Dolby Atmos audio dropouts (at high bitrate)

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
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Server Version#: Mac 1.18.6.2368
Player Version#: Nvidia Shield TV 8.0.2 with Plex client latest version

I have seen several posts (here: Audio Drop outs with Plex and Nvidia Shield (4K HEVC with Atmos audio codec). and here: Nvidia Shield TV audio-passthru audio-drop outs.) where people describe similar audio dropouts to the ones I’m experiencing.

I was wondering whether there is a solution, or whether the Plex Developers are working on a solution?

I want to play the offending file from an external drive connected directly to my Shield TV via USB. Does anyone know of a media player for Android TV that supports audio passthrough?

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Do we need to chase Nvidia then?

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I just found this from Nvidia: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/discover/272559/4k-hdr-lossless-audio-drops/#5324532

  1. Fixed location drops (replay the video and they repeat at the same location). This was due to an open source audio decoder SHIELD is using which has limited bandwidth and can only support audio below a certain bandwidth, above which droptouts happen. We have a fix for this now which I’ve been testing which solves this issue. We plan to include this fix in the next HotFix images for both 2015/2017 and 2018 devices. Note that the fix in #2 applies only to apps that use SHIELDs inbuilt audio support. Kodi has it’s own and is subject to the same bug as SHIELD had so a fix in Kodi will be needed (we are working with them on this). So, when this fix comes, it’ll work in Plex, the inbuilt photos & videos app in SHIELD and other apps which rely on SHIELDs audio support.
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The sixth HotFix image for the 2019 SHIELD TVs has deployed on 2/18/2020 as version 32.7.301.98 and is based on the public image 8.1 with the fixes from all of the 6 HotFixes below.

Sixth HotFix(32.7.301.98):

  • Resolves issue with high bit rate audio dropping audio at fixed locations. Note: This fixes will apply to apps using SHIELDs audio engine like Plex/Photos & Videos. Kodi has it’s own engine which has not fixed this bug yet so the fix will not apply to Kodi and apps like it.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/shield-tv/9/326572/2019-shield-experience-upgrade-810-hotfix-image/

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I can confirm Nvidia has truly resolved this multiyear long bug. I can no longer reproduce the timestamp specific HD audio dropouts via passthrough.

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Excellent news. My shield is a 2017 model, so I guess will have to wait for a couple more days.

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I can confirm HotFix 32.5.205.112 (for 2015/2017 shield TV) has fixed audio dropouts at high bitrate (via passthrough) on PLEX.

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Hi @Achilles

There are some reports over at NVIDIA’s forums that audio drop outs still occur. For example, toy story 4, timestamp 1:01:45 while performing the jump. I can confirm the audio dropouts at this particular time stamp. Can you reproduce the dropouts? Shield TV 2017 with the latest PLEX mac server and Shield TV client.

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I am involved at their forums on that post. I gave you the timestamps there.

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It only seems to be Toy Story 4 at this point. All other known titles with dropouts no longer exhibit so.

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Ha ha ha. The tilde confused me, but it did cross my mind you are the same person. Brilliant!

The bitrate is not particularly high at 1:01:45 ~8.5Mbps. Any clues?
I have seen reports that Zootopia was exhibiting drop outs as well. Have you tested it?

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No observed dropouts with Zootopia

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OK, good to know.

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