Can OSMC on RPi3 passthrough or decode Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD MA?

[avnerg]

Trying to play Atmos 5.1.2 movies and DTS-HD MA movies.
no matter what i have configured under settings and on the receiver - nada.

Using a modern Onkyo TX-NR646 which can decode all of these.

to test it switched to Windows 10 with KODI, selecting the correct output devices (WASAPI) made the trick and two more menu items appeared under audio section “Receiver supports Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD MA” or sth like that.

isn’t it supported ? ? ?

hope it is and i just got it wrong.

thanks.

[popcornmix]

No HD audio passthrough on Pi.
It can decode to 8 channel PCM and output that.

[KaraokeAmerica]

@popcornmix

It can decode to 8 channel PCM and output that

Are you saying that if I play a movie with Atmos, it DOES decode to 8ch PCM or it CAN decode it?

If it’s “CAN” what options do you have to set to make that happen? When I play any surround audio, including Atmos, on a Pi running OSMC my receiver sees it as “multi audio”. It seems to make no distinction so I have no idea how many channels it’s using.

When I play the same file through an NVidia Shield, the receiver says “Atmos”.

[bmillham]

@KaraokeAmerica

When I play any surround audio, including Atmos, on a Pi running OSMC my receiver sees it as “multi audio”. It seems to make no distinction so I have no idea how many channels it’s using.

Your ears will be the best way to know. Do you hear sound from all the speakers?

[KaraokeAmerica]

@bmillham

Do you hear sound from all the speakers

That’s hard to say without watching multiple, maybe entire movies. Atmos is only fill sound.

I do get appropriate audio from my rear channels, but nothing reliable from my top channels.

[bmillham]

@KaraokeAmerica

That’s hard to say without watching multiple, maybe entire movies.

Find a spot in a movie where you know that you should hear sound from the top channels, and then try the same movie at the same time on the Pi. What do you hear?

[KaraokeAmerica]

I can’t tell you offhand where I can do that.

I’m just trying to get an idea of what is SUPPOSED to happen.

[darwindesign]

There is an audio setup guide for Kodi/OSMC

Audio hardware and software configuration - General - OSMC

AFAIK on a RPi playing an Atmos track is going to be basically equivalent to playing a DD+ version. I don’t think it pulls anything in from the object oriented stuff.

[KaraokeAmerica]

I just ordered a Vero 4K. I liked the platform and it did play my 3D-MVC without issue on an RPi3.

I’m hoping that will give me the audio too!!

[bmillham]

A Vero 4K will handle passthrough of Atmos and DTS-X via HDMI just fine. (Other than the known Kodi bug of some Disney high bitrate releases)

[KaraokeAmerica]

My Shield does everything I could possibly need right now except play 3D-MVC.

If it did I would have bought another one because in most ways It is superior to anything else you can buy.

Except that one way…

[KaraokeAmerica]

Do you know if there are plans to eventually integrate streaming services like NetFlix, Prime etc into OSMC? Is that even possible?

[ActionA]

@KaraokeAmerica

Is that even possible?

Yes, use the forum search.

[KaraokeAmerica]

@ActionA

Yes, use the forum search.

All I found were links to “unofficial” plugins even in the past when I had looked in the Kodi forums. I was aware of those but have never tried them.

I guess I was thinking of it in terms of the Vero 4K being a hardware device, perhaps there would be official versions of plugins similar to what a Roku or Fire device has. I know it’s essentially still Kodi under there, but I don’t know the implications of all that. That’s why I was asking.

Thanks!

[fzinken]

@KaraokeAmerica

All I found were links to “unofficial” plugins even in the past when I had looked in the Kodi forums. I was aware of those but have never tried them.

He was referring to this forum

[HOW-TO ALL PLATFORMS]Can I use Netflix on OSMC?(post 4)

Here is a small guide for Pi 2, 3 and Vero4k, remember Netflix addon is still under development: First make sure your system is up to date: sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get dist-upgrade I always reboot after a dist upgrade, since there can be upgrades that night need it, like kernel updates. After reboot start a new ssh session and run these commands: wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zjoasan/netflix-install-script/master/netflix_prep_install.sh chmod +x netflix_prep_install.sh ./ne…

[KaraokeAmerica]

@fzinken

He was referring to this forum

Thank you. I did find that thread as well. That does sound like an unofficial plugin too.

Are such things safe to use?

[ooZee]

Depends on your definition of “safe”

[ActionA]

@KaraokeAmerica

perhaps there would be official versions of plugins similar to what a Roku or Fire device

This has been discussed at length on multiple occasions both here and on the Kodi forums. The requirements that these services dictate as necessary regarding DRM in order to receive licensing are not trivial.

[ActionA]

@KaraokeAmerica

Are such things safe to use?

Risk tolerance is a personal decision…

[darwindesign]

@KaraokeAmerica

I guess I was thinking of it in terms of the Vero 4K being a hardware device, perhaps there would be official versions of plugins similar to what a Roku or Fire device has. I know it’s essentially still Kodi under there, but I don’t know the implications of all that.

Roku and Fire devices are locked down devices which often is the first requirement to have an “official” app for commercial media streaming companies. Currently these add-ons are working using a lower level of DRM which allows them to work, but with restrictions, most notably of which is no hardware decoding support. The result of this being a limit to 720P playback for most content.

There is an understandable desire by many to have one piece of hardware that does everything but the reality is that people who want an open configurable system to play their own files are in conflict with the people who produce movies and TV who want as locked down an environment as they can possibly get away with. This is why to get Kodi in the Apple app store it had to be stripped down and limited in what it could do. It gets screwed up in both directions. Because of this, and for the foreseeable future, If someone wants the best of both worlds they really are stuck to using two devices.