AndroidTV 0.17.5 - Transcoded Video + Remuxed 7.1 Audio plays like a slideshow

[RxBrad]

Android TV Client: 0.17.5
Jellyfin Server: Docker jellyfin/jellyfin v10.9.11
Client Device: Nvidia Shield TV Pro 2019 (with DV enabled, also supports HDR10)
TV: Hisense U7K (supports DV, HDR10, HDR10+)

I'm finding that, when transcoding certain DOVIwithHDR10 7.1 audio files, specifically to bitrates of 5Mbit/s or higher, the video plays with no audio & video slowed down to only 1-2fps.

The only commonality I can find between the files is that they're all DOVIwithHDR10, with EAC3 7.1 audio tracks encoded at 768kbps.

 



Logfiles attached of several transcodes from this list.  Looking at the logs, the files seems to be transcoding at adequate fps to playback normally.  Also, for whatever reason, the offending media tends to spit out multiple logfiles whether playback succeeds (if I transcode to 3mbit/sec or lower) or not (if I transcode to 5mbit/sec or higher).

[theguymadmax]

It seems that the 7.1 audio is causing the problems. When it functions properly, it’s because it’s transcoding the 7.1 to 5.1.

Code:

Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (hevc (native) -> hevc (hevc_qsv))
Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (eac3 (native) -> eac3 (native))
.
Stream #0:1: Audio: eac3, 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 448 kb/s (default)

It fails when it Direct Streams; only the video is being transcoded.

Code:

Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (hevc (native) -> hevc (hevc_qsv))
Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)

[RxBrad]

I tested several more files, and it does seem to be 768kbps 7.1 EAC3 audio that causes the issues (EDIT: Specifically because I was testing 5Mbps transcodes, which results in transcoded video + unchanged audio at that particular audio bitrate).  I can't say for sure if it's specifically the EAC3 codec, because I couldn't dig up any other files with different codecs at that same bitrate (EDIT: AAC is also affected).

[RxBrad]

Also of note...  these 7.1 audio-containing files that fail to play on transcode are able to play Direct Stream with no issue.  Here's Ant-Man, happily playing with no errors. (There's no transcode log, since there's no transcode)

Code:

[2024-09-28 20:55:07.014 -04:00] [INF] [22] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.1.204" request
[2024-09-28 20:55:32.357 -04:00] [INF] [23] Jellyfin.Api.Helpers.MediaInfoHelper: User policy for "rxbrad". EnablePlaybackRemuxing: True EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding: True EnableAudioPlaybackTranscoding: True
[2024-09-28 20:55:32.357 -04:00] [INF] [23] Jellyfin.Api.Helpers.MediaInfoHelper: RemoteClientBitrateLimit: 10000000, RemoteIP: "192.168.1.204", IsInLocalNetwork: True
[2024-09-28 20:55:39.827 -04:00] [INF] [24] Emby.Server.Implementations.Session.SessionManager: Playback stopped reported by app "Android TV" "0.17.5" playing "Ant-Man". Stopped at "6131" ms

[theguymadmax]

I tested a video file with 7.1 EAC3 audio on version 10.10.0 and got similar results. When I set the bitrate to 10 Mbit/s in the Android TV client, the audio was remuxed and the video transcoded, resulting in a choppy frame rate. Lowering the bitrate to 5 Mbit/s caused both audio and video to transcode, leading to smooth playback. Direct play had no issues at all.

[RxBrad]

If I bump the transcode bitrate on Thor L&T from 5Mbps to 10Mbps, it fails, too.  So the issue doesn't actually appear to be a specific audio bitrate.  But rather transcoded video + remuxed 7.1 audio as @theguymadmax points out.

[TheDreadPirate]

What happens when you set the audio output in the Android TV app to "downmix to stereo"?

[RxBrad]

What happens when you set the audio output in the Android TV app to "downmix to stereo"?

It forces a transcode to 2.0 AAC and the video plays without error (albeit with quiet speaking audio).

Code:

Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (hevc (native) -> hevc (hevc_qsv))
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (eac3 (native) -> aac (libfdk_aac))

[RxBrad]

Also, to answer my previous question whether only EAC3 audio is affected...

Blade (AAC 7.1) fails to play at 10Mbps, which is apparently the threshold to end up with transcoded video + copied audio on that particular movie.

Unlike the EAC3 files which play like a slideshow, this AAC 7.1 file just triggers multiple playback errors in the AndroidTV client (and eventually "Too many playback errors") and does not play at all.

[RxBrad]

For what it's worth, Plex transcodes all EAC3 audio to AC3 on my Nvidia Shield TV. AAC 7.1 audio, specifically, also gets transcoded to AC3. The CCwGTV appears to convert EAC3 audio to OPUS.

I do wonder if certain types of audio are simply problematic on these devices?