No, they appear to be using a completely custom stack that doesn't align with the Player Framework / MediaElement / Media Foundation ecosystem at all.
Pity.
I have Handbrake created MP4 containers with AC3 audio. According to the original post, these should be getting played without converstion.
The app is showing "Direct Play" but the audio seems to be getting converted from Dolby Digital to aac? Or at least the Dolby indicator is not lighting up like it does with the Netflix of VLC app.
If the app says "Direct Play" in the video player, then we're not altering the audio in any way.
If the app says "Direct Play" in the media info popup, but then says "HTTP Live Streaming" with transcoded audio in the video player, then the media is failing to play and we're falling back on a transcode to make things work.
It says "Direct Play" and "playing" right underneath it while the video is playing. I don't see any HTTP streaming statement anywhere.
The same video plays with the old style VLC player with the Dolby light on, but with the Metro VLC player, the Dolby light does not come on.
You may want to check settings in Windows, e.g. make sure your speakers are set to 5.1 in Control Panel -> Sounds. Short of that, I'm not sure what to recommend. I suspect all metro apps will work the same way, so the issue is systemic.
I have my speakers configured to 5.1 Surround. Netflix is lighting the DD light just fine.
When I play Plex videos, I get PCM on the receiver, and it sounds like I'm getting 5.1, but no DD light. Is this normal?
I'm getting the same issue on two different laptops, a Yoga 2 pro and a Asus TF100 transformer.
VirtualPlex:
See this thread. Is it possible you have similar audio stream ordering issues, with stereo ahead of 5.1?
https://forums.plex.tv/topic/142145-rules-for-audio-support-in-plex-app-ms-app-store/
I have been following that thread. I am using MP4 containers created with Handbrake. They are DVD rips. I put AC3 pass through has my first audio track, and AAC stereo as my second.
When playing, I see Direct Play, along with AC3, 5.1 and the DD logo in the upper right corner.
I don't believe the audio is getting the stereo track, nor do I think it's being re-encoded to stereo as the audio program is audibly different if I spefically play the 2 different tracks. I do hear distinct sounds out all 4 corner speakers during action sees (ie, explosions echo properly, car sounds seem move from one side of the room to the other, etc.). Just no DD light.
I can also play these videos just fine on a WD TV Live.
I have also noticed that under Windows 7, when I do the speaker tests, the DD light goes on. But it doesn't under Windows 8 speaker tests.
So I'm still confused if this is "normal" or if something is broken. I'm going to install Windows 10 preview and see if I get the same results.
I honestly don't know. Multi-channel and pass-thru and modern apps are all a bit of a mystery to me.
If you hear sounds out of more than the two speakers, then either it's working or you have some kind of stereo->surround enhancement in your audio processing pipeline. Some Windows audio drivers have that under "enhancements".
You might try two things to learn more:
1) Remux to a video that only has 5.1 and play that. See what happens.
2) Play these videos in a different "modern" app, like the Xbox Video app or something simple like the free "Video-Player" app. See what happens.
I asked the same question on the VLC forums, as I was having the same issue with VLC. One of the developers responded that there isn't an API for Dolby Digital that Metro apps have access to, so you won't be getting DD from Metro apps.
Would the Plex 8.1 App allow Direct Play of:
1) .Wav files
2) Flac if you install the codec
Would the Plex 8.1 App allow Direct Play of:
1) .Wav files
2) Flac if you install the codec
1. Yes. I've updated the original post to that effect.
2. No, because Windows apps can't use installed codecs. But it'll seamlessly transcode to MP3.
Thank you that is very helpful.
On the flip side: if you have your media server installed on windows 8.1 how does the local/web app player handle this. Would the codec help here? It works with windows media player.
You post if very helpful. No format covers all the bases so it would really help if plex published this as guide. In prepping media section.
I don't believe any web browser will use locally installed codecs either.
Although it is an old news now, just wanted to know if we will be able to DirectPlay MKV, HEVC and FLAC in Windows 10 since it will support all of these natively?
And will it require an update on Plex app side or it will just work automatically?
http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/27/windows-10-native-flac-mkv-support/
Although it is an old news now, just wanted to know if we will be able to DirectPlay MKV, HEVC and FLAC in Windows 10 since it will support all of these natively?
And will it require an update on Plex app side or it will just work automatically?
The Plex app already detects Windows 10 and supports DP for those formats.
The Plex app already detects Windows 10 and supports DP for those formats.
That is great to hear. One more thing, does subtitle require to be burned in or not on Windows 10? I am currently using PHT on my laptops but am now planning to make a switch to Windows app once Windows 10 releases.
Subtitle handling is the same on either system, for our current app at least.
I seems to work for me for direct play with an mkv, but it tries to transcode when I sync the same tvshow. Is it normal?
@Mulb: yes, that’s normal with Windows 10. There’s some work we’ll need to do on the server side to support Windows 10, since sync decision-making is done on the server.
