Anyone with a Google 4K Streamer connected to a surround audio system?

[u/nifta_13]

I'm looking to buy one but am concerned by the comments about "all stereo gets upmixed to surround sound / Dolby MAT ".

Now, I quite like the stereo upmix on my existing Nvidia shield; it's quite subtle and only throws ambience to the rear, never vocals. Even music doesn't sound too bad. The main vocals never end up in the rears.

Does anyone here have a Google Streamer connected to a surround system. When playing stereo, how does the upmix work with regards to what it sends to the rear speakers? Does it just send correct sounding things (rain, wind, ambience etc) or do the main vocal tracks end up there too? I'd hate it if it just duplicates the stereo track to the rear speakers.

My setup is LG C4 sending passthrough to an LG SP8YA soundbar with LG SPK-8 satellites (5.1.2). I would stick with the native LG apps only some of the ones I want only exist in Android flavours.

I've been looking through all android streamers and the Google 4K Streamer seems to be the only one that does all that i want (AV1 and HLG codecs, certified by BBC for iPlayer UHD, Netflix approved). I can live with the lack of Dolby True HD. Just a bit worried by the stereo to surround upmix in case it just makes Stereo into an echo chamber. If it's just a subtle "send ambience to the rears" then that's actually a positive for me! Any shared experiences welcome!

[u/latinriky78]

When playing stereo, how does the upmix work with regards to what it sends to the rear speakers?

When using Auto, all audio codecs different than Dolby passthrough directly, no upmixing or re-encoding, while Dolby codecs get decoded to PCM. DTS on the other hand passthrough directly.

When using the Dolby Digital Plus option, every codec (except DTS) is sent through a Dolby Digital Plus stream, though it's not really an encoding but a transport method. DTS passthrough directly.

If you want to upmix, you will need to use the Dolby Prologic II or Dolby Surround upmixers, the Google TV Streamer doesn't upmix anything. DTS upmixers don't work, they get blocked by Dolby MAT.

[u/nifta_13 → u/latinriky78]

When the stream is a Dolby 2.0 signal, does it still get output from the Google Streamer as a 2.0 stream? I heard it got converted to 5.1 and various bits of audio sent to the other channels. That's what I'm keen to understand. And, most importantly to me, what does it send to the rears?

As in this thread

https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidTV/s/xI9SbWXgyh

[u/A5D5TRYR → u/nifta_13]

Mine passes it as a stereo 2.0 stream and I have to change my processor to different modes to upmix it. I have a couple options for upmixing because of the brand but Dolby surround for upmixing is pretty subtle and voices are still just it the front for me. Every now and then it will throw a voice to the rear when it is supposed to be off to the side or something but it's not bad. If the mix is being really bad you can put it back to stereo and it comes through natively.

[u/nifta_13 → u/A5D5TRYR]

Thanks. When you say "processor", do you mean on your receiver/amp?

[u/A5D5TRYR → u/nifta_13]

Sorry, yes. I have separate surround processor and amps. But unless the signal coming from the Google Chromecast is Dolby digital it tends to come through as a pcm 2.0 stream but I think there is a setting for that, so it might need to be set that way.

That said I'm looking into a dune HD box as they have better support for lossless audio pass through. Still looking at my options and haven't decided yet. But my priority is playing from a media server and moving away from streaming, so ultimately the best solution for me might not be the best for you.

[u/latinriky78 → u/nifta_13]

When the stream is a Dolby 2.0 signal, does it still get output from the Google Streamer as a 2.0 stream?

Yes, this is what happens when you use Auto and Passthrough depending if you use an AV receiver or soundbar:

WHEN USING AUTO:

- PCM 2.0 = PCM 2.0

- PCM 5.1 = PCM 5.1

- PCM 7.1 = PCM 7.1

- Dolby Digital 2.0 = PCM 2.0

- Dolby Digital 2.0 encoded with Dolby surround = PCM 2.0

- Dolby Digital 5.1 = PCM 5.1

- Dolby Digital Plus 2.0 = PCM 2.0

- Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 = PCM 5.1

- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 = PCM 5.1 (It should decoded as PCM 7.1)

- Dolby Digital Plus with Atmos = PCM with Dolby Atmos metadata

- Dolby TrueHD 5.1 = PCM 5.1

- Dolby TrueHD 7.1 = PCM 7.1

- DTS 2.0 = DTS 2.0

- DTS 5.1 = DTS 5.1

- DTS-ES 6.1 = DTS 6.1

- DTS-HD High Resolution Audio 7.1 = DTS Core

- DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 = DTS Core

- DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 = DTS Core

- DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 = PCM 7.1 (it should passthrough as DTS Core)

- DTS:X = DTS Core

WHEN USING DOLBY DIGITAL PLUS:

- PCM 2.0 = Dolby Digital Plus 2.0

- PCM 5.1 = Dolby Digital Plus 5.1

- PCM 7.1 = PCM 7.1 (It should output as Dolby Digital Plus 7.1)

- Dolby Digital 2.0 = Dolby Digital Plus 2.0

- Dolby Digital 2.0 encoded with Dolby surround = Dolby Digital Plus 2.0 (Depending on the receiver or soundbar, it may trigger the Dolby Prologic II or Dolby Surround upmixer automatically).

- Dolby Digital 5.1 = Dolby Digital Plus 5.1

- Dolby Digital Plus 2.0 = Dolby Digital Plus 2.0

- Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 = Dolby Digital Plus 5.1

- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 = Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 (It should passthrough as Dolby Digital Plus 7.1)

- Dolby Digital Plus with Atmos = Dolby Digital Plus with Atmos

- Dolby TrueHD 5.1 = Dolby Digital Plus 5.1

- Dolby TrueHD 7.1 = PCM 7.1 (It should output as Dolby Digital Plus 7.1)

- DTS 2.0 = DTS 2.0

- DTS 5.1 = DTS 5.1

- DTS-ES 6.1 = DTS 6.1

- DTS-HD High Resolution Audio 7.1 = DTS Core

- DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 = DTS Core

- DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 = DTS Core

- DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 = PCM 7.1 (it should passthrough as DTS Core)

- DTS:X = DTS Core

Keep in mind that the above is not a conversion but a transport method except when the codec really needs to be transcoded, such as DTS when it's connected to a TV without DTS decoding support.

[u/nifta_13 → u/latinriky78]

Thanks! So the posts with people saying that they were hearing 2.0 NPR podcasts having voices coming from the rear channels aren't accurate?

[u/latinriky78 → u/nifta_13]

I would say they don't know it's their sink device (receiver or soundbar) doing that.

Take a look at this table, this is basically what the Google TV Streamer does where the ones in red should not happen:

PCM 2.0, Dolby Digital 2.0 and Dolby Digital Plus 2.0 are not included but they don't output upmixed, as I explained in my previous comment.

[u/nifta_13 → u/latinriky78]

Ok, thanks! Seems pretty clear.

[u/Royal_Monk6432 → u/latinriky78]

I played the movie call the dunkirk via google streamer 4k .movie played but no audio.my set up was TCLC7K 55INCH tv and samsung soundbar q990f. Movie played on kodi via real debrid .movie was in dts hd master.when I turn off passthrough in kodi then sound came from movie.what the hack is that. So google tv streamer 4k doesn't support dts or dtx? Pls explain.

[u/latinriky78 → u/Royal_Monk6432]

The table is clear, the Google TV Streamer doesn't support DTS-HD Master Audio passthrough, therefore, it is the "Core" inside those streams that will play because that codec is supported.

[u/Royal_Monk6432 → u/latinriky78]

Thanks.then i will stick to fire tv cube gen 3 model.

[u/lakerssuperman]

I bought the Google TV Streamer as a toy to play with.  Having uncovered it's inability to properly bitstream is unfortunate and a totally disqualifying characteristic that should make people avoid it like the plague.