Bitstream audio support on Xbox 1S

[jleholeho]

I was wondering if there is any possibilty to add a bitstream audio feature in the VLC on Xbox One S...as Microsoft has recently added a „let my receiver decode audio“ feature in their proprietary Bluray app but there still isn´t a whole system level option for this, I´m positive many many AV enthusiasts using VLC on Xbox One S would be thrilled to play media with original audio footprint embedded...

[jleholeho]

anyone from the VLC team???

[mfkl]

Hi,

This should be possible now. Please try the latest version (2.5.3) and let us know.

mtz

[jleholeho]

excellent guys, I have updated the new version, will test it today with some audio as I needed to reposition my speakers...if it´s working, great kudos to you

[jleholeho]

Well, guys from VLC, the previous mishaps with DTS-HD .m2ts files seem to be rectified (audio doesn’t stutter anymore), but there’s no bitstream as such...
It’s simply the status quo, everything is played back reencoded into the Xbox system’s multichannel PCM...so as Jean-Baptiste pointed out, it’s most likely up to the availability of the API to detect the HDMI/SPDIF on the Xbox One S. I’m really curious what’s holding them back, as there’s yet to be Media Player or Movies app update allowing this all the way...as of today, no change whatsoever. So except for the bluray playback, you simply can’t play anything in its original audio format via Xbox One S.

Jan

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Well, guys from VLC, the previous mishaps with DTS-HD .m2ts files seem to be rectified (audio doesn’t stutter anymore), but there’s no bitstream as such...
It’s simply the status quo, everything is played back reencoded into the Xbox system’s multichannel PCM...so as Jean-Baptiste pointed out, it’s most likely up to the availability of the API to detect the HDMI/SPDIF on the Xbox One S. I’m really curious what’s holding them back, as there’s yet to be Media Player or Movies app update allowing this all the way...as of today, no change whatsoever. So except for the bluray playback, you simply can’t play anything in its original audio format via Xbox One S.

Jan

That's sad.

[jleholeho]

Yes, and though there have been 2 updates of the Movies app over the last weeks, nothing has changed..My HD audio demos (every formats like Atmos, DTS:X, True-HD...) in .m2ts or .mkv, which could be played back on any regular BD player in genuine bitstream simply cannot be played back via Xbox One S...your VLC app plays it all seamlessly but with PCM reencode, the Movies App plays only video with NO AUDIO whatsoever and Media Player app plays only those in Atmos (but still reencoded into PCM), with the rest there´s a pop-up window of unability to play the format...well, kinda lame for such a company as MS, isn´t it?

[jleholeho]

From the Windows Central forum:

"I'm pretty sure the API supports it, since it specifically references Dolby and DTS (with spatial sound), but from what I can tell they have to use the system to decode audio (which most apps already do). Plex does this and claims to support it, but I haven't tested it.

Basically if you give the system a file in one of the formats here (see the Xbox section): https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...pported-codecs
Windows will decode it and have the correct audio.

also mentioned here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp...dingproperties
and it's not listed as unsupported here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp...ations-on-xbox

Whether it's full and complete support, I don't have enough experience to say, but it certainly seems like the API makes it possible to play encoded audio."

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

All yours links are cut.

But mostly the issue is that we need to have the direction connection, not windows decode.

[jleholeho]

yes, I see...

these are working:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/window ... ted-codecs
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp/ap ... properties
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/uwp/ex ... ns-on-xbox

[SpaceMarine2017]

... any news? Same problem here... I can meanwhile play mkv Movies with Atmos Sound but
I only can hear normal Surround sound. Do I have to convert my movie files?

[InTheWings]

... any news? Same problem here... I can meanwhile play mkv Movies with Atmos Sound but
I only can hear normal Surround sound. Do I have to convert my movie files?

AFAIK the Xbox stuff does always convert bitstream to its own. So there's no real passthrough outside of what MS allows/reencodes.

[jleholeho]

and that´s the thing, I am getting earlier updates on the XB1S as an Insider, they come every other week, but there´s literally none regarding audio settings or any other way related to bitstream...no Movies app or Media Player app bitstream updates neither. I´d suggest the VLC team to directly contact Xbox engineers group and ask them a simple question: are they really planning on doing anything with this at their proprietary level or at least are they able to let the API to be worked on for third parties, like the VLC?

well there´s another thing that even CDs aren´t to be played back in bitstream, as the XB1S reencodes everything into multichannel PCM and that sucks too...I´d love to listen to some CD in its original stereo instead of PCM reencode

[jleholeho]

Dear VLC devs, Jean-Baptiste,

I was involved in an extensive discussion over at AVSforums regarding this long-standing system-wide bitstream issue on the Xbox One S (or the newest X).
As it was concluded, there never will be a system-wide bitstream capability on the console´s OS, but read this please:

"They can't do "system-wide bitstream". That's not how any of this works. They have to mix the audio across the hypervisor that joins the GameOS side and AppOS side of the system. But Microsoft has added a software hook to put an app into Exclusive mode, meaning it kills the mix across the three operating systems on the system and enables bitstream. This is how the Blu-ray app achieves this. App developers absolutely CAN code their app so it goes into Exclusive mode. It's in the SDK. They just haven't yet. But the point remains that there's nothing there for Microsoft to fix. That flag to put apps into exclusive mode has been in the SDK for a while now, and is the only solution you're going to see."

Do you think you could do something about it within your app?? (the best one for media playback )

[mfkl]

Can't find any "exclusive mode" setting in the SDK but I'll keep looking...

[jleholeho]

Can't find any "exclusive mode" setting in the SDK but I'll keep looking...

Please do...it would be really great if VLC app was the one able to bitstream audio:) I’m sure we all are ready to pay for that feature:)

[mfkl]

For info... https://forums.xbox.com/en-US/search?ac ... =bitstream

[jleholeho]

oh yeah, I know the thread over at Xbox forums...
but what we need here is to get an access within SDK in order to implement the feature in the VLC app...just like Netflix apparently did (albeit with Atmos only), as they´re the only ones as a 3rd party app within Xbox ecosystem allowing to play back a movie in different audio format than the forced PCM...both Movies/TV and Media Player apps on Xbox support Atmos as a bitstream, too. I´m guessing this all is possible only because of the MS/Dolby agreement. DTS, for instance, stands apart...VLC should be the first one to allow proper bitstream for any audio format embedded in respective audio/video file played back from USB or streaming:)
meaning once I play some movie in DTS-HD thru the app, my receiver shows DTS-HD on the display

[jleholeho]

Interesting discussion over at KODI forums (they too have an app for Xbox)
https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=326539

[jleholeho]

Hey guys,

nothing new on this topic? MS keeps pushing system updates (three in 2018 so far), is there any info on availability of this?

Many thanks.

[mfkl]

Don't think so.

https://xbox.uservoice.com/forums/36318 ... assthrough

[jleholeho]

yes, still no real approach from MS, a big shame on them...

[jleholeho]

A weird thing happened after the last system update on Xbox (I´m an Alpha Insider and getting preview updates before official launch); once you set Bitstream in general Audio Settings and bitstream format as Dolby Atmos (HDMI only), practically everything within system is being re-encoded into Dolby Atmos...even everything in mere Menu, in VLC app, etc...i.e. no matter if my file is originally in, let´s say DTS:X or Dolby True HD, I´m getting an output in Dolby Atmos...at least that´s what my AVR is displaying...no idea how´s this even possible, but it´s like that:)

It hasn´t been like this before, Atmos was only engaged with genuine Atmos files (and never in VLC since there´s no bitstream in the app, only in MS proprietary Movies app), Atmos blurays, some Netflix movies and some games.

[mfkl]

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2018/03/17/ ... e-3-17-18/

Audio Issues
We continue to identify issues with Dolby Atmos for Home Theater and certain AVR models that will result in random sound cut outs. If a sound cut out ever occurs you can change your audio format settings to something else and then back to reset it.

Not much info there, anything is possible really...

[jleholeho]

yes, I´ve seen that, I might give the guy a hint on what they´re planning to do with genuine bitstream for 3rd apps...they certainly should do something.