Solving playback issues

[AZMedia]

10 years ago my sister wanted to cut the “cable cord”. So I got her a state of the art 7.2 home theater system. It included top end components…..and a ROKU 3.

I can’t find a single movie or TV show through her ROKU that provides 5.1 sound. It’s all PCM 2 channel. The only exception is the “Prime Video” app which feeds 5.1 DD+ just fine.

I tried shows on Tubi, Pluto, Crackle, Fawesome, Popcorn, Xumo, Filmrise, Stirr, and so on. Even the newly released Westworld episodes come through as PCM 2 channel audio. So what’s the deal here?  This issue has been discussed a lot, none of the solutions helped.

AUDIO SETTINGS (Images Here😞
Menu Volume - Off
Digital Output Format – Auto
Audio Mode – Auto (DD+, DTS-HD)
“Audio Formats Detected Available”: Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio
Audio Formats Available

CONFIGURATION:
All media sources connect via HDMI to a powerful Onkyo NR727 THX A/V Receiver (HDMI 1.4a). The sound systems is 5 Harmon Kardon speakers, two HK subs, and two Triad ceiling mounted 8” coax speakers with ported enclosures in the attic. It's an excellent setup, and why we would like 5.1 audio.

The Onkyo is configured to upscale audio from shows to 7.1 “Dolby PLIIx Movie”. This insures sound comes from all 7 speakers, even if the source is only 2 ch stereo. The bluray player and local air TV stations work just fine sending 5.1 or 7.1 audio, and processed perfectly by the Onkyo. But the entirety of content from ROKU is stereo.

CONNECTIONS:
The ROKU test says “Good - 90Mbps” connection. The entire system is hard wired using gigabit ethernet. All A/V devices are connected to a 5 port switch and all have updated firmware. The HDMI cables are all Monster Ultimate cables, around 17Mbps back in 2013.

There’s a huge listening difference between real 5.1 audio and upscaled stereo. We shouldn't need to upgrade to ROKU Ultra, or Atmos, or 4k system. Just need the 5.1 sound promised with the ROKU 3.

Prime Video is the only Roku app providing 5.1 audio:
Prime Video 5.1 DD+

[RokuAustin · Accepted solution]

Hey @AZMedia and thanks for being with us for a while. It sounds like your sister has an amazing setup that you provided her. If some channels are working as expected, then likely nothing is wrong with your setup or the Roku 3.

Most FAST channels are only available in 2.0 Stereo PCM audio. FAST stands for Free Ad-supported TV. These channels largely do not support anything above 2.0 Stereo PCM audio. The channels you mentioned like Pluto TV, Tubi, Crackle are all FAST channels. These channels don't offer higher audio on any platform, not just Roku.

Channels that do support 5.1 audio would be SVOD channels (subscription video-on-demand channels) like Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu etc.

All Roku channel partners design and service their own channels and formats so this is a choice made by the channel partners.

Hopefully, that helps narrow down your troubleshooting and solves why Amazon Prime Video is working as expected, as Prime Video is an SVOD service.

We found a list here with streaming channels that do and don't support Dolby Digital 5.1, but this isn't our source so you'll want to verify.

Thanks for using the Roku Community to help solve this conundrum. 

[AZMedia]

Thanks Austin.  I'm embarrassed I didn't realize this audio issue had something to do with money and subscriptions.

She had Netflix for years, but got mad and cancelled because it was always "buffering". When she finally told me, I tested and found the modem was bad, not Netflix. I replaced the modem and a new router, but she never rejoined.

The other day we watched Prometheus on Bluray, volume at 70. It was amazing, knocked the dust off every plant in the house. Right afterwards we watched Westworld on Tubi (2 ch), and so disappointed I created this thread. Again, thank you.

[atc98092]

When you are using the free sites like Crackle, Tubi, etc., you shouldn't be surprised to only find stereo sound. But there are any number of providers that offer true 5.1 audio. As you noted, Prime is one, but Netflix, Vudu, Movies Anywhere, Disney+, Max, and many more offer 5.1 audio, usually in Dolby Digital Plus (EAC3). If the device you use for audio processing (the TV or an external sound bar or AVR) doesn't support DD+, that would also limit you to 2 channel PCM. But I think you're good there.

One final comment: if you have any sort of sound modification enabled on the Roku (volume leveling for example) that forces the Roku into 2 channel PCM mode as well. So press the * button and check to make sure none of the sound modifications are turned on.