Boxee

No passthrough for 44.1khz audio

Details

  • Type: Improvement Improvement
  • Status: Open Open
  • Priority: P2 P2
  • Resolution: Unresolved
  • Fix Version/s: Box Backlog
  • Component/s: Playback > Local
  • Labels:
    None
  • Severity:
    Major
  • Version:
    1.0.1.16319
  • Operating System:
    Boxee Box
  • Number of attachments:
    0

Description

When playing back DTS encoded audio files there are a couple issues:

* DTS audio in .flac container does not output correct DTS signal to the receiver (see also BOXEE-7215)
* DTS audio in .dts container plays correctly, but visualizer is not responsive

NOTES:

* DTS audio in .wav container plays correctly and visualizer is responsive (correct behavior)
* Boxee box is configured to pass through all signals via HDMI, to be decoded on the receiver

Issue Links

is related to

Bug - A problem which impairs or prevents the functions of the product. BOXEE-7215 Multi-channel FLAC audio totally broken

  • P2 -
  • Open - The issue is open and ready for the assignee to start work on it.

Activity

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Eli Semory [Boxee] added a comment -
When playing audio is a pass through mode, the visualizer is not active. We're not decoding the audio on the host, so we don't have the required information.
We'll look into the other issues.
Show
Eli Semory [Boxee] added a comment - When playing audio is a pass through mode, the visualizer is not active. We're not decoding the audio on the host, so we don't have the required information. We'll look into the other issues.
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Steven Fox added a comment -
Ok, understood, but why then is the visualizer responsive when playing DTS audio in .wav container?
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Steven Fox added a comment - Ok, understood, but why then is the visualizer responsive when playing DTS audio in .wav container?
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Steven Fox added a comment -
Ok, just answered my own question. I went back and double checked - 44.1khz DTS audio in a .wav container does NOT pass-through to the receiver - it is being converted on the BB side, then output as pcm audio to the receiver - no "DTS" indicator on the receiver. My bad for not noticing that earlier.

The .dts files tested above are 48khz dts audio files, and they raise the "DTS" indicator in the receiver.

So it seems Boxee recognizes only 48Khz DTS encoded audio files as pass-through, and is internally converting 44.1Khz DTS audio to PCM instead of doing a pass-through.

For reference: 48Khz DTS is typically found on the audio tracks of DVDs, 44.1Khz DTS is typically found on DTS encoded commercial CDs, and on DTS encoded .wav/.flac files.
Show
Steven Fox added a comment - Ok, just answered my own question. I went back and double checked - 44.1khz DTS audio in a .wav container does NOT pass-through to the receiver - it is being converted on the BB side, then output as pcm audio to the receiver - no "DTS" indicator on the receiver. My bad for not noticing that earlier. The .dts files tested above are 48khz dts audio files, and they raise the "DTS" indicator in the receiver. So it seems Boxee recognizes only 48Khz DTS encoded audio files as pass-through, and is internally converting 44.1Khz DTS audio to PCM instead of doing a pass-through. For reference: 48Khz DTS is typically found on the audio tracks of DVDs, 44.1Khz DTS is typically found on DTS encoded commercial CDs, and on DTS encoded .wav/.flac files.
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Dan Conti [Boxee] added a comment -
I'm just updating the title on this reflect that it's about 44.1Khz passthrough. Not every receiver supports this which is why (i believe) we hardcoded a block on this, but i need to check.
Show
Dan Conti [Boxee] added a comment - I'm just updating the title on this reflect that it's about 44.1Khz passthrough. Not every receiver supports this which is why (i believe) we hardcoded a block on this, but i need to check.
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Steven Fox added a comment -
It's my understanding that the XMBC audio player (which presumably is also the Boxee Box audio player) down-converts audio streams to 16-bits. Most commercial (an non-commercial too) DTS material is 24-bit. Audiophiles will pretty much always prefer their receiver does the decoding if at all possible, to avoid any down-sampling, bit conversions, or introducing other artifacts into the audio stream.

Obviously if a person can not play his 44.1khz DTS streams through his receiver, it's great that BB can now do this for him. But if a receiver does support 44.1Khz DTS stream playback, then the user should best be able to decide whether or not to pass through via a config setting somewhere.
Show
Steven Fox added a comment - It's my understanding that the XMBC audio player (which presumably is also the Boxee Box audio player) down-converts audio streams to 16-bits. Most commercial (an non-commercial too) DTS material is 24-bit. Audiophiles will pretty much always prefer their receiver does the decoding if at all possible, to avoid any down-sampling, bit conversions, or introducing other artifacts into the audio stream. Obviously if a person can not play his 44.1khz DTS streams through his receiver, it's great that BB can now do this for him. But if a receiver does support 44.1Khz DTS stream playback, then the user should best be able to decide whether or not to pass through via a config setting somewhere.

People

  • Assignee:
    Eli Semory [Boxee]
    Reporter:
    Steven Fox
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Dates

  • Created:
    Updated: