Solving playback issues

[FMoB]

Let’s start with a confession - I’m a dinosaur and a cheapskate! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix (or replace…) it is my mantra. So, for years, I’ve been happy playing DVDs and Blu-rays on my 2012 Samsung UE40ES6540 TV with Dolby Digital/DTS processed via an even older (1999!) Yamaha RX-V595a receiver. I have a great 5.1 speaker setup in a small room.

With streaming meaning less and less films get a release on physical media, I’ve had to move with the times and embrace movies via fibre broadband from Sky Cinema (via Now TV) and Disney+. So I bought a Roku Express and expected to be able to get surround sound having added Boost to Now TV. What a pain… Yes, a new AV amp would help but I’m trying to avoid that if I at all can.

After lots of research, and the discovery of this post on the forum: https://community.roku.com/t5/Solving-playback-issues/No-Dolby-or-DTS-Surround-Sound-Output-Via-Opti...  - I realised I’d need to change my approach if I was going to succeed.

I bought an EZ Coo EX11PRO that can spoof EDID settings and have that configured to 5.1 audio. The same device provides audio extraction from the HDMI input and has a toslink output to connect to my old amp. On the advice of @UserOfStreamers, I went in search of a 4800 or 4802 on eBay. I found a 4801 (box says 4801RW but label on device say 4801X) and further research suggested that only differed by virtue of a missing USB port and a different remote. Surely if the 4800 and 4802 supported transcoding of DD+ to DD, then the 4801 would too…?

So, having it got all wired up, I was really disappointed to see my AV amp not finding a Dolby Digital signal from one of its optical inputs. I’ve tried all the various combinations of the audio settings to no avail. I know the EDID spoofing is working as the Roku is reporting ‘Dolby Audio-DD’ and ‘DTS Digital Surround’ as available formats on the HDMI.

If anyone can help, I’d be extremely grateful.

[StreamerUser · Accepted solution]

Unfortunately you didn't follow the advice of @UserOfStreamers or do enough research - he very specifically mentioned a model 4800 or 4802 (Roku Ultra 2020 or Roku Ultra 2022): these models have Dolby (Atmos-level) decoders. 

The Roku Ultra LT (4801) does NOT have a Dolby decoder (and why it very specifically wasn't mentioned)

You need to get a 4800 (Ultra 2020), 4802 (Ultra 2022) or a (just released) 4850 (Ultra 2024) - these all have Dolby (Atmos-level) decoders that can transcode/convert DD+ to DD even in Passthrough mode when connected to a detected DD-only device.

So you need to get a 4800/4802/4850 and change Digital Output Format = Passthrough (assuming DD-only EDID; Custom = Dolby Digital or Auto will also work but will transcode all audio to DD assuming DD EDID), set the splitter/audio extractor's EDID to DD5.1 , and enjoy 5.1 audio from all 5.1 content.

Also, make sure you disable any sound modes as these disable multichannel output:  During playback - Options(*)/Sound Settings/Customize Sound modes/Volume Leveling or Dialogue Enhancement = Off

[FMoB]

@StreamerUser, thanks so much for your reply. I was kind of expecting that would be the explanation but it's great to get it confirmed by an expert. I have to say that I really struggled to find clear, technical specs that could have prevented me buying the 4801 in the hope that it matched 4800/4802 in the DD+ to DD department.

I've kicked off an ebay return and will be buying a 4802 once I get my refund. Then I will report back once everything is delivered and tested. Thanks again!

[FMoB]

Wahey! 5.1 Dolby Digital is now coming from my Now TV (with Boost) and Disney+ streams!

Thanks again to @StreamerUser for pointing me in the right direction (and pointing out my schoolboy error of not paying closer attention to the original advice of @UserOfStreamers).

If anyone else has a similar need to extract Dolby Digital via toslink to an aging AV amp, I can certainly recommend the EZ Coo EX11PRO to accompany the correct model of Roku Ultra (4800/4802/4850).

The only downside of all this..? Being a UK based user, I can't access BBC iPlayer as the 4802 was never available in the UK. A small price to pay 🙂

[Des2009]

I am in a very similar predicament to the one you were in.. I'm playing **bleep** trying to get 5.1 to my Pioneer Elite receiver from my Roku Ultra LT (4801X).  My situation is further compounded by my need (desire) of having a Roku capable of using an IR remote (Logitech Harmony 650).  The IR capability was the reason I recently bought the 4801X in the first place.  Will the 4850 support the use of an IR remote????  Please please please say "YES"  🙂

[renojim]

Yes, absolutely!

[Des2009]

Thanks so much for the reply!  I did a "chat" with Roku support after I posted here earlier.  The girl I chatted with also indicated (after much back and forth) that it would in fact support an IR remote.  So I ordered one a short time ago from Amazon.  Your confirmation is good to hear.  The new 4850 should be here in 2 or 3 days, so I can see (and hear) for myself.  The 4801X that I recently bought is still within the return window, so it will go back once I see the new one working.

[StreamerUser]

@Des2009 

Just remember to:

1) Configure passthrough:  Settings/Audio/Digital output format = Passthrough

2) Disable sound modes:  During playback press Options (*)/Sound settings/Customize sound modes/Volume leveling & Dialog Enhancement = Off

[Des2009]

Thanks for the replies.  Unfortunately my internet service went out yesterday afternoon (Thursday) at 4:00 p.m. and they can't get a service person out until 3:00 p.m. on Monday.  So now I'm slow to respond back to you guys, only have Internet on my phone. Not only that but tomorrow the new 4850 is supposed to come, and I won't even be able to try it until sometime later on Monday.

[Des2009]

Success!   My internet was fixed Friday afternoon...  turned out that it affected multiple locations near me so they got it repaired sooner.  The 4850R came late yesterday.  Can confirm it does  "passthrough" and supports IR remote.  I also found that i *must* send the HDMI from the Roku directly into the receiver, then pass video through the receiver to the TV.   I have a small HDMI splitter but it wouldn't work.  It would pass 5.1 to the receiver (alone), and video to the TV, but when outputting to both I lost the 5.1 to the receiver when I plugged in the TV. The receiver would revert to stereo.