Atmos 7.1 Transcode Assitance

[southwind19]

Server Version#: PlexMediaServer-1.25.2.5319
Player Version#: latest on various platforms

I have an UN55MU8000 with Samsung One Connect box (2017 model) & HWQ900A sound bar.

The 2017 One Connect Box only supports (arc)

TV & Sound bar FW are up to date.

Library is on a Qnap 453D ; firmware is up to date

As I am unable to replace my 2017 One Connect Box with a newer model which support earc (2020-2021) I decided to test and compare prior to purchasing a 2020-2021 compatible TV with One Connect Box.

I first tested PLEX on my Samsung UN55MU8000 where the HDMI cable is plugged into (arc) on TV to the (Arc) port on the sound bar with a 7.1 Atmos file - video went direct play and the Audio did transcode (expected) EAC3 - Transcode ) as arc only support 5.1

I then played the same file from PLEX on my Apple TV 4K G2 which supports (eARC {7.1}) the HDMI cable is plugged directly into a different HDMI port on the HWQ900A; it transcoded which I think is weird (FLAC - Transcode)

Why is AUDIO not direct playing?

[TeknoJunky]

The tv can not pass through hd audio, so it is transcoded.

The Apple TV does not pass through hd audio, but it can pass through flac which is the hd audio decoded to compressed pcm.

Shield pro and Xbox are the 2 options for truehd pass through.

[southwind19]

I am confused on the Apple TV part.

The ATV 4K G2 Supports earc which is ATMOS; the ATV 4K G2 is plugged directory into the sound bar which supports Atmos. it should just Direct Play no?

I would prefer NOT to have purchase x3 NVidia shields id possible.

[TeknoJunky]

Earc is not atmos.

Apple TV does not support truehd or dts-hd-ma. (Ie from 4K/Blu-ray)

Apple TV does support atmos+eac3 (ie from Netflix etc).

There are only 2 options for pass through of truehd/dtshdma and that is shield pro or Xbox.

[INFO] Plex, 4k, transcoding, and you - aka the rules of 4k

NOTE: for 2022 – Plex has come a long way since this FAQ was originally written, HW transcoding has become more available and more stable, and tone mapping was recently added to address the hdr/sdr color conversion issues. The first 4 ‘rules’ generally are no longer as important as they once were, but may still be a good thing to bear in mind. Dolby Vision, is an entirely other mess. THIS thread/FAQ is NOT about DV. DV work is still in progress, and there are no perfect TV’s or external devic…

[Xhaka]

Not wanting to nit-pick but to be clear the Apple TV 4K itself does support True-HD and DTS-HDMA (Infuse can do it.)

Sadly as mentioned Plex does not.

As @TeknoJunky said it cannot pass HD Atmos metadata (Not even Infuse can do that.)
So if you need need full HD Atmos it will have to be the devices mentioned.

[southwind19]

so x3 shields then…

point the library from the QNAP to the Shield(s), then run the HDMI cable(s) from the shield(s) to the sound bar?

then all will be direct play?

[Xhaka]

Pretty much.
Or for 1 £/$/€ Try Infuse for a month which can be used simply as an alternative Plex client.

We all have different ears and even with a Soundbar you may hear the benefit of full Atmos with the soundbars upfiring speakers.
Personally I never did.

Oh and yeah Plex prefer to transcode all HD 7.1 to FLAC 7.1
It’s still a mystery why it therefore transcodes FLAC music libraries to mp3 but that’s another story.

[southwind19]

Shield pro or tube?

[Xhaka]

I have never owned the tube, but I have heard some really bad stories about it.
If you can stretch to it I would definitely go for the pro.

[southwind19]

Infuse is not native to Samsung TV apps.

I know earc is not Atmos; poor choice of words; my understanding is earc is a reequipment for 7.1 as arc supports just to 5.1 correct?

[FordGuy61]

@southwind19

my understanding is earc is a reequipment for 7.1 as arc supports just to 5.1 correct?

eARC is needed for TrueHD and dts-HD, whether 5.1 or 7.1 channels. Both exceed the bandwidth limits of ARC.

ARC supports AC3/EAC3/DTS/PCM up to 5.1 channels, including EAC3 5.1 + Atmos.

Optical/Coax supports AC3/DTS up to 5.1 channels and PCM 2.0.

[TeknoJunky]

And earc only works with hdmi devices like Blu-ray players etc.

Earc does not work with any known smart tv plex apps.

[TeknoJunky]

@Xhaka

Not wanting to nit-pick but to be clear the Apple TV 4K itself does support True-HD and DTS-HDMA (Infuse can do it.)

my understanding, it is not the apple tv that supports it (truehd/dtshdma), it is the infuse app which has it’s own licences and decoding routines (similarly to vlc or kodi), which is still output in pcm (and not with atmos).

[OttoKerner]

@southwind19

pro or tube?

Avoid the “tube” like the plague. It runs out of memory very often, particularly when playing high-bitrate content. Which is the kind of content you get from UHD Blurays.

[Xhaka]

@TeknoJunky

my understanding, it is not the apple tv that supports it (truehd/dtshdma), it is the infuse app which has it’s own licences and decoding routines

So I guess that’s down to interpretation of the word “support”
Capable of…definitely yes.
Again without the Atmos metadata. (as I already mentioned.)

[TeknoJunky]

to me, support, means apple actively specifies and uses it.

they don’t.

like many things, just because something can do something, does not mean it is ‘supported’.

plex clients still can be used on many old devices/tv’s, but they are not ‘supported’.

[Xhaka]

@TeknoJunky

to me, support, means apple actively specifies and uses it.

That’s called native support. Something completely different.

@TeknoJunky

like many things, just because something can do something, does not mean it is ‘supported’.

It’s Apple. It would never reach the Apple store if it’s not supported. Not natively but supported all the same.