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drnotime
Binge Watcher

, Disney+ and VUDU do pRe: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-through

All the shows on Netflix,Disney+ and VUDU that are in Atmos , plays in Atmos.  If you are still having issues, do a system reset on the Ultra or try a new HDMI cable.  Could be just a handshake issue.

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welintomonterol
Reel Rookie

Re: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-through

 
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cabowl1
Channel Surfer

Re: , Disney+ and VUDU do pRe: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-thr

Ok, i found the fix for my issue. 

My Onkyo receiver had the speaker configuration setup as 5.1.  I believe this is supposed to be a valid ATMOS configuration.  

With 5.1 speaker config:

- Roku with audio set to auto-detect - Passes Atmos to my receiver (good!)
- Roku with audio set to auto-passthru - Passes DD+ to my receiver (not good)

After changing onkyo receiver to 5.1.2 speaker config:

- Roku with audio set to auto-detect - Passes Atmos to my receiver (good!)
- Roku with audio set to auto-passthru - Passes Atmos to my receiver (good!)

I've verified that this works with Vudu and Disney+.

I'm not sure why auto-detect would detect that I have atmos while auto-pass thru does not.  Pass thru must also be doing some kind of detection.  

 

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StreamerUser
Roku Guru

Re: , Disney+ and VUDU do pRe: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-thr

"Auto detect" transcodes/converts all audio to whatever the highest detected Dolby level of the connected device is (unique for 4800 - other models dont do this). 

In your case, some form of Atmos (DD+/Atmos, DTHD/Atmos or MAT2.x/Atmos) is the highest detected, so it transcodes everything to this when set for "Auto detect".

You do not want this - you want "Auto passthrough" (leaves audio in its initial/native format and passes it along).

cabowl1
Channel Surfer

Re: , Disney+ and VUDU do pRe: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-thr

"You do not want this - you want "Auto passthrough" (leaves audio in its initial/native format and passes it along)."

I agree that you want this.  But even with pasthrough, there is some kind of detection going on. 

Autopassthru works different if your receiver is configured as 5.1 vs 5.1.2.  

 

 

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StreamerUser
Roku Guru

Re: , Disney+ and VUDU do pRe: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-thr


"You do not want this - you want "Auto passthrough" (leaves audio in its initial/native format and passes it along)."

I agree that you want this.  But even with pasthrough, there is some kind of detection going on. 

Autopassthru works different if your receiver is configured as 5.1 vs 5.1.2.  


Both "Auto" modes involve detection using EDID (hence the usage of "Auto").

Each mode works the same regardless of detected equipment (though the resultant audio output may of course be different depending on whats detected):

- in "Auto detect" it transcodes all audio output to the highest detected Dolby level of the connected device.
- in "Auto passthrough" it passes through all audio in its original/native format.

You can see what modes are detected and 1) transcoded to with "Auto detect" or 2) passed through with "Auto passthrough", by highlighting either "Auto detect" or "Auto passthrough" respectively.

"Auto detect" should probably have been named "Auto convert", and not made the default (which should be "Auto passthrough"), but some product manager/advertising exec probably decided to force both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos (if detected) to default to "always on" to "showcase" their latest & greatest model's new features...

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boogernose
Roku Guru

Re: , Disney+ and VUDU do pRe: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-thr

Semantics.

Just try different Settings and see what works best for you.

Be proactive and dive in.

Decoding is what computers do.

---A problem clearly stated is a problem half solved---.
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Goodfellas27
Reel Rookie

Re: , Disney+ and VUDU do pRe: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-thr

I was playing with the settings. One thing to note is that my processor is able to tell me the sounds incoming via the HDMI from the Roku 2020.

"Auto detect" transcodes/upconverts all audio to whatever the highest detected on your sound processor/AVR. In my case all the way to Dolby Atmos. This appears not to apply to stereo sources. The Roku will simply passthrough stereo.

I played around and notice with "Auto Detect" the incoming Dolby Digital Plus signal from Netflix gets upscaled to 24bit 48khz by Roku. The original DD+ signal from Netflix is 20bit 48khz; you'll get it if you select "passthrough".

The upscaled signal when using "Auto Detect" is encoded with Dolby Digital TrueHD 24bit 48Khz and with Atmos metadata. Therefore, the processor native Atmos upmixer will not engage since it thinks it's getting native Atmos, but it reality it's getting a Roku upscaled DD+ track. 

Does It sound better? That is subjective, but for me, it does. I do however, will like for Roku to have another mode. It which this mode will "passthrough" the DD+ signal but upscale it to 24bit 48Khz from 20bit original. This mode should will NOT add "Atmos" metal data to non Atmos material, so the processor upmixer could be activated. The best of both worlds!

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Steve819
Reel Rookie

Re: , Disney+ and VUDU do pRe: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-thr


@cabowl1 wrote:

Ok, i found the fix for my issue. 

My Onkyo receiver had the speaker configuration setup as 5.1.  I believe this is supposed to be a valid ATMOS configuration.  

With 5.1 speaker config:

- Roku with audio set to auto-detect - Passes Atmos to my receiver (good!)
- Roku with audio set to auto-passthru - Passes DD+ to my receiver (not good)

After changing onkyo receiver to 5.1.2 speaker config:

- Roku with audio set to auto-detect - Passes Atmos to my receiver (good!)
- Roku with audio set to auto-passthru - Passes Atmos to my receiver (good!)

I've verified that this works with Vudu and Disney+.

I'm not sure why auto-detect would detect that I have atmos while auto-pass thru does not.  Pass thru must also be doing some kind of detection.  

 


Configured as 5.1 = DD or DD+ 5.1 surround which is 2 front, 2 back, one center, and one LFE speaker (subwoofer). 5.1.2 = 5.1 plus 2 overhead speakers, which is the proper Atmos configuration. Dolby Atmos should not work if not set to 5.1.2.

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Steve819
Reel Rookie

Re: , Disney+ and VUDU do pRe: 2020 Roku Ultra - Dolby Atmos is DECODED in the Ultra, not passed-thr



 

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