# Audio transcoding forced even on passthrough

**URL:** https://forums.plex.tv/t/audio-transcoding-forced-even-on-passthrough/780836
**Category:** Plex Media Server
**Tags:** server-linux, smart-tv
**Created:** [March 16, 2022, 9:57am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/audio-transcoding-forced-even-on-passthrough/780836 "2022-03-16T09:57:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 6

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### Author: ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/audio-transcoding-forced-even-on-passthrough/780836/6 "2022-03-16T18:05:24Z")

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The only two Plex streaming devices that support 4K HDR video and TrueHD/Atmos passthrough are the Shield and the Xbox.

[Plex for Windows](https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/#plex-app) and [Plex HTPC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-htpc-feedback/703205) also support TrueHD passthrough. I’m unsure if they output HDR video. There have been several updates since I last tested that capability (early versions tonemapped HDR to SDR).

The reason for connecting the device directly to the receiver instead of the TV is to avoid any TV based complications. Some TVs block passthrough of some audio formats for HDMI connected devices. For example, current LG TVs blocks passthrough of dts audio.

That written, the review at [rtings.com](http://rtings.com) says the Sony A80J supports TrueHD/dts audio passthrough for attached devices. So, you may be able to connect a Shield/Xbox/HTPC to the TV if desired.

> **[Sony A80J OLED Review (XR-55A80J, XR-65A80J, XR-77A80J)](https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/sony/a80j-oled)**
>
> The Sony A80J OLED is a high-end OLED TV. It sits below the Sony A90J OLED in Sony's 2021 lineup, and although there are a few drawbacks compared to the higher-e...

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