x connected to a Sony x900h on HDMI 4, using a Sonos Arc on HDMI 3  (eArc.) Xbox X console connected to HDMI 1.

      Roku audio settings on auto,  Sony the x900h external input settings on  HDMI signal format: enhanced format ( Dolby vision on HDMI 4).

       

      Tried enhanced format only on HDMI 4: results same  for Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube music.

      • atc98092's avatar
        atc98092
        Community Streaming Expert
        4 years ago
        Mark_Huggard wrote:

        I believe I am having a similar issue with recent Roku updates.

        Stereo PCM output issue appears isolated to Roku ultra 4660x  in certain App cases.  Apps which the Roku ultra outputs stereo PCM include Pandora,  Spotify, and YouTube music. These  same apps output Dolby digital Plus 2.0 to my Sonos arc using the Sony x900h TV.  This issue remains after 'updating' my software from 10.5 to 10.0,  build 4209-46.

        I believe that is specific to those particular channels. Many of the music channels only offer stereo sound. You can't compare the channel on a Roku to the same app on another platform, because they are completely different programming languages. To my knowledge, none of those providers (Pandora, Spotify, YT Music) ever offered 5.1 audio on Roku devices. I just tried Pandora on my Ultra 4800, which has a DD encoder, and it's only outputting stereo PCM. I tried Amazon Music with the same results. But Prime Video gave DD+ 5.1 no problem. 

        So, it's not a Roku OS issue. That's that those particular providers are streaming. I don't subscribe to YT Music, but my guess is it's the same. 

    • KenNishi's avatar
      KenNishi
      Newbie
      4 years ago

      I thought this questions are related to my question, I will ask a question here. It worked fine until January 10 or so. Now the software version is 10.5.0 build 4208. The problem is some of the tv show like Medici and Emily in Paris have very interesting even sound levels with voice and music. I tried to change the settings but the sound levels of voice is much softer and if I make the voices audible the music become so loud. I am using ARC and optical audio connection to my receiver. I did not have this problem recently. How can I solve this problem?

      • atc98092's avatar
        atc98092
        Community Streaming Expert
        4 years ago

        KenNishi what model Roku device do you have, and what channel(s) do you see this behavior?

        If you use any of the different sound modes available on the Roku, such as sound leveling or night mode, the Roku only outputs 2 channel stereo. That can change the perceived audio levels.