Based on recordings of a program that I only watch occasionally that recorded off one of the ATSC 3.0 channels, I've determined that the audio changed sometime around mid-November. The programs recorded but without audio.
I'm confused how Channels on the Nvidia Shield supported audio previously as it's my understanding that AC-4 is not supported on the Shield, yet Channels was able to play the audio on my ATSC 3.0 channels until from around May 2023 until mid-November 2024.
I guess the answer is that the channels were originally using AC-3, but switched to AC-4 by comparing two recordings... one with audio and one without:
There's no way for Channels support AC-4 audio? Even with transcoding?
Channels is clearly not supporting it fully / properly. The problem is not with the AC-4 encoding on the channel or else the HDHR software would suffer the same issue. Because even though HDHR is transcoding, they still need to handle the AC-4 on their servers in order fully convert it to AC-3 or whatever.
I'm afraid I may have to consider a move back to the HDHR software for these channels at some point, or migrate to a non-gateway solution.
It's sad they're throwing in the towel on support here.
It’s not that they are throwing in the towel, they’re waiting. I think you are forgetting that atsc 3,0 out in the world is still in its alpha testing phase. Broadcasters are trying this and that, changing this adding that.
Clearly the broadcaster changed something recently to test. Perhaps calling their station engineer and finding out what they did and explain it is not working correctly with atsc3 hardware could be beneficial to both sides. Channels devs are choosing not to shoot at a moving target.
Can you share the sample video file on google drive or somewhere people can download it? Maybe there is someone in the community that is a codec wizard and can break it down and explain why it doesn’t work in channels.
I do feel your pain, when something works and then it it doesn’t it’s extremely frustrating but it’s par for the course when you are an early adopter of new technology.
I wonder in these types of situations if it would be possible to use streamlinks to open that channel in the Hdhomerun app. Seems like a pretty easy workaround until the real work on atsc3 begins at least for live viewing.
AC-4 is Dolby's and they charge license fees for using their technology. That is if they will even agree to license it to you.
There's an experimental ffmpeg that can do AC-4 but it's usually a bad idea to ship experimental code in a production application.
The Firesticks support AC4 natively if Channels DVR did real passthrough it would work with no problem. The HDHomeRun app only does cloud encoding of AC4 if your device does not support AC4 natively.
The HDHomeRun app does Digital Passthrough ....
Agreed this is long overdue.
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