Folks might try using [this 5.1 audio reference clip](http://streaming.dolby.com/ftproot/fraunhofer/ChID-BLITS-EBU.mp4) to test their multi-channel audio.
That's the correct profile. According to your log snippet, you're getting AAC 5.1, too. It's quite possible your receiver may see it as (L)PCM coming out of the Fire box, though.
I'm not dismissing the possibility of a problem with receiver completely - but, as with most newer AVR's I can pull up the on screen technical details of the incoming audio source, it's most definitely only receiving a 2.0 signal from the FTV, according to my AVR.
Folks might try using this 5.1 audio reference clip to test their multi-channel audio.
Thanks for that clip, that's nice to have - I loaded the new profile .xml you provided, and set the Fire TV as instructed (Android device profile, AC3/DD+/DTS not checked)... Plex direct played both the audio and video out to the Fire TV, but the Fire TV was definitely only sending out 2-channel over the HDMI (per my Onkyo on-screen display that does a great job of telling me exactly what's coming in, and what it's doing with it). That seems to match what David S is seeing as well.
Thanks!
-Sean
I can’t explain why my logs show that AAC 5.1 is being output, because it isn’t. In both of the referenced files, using the FireTV with the recommended audio settings in the Plex app, Plex transcoded the audio and my receiver detected and played PCM 2ch Stereo. Using the exact same settings with a Sony NSZ-GS8, Plex Direct Played the AC3 file and my receiver detected and output 5.1 AC3. Because the GS8 doesn’t support DTS, Plex transcoded the audio on that file, and my receiver detected and output 5.1 AC3.
Using the FireTV, the clip posted by Chris C detects and outputs PCM Stereo 2ch. Using the same file with the same settings on my NSZ-GS8 the clip Direct Plays in 5.1. My receiver recognizes it as PCM multi channel.
Using the FireTV, the clip posted by Chris C detects and outputs PCM Stereo 2ch. Using the same file with the same settings on my NSZ-GS8 the clip Direct Plays in 5.1. My receiver recognizes it as PCM multi channel.
Alternatively testing with my NSZ-GT1 which does support and is outputting DTS, but otherwise, what he said.
I can't explain why my logs show that AAC 5.1 is being output, because it isn't. In both of the referenced files, using the FireTV with the recommended audio settings in the Plex app, Plex transcoded the audio and my receiver detected and played PCM 2ch Stereo. Using the exact same settings with a Sony NSZ-GS8, Plex Direct Played the AC3 file and my receiver detected and output 5.1 AC3. Because the GS8 doesn't support DTS, Plex transcoded the audio on that file, and my receiver detected and output 5.1 AC3.
Like others I second this.
I'm outputting using optical output.Same problem, PCM stereo only.
Same issue here, any solutions as of yet?
We’re currently limited in what we can stream to the Fire TV in regards to audio channels. We're working with Amazon to bring support for multi-channel audio as soon as possible; it's definitely very important to us.
This seems to be taking an inordinate amount of time to get fixed. Can anybody please indicate what the hold up is and when we can see a fix for this? I'm also going to start a complaint with Amazon itself since they advertise Plex compatibility, which essentially is not entirely true.
An update plz...
Any update on this issue? I am interested in purchasing a FTV but there is no point until it can support 5.1 audio.
We don't have any specifics to share currently, sorry. As mentioned previously, we're working with Amazon on this and it's definitely important. Rest assured it's not something we're ignoring.
Thanks for the reminder & reassurance! I land my family love the Fire TV as my main home theater Plex interface now, but we’ve been actually watching via airplay to our Apple TV for most things because of the sound.
We don't have any specifics to share currently, sorry. As mentioned previously, we're working with Amazon on this and it's definitely important. Rest assured it's not something we're ignoring.
Let me know if I can do anything to help test or contribute in any way. I have a couple FireTV boxes hooked up to varying audio sources. I'm a full-time dev as well (Python mostly), but I work from home so I have access to my devices virtually all day, everyday and can test whenever. I have PMS running on Linux.
It's probably not helpful, but if there's anything I can do to help!
We don't have any specifics to share currently, sorry. As mentioned previously, we're working with Amazon on this and it's definitely important. Rest assured it's not something we're ignoring.
Chris C, I'm really disappointed with Plex. You say this issue is important, but you have it reported for more than a month and we are still waiting for a fix. My Netflix on Fire TV works fine.
Chris C, I'm really disappointed with Plex. You say this issue is important, but you have it reported for more than a month and we are still waiting for a fix. My Netflix on Fire TV works fine.
Clearly, if this were just some sort of "flip a switch and make it output 5.1" fix then it would have been implemented long ago. It's not. I'm afraid it's also not really a particularly valid comparison in this situation to say "app X can do Y, so Plex should be able to" since it's fairly unlikely that the two apps are actually using the same methods to generate and stream the content.
I totally agree that it's frustrating right now not having the 5.1 audio. I have a Fire TV myself and I really want to be playing 5.1 on it. You can accept our word that we think it's important or not. We're still working with Amazon on it.
I trust that you are working on it, that is not the issue for me personally, but I think that the communication could be a bit better and timely. Plex on roku works perfectly, so since both are versions of Android, what is the difference? If this is a snafu from the part of Amazon, let us know and we can all put some pressure on them as a group. I for my part have already contacted them a while ago and they communicated this to their development team (supposedly).
I'm just very disappointed that something that was communicated as a feature, from Amazon as well as Plex, is broken. That coupled with no word until we complain more and more, is not conducive to maintaining a good relationship with your customer base that is affected.
My 2 cents...and not a personal attack by all means.
As a happy balance... I'm also dying for 5.1 support, but I wanted to say that I LOVE the interface and experience of using Plex with the Fire TV... it's fast, responsive and so much better for my family and guests when we sit down together. For now, I'm primarily watching through my Apple TV (from an iPhone or iPad) on anything with digital surround where it matters, but find that the standard dolby surround decoding of my system is good enough for a lot of things.
Plex on roku works perfectly, so since both are versions of Android, what is the difference?
To be clear: Roku is most definitely not a version of Android.
Now, if you'd said "I can get 5.1 on Google TV but not Fire TV... what's up with that?" it would be a far more valid comparison. In that case, both products are, indeed, running versions of Android, but that's basically where the similarity ends. Amazon runs a customized version with support for different codecs and streaming protocols and such. So, while on the surface that should seem like a very fair comparison between the two, they're actually different under the hood.
