As per the tile - DTS-HD MA 5.1 also activates the 2 surround back speakers, not just the 2 surround speakers, as it should.
Dolby True HD 5.1 plays correctly only through 5 speakers, i.e. the 2 surround back speakers are inactive.
Please fix this - if the movie was meant to be played through 5 speakers, playing sound through 2 additional speakers just muddles the experience.
Running PMP 6.5.2.2115 on nVidia Shield, PMS 1.9.2.4285 on Synology DS415+ and Mac Mini.
@uberlawyer said:
As per the tile - DTS-HD MA 5.1 also activates the 2 surround back speakers, not just the 2 surround speakers, as it should.Dolby True HD 5.1 plays correctly only through 5 speakers, i.e. the 2 surround back speakers are inactive.
Please fix this - if the movie was meant to be played through 5 speakers, playing sound through 2 additional speakers just muddles the experience.
Running PMP 6.5.2.2115 on nVidia Shield, PMS 1.9.2.4285 on Synology DS415+ and Mac Mini.
PMP isn’t on shield.
Plex for Android TV is.
@danjames92 said:
PMP isn’t on shield.Plex for Android TV is.
That changes everything
Are you using passthrough?
Yes, passthrough is set to auto and the decoding is done by the reciever.
I am running 6.6.0 and not able to reproduce the issue. Have you considered updating the app?
Check the settings on your receiver.
My Denon 4300H has multiple audio settings, some of which alter the audio.
Direct and Pure Direct play the audio as defined by the source. 5.1 audio plays through 5 speakers + the sub.
DTS Neural:X upmixes the audio. 5.1 audio is upmixed to 7.1 and plays through 7 speakers + the sub.
Your receiver may have similar settings.
Denon on screen info display also verifies that Plex client is sending the correct audio to my receiver. Currently running Plex client 6.6. Worked fine with earlier 5.x & 6.x versions as well.
Plex Client: Nvidia Shield v6.6
Plex Server: Nvidia Shield v1.9.2 / Win 10 v1.9.3
Plex does not upmix the audio so if you are getting 7.1 channels, it’s not coming from Plex. I agree with @FordGuy61, check your receiver’s settings.
Thank you for the feedback - much appreciated.
@Achilles: how do I move to 6.6? Google Play store is saying that I have the latest app. Sorry for missing something basic, but the Shield is my first Android device.
@FordGuy61 & @“MovieFan.Plex” What settings do you guys suggest that I check? Sound is set on standard DTS-HD MA profile, no Neural X or anything, but maybe I’m missing something.
Receiver is X2200W, but I assume it’s the same menu for all Denons. Dolby works correctly, so I really don’t know what it might be.
@uberlawyer You have to sign up for beta at the link below:
https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/220583/help-us-beta-test-the-android-tv-app.
You have selected Standard on your Denon remote? I have Standard | Direct/Stereo | Simulation | Pure all next to each other on my Denon 4311CI remote.
So, here’s the conclusion: it appears that indeed it’s from my receiver settings, more precisely it works if I select the Direct/Pure Direct setting. The problem is that I was running on the 'Movie setting, but with DTS-HD MA selected, with no other options selected (i.e. no DTS-HD + Neural X or anything).
So it should have worked, but it doesn’t. The idea is that Dolby works correctly with the same settings. I want to run with these settings because you can pump up the central channel a bit so that dialogs work better.
Furthermore, Audyssey is disabled in the Direct/Pure Direct mode, and this sucks in the really bad kind of way.
I guess I’ll have to write to Denon, but they don’t seem like the type of joint that jump to address customer issues. Oh, well…
Many thanks to all for your help
@uberlawyer said:
So, here’s the conclusion: it appears that indeed it’s from my receiver settings, more precisely it works if I select the Pure setting. The problem is that I was running on the 'Movie setting, but with DTS-HD MA selected, with no other options selected (i.e. no DTS-HD + Neural X or anything).So it should have worked, but it doesn’t. The idea is that Dolby works correctly with the same settings. I want to run with these settings because you can pump up the central channel a bit so that dialogs work better.
Furthermore, Audyssey is disabled in the pure more, and this sucks in the really bad kind of way.
I guess I’ll have to write to Denon, but they don’t seem like the type of joint that jump to address customer issues. Oh, well…
Many thanks to all for your help
Let me look into it. Your AVR is a few years newer than mine but I have looked at the newer ones a few times. I am considering the new X6400H.
Cheers, really appreciated! As I’ve said, it now works correctly in the direct mode, but the sound is so much flatter.
@uberlawyer I’m seeing the same with my 4300H.
With a dts-HD MA 5.1 audio source, the only way to have just 5.1 audio output is to select Direct or Pure Direct.
Selecting “DTS-HD MSTR,” “DTS-HD + Dolby Surround,” or “DTS-HD + Neural:X” sends audio to my TFL & TFR speakers in addition to the standard 5.1 speakers (I don’t have Surround Back left/right speakers).
The same with dts 5.1. The only way to have true 5.1 audio is to choose Direct or Pure Direct. Selecting “DTS Surround,” “DTS + Dolby Surround,” or “DTS + Neural:X” also sends audio to the TFL & TFR speakers.
I believe this behaviour is recommended by DTS and has been adopted by Denon as a non-configurable default now. Older models used to have an on/off setting specifically for users to decide.
If you want 5.1 only and still want Audyssey etc. you should be able to set the Reciever to 5.1 + Zone 2 in the amp assign menu.
@FordGuy61: thank you for taking the time to check this - it really helps. It’s now clear that for some reason it is Denon’s intended approach throughout their range. At least I know I haven’t messed up some obscure setting.
@“Brick Admin”: if it’s recommended by DTS, that would be the only reasonable explanation for this. Why would Dolby work correctly otherwise?! If mandated by DTS, then it would make sense that Denon didn’t screw up, but they were rather follow recommendations. I personally do not agree, but then again I’m no sound expert. I thought of the same thing with the Amp Assign - I have’t tried it, but I assume it would work. However, you would naturally have to turn it back on everytime you want 7.1 audio, so it’s not very practical.
Btw, for those of you who want to try, the Direct mode also has an ‘Auto’ option - that doesn’t work either, but at least it shows what’s playing: I checked and it clearly says DTS-HD MA + Neural:X. And no, there’s no way to disable Neural:X. So the same happens when in movie mode, only they do not show that Neural:X remains on alongside DTS-HD MA even when Neural:X is not selected.
Btw, @FordGuy61’s post reminded me: is anyone wondering what the hell is DTS-HD + Dolby Surround? Seriously? How does that even work?!?!?!
Again, many thanks to all for helping with this.
Quick follow-up. There are some tables in the Denon 4300H user manual appendix that provide additional detail on inputs, outputs, sound modes, etc. There are many dependencies based on number of speakers and configuration options, but it does help decode things. Might check manual for your model as well.
