Server Version#: 4.57.1
Apple TV 4K 21 Version#: tvOS 14.7
Player Version#: 7.19.1 (329) on Apple TV 4K 21
Player Version#: 8.19.4 (f35a541c) on Sony Android TV 8500F series
Question: is Plex capable of handling Atmos data in any way other than pass through?
I’m running:
Windows 10 Pro i5 PC running Plex server connected via HDMI to Yamaha receiver.
Apple TV 4K 21 running the latest tvOS connected via HDMI to Yamaha receiver.
Yamaha RX-V685 via HDMI which is connected to my Sony TV.
Sony 8500F series TV.
When I play an Atmos movie from Disney+ on the Apple TV, my amp is receiving a PCM/Atmos signal.
When I play a file with EAC3 and Atmos directly from the media PC to the amp, my amp is receiving a DD+/Atmos signal. Playback is using the boring built in Windows Films & TV app.
When I play the same file (as in point 2) with EAC3 and Atmos via Plex on the Apple TV, my amp is receiving a PCM 5.1 signal and the Atmos is gone. Plex Dash app is not indicating the file is being transcoded.
All networking is gigabit Ethernet.
Disney+ has proven that the Apple TV can pass through the Atmos data on a PCM signal.
My amp is quite happy with the DD+ Atmos signal it’s getting direct from the PC.
For some reason, Plex is stripping the Atmos off the EAC3 file. I get exactly the same result from the Plex app running on the Sony Android TV. Atmos is gone.
Why??
Can anyone help me here or am I destined to miss out on Atmos data without pass through?
Below: Picture of the input readout from my amp when I play Avengers Infinity War on Disney+ on my Apple TV 4K. Note the Atmos/PCM. This demonstrates that the Apple TV config is capable of passing Atmos data to the amp with the current settings.
Below: Screenshot of Plex Dash showing a locally stored movie file and playback is via Plex on the Apple TV 4K. Clearly shows Direct Play for both Video and Audio. So where’s the Atmos?.
Below: Picture of the input readout from my amp when playback of the local movie file is direct from the PC using the Microsoft Films and TV app. Note the Atmos/DD+.
Im following this thread as I was about to ask a similar question. I recently downgraded my sound system from a full 7.1 Atmos capable setup to a humbler Atmos capable Soundbar.
On the ATV4K specifically.
Black Widow with EAC3 + Atmos is in actual fact totally mute.
Black Widow with EAC3 + Atmos (when switching to the old player on ATV4K) plays sound but no Atmos indicator on the soundbar.
Black Widow with EAC3 + Atmos using Infuse connected to Plex and then the sound is perfect and Atmos lights upon the soundbar.
Free being the operative word with Atmos not being free. Disney+ app licenses and includes the codec. The Plex client only has what is free or provided by the device which most TV’s do not allow. Microsoft being the only platform that you can find a way to add the codec independent of the app, sometimes free sometimes not.
When thinking about Dolby Atmos, we typically think of TrueHD/Atmos or EAC3/Atmos. However, as I’ve recently become aware of, there is a third option: PCM/Atmos
As you have found, the Apple TV transmits Atmos via PCM. Now, it should be able to play back EAC3/Atmos and, as @Xhaka has pointed out, can be done using the Infuse app.
Which brings us back to your main point: If the Apple TV is capable of playing EAC3/Atmos, why isn’t the Plex app doing so?
My knowledge of PCM/Atmos is relatively new, so I don’t know if the Apple TV is converting EAC3/Atmos to PCM/Atmos or what… @Xhaka, can you check what your receiver is decoding when you play an EAC3/Atmos file through the infuse app? (I don’t have any files with EAC3 audio) That might enlighten us as to what the ATV is doing (Converting the audio internally, or sending the codec directly to the receiver [my guess is internally encoding])
On mobile so difficult to link but there is another thread. Are you running the tvOS beta? It was suggested in that thread my a member of the Plex team that’s where.the issue lies.
It was confirmed that it will need interaction from the Plex devs to fix it. But they are now definitely aware.
I had enrolled for the beta, but it looks like it hadn’t rolled out in my region as it was still showing 14.7 which I’m pretty sure is a stable release. In any case, I’ve un-enrolled and will wait for the next update to install… whenever that will be.
Hi @DaveBinM… first let me apologise for this unsolicited tag… second, I saw your post on an Apple TV audio issues thread and wanted to check with you if what I’ve described in this thread could be related…
