Server Version#: 1.32.0.6918
Player Version#: 5.58.3
Hello everyone,
It appears I am not able to Direct Play any content with a TrueHD 7.1 audio codec. Although my setup won’t be fully utilising the 7.1 experience, all hardware used should be capable of passing through and playing the TrueHD audio.
I’m currently using:
Windows 10 Plex Server version 1.32.0.6918
LG WebOS Plex App version 5.58.3
LG OLED G1 55"
Sonos Beam Gen 2
According to RTINGS, when using audio passthrough and the eARC functionality, all LG G1 OLEDs should support TrueHD.
According to Sonos, products supporting Atmos will simply drop the additional channels (e.g. drop 2 channels from the 7.1 losless and play as 5.1 Atmos).
I am using the second HDMI port on the back of my LG G1 which is the only port labeled with ARC. Pass Through and eARC are enabled. Lossy Atmos content plays just fine from Netflix.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to fix playback of True HD 7.1?
If not, please let me know if this is a limitation on the Plex App for LG WebOS (responsibility of Plex devs) or a general limitation of the LG WebOS for all apps (LGs responsibility)?
That is only for devices attached to HDMI inputs, not for TV based apps.
No TV (LG, Samsung, etc) on the market today supports TrueHD audio for TV based apps. It is a TV manufacturer restriction.
When playing TrueHD audio in the Plex app on a SmartTV, it will be transcoded by Plex Media Server to a supported format.
Be aware this has other implications.
With the Plex LG app, if the media is direct streaming, such as when audio is transcoding, enabling any subtitle results in a video transcode.
So, if you’re watching a movie or show with TrueHD audio and you turn on subtitles, the video will transcode. The same will happen with DTS audio formats (LG removed DTS support a few years back). Also, if the movie/show is HDR, you’ll lose HDR, since Plex transcodes all video to H.264 SDR.
To get around the limitations of the LG TV and the LG Plex app:
If you want TrueHD audio, you will need to acquire a Nvidia Shield or Amazon Fire TV Cube v3 and connect it to the HDMI input on the TV or on the Sonos. DTS audio format will still transcode, since the LG blocks passthrough of DTS audio formats.
If you want TrueHD and DTS-HD, you will need to acquire a Nvidia Shield and connect it to the HDMI input on the Sonos. The Amazon FireCube v3 will passthrough only the lossy DTS 5.1 core. The lossless “-HD” portion is dropped.
Note: Both the Shield and the Cube v3 run Android TV. The Plex Android TV app is more capable than the Plex LG app. It will direct play / direct stream subtitles even if the audio is being transcoded.
This might explain an issue I’m having on a large HDR file playing on my LG E7.
With the TrueHD audio selected any subtitle file (PGS or SRT) hangs the client (100% server usage).
With the 5.1 audio selected I can select the SRT subtitles and all is OK.
With the 5.1 audio selected the PGS subtitles hang the client (100% server usage).
If I userstand your comments above, my experience is backing them up?
So with an LG TV is it safe to say choosing the 5.1 audio track is the best option as choosing the TrueHD will achieve nothing other than potential transcoding? And further more if you then want subtitles, SRT is the only way to go?
Note: I arc my audio over to my Onkyo amp from the TV.
You should be able to play media with a supported 5.1 audio format and PGS subtitles without the video transcoding.
The Plex LG app added support for PGS subtitles in August 2022. Set the app to Burn Subtitles = Automatic. Check that both Direct Play and Direct Stream are enabled in the app settings.
Monitor playback via Plex Dashboard → Now Playing + Expanded Info. That will show you if the media is direct streaming, such as when the audio is transcoding.
Looking at the E7 specifications and rtings.com review, it supports Dolby Digital (AC3), Dolby Digital Plus (EAC3), and DTS audio formats, all of which can be passed to the Onkyo via HDMI-ARC (if DTS-HD audio is selected, only the lossy core 5.1 will be passed).
Assuming the Onkyo supports those audio formats, you should be able to play media with those formats and either PGS or SRT subtitles without forcing a video transcode.
TrueHD + subtitles will always result in a video transcode.
Yes playing my HDR 2160p file with the SRT file I can see video and (5.1) audio is direct play, and subtitles are SRT. And all is fine.
Switching to the PGS subtitles, the video and audio remain as direct play, and subtitles change to PGS. BUT the Plex client interface on the LG freezes with all the icons showing. The film continue to play but there is no way to interact with Plex. Can only stop it via turning TV off or stopping it from Server.
Note: LG Plex hung/frozen or not, the server is showing the same low CPU usage etc.
