Dolby Vision MKV + Android TV - remux not working

[awfulfun]

I can play Dolby Vision MKV files on my Android TV through apps such as Kodi, but not through Jellyfin. I've read that Jellyfin can use ffmpeg to remux in real time, but it doesn't seem to work for me. 

When I attempt to play the file, I get a black screen with no audio, and the time code does not move from 0:00.


Log:

[2025-04-09 23:15:37.956 -04:00] [INF] [134] Jellyfin.Api.Helpers.MediaInfoHelper: User policy for "Henry". EnablePlaybackRemuxing: True EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding: True EnableAudioPlaybackTranscoding: True
[2025-04-09 23:16:14.582 -04:00] [INF] [115] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.1.154" closed
[2025-04-09 23:16:14.867 -04:00] [INF] [56] Emby.Server.Implementations.HttpServer.WebSocketManager: WS "192.168.1.154" request
[2025-04-09 23:20:38.037 -04:00] [INF] [12] Emby.Server.Implementations.Session.SessionManager: Playback stopped reported by app "Android TV" "0.18.6" playing "The Shiver of the Vampires". Stopped at "300000" ms

[awfulfun]

I've also noticed that I don't get an FFmpeg.Transcode... log file when attempting to play a Dolby Vision file on this TV.

If I play the same file on other devices however, or if I reduce the bit rate low enough, I do get a log file and the file plays.

[TheDreadPirate]

Which kind of Android TV device do you have?

[awfulfun]

2023 Sony Bravia TV

[theguymadmax]

Can you post the media info of the file?

[awfulfun]

The Shiver of the Vampires
Container: mkv
Path: /data/z_Disc Backups/Movies - Backups/The Shiver of the Vampires/The Shiver of the Vampires.mkv
Size: 49900 MB

Audio
Title: Mono - French - PCM_S24LE - 1 ch - Default
Language: fra
Codec: PCM_S24LE
AVC: No
Channels: 1 ch
Bitrate: 1152 kbps
Sample rate: 48000 Hz
Bit depth: 24 bit
Default: Yes
Forced: No
External: No

Video
Title: 4K HEVC Dolby Vision Profile 7.6 (HDR10)
Codec: HEVC
AVC: No
Profile: Main 10
Level: 153
Resolution: 3840x2160
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Anamorphic: No
Interlaced: No
Framerate: 23.976025
Bitrate: 73464 kbps
Bit depth: 10 bit
Video range: HDR
Video range type: HDR10
DV title: Dolby Vision Profile 7.6 (HDR10)
DV version major: 1
DV version minor: 0
DV profile: 7
DV level: 6
DV rpu preset flag: 1
DV el preset flag: 1
DV bl preset flag: 1
DV bl signal compatibility id: 6
Color space: bt2020nc
Color transfer: smpte2084
Color primaries: bt2020
Pixel format: yuv420p10le
Ref frames: 1

Audio
Title: Mono - English - PCM_S24LE - 1 ch
Language: eng
Codec: PCM_S24LE
AVC: No
Channels: 1 ch
Bitrate: 1152 kbps
Sample rate: 48000 Hz
Bit depth: 24 bit
Default: No
Forced: No
External: No

Audio
Title: Stereo - French - Dolby Digital
Language: fra
Codec: AC3
AVC: No
Layout: stereo
Channels: 2 ch
Bitrate: 112 kbps
Sample rate: 48000 Hz
Default: No
Forced: No
External: No

Audio
Title: Stereo - English - Dolby Digital
Language: eng
Codec: AC3
AVC: No
Layout: stereo
Channels: 2 ch
Bitrate: 112 kbps
Sample rate: 48000 Hz
Default: No
Forced: No
External: No

Subtitle
Title: English - PGSSUB
Language: eng
Codec: PGSSUB
AVC: No
Resolution: 1920x1080
Default: No
Forced: No
External: No

Subtitle
Title: English - PGSSUB
Language: eng
Codec: PGSSUB
AVC: No
Resolution: 1920x1080
Default: No
Forced: No
External: No

Subtitle
Title: English - PGSSUB
Language: eng
Codec: PGSSUB
AVC: No
Resolution: 1920x1080
Default: No
Forced: No
External: No

[theguymadmax]

Dolby Vision Profile 7.6 is known to have compatibility issues with certain devices on the Android TV platform. These issues tend to be very device-specific. One potential workaround is to set the audio to stereo, which might trigger transcoding, even if your source audio is mono. Alternatively, lowering the video bitrate could also force a transcode. Another option is to remove Dolby Vision from the file entirely, see here.

[awfulfun]

Thanks for the info. However, this file works fine when played via the Kodi app on the same TV. Any ideas?

[theguymadmax]

Kodi offers better compatibility with Dolby Vision files. One of the workaround I usually mention for these issues is to use Kodi with the Jellyfin plugin or use Kodi as an external player with the AndroidTV app.

[awfulfun]

Hmm, so I'm also having a very similar if not same issue playing back a 1080p file. Here's the media info:


S01E13 Angel One
Container: mkv
Path: /data/Shows/Star Trek The Next Generation/Season 01/S01E13 Angel One.mkv
Size: 6758 MB

Video
Title: AVC - 1080p - H264 - SDR
Codec: H264
AVC: Yes
Profile: High
Level: 41
Resolution: 1920x1080
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Anamorphic: No
Interlaced: No
Framerate: 23.976025
Bitrate: 20746 kbps
Bit depth: 8 bit
Video range: SDR
Video range type: SDR
Pixel format: yuv420p
Ref frames: 1
NAL: 4

Audio
Title: FLAC 7.1 - English - Default
Language: eng
Codec: FLAC
AVC: No
Layout: 7.1
Channels: 8 ch
Bitrate: 4050 kbps
Sample rate: 48000 Hz
Bit depth: 24 bit
Default: Yes
Forced: No
External: No

Image
Codec: MJPEG
AVC: No
Profile: Baseline
Resolution: 2240x2809
Bit depth: 8 bit
Color space: bt470bg
Pixel format: yuvj444p
Ref frames: 1

---

To confirm, most of my other files are working without issue