Solving playback issues

[Heyitsrick]

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@TimmyTwo2 wrote:

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@Heyitsrick wrote:

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@TimmyTwo2 wrote:

I think my Roku is at fault for what issues I'm having. If I have it set manually to DD+/DTS I can get Dolby Digital sound out but every so often the audio cuts out and my soundbar comes back in with the Dolby LED again. It only goes out for a few seconds but I miss dialog. I switched it to Auto and I only get Stereo sound to my soundbar but it doesn't seem to cut out. My soundbar is a brand new Vizio SB46514-F6 5.1.4 Soundbar. I'm trying my Bluray player tonight with a movie to see if Atmos works and if it will cut out or not but thinking the fault is 9.2 Roku software.

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Curious - How do you have your system set up? Is the soundbar connected via HDMI to the HDMI-ARC input on your TV? If so, what's connected to the HDMI-IN on the soundbar, itself?  Your manual for this soundbar suggests it expects that an external box like a BluRay or Cable Box would be connected to the soundbar's HDMI-In jack. Have you tried connecting the Roku directly to the soundbar's HDMI-In?  

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Roku Ultra 4670x plugged into HDMI 2 on my TV. The soundbar is plugged into HDMI 1 w/ARC. My Bluray is plugged into the HDMI In on the soundbar. I watched Ghostbusters (the new one with women) on Vudu which was HDX and 5.1 through the Vudu App on my TV (not the Roku app) and it stayed Dolby Digital the whole movie and did not cut out the audio.

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Ok, so that's probably where the problem is re: Dolby DD+. You're connecting directly to the TV. The TV is then passing the audio to the soundbar. The problem, most likely, is that your TV does NOT support Dolby Digital Plus (aka DD+).  When you connect the Roku to the TV, the Roku is saying - in so many words - "Hey TV, what audio formats do you support?" The TV responds with the types of formats it can understand. The Roku, then, will set up the audio with the TV (not the soundbar!) with the audio format both can understand.  

Try this experiment: First, set the Roku back to "Auto" for it's Audio format. Now, remove the BluRay from the soundbar's HDMI-In. Instead, connect the Roku directly to the soundbar's HDMI-In. Go ahead and see if you're now getting DD+ on things like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc., with the Roku connected directly to the soundbar's HDMI-In. 

When you connect the Roku directly to the soundbar (with audio set at Auto) for this experiment, power cycle the Roku to make sure it's reinitiating its connection to the soundbar fresh. Then, give it a shot on some channels that one would expect to get DD+, like Netflix or Amazon Prime.

If this works - which it should - then you may want to consider getting an HDMI Switcher box that's sufficiently built to pass (send through) high-bandwidth audio and video. You would want to do this since you have just one HDMI input on the soundbar. A good HDMI switcher will let you plug various devices into it, and then have the switcher send the audio and video to the TV/soundbar that you're actually using.

The HDMI switcher should pass 4K HDR 60 video, as well as Dolby Atmos. I'm sure there are many, but a quick search turned up this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Remote%EF%BC%8C5-Switcher-Support-Vision/dp/B07MJ783KG

The HDMI switcher should definitely pass 4K 60 HDR, vs 4K 30 HDR.

[TimmyTwo2]

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@Heyitsrick wrote:

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@TimmyTwo2 wrote:

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@Heyitsrick wrote:

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@TimmyTwo2 wrote:

I think my Roku is at fault for what issues I'm having. If I have it set manually to DD+/DTS I can get Dolby Digital sound out but every so often the audio cuts out and my soundbar comes back in with the Dolby LED again. It only goes out for a few seconds but I miss dialog. I switched it to Auto and I only get Stereo sound to my soundbar but it doesn't seem to cut out. My soundbar is a brand new Vizio SB46514-F6 5.1.4 Soundbar. I'm trying my Bluray player tonight with a movie to see if Atmos works and if it will cut out or not but thinking the fault is 9.2 Roku software.

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Curious - How do you have your system set up? Is the soundbar connected via HDMI to the HDMI-ARC input on your TV? If so, what's connected to the HDMI-IN on the soundbar, itself?  Your manual for this soundbar suggests it expects that an external box like a BluRay or Cable Box would be connected to the soundbar's HDMI-In jack. Have you tried connecting the Roku directly to the soundbar's HDMI-In?  

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Roku Ultra 4670x plugged into HDMI 2 on my TV. The soundbar is plugged into HDMI 1 w/ARC. My Bluray is plugged into the HDMI In on the soundbar. I watched Ghostbusters (the new one with women) on Vudu which was HDX and 5.1 through the Vudu App on my TV (not the Roku app) and it stayed Dolby Digital the whole movie and did not cut out the audio.

---

Ok, so that's probably where the problem is re: Dolby DD+. You're connecting directly to the TV. The TV is then passing the audio to the soundbar. The problem, most likely, is that your TV does NOT support Dolby Digital Plus (aka DD+).  When you connect the Roku to the TV, the Roku is saying - in so many words - "Hey TV, what audio formats do you support?" The TV responds with the types of formats it can understand. The Roku, then, will set up the audio with the TV (not the soundbar!) with the audio format both can understand.  

Try this experiment: First, set the Roku back to "Auto" for it's Audio format. Now, remove the BluRay from the soundbar's HDMI-In. Instead, connect the Roku directly to the soundbar's HDMI-In. Go ahead and see if you're now getting DD+ on things like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc., with the Roku connected directly to the soundbar's HDMI-In. 

When you connect the Roku directly to the soundbar (with audio set at Auto) for this experiment, power cycle the Roku to make sure it's reinitiating its connection to the soundbar fresh. Then, give it a shot on some channels that one would expect to get DD+, like Netflix or Amazon Prime.

If this works - which it should - then you may want to consider getting an HDMI Switcher box that's sufficiently built to pass (send through) high-bandwidth audio and video. You would want to do this since you have just one HDMI input on the soundbar. A good HDMI switcher will let you plug various devices into it, and then have the switcher send the audio and video to the TV/soundbar that you're actually using.

The HDMI switcher should pass 4K HDR 60 video, as well as Dolby Atmos. I'm sure there are many, but a quick search turned up this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Remote%EF%BC%8C5-Switcher-Support-Vision/dp/B07MJ783KG

The HDMI switcher should definitely pass 4K 60 HDR, vs 4K 30 HDR.

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Thanks, I'll have to try that. My Bluray was set at PCM 7.1 and that sounded great, surround wise and my TV has a PCM option under the digital out but I don't know if it is more that 2 channels, the book sucks in detail.

[Heyitsrick]

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@TimmyTwo2 wrote:

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Thanks, I'll have to try that. My Bluray was set at PCM 7.1 and that sounded great, surround wise and my TV has a PCM option under the digital out but I don't know if it is more that 2 channels, the book sucks in detail.

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Yeah, I'd tend to think that a TV's PCM output is going to be two-channel stereo. That's been my experience, anyway.

The only time I've seen multichannel PCM is in an Apple TV 4 set top box. The Apple TV does the surround sound decoding in the box, itself, and outputs multichannel PCM to the audio system (if the audio system supports it).

[DaWeav]

I agree about connecting the Roku Ultra directly to a TV does not work in some cases.

I have a 2019 Samsung QLED Q7D, and when I connect the Roku Ultra directly to my Samsung HDTV renders only PCM sound and nothing else from the Roku Ultra. I can connect other devices, like an Amazon Fire device to the Samsung HDTV and get both 5.1 surround and Atmos playing through the HDTV to my Sony STR-DN1080 amplifier, but not the Roku Ultra. When I connect the Roku Ultra directly to the Sony amp, then I get 5.1 surround and Atmos.

I can't say it's a Samsung issue since the Amazon Fire works, and Samsung built in apps like Amazon Video send 5.1 surround and Atmos to the Sony Amp from the TV.

All of my devices have the latest manufacture firmware, so there is a Roku and Samsung integration issue.

[Jo-20]

I have a Roku Express+ Model 3931RW I purchased a couple of weeks ago.  I read all the articles about the settings to play 5.1Dolby and it still does not work only stereo comes through.  I have it hooked up to my Sony TV with ARC to my Pioneer Elite receiver that carries all surround modes.  It plays my cable TV in DolBy Digital but not the RoKu.  I have RoKu set to Auto Detect and HDMI auto detect like stated in the articles and it still only plays stereo.  I am trying to play Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime which I found should be in 5.1 surround.  I tried using the * during playback and the audio shows <default > and it won’t adjust at all. RoKu seems to have no customer support. What goes with this issue?   

[Heyitsrick]

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@Jo-20 wrote:

I have a Roku Express+ Model 3931RW I purchased a couple of weeks ago.  I read all the articles about the settings to play 5.1Dolby and it still does not work only stereo comes through.  I have it hooked up to my Sony TV with ARC to my Pioneer Elite receiver that carries all surround modes.  It plays my cable TV in DolBy Digital but not the RoKu.  I have RoKu set to Auto Detect and HDMI auto detect like stated in the articles and it still only plays stereo.  I am trying to play Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime which I found should be in 5.1 surround.  I tried using the * during playback and the audio shows <default > and it won’t adjust at all. RoKu seems to have no customer support. What goes with this issue?   

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You said "I have it hooked up to my Sony TV...".

If I'm reading you right, why don't you have the Roku connected directly to the Pioneer Elite? I have a Pioneer Elite AVR, as well, and all of my devices are connected to the Elite. The only thing connected directly to my TV is the Pioneer Elite. Every other device is hooked up to the Elite.

There's six HDMI inputs on my Pioneer Elite. I have a Roku, an Apple TV, a Chromecast, a Cable Box, and a BluRay player. Each and every one of those is physically connected via HDMI to the Pioneer Elite, not to an HDMI input on the TV. I don't have any issues at all getting Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby Digital.

Your Roku is asking the device it's directly connected to what audio formats it supports. Amazon Prime uses Dolby Digital Plus (vs. a cable box, which sends out standard/older Dolby Digital (not plus). If the device the Roku is connected to doesn't tell it that it can support Dolby Digital Plus, then you're only going to get stereo. Your Pioneer Elite (assuming it's a fairly recent one from the past few years) undoubtedly supports Dolby Digital Plus, so the Roku and the Pioneer wouldn't have any issues with that.

[Jo-20]

I have an issue when hooking up directly to the AVR, it does support Dolby Digital as well as DD+.  I have had the cable box/DVR hooked to the TV as when it was hooked directly to the AVR it would not give me the option to play only on the TV speakers.  The AVR does play Dolby Digital for it, why won’t it do the same for RoKu?  I noticed that there is an option to select Dolby Digital or DD+ instead of Auto maybe I should select one of them instead? 
 

[TimmyTwo2]

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@Heyitsrick wrote:

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@TimmyTwo2 wrote:

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Thanks, I'll have to try that. My Bluray was set at PCM 7.1 and that sounded great, surround wise and my TV has a PCM option under the digital out but I don't know if it is more that 2 channels, the book sucks in detail.

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Yeah, I'd tend to think that a TV's PCM output is going to be two-channel stereo. That's been my experience, anyway.

The only time I've seen multichannel PCM is in an Apple TV 4 set top box. The Apple TV does the surround sound decoding in the box, itself, and outputs multichannel PCM to the audio system (if the audio system supports it).

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Thanks @Heyitsrick, I took your advice and picked up that switch from Amazon after reading the reviews and specs on it. I now get Dolby Digital Plus on On Demand Hulu shows for the most part. Live and DVR is only stereo but I found out that is Hulu, not the device. Also, I watched Iron Man 3 on Disney Plus and it was Dolby Digital Plus but I think that is because they are restricting audio quality for the pandemic. I switched my Bluray to Bitstream HD and watched 2 movies last night that came through as Dolby True HD. Tonight I'm going to watch Sonic, which is Atmos

[Heyitsrick]

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@TimmyTwo2 wrote:

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@Heyitsrick wrote:

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@TimmyTwo2 wrote:

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Thanks, I'll have to try that. My Bluray was set at PCM 7.1 and that sounded great, surround wise and my TV has a PCM option under the digital out but I don't know if it is more that 2 channels, the book sucks in detail.

---

Yeah, I'd tend to think that a TV's PCM output is going to be two-channel stereo. That's been my experience, anyway.

The only time I've seen multichannel PCM is in an Apple TV 4 set top box. The Apple TV does the surround sound decoding in the box, itself, and outputs multichannel PCM to the audio system (if the audio system supports it).

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Thanks @Heyitsrick, I took your advice and picked up that switch from Amazon after reading the reviews and specs on it. I now get Dolby Digital Plus on On Demand Hulu shows for the most part. Live and DVR is only stereo but I found out that is Hulu, not the device. Also, I watched Iron Man 3 on Disney Plus and it was Dolby Digital Plus but I think that is because they are restricting audio quality for the pandemic. I switched my Bluray to Bitstream HD and watched 2 movies last night that came through as Dolby True HD. Tonight I'm going to watch Sonic, which is Atmos

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Hey, that's great. I'm sure you'll consistently get DD+ whenever it's the audio stream offered. Enjoy.

[Steed99]

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@RokuTannerD wrote:

@vodil Thanks for the observations.

A couple quick clarifications to share. Your Roku device will pass whatever audio format is being provided by each specific channel. If the channel doesn't provide Dolby Digital+ audio format for their content, your device cannot pass DD+ format via audio out. Your device does not downgrade audio formats on its own, however, it may select an alternate audio format that is available if a user's setup does not support Dolby Digital+, such as a receiver that is only capable of playing standard Dolby Digital. The use of some device features may be limited to stereo audio only, such as 'Volume modes'. The use of this feature will select the stereo audio format when this type of feature is enabled. Turning this feature off will then allow your device to pass other available audio formats out, such as DD+. 

Some channels such as Netflix, Vudu, and Amazon Prime Video provide DD+ audio for some of their content. Other channels, may provide standard DD or only stereo format audio for their content. You'll want to check with each channel provider directly to inquire further about their specific content offerings. 

Thanks,

Tanner

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Good evening Tanner,

I, had purchased an Ultra Model 4640X, recently for it's transcoding, Dolby Digital Plus, into Dolby Digital. 

When in the players audio settings page, do I select Dolby Digital Plus, to then be transcoded to Dolby Digital, for a film that is in Dolby Digital Plus ?   Or would I select Dolby Digital ? I would greatly appreciate your assistance. Thank you.

Tom