Solving playback issues

[atc98092]

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@StreamerUser wrote:

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The 4800 does in fact transcode/convert all (non-DTS, depending) audio to the highest detected Dolby level of the connected device in Auto detect mode - if this is DD+/Atmos, then output is DD+/Atmos; if this is MAT 2.x/Atmos, then output is MAT 2.x/Atmos, etc.

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Not in my experience. I have never seen any height audio channels, other than soundtracks with DD+/Atmos. Yes, the 4800 will convert some 2 channel tracks to DD+, but it never adds anything further. And for my local media, DTS tracks are also passed though without alteration. Of course, the 4800 still has a video stutter with DTS audio tracks for some reason, but that's unrelated to the audio encoder (at least, I can't think of any way it would affect it). 

Of course, I am using auto passthrough for the audio, which is what I believe anyone with an AVR should be using, assuming the AVR has the necessary codec support. But I have used Auto Detect when I first set it up, and still never saw any such encoding.  

[StreamerUser]

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@atc98092 wrote:

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@StreamerUser wrote:

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The 4800 does in fact transcode/convert all (non-DTS, depending) audio to the highest detected Dolby level of the connected device in Auto detect mode - if this is DD+/Atmos, then output is DD+/Atmos; if this is MAT 2.x/Atmos, then output is MAT 2.x/Atmos, etc.

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Not in my experience. I have never seen any height audio channels, other than soundtracks with DD+/Atmos. Yes, the 4800 will convert some 2 channel tracks to DD+, but it never adds anything further. And for my local media, DTS tracks are also passed though without alteration. Of course, the 4800 still has a video stutter with DTS audio tracks for some reason, but that's unrelated to the audio encoder (at least, I can't think of any way it would affect it). 

Of course, I am using auto passthrough for the audio, which is what I believe anyone with an AVR should be using, assuming the AVR has the necessary codec support. But I have used Auto Detect when I first set it up, and still never saw any such encoding.  

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Height <> Atmos

You might want to increase your experience:  Auto detect in the 4800 converts/transcodes all (non-DTS, depending) output to the highest detected Dolby level of the connected device (just like the OP talked about:  e.g. (a format of) Atmos in his case - there are all sorts of posts/threads here and elsewhere about it since the 4800 was released half a year ago)

If you pay close attention to the Roku UI information, it even states it for Auto detect (highlight it): "Select 'Auto detect' to automatically convert incoming audio to the best format supported by your equipment. (recommended)"

In fact, its not an upmixer, its a converter/transcoder:  it doesnt upmix/channel fill - it just channel/object replicates 1:1 within the multichannel format, with empty channels otherwise (e.g. 2.0 in 5.1, etc; like other such Dolby conversion/transcoding implementations, this prevents upmixing by the AVR/soundbar/etc).

[gerryex]

HI,  I'm not at my TV right now but the next time I turn it on I'll write down the exact wording for those settings.

[gerryex]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
In fact, its not an upmixer, its a converter/transcoder:  it doesnt upmix/channel fill - it just channel/object replicates 1:1 within the multichannel format, with empty channels otherwise (e.g. 2.0 in 5.1, etc; like other such Dolby conversion/transcoding implementations, this prevents upmixing by the AVR/soundbar/etc).
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Hi, That makes sense and indeed as I stated before when I have it on Auto Detect ALL the things I'm viewing my AVR indicates that it Atmos.  Even one of the episodes of Star Trek - The Original Series which certainly was not filmed with Atmos.  I didn't hear many of the surround speakers so that jives with what you're saying.  With Godzilla vs King Kong ALL the surrounds including the height speakers were active.

But I'm still confused as to why when I have it on Passthrough my AVR (again the Ultra is DIRECTLY connected to my AVR)  says I'm only getting one of the lesser surround modes.  I'll post later exactly what I do get.

Thanks to all for your help!

[StreamerUser]

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@gerryex wrote:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
In fact, its not an upmixer, its a converter/transcoder:  it doesnt upmix/channel fill - it just channel/object replicates 1:1 within the multichannel format, with empty channels otherwise (e.g. 2.0 in 5.1, etc; like other such Dolby conversion/transcoding implementations, this prevents upmixing by the AVR/soundbar/etc).
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Hi, That makes sense and indeed as I stated before when I have it on Auto Detect ALL the things I'm viewing my AVR indicates that it Atmos.  Even one of the episodes of Star Trek - The Original Series which certainly was not filmed with Atmos.  I didn't hear many of the surround speakers so that jives with what you're saying.  With Godzilla vs King Kong ALL the surrounds including the height speakers were active.

But I'm still confused as to why when I have it on Passthrough my AVR (again the Ultra is DIRECTLY connected to my AVR)  says I'm only getting one of the lesser surround modes.  I'll post later exactly what I do get.

Thanks to all for your help!

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That's why we need to see exactly what its detecting in Auto passthrough mode (different formats/levels of Atmos are displayed differently, etc).

[atc98092]

I used height as a generic term for both Atmos and DTS:X. In both of those uses, they are certainly height channels, but yes it's more than that. 

And I don't want my AVR, my Roku, my Shield, or any other device doing anything to the sound beyond the way they were encoded by the provider. If that's only two channel, so be it. So no, I'm not going to bother with Auto-Detect. Passthrough does exactly what I want, and if some day Roku finally offers complete audio passthrough, then I can enjoy my TrueHD and Master Audio tracks as recorded. But for now, that's what my Shield is for.

[gerryex]

Hi ALL,  Here's the info people aske me to get when I go into the Ultra's setting for Audio/HDMI.

When Auto Detect is highlighted it says the following is detected:  DD+, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD.

When Auto Passthrough is highlighted it says the following is detected:  Stereo, DD, DD+, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-HD.

It was currently set to Auto detect so I changed it to Auto Passthrough and then went into HBO Max and started Godzilla vs King Kong and my AVR displayed DD+ even though HBO Max lists that movie has having Dolby Atmos.  I then re-booted the Ultra as someone suggested went back to the movie and it was still DD+.  Then I changed the Ultra's setting to Auto Detect went back to the movie and my AVR was showing Dolby Atmos and I could hear some sounds from all the speakers and I believe there were sounds from the height speakers.

Just a reminder that the Ultra is directly connected to my AVR and the AVR output is directly connected to my TV.  

So once again I'm still wondering why when in the Passthrough mode I don't get Atmos!

Thanks.

[atc98092]

That is puzzling, as that's exactly the way mine is configured (4800 auto-passthrough to AVR to TV) and I watched the same movie last night and the AVR showed Atmos on the display. 

[StreamerUser]

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@gerryex wrote:

Hi ALL,  Here's the info people aske me to get when I go into the Ultra's setting for Audio/HDMI.

When Auto Detect is highlighted it says the following is detected:  DD+, Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD.

When Auto Passthrough is highlighted it says the following is detected:  Stereo, DD, DD+, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-HD.

It was currently set to Auto detect so I changed it to Auto Passthrough and then went into HBO Max and started Godzilla vs King Kong and my AVR displayed DD+ even though HBO Max lists that movie has having Dolby Atmos.  I then re-booted the Ultra as someone suggested went back to the movie and it was still DD+.  Then I changed the Ultra's setting to Auto Detect went back to the movie and my AVR was showing Dolby Atmos and I could hear some sounds from all the speakers and I believe there were sounds from the height speakers.

Just a reminder that the Ultra is directly connected to my AVR and the AVR output is directly connected to my TV.  

So once again I'm still wondering why when in the Passthrough mode I don't get Atmos!

Thanks.

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Its transcoding/converting the DD+/Atmos to MAT 2.x/Atmos, which is expected behavior in Auto detect mode with your detected configuration.

In Auto passthrough mode, you should be getting DD+/Atmos (assuming you have firmware version 9.4.1-4236/4237 and HBO Max app version 50.9.31), but for whatever reason you are only getting DD+.

Either its not properly detecting your DD+/Atmos modes via EDID, and/or there's a bug in the HBO Max app.

Have you tried Atmos content in any other apps in Auto passthrough mode?  NetFlix/Disney+/Prime/AppleTV/etc?

[gerryex]

Hi ALL,

OK, the more I look into this the more disappointed I get!

I did a system update and it said all were current.  I checked the versions and the Roku version is 9.4.1 Build 4236 and the HBO Max version is 50.9.31.  Both were posted here as the latest versions so the problem is not this.

The only other streaming service I have is Paramount Plus and they do not indicate whether their videos have Atmos or not so I have no way of testing if I'm getting true Atmos from them.

I then went into You Tube and found a few videos stated as having Atmos including one specifically as an Atmos demo.  Started it up and was shocked to see my AVR indicating that it was only 2.0 stereo.  And this was with the Ultra in Auto Detect which its supposed to convert any signal to Atmos.  I changed the Ultra to Passthrough and still got only 2.0 from YouTube.  In fact ANY video I tried in YouTube with either Auto Detect or Passthrough came up as 2.0!  Could someone try YouTube (search for Atmos) with that demo and post what their AVR is indicating.

I'm not sure what else to try and WELCOME any other suggestions!  THANKS!