Want to get AAC5.1 to playback AS PCM5.1 via eARC

Plex Players Smart TVs
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Hi everyone

First Post here, as I’m new to the world of Plex!

I have recently installed it on my Synology NAS, and using the app on my LG TV.

I’m happy with pretty much every aspect of the functionality.

The only thing that I’m currently a little disappointed with is the playback of AAC5.1. My current limitation is not PLEX, but my TV. I have an eARC capable AVR although my current TV only supports ARC.
The AAC5.1 seems to convert to AC3 5.1 which is not too bad, but as these tracks are around 900kbps and converted from a lossless HD track I know I am losing some quality.
What I would like to know is (and it may need someone currently using eARC to answer!) is it possible to get the PLEX app to output AAC5.1 as PCM5.1 via eARC?
I’m looking to upgrade to an OLED TV and if this is possible on certain models it could really sway me towards them.

Any help appreciated (but please don’t suggest using another external device to run PLEX, as I am not wanting to do that!)

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Thanks, that’s what I thought was the case. My current TV will output pcm2.0,but I’m not clear from the PLEX app if that means an AAC5.1 track would go AAC5.1 >PCM2.0, or (for example) AAC5.1>AC3 5.1>PCM2.0.

If it does the former, and a newer eARC TV supports PCM5.1, them I should be OK.

I could well be talking rubbish, in which case I apologise, but I’m trying to understand the logic of how the app works. Is it passing AAC5.1 to my TV, and the TV is then transcoding to AC3 or PCM (depending on my TV settings) or is the PLEX app transcoding first? I can’t see a AAC tick box in the PLEX app settings.

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Really helpful, thank you!
Just tried it and it says AAC5.1 Direct play.

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That’s one piece of the puzzle solved as that means the TV is converting AAC5.1 to AC3 5.1 after it leaves PLEX.
So what I am looking for in a new TV is one that also supports AAC5.1 but also eARC, and the ability to output PCM 5.1

I think I’m going to have quite a hard time finding an answer to that though!

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Hi all, first post here :slight_smile:

I’m having a similar issue to the question discussed in this thread and hoping there’s a simple fix.

TV: LG CX OLED
Plex Client: WebOS 5.1.0
Settings: Direct Play and Direct Stream enabled

  • I have the TV connected via eARC (HDMI 2.1 cable) to a Yamaha RX-V385 receiver.

  • Attempting to play back a file encoded with AAC 5.1 audio results in no sound output, and the receiver incorrectly shows “DTHD” as the signal codec.

  • Switching the TV’s audio output from “Pass through” to “PCM” results in stereo output from the receiver

  • Files encoded with AC3 audio play back in 5.1 as intended, and the receiver shows “DD” (Dolby Digital) as the codec.

  • If I play the AAC 5.1 file with audio set to the TV’s internal speakers, it plays back through the TV’s stereo speakers as expected.

  • As I understand it, AAC 5.1 cannot be transmitted over HDMI, and the TV should automatically transcode it to AC3.

  • In all scenarios, the PMS information shows that the file is being played with Direct Play/Direct Stream.

  • Given the receiver is displaying “DTHD” for what should be transcoded AC3 audio, is this an issue with the LG TV itself, or with the Plex app?

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