360RA decoding via hardware - McIntosh and other MPEG-H ready receivers

[humprof]

Anyone have any updates? Last I heard, @Lucanu was able to play back 360RA from Amazon Music via a Fire TV Cube connected to his Marantz SR7015 (presumably via HDMI).

Any other devices, streaming services, or receivers? For example:

• Has Amazon extended to Fire Sticks yet the ability to transmit 360RA to an MPEG-H capable receiver, or is it still Fire Cubes only?
• Is the 11.2-channel Denon AVR-X6700H, currently on sale for 1500 pounds/2000 dollars from a couple of online retailers, MPEG-H capable? I can't find any mention of it on the spec sheet or in the online manual--either for that model or for the more expensive X8500HA. (The less expensive 9.4-channel X3800H and X4800H--which may have come up earlier in this thread?--do support it, oddly.)

 

[Lucanu]

Anyone have any updates? @Lucanu was able to play back 360RA from Amazon Music via a Fire TV Cube connected to his Marantz SR7015 (presumably via HDMI).

Any other devices, streaming services, or receivers? For example:

• Has Amazon extended the capability of transmitting 360RA to an MPEG-H capable receiver to Fire Sticks yet, or is it still Fire Cubes only?
• Is the Denon AVR-X6700H, currently on sale for 1500 pounds/2000 dollars from a couple of online retailers, MPEG-H capable?

I looked for Mpeg-h and as well as my marantz it should be able via firmware update, that I think is alteady available. So it should work. I have no info on any other capable Fire models.
So it looks like Amazon Fire Cube 4K is the only way to have a full mpeg-h stream capable system.
I can stream MPEG-H videos from the Shield 4K with iRS MPEG-H player,that is now capable of read files locally. I tested with the Fraunhoffer test files available for free on www.mpegh.com

 

[MrSmithers]

I was able to stream the 2 demo video files available on the iRZ MPEG-H player using a Chromecast HD with Google TV. I took a punt as they had it for £25 recently. It plays back MPEG-H!!! And it sounds really good.

However, I have not been able to get it to work with any local files... I think the iRZ MPEG-H player may have been updated recently to allow this? However, on the "Sources" tab in Settings if I select the + sign, I get a message "You don't have an app that can do this". I think this could be to do with the OS of Chromecast/Android on the device as opposed to the iRZ player? Did a web search and there are a few threads on people wanting to try and access files and encountering the same problem.

I guess in theory I could stream my local files on a web server as I'm understanding it? I just need to read up on how to do this. It's all a bit clunky and quite complicated...

 

[Lucanu]

I was able to stream the 2 demo video files available on the iRZ MPEG-H player using a Chromecast HD with Google TV. I took a punt as they had it for £25 recently. It plays back MPEG-H!!! And it sounds really good.

View attachment 95953 View attachment 95954

However, I have not been able to get it to work with any local files... I think the iRZ MPEG-H player may have been updated recently to allow this? However, on the "Sources" tab in Settings if I select the + sign, I get a message "You don't have an app that can do this". I think this could be to do with the OS of Chromecast/Android on the device as opposed to the iRZ player? Did a bit web search and there are a few threads on people wanting to try and access files and encountering the same problem.

I guess in theory I could stream my local files on a web server as I'm understanding it? I just need to read up on how to do this. It's all a bit clunky and quite complicated...

As far as I understood iRS MPEG-H player need to seqrch for local files on the chromecast, so no external usb or similar. You need to copy the mpeg-h video files into a chromecast folder

 

[MrSmithers]

As far as I understood iRS MPEG-H player need to seqrch for local files on the chromecast, so no external usb or similar. You need to copy the mpeg-h video files into a chromecast folder

I don't think you can access or upload files to the Chromecast since the latest update to Android 12? I see it has almost 5GB of storage but I have no idea how you can upload content to it? And even if the files were on it, the iRZ MPEG-H player immediately always says "You don't have an app that can do this" when selected to add a source for local content?

 

[Lucanu]

I don't think you can access or upload files to the Chromecast since the latest update to Android 12? I see it has almost 5GB of storage but I have no idea how you can upload content to it? And even if the files were on it, the iRZ MPEG-H player immediately always says "You don't have an app that can do this" when selected to add a source for local content?

I didn‘t try it on Chromecast, that I own as well. I tested it on Shield only, so I have to try it and see if it’s possible

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

I can stream MPEG-H videos from the Shield 4K with iRS MPEG-H player,that is now capable of read files locally. I tested with the Fraunhoffer test files available for free on www.mpegh.com

Is there a direct link to the test files? I could not find them...

 

[Lucanu]

Here’s a direct link
Test Signals

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Here’s a direct link
Test Signals

Many, many thanks

 

[Albert Dagger]

I've recently upgraded to an MPEG-H capable processor.

To summarise, there are currently two ways to play 360RA files:
- first, with a Chromecast HD, but this system doesn't play local files
- second, with a NVIDIA Shield (this system seems more expensive and the device takes up a lot of space)

Any other alternatives or things worth trying?

 

[HomerJAU]

You could try latest Kodi Omega alpha. I think read there have been recent changes in ffmpeg/Kodi that may support mpeg-h hdmi pass-through.

 

[humprof]

You could try latest Kodi Omega alpha. I think read there have been recent changes in ffmpeg/Kodi that may support mpeg-h hdmi pass-through.

That's exciting! Do please report back.

 

[Albert Dagger]

You could try latest Kodi Omega alpha. I think read there have been recent changes in ffmpeg/Kodi that may support mpeg-h hdmi pass-through.

That would be a game-changer. I'll give it a try since I need to buy a new computer anyway and reinstall Kodi.

I have to say that Kodi 18 and 19 were working flawlessly (before they introduced Atmos support). After that, I started getting occasional dropouts during playback, which wasn't the case with older versions.

 

[HomerJAU]

That's exciting! Do please report back.

My AVR is too old but if I see anything confirming the Kodi/ffmpeg support I’ll post it here.

 

[Sal1950]

Just as an FYI the Kodi build from my PCLinuxOS repository supports Atmos playback and has for some time.
OTOH, the Win10 build on the same computer won't pass Atmos, but then VLC will. LOL

 

[Albert Dagger]

I’ve been able to play Atmos files via Kodi and HDMI passthrough for quite some time. Probably from version 19.3? I can’t remember.

I use Windows 10

 

[Sal1950]

I’ve been able to play Atmos files via Kodi and HDMI passthrough for quite some time. Probably from version 19.3? I can’t remember.

I use Windows 10

Would you share your Kodi and Windows sound configuration settings please.
TIA

 

[Albert Dagger]

Would you share your Kodi and Windows sound configuration settings please.
TIA

I use Dolby Atmos for Home Theatre, but that's not important. You can also keep the sound settings to Stereo. What's important is to have Kodi set up to do playback in WASAPI exclusive mode, and also WASAPI HDMI Passthrough.

This setting is under System, then Audio. Make sure you change Allow passthrough to WASAPI and enable Dolby TrueHD. You will see an atmos stream on your AVR.

I can share screenshots later when I'm home.

 

[Sal1950]

I can share screenshots later when I'm home.

No Need. You the MAN.
Thanks very much

 

[MrSmithers]

I've recently upgraded to an MPEG-H capable processor.

To summarise, there are currently two ways to play 360RA files:
- first, with a Chromecast HD, but this system doesn't play local files
- second, with a NVIDIA Shield (this system seems more expensive and the device takes up a lot of space)

Any other alternatives or things worth trying?

Yes the Chromecast HD works but only through the streaming method via a web server, which you can set up on the Chromecast HD itself (most likely will want to expand the memory for this.) You then just need to write .json files with the relevant information. It's not the simplest of methods but it does work.

As of now you can only play mpeg-h that is in 'mhm1' rather than 'mha1'.

If Kodi Omega supports this it would be fantastic! Fingers crossed...