# Streaming from Amazon Prime and no Dolby Digital?



## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

I'm having an issue with streaming from Amazon Prime on a Roamio Pro where the movie description states it has 5.1 Dolby Digital, but I get no audio unless I switch the Roamio audio output to PCM from Dolby, and then I only get ProLogic sound. Same issue with the Mini connected to the Roamio.

And of course I have to stop the movie/show, back out of Amazon, make the change, then go back into Amazon, all of which is a royal pain. And then I get crappy audio for my efforts.

All the 'normal' HD channels coming off the Roamio/Mini have Dolby 5.1, it's just Amazon that has an issue.

Is this normal, or do I have some problem on my end of things?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

dougdingle said:


> I'm having an issue with streaming from Amazon Prime on a Roamio Pro where the movie description states it has 5.1 Dolby Digital, but I get no audio unless I switch the Roamio audio output to PCM from Dolby, and then I only get ProLogic sound. Same issue with the Mini connected to the Roamio.
> 
> And of course I have to stop the movie/show, back out of Amazon, make the change, then go back into Amazon, all of which is a royal pain. And then I get crappy audio for my efforts.
> 
> ...


You might have a problem. Most trailers for movies are 1080/p24 and 5.1, like Fury.


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## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

JoeKustra said:


> You might have a problem. Most trailers for movies are 1080/p24 and 5.1, like Fury.


OK, you inspired me to try something, and it seems if I connect the optical output of the Roamio directly to my amplifier, I do get Dolby sound from Amazon Prime programs.

I have a Monoprice 4x1 switcher in line which takes HDMI in and has an optical out, which is very handy in my setup, but apparently the switcher will pass Dolby from from, say, HBO, but not from Amazon Prime.

Do you happen to know what flavor of Dolby Amazon Prime uses? The descriptions in the title page just say "Dolby 5.1".


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

dougdingle said:


> OK, you inspired me to try something, and it seems if I connect the optical output of the Roamio directly to my amplifier, I do get Dolby sound from Amazon Prime programs.
> 
> I have a Monoprice 4x1 switcher in line which takes HDMI in and has an optical out, which is very handy in my setup, but apparently the switcher will pass Dolby from from, say, HBO, but not from Amazon Prime.
> 
> Do you happen to know what flavor of Dolby Amazon Prime uses? The descriptions in the title page just say "Dolby 5.1".


Just regular Dolby Digital. You can see Dolby Digital EX (3.3.1) if you get CNN in HD.


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## tivonaute (May 6, 2015)

dougdingle said:


> Do you happen to know what flavor of Dolby Amazon Prime uses? The descriptions in the title page just say "Dolby 5.1".


My receiver says DD+ variable bit rate. This can not be carried over the optical cable.

__
https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/2a7m88


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

tivonaute said:


> My receiver says DD+ variable bit rate. This can not be carried over the optical cable.
> 
> __
> https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/2a7m88


Right. Just checked and it's DD+. 48KHz sampling and my AVR doesn't display a bitrate. Dialog shows 0 dB, while most of my TV stations show -3 dB dialog.


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## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

tivonaute said:


> My receiver says DD+ variable bit rate. This can not be carried over the optical cable.
> 
> __
> https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/2a7m88


Thank you. That makes sense. Looks like I'm going to have to buy a new receiver if I want Dolby from Amazon Prime.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

dougdingle said:


> Thank you. That makes sense. Looks like I'm going to have to buy a new receiver if I want Dolby from Amazon Prime.


It's worth it. I'm still using an old Yamaha RX-V867. No alteration of video, but it does a great job on audio. With two TiVo boxes, two Blu-ray players and Roku 3 I needed a lot of HDMI switching. Good Luck!


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## JandS (Oct 1, 2010)

Doug, we have noticed what may be the same problem, i.e. not getting audio output from Amazon Prime streaming on our Roamio Pro. Our Tivo is output to a Denon 4310CI AV system. I hadn't noticed any specific distinction on whether the movie/TV show had Dolby or not, didn't occur to me to check.

One thing I discovered, though, is that the audio is regained if I view a trailer/preview for any other film first, then navigate back to "restart" the intended movie/TV show streaming. I've always gone to =another= film's trailer.



dougdingle said:


> I'm having an issue with streaming from Amazon Prime ... I get no audio unless I switch the Roamio audio output to PCM from Dolby, and then I only get ProLogic sound. Same issue with the Mini connected to the Roamio.


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## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

tivonaute said:


> My receiver says DD+ variable bit rate. This can not be carried over the optical cable.
> 
> __
> https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/2a7m88


After a bit more thought, that can't be my issue.

If I connect an optical cable directly from my Roamio to my Denon 3300, I get Amazon Dolby Digital audio.

If I connect the optical cable from the Monoprice HDMI switcher to the Denon, I do not.

There has to be some issue with the Monoprice switcher that's preventing it from decoding the TiVo's Amazon audio (and the Roku 3's Amazon audio) on its HDMI inputs and routing it to the optical output.

The switcher doesn't have that problem when the TiVo is feeding from the TiVo's tuner - there's Dolby Digital on its optical output.

But if I launch the Amazon app, the DD audio disappears through the switcher.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

dougdingle said:


> After a bit more thought, that can't be my issue.
> 
> If I connect an optical cable directly from my Roamio to my Denon 3300, I get Amazon Dolby Digital audio.
> 
> ...


But do the titles have DD+? Since DD+ can't be sent over optical maybe it's just sending DD when optical is hooked up but trying to send DD+ when HDMI is connected. I typically get DD+ from my Amazon content but I use HDMI for all my devices.


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## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

aaronwt said:


> But do the titles have DD+? Since DD+ can't be sent over optical maybe it's just sending DD when optical is hooked up but trying to send DD+ when HDMI is connected. I typically get DD+ from my Amazon content but I use HDMI for all my devices.


According to others in this thread, the titles have DD+, but the 'splash page' describing the shows just say '5.1'. They must use it on everything, because I've now noticed that Star Trek Next Generation, which I don't think was ever in 5.1, also has no audio from Amazon.

I think you may have hit on the answer, though. Since the titles are DD+ according to you and others, and since my ancient Denon is incapable of decoding DD+, the Roamio must be decoding to DD over optical and DD+ over HDMI. The Monoprice HDMI switcher is incapable of decoding the DD+ to DD/optical, and so the sound disappears.

I've ordered a Yamaha RX-V379BL which should be here early next week, has HDMI switching and DD+ support, and will likely solve the problem, although I'll be sad to see the Denon go up on ebay - it's been remarkably good for the last decade or so.


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