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CBS All Access

6K views 25 replies 6 participants last post by  blade005 
#1 ·
Does anyone have CBS All Access. What type of audio do you get? I have a Roku 4, and the audio is only 2.0. At least it does appear to have some ProLogic encoding. Just wondering if it's just the Roku app, my particular model Roku, or if that is the only audio available.


For reference, I have been watching "Star Trek: Discovery", and even tested an episode of "Bob Hearts Abishola".
 
#8 ·
I am now on season 2 of "Star Trek: Discovery", and it still defaults to "English", but it is now DD+ 5.1 instead of DD 2.0. (It's also 2.35:1 instead of 1.85:1.) Seems to be how an episode or series is configured by CBSAA. I did try another episode of "Bob Hearts Abishola", and that still defaulted to DD 2.0.
 
#10 ·
I just found this thread and I'm at least encouraged by the Roku solution noted above (press * while playing and choose DD+). My Roku Ultra is a 2018 model, but that shouldn't matter.

Just FYI, Chromecast is also supposed to deliver 5.1 with CBS All Access, but my new Chromecast Ultra also returns only stereo, despite delivering 5.1 on other services. The CBS Android app has a "settings" page, but there's nothing there about audio.

I've also contacted CBS, but aside of saying they're elevating the issue to their tech department, I've heard nothing.
 
#11 ·
Yesterday I tried using the Audio setting on Roku to change to 5.1, and it worked! My thanks to andyross63 for the tip.

However, on Star Trek Discovery and Picard, the surround and sub channels aren't very active and the center channel sounds thin compared to the stereo output. I don't know if that's due to the shows' 5.1 mix or the app, but I suspect the latter. I doubt it's the Roku because all other 5.1 I've played back through it sounds great.

Bottom line: for me, at least, stereo processed through the receiver actually sounds better. That's disappointing.

BTW, there's an audio option for DD+ on the new Star Trek shows, but it returns an error message, immediately on Discovery and after about ten seconds on Picard.
_____________

In another oddity, CBSAA is defaulting to subtitles on all the time, on every episode of every show that has subtitles. And since the app has no place to change settings on Roku, I have to shut them off Every Single Time. (The CBSAA Android allows a few settings, but it shows subtitles off right now, and turning off auto-play applies only in Android.)

Clearly, the CBSAA app isn't ready for prime time.
 
#12 ·
Yesterday I tried using the Audio setting on Roku to change to 5.1, and it worked! My thanks to andyross63 for the tip.

However, on Star Trek Discovery and Picard, the surround and sub channels aren't very active and the center channel sounds thin compared to the stereo output. I don't know if that's due to the shows' 5.1 mix or the app, but I suspect the latter. I doubt it's the Roku because all other 5.1 I've played back through it sounds great.

Bottom line: for me, at least, stereo processed through the receiver actually sounds better. That's disappointing.
I'm not surprised. Most TV broadcast, Dolby audio masters, suck, especially CBS.


Ian
 
#16 ·
Tried to watch Picard today. This time, I couldn't get DD+ to work. It would give the error after a few seconds. I think it may be an issue with HDCP not being properly recognized, as I can see my receiver going through the authorization.
Much of this seems to have started when the app was updated about a month ago. I think the most obvious change was that the time bar when you hit play/pause is no longer the generic Roku version.
 
#20 ·
I just got a deal on an Apple TV 4k, and it CBSAA doesn't deliver 5.1 on it either, and I don't see a switch (as with Roku) for selecting a different audio track on the device. I can switch it on my AVR, but unless I'm missing something, all the choices there are surround simulated from stereo. I haven't done a lot of testing yet with this device, but so far CBSAA seems to be the only one that's supposed to be providing 5.1 but doesn't.
 
#26 ·
Paramount+ Launch Date Set By ViacomCBS
 
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