Audio Passthrough support on Xbox beta

Plex Players Gaming Consoles
1

Hi all,

For users in the Xbox Insiders programme we have a new feature available to test in the Xbox Plex app, audio passthrough support!

Currently this is limited to users in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring but please keep an eye out on news.xbox.com for when Audio Passthrough support is available to users in other rings.

If you’re in an eligible ring you should find an update is available for the Plex app. Once updated you’ll find two new settings, DTS (DCA) and Dolby TrueHD, within the audio section in the app settings. Enabling them will allow passthrough of DTS and Dolby TrueHD to a supported connected AVR if all the appropriate conditions are met. These are:

  • You have the preview Plex app installed. You can join the preview via the Previews section in the Xbox Insider app.
  • The Settings>Audio>Advanced>Allow Passthrough setting is enabled on the Xbox console.
  • An AV receiver is connected to the console that supports DTS or Dolby TrueHD
    • Alternatively you can install and launch the DTS Sound Unbound app from the Microsoft store on your console to unlock DTS decoding on the console itself. Investigating issues with this feature
  • The DTS (DCA) and Dolby TrueHD settings are enabled in Settings>Audio within the Plex app. This is no longer necessary
  • The media is direct playing. Currently only direct play is supported, but we hope to support direct streams in a future update.

If all these conditions are met then DTS and Dolby TrueHD audio tracks should be passed through without transcoding. If you meet all these conditions and encounter playback issues then please post some logs in this thread.

Enjoy!

13 Likes
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Got the xbox update, but no plex update…

4

You need to opt in via the Xbox insider hub app thing (same app to manage Xbox test rings).

There is a plex preview available once you are on the alpha skip ahead version.

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2 Likes
5

That makes sense thanks :blush:

6

Thanks, I’ve updated the original post!

7

It seems to work well.

I have my Xbox set to DTS bitstream, and when I start an AC3 or EAC3 stream my soundbar receives the dolby signal instead of the DTS normally.

8

With audio pass-through will this allow live TV to direct play? Or these two things have nothing to do with each other? Thank you!!

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Those two aren’t related, no.

Also, Audio Passthrough is now available to users in the beta ring.

10

Does this update only apply for forr the series X only? I see I am able to passthrough Atmos on my Xbox One X thought it still does not play TrueHD?

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I’ll have to check with Microsoft but there is no such restriction on our side. Just to double check, you have checked Dolby TrueHD in the app audio settings and the file is direct playing?

12

This looks like the update I have been waiting on. I currently have an Nvidia Shield 2019 (tube) and plex has issues with playing back high bitrate 4k HDR remuxes. I was going to upgrade to the Nvidia Shield Pro (2021 version) whenever that came out but being able to playback 4K HDR remuxes on a series S/X would be unreal. Someone confirmed it works on reddit, can a dev or someone in the beta confirm if playback on a series S/X is smooth with high bitrate 4K HDR remuxes now that audio is not being transcoded?

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I’ve also tested with atmos and dts:x and it works seamlessly. But I would like an indicationiin olex of audio is atmos or dts:x next to the dts-HD MA or trueHD codec indication.

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Ok, so I have installed this and tried it as I have had massive issues with 4k HDR content over a Synology server for years!! Hence Nvidia shield is my go-to.

However, this beta seems to have improved the issues and 4k 60+GB files with Dolby Atmos and srt subtitles seem to work, very quickly I must say…but and there is a but…

4k HDR Dolby Atmos files do not load with PGS subtitles selected. Only seems to work with SRT or external SRT subtitles. Can this be looked into please

15

Pgs subs not supported, which causes non-direct play, which causes pass through to fail.

So, this is expected at this point.

Whether, or if pgs subs can/will be supported remains to be seen.

TLDR: use srt subs.

16

I’m on the Omega build and I’m not sure if this is working for me or not. The Xbox announcement seems to indicate that the app should display “passthrough” under the clock. I don’t see any passthrough logo when playing back video though.

Also, if I uncheck bitstream out and just enable passthrough, I get no sound. How has everyone else set this up? Do you still have bitstream on? And how do you know if passthrough is actually working? The playback info shows it’s direct playing, but can’t direct stream. Not sure why direct stream would be limited if the audio is passthrough.

Edit: I think it’s working now, but I had to switch to 7.1 in Xbox settings. Bitstream out doesn’t work.

17

This has been working great! Is there any idea when the Plex app will receive Dolby vision support? Is it dependent upon the Xbox team enabling support? Keep up the great work guys!
Edit: I’d assume it’s not an Xbox issue as other apps like Netflix and vision support Dolby vision.

18

Is the plex app preview update to enable passthrough available to Omega users now that the insider version also supports passthrough?

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Yep! It’s working for me. I tested last night, but had to reboot my console to pick up the new version of Plex.

20

Hey could you confirm how you did this? I’m level 4 Omega user on my Xbox Series S in the bedroom and can’t seem to figure out how to enable or get the Plex app preview. I must be missing something because it doesn’t show up for me.