Solving playback issues

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jamaroney
Channel Surfer

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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What I don't understand is why Roku went with DD+ for Netflix. That's strictly a Roku decision, and not Netflix.

I know this because my Sony BDP-S390 Blu-Ray player has Netflix, and plays it in DD 5.1, not DD+.  The player is not trancoding DD+ to DD - it doesn't have that capability. And my old Panasonic receiver can only handle DD 5.1, and not DD+.

I got a Roku3 for free, and I like the fact that it handles playing, pausing, and resuming of Netflix MUCH faster than the Sony. So, I use the Roku for 2-channel stereo, but if I want to watch a movie in 5.1, I use the Sony.

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Heyitsrick
Roku Guru

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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@jamaroney wrote:

What I don't understand is why Roku went with DD+ for Netflix. That's strictly a Roku decision, and not Netflix.

I know this because my Sony BDP-S390 Blu-Ray player has Netflix, and plays it in DD 5.1, not DD+.  The player is not trancoding DD+ to DD - it doesn't have that capability. And my old Panasonic receiver can only handle DD 5.1, and not DD+.

I got a Roku3 for free, and I like the fact that it handles playing, pausing, and resuming of Netflix MUCH faster than the Sony. So, I use the Roku for 2-channel stereo, but if I want to watch a movie in 5.1, I use the Sony.


Sorry - Netflix is using Dolby Digital Plus ( aka DD+ ).  See here:

https://help.netflix.com/en/node/14163

"I'm not getting 5.1 surround sound.

You can watch titles in 5.1 surround sound if you have a receiver that supports Dolby Digital Plus and a connection speed of 3.0 megabits per second or faster. "

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jamaroney
Channel Surfer

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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As I noted above, neither my BluRay player (w/ Netflix) nor Panasonic surround receiver can play or transcode DD+. I confirmed this using video test discs that were DD+ only. Yet I have Netflix w/ DD5.1 through my BluRay. That is the simple truth.

I was rather thorough in my troubleshooting. Unless there is something I overlooked (and the only thing I could think of was the rather odd and remote possibility that the BluRay player had an undocumented automatic built-in transcoder for Netflix ONLY), the Netflix page cited may not be entirely accurate.

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StreamerUser
Roku Guru

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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Looking at the manual for the BDP-S390, it most certainly does have a Dolby decoder given the following sections (the functionality would be impossible without it):

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/4410/44101381M.pdf

1) EDID handshaking (detects what the connected device supports, and outputs relative to that - otherwise decodes/transcodes/converts to PCM - requires decoding/transcoding/converting):

[Audio (HDMI)][Auto]: Normally select this. Outputs audio signals according to the status of the connected HDMI device.[PCM]: Outputs PCM signals from the HDMI OUT jack.

2) Realtime mixing (requires decoding/transcoding/converting):

[BD Audio MIX Setting][On]: Outputs the audio obtained by mixing the interactive and secondary audio to the primary audio.[Off]: Outputs the primary audio only. Select this to output HD audio signals to an AV amplifier (receiver).

3) Realtime downmixing (requires decoding/transcoding/converting):

[Dolby Digital / DTS][Downmix PCM]: Converts to output Linear PCM signals. Select this when connecting an audio device without a built-in Dolby Digital or DTS decoder.[Bitstream]: Select this when connecting an audio device with a built-in Dolby Digital or DTS decoder.

4) Realtime upmixing/transcoding  (requires decoding/transcoding/converting):

[DTS Neo:6][Cinema]/[Music]: Outputs the simulated multi-channel sound from 2 channel sources via the HDMI OUT jack according to the capability of the connected device using DTS Neo:6 Cinema or DTS Neo:6 Music mode.[Off]: Outputs the sound with its original number of channels via the HDMI OUT jack.

5) Realtime DRC modification (requires decoding/transcoding/converting):

[Audio DRC][Auto]: Performs playback at the dynamic range specified by the disc (BD-ROM only). Other discs are played back at the [On] level.[On]: Performs playback at a standard compression level.[Off]: No compression works. A more dynamic sound is produced.

6) Realtime downmixing (requires decoding/transcoding/converting):

[Downmix][Surround]: Outputs audio signals with surround effects. Select this when connecting an audio device that supports Dolby Surround (Pro Logic) or DTS Neo:6.[Stereo]: Outputs audio signals without surround effects. Select this when connecting an audio device that does not support Dolby Surround (Pro Logic) or DTS Neo:6.

7) Specific reference to DD+ support:

The HD Audio (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, and DTS-HD Master Audio) is not output by bitstream.,Set [BD Audio MIX Setting] to [Off] in the [Audio Settings] setup (page 26).,Check that the connected AV amplifier (receiver) is compatible with each HD Audio format.

Effectively, none of this functionality is possible without a decoder (and the requisite encoder) - both a Dolby decoder and DTS decoder.  You can't convert DD+ to PCM or DTS (or anything else for that matter) unless you can decode the DD+, and since Dolby requires that all DD+ decoders also be able to transcode/convert to DD, voila.

You'll also notice this model includes a digital Coaxial output - this effectively has the same limitations/requirements as an Optical output: limited to DD and DTS, which requires decoding/transcoding/converting from their original formats (if necessary, from whatever source on the device), which means a Dolby decoder (with the requisite encoder).

You didnt state what model your "old Panasonic receiver" is, but it doesnt matter, since you stated it does handle DD 5.1, and since your BPD-S390 can send it transcoded/converted DD 5.1 via HDMI/Digital(Coax), you're all set.

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jamaroney
Channel Surfer

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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I have owned and used the player extensively for close to 10 years. I have the same manual, and nowhere in it is there any mention of it being able to transcode from one codec to another. In fact, one of your quotes clearly states the player's limitations:

"The HD Audio (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, and DTS-HD Master Audio) is NOT output by bitstream." In other words, no audio signal will be sent to the receiver.

For the testing that I previously mentioned, I obtained several video test files - each one containing one audio track only:

1) DD only      2) DD+ only     3) DTS only      4) DTS HD only     5) DD TrueHD only

I had my audio output on the player set to "Bitstream" (aka "Passthrough"). The only other output option is PCM (2-channel conversion).

I burned the video files to a CD-ROM, as well as a USB drive, and played all files via both media on the player. The results were that the DD and DTS files played with their audio intact, while the other codecs yielded the on-screen message from my player "Audio format not supported," with no sound going to my receiver at all, clear evidence that the player is incapable of transcoding DD+ to DD. Thus the Netflix signal my BluRay player receives is DD and not DD+.

However, I should note that the player gets its streaming signals not directly from the original sources, but through Sony's servers. Perhaps the audio is already transcoded before it gets to my player to make it universally compatible w/ all home theater receivers, including dinosaurs such as mine.

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StreamerUser
Roku Guru

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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@jamaroney wrote:

I have owned and used the player extensively for close to 10 years. I have the same manual, and nowhere in it is there any mention of it being able to transcode from one codec to another. In fact, one of your quotes clearly states the player's limitations:

"The HD Audio (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, and DTS-HD Master Audio) is NOT output by bitstream." In other words, no audio signal will be sent to the receiver.

For the testing that I previously mentioned, I obtained several video test files - each one containing one audio track only:

1) DD only      2) DD+ only     3) DTS only      4) DTS HD only     5) DD TrueHD only

I had my audio output on the player set to "Bitstream" (aka "Passthrough"). The only other output option is PCM (2-channel conversion).

I burned the video files to a CD-ROM, as well as a USB drive, and played all files via both media on the player. The results were that the DD and DTS files played with their audio intact, while the other codecs yielded the on-screen message from my player "Audio format not supported," with no sound going to my receiver at all, clear evidence that the player is incapable of transcoding DD+ to DD. Thus the Netflix signal my BluRay player receives is DD and not DD+.

However, I should note that the player gets its streaming signals not directly from the original sources, but through Sony's servers. Perhaps the audio is already transcoded before it gets to my player to make it universally compatible w/ all home theater receivers, including dinosaurs such as mine.


You realize you aren't quoting me but the manual, right? 

And the specific section referenced is in troubleshooting, hence the "not" part? As in "my HD audio bitstream output is NOT working, what do I do?"

From the manual, page 32 in the Troubleshooting section:

"The HD Audio (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, and DTS-HD Master Audio) is not output by bitstream.

->Set [BD Audio MIX Setting] to [Off] in the [Audio Settings] setup (page 26)

-> Check that the connected AV amplifier (receiver) is compatible with each HD Audio format"

Its telling you what to do when the HD bitstream output (for DD+/DTHD/DTSHD/DTSHDMA) isnt working - you need to turn off the BD Audio mix (realtime mixing of menu etc and content audio) and check your AVR for codec compatibility.

Not to be insulting, but, you clearly didnt read or comprehend the manual for 10 years.

Guess what has to be done in order for that realtime mixing and output of disc encoded HD bitstream audio and the menu to happen?  It has to decode the disc encoded bitstream.

If you wont accept the manual, or my simple explanations that many of the audio settings require decoding (including of DD+) and converting/transcoding for output as PCM or DD5.1 or DTS, and that it includes a Dolby decoder, and that it's NF app outputs DD+, perhaps you will accept a whole thread about it:

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/official-sony-bdp-s590-and-bdp-390-thread.1396469/post-21748415

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Lilliquist
Newbie

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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I have the 4670 which does support Dolby/DTS passthrough but ...

I spent hours trying testing every **bleep** setting and cable.  It would play some files but not others.  My AVR system has Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 (and DTS-HD) and it was playing Dolby Digital 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1, and even Dolby Digital Plus 2.0 fine but when I went from a Dolby Digital 5.1 show to a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 it went silent.  I had to spend a bunch of time analyzing every file.  Using the star button to turn off that lousy feature sudden made the sound reappear.

Meanwhile, I tried all the other recommendations for hours.  I tried bypassing the AVR, swapping cables, etc.  Now it turns out is was just one defective "leveling" feature that got turned on while withing a Dolby Digital 5.0 show.  It worked fine but when I switched to a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 show it was silent like I said before.  AAC LC were complete not affected regardless, 5.1 AAC LC worked fine even with the defective idiotic leveling feature on.  I am never using the **bleep** feature again !!

Changing Volume Mode did not work.  I had to be playing the file and use the options to turn of "leveling" and suddenly sound worked again.

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StreamerUser
Roku Guru

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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The Volume Modes/Sound Settings including "leveling" and "night mode" are very poorly implemented - its hard to know when they are on/off, and can only be activated/de-activated during actual playback.  There is no good reason these settings are not available/indicated under Settings/Audio for all models (not just soundbars and TVs) as well as via popup indicator whenever playback starts.

Additionally, they are often broken in new firmware versions (like currently with OS10 and the 4800), and sometimes they are even "stealth"-enabled by firmware upgrades (as happened with OS9.3/9.4)

Lastly, they just arent documented well - they finally edited the support article about it to explicitly emphasize the loss of multichannel/surround output at the beginning of the article, but the specific model support list is still outdated and missing models, though the article was last edited 2 weeks ago.

 

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clivew
Reel Rookie

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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11/8/2021 Still broken in 10.5!

Happily my new TiVo 4K stick has no such problem.

I much prefer the Roku for everything else, but this is a deal breaker.

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dgmack179
Newbie

Re: Update 9.2 broke dolby digital

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Any word if the newest Ultra models have dd+ encoding built into them? It's great that they brought the hardware back after four years with the 4800 series.. but I have a looming feeling it probably won't stay that way for long.

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