Solving playback issues

[judyneric]

A while back I replaced my Roku 4 with an Ultra.  While the Roku 4 played videos with EAC3 codec no problem, the Ultra has never played EAC3 audio in any video file, ever.   

The Ultra took the place in my set-up exactly where the 4 was, but cannot do with EAC3 what the 4 did.

I don't know if I've missed a basic setting, or if it just cannot do it, even though all the official tech specs say it's a supported codec.

It's not a major issue, I just reencode any video with EAC3 to AAC.  But it would be nice to forgo that, and tat the least, I am curious why the issue exists for me.

Similarly, it can't produce audio from AAC LC SBR, and I don't remember that issue on the Roku 4.

Curiously, if I reencode something that has AAC LC SBR, the resulting file continues to have AAC LC SBR audio, but the Roku Ultra will then be able to create audio.   So, that's weird.

So do the Ultra support EAC3 or not, or am I missing something in settings?   

Thanks!

[UserOfStreamers]

You didnt mention your model #/firmware version, specific method of playback (USB/UPnP/etc) or app (RMP/Plex/EmbyJellyfin/etc) or any specific file type/encoding tool/process, or how your 4800 is connected, so there may be an issue with any of those aspects.

The 4800 does support DD+ (EAC3) from both streaming services and local file (USB/UPnP/etc) playback (every file with EAC3 support I've thrown at it using USB/UPnP via RMP plays fine).

https://support.roku.com/article/208754908

Audio – AAC (.MKV, .MP4, .MOV); MP3(.MP3, .MKV); FLAC (.FLAC, .MKV), PCM (.WAV, .MKV, .MP4, .MOV), AC3/EAC3 (.MKV,.MP4. .MOV, .AC3), DTS (.MKV, .MP4, .MOV,.DTS), ALAC (.MKV, .MP4, .MOV, .M4A), Vorbis (.OGG,.MKV,.WEBM)

(Additional unlisted file types/formats may be supported depending on model/firmware version)

There are some issues with EAC3 + HEVC/x265 encoded files, but they result in color/contrast distortions, not lack of audio output.

1)  Make sure you use Passthrough:  Settings/Audio/Digital output format = Passthrough  (if you leave it on Auto all audio output will be transcoded/converted to the highest detected Dolby level of the connected device)

2) Make sure DD+/DD support is detected: Highlight Settings/Audio/Passthrough and check the "Available:" formats (In Auto/Passthough/Custom w/DD-only detected/configured, DD+ will be converted to DD upon output)

3) Try a different file/format/encoding tool (and/or post a link to a sample file of yours with EAC3 that has no playback for you)