Video Disney+ Hotstar is removing Dolby 6Ch audio from TV App

nsas02

nsas02

Disciple
Hey folks, hope everyone is alright.
For starters, I have a Hisense Android smart TV (50A71F) and Sony HTIV300 connected via ARC and a Hotstar India premium subscription.
Now, to the issue. Last week I sat down to watch Multiverse of Madness on Hotstar. I couldn't find the Dolby Audio on the movie poster and it showed only 4K and DolbyVision icons. I played the movie anyways, but inside Audio settings also I couldn't find 5.1 audio option. Initially I thought the App could be outdated, so checked in playstore, but was the latest version. Then I tried playing some old title Black Panther & Moana and voila I could see 5.1 option inside, while outside still it didn't show the 5.1 audio option. I raised this concern in some other forum and came to know that the issue is faced by many users.

There was even a response to a customer on Twitter that it has been removed.

1656602941597.png


Since the list didn't contain my Hisense TV and mine is a 2020/2021 (not sure) year model, I tried to raise the same concern in Twitter and shockingly, similar response. I even had another Hisense user commented on top saying he too is facing this issue.
1656603068353.png


Anyone is having some other brand device/TV except the ones mentioned above, is Dolby 5.1 Audio working for you? (Pls use Multiverse of Madness if you want to test as it is the latest title).

I have Kodi in my TV. I tried installing Hotstar app on kodi using Botallen repo. The Hotstar app in this has various settings and by fiddling with them you either get 1080p, 720p or 4K and either 2.0 or 5.1. Not sure how the settings even work. If anyone is using can guide me. I'm looking at 4K video with 5.1 Audio.

So, the list stands like this: Bravia 2015 TV, Amazon FireTV Box, MiTV-MOOQ1, RealMe smart TV and Hisense TV won't support 5.1 Audio in Hotstar Apps. I always believe a perfect audio is 50% of the experience, while the rest if the video and I feel cheated even after buying the premium subscription.

I wanted to bring this to a bigger forum about the shitty behavior of Hotstar. (or understand more on this? I don't know. May be I just want to vent it out somewhere)
 
you should be thanking hotstar to stop you from watching that Multiverse of Madness - real shitty movie.

On serious note - hotstar/disney+ never had even half decent audio, i realised that during Justice League - Snyder cut. utter shitt audio quality.
"atmos" is joke at most for hotstar/disney streaming services.

Dolby licensing is not free - but i'm confused what and how much Hotstar will save by disabling dolby on selected devices.
Can anyone else confirm if they getting dolby in their app, regardless brand/model of equipment.

they could have totally removed dolby from their app. if this happened 90% people wont even know it due the equipment they use.
 
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While this is not the reply you are expecting, I too have a hotstar sub but I still torrent high action content like game of thrones or marvel movies. Hotstar picture quality is comparable to Youtube. High action sequences get pixelated. You'll find torrents having much better picture quality than hotstar. And not to mention, the censorship is stronger with hotstar.
 
Ramadhir Singh said:
you should be thanking hotstar to stop you from watching that Multiverse of Madness - real shitty movie.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. It felt like watching Shankar's movie (no offence to 2.0 lovers)
Ramadhir Singh said:
they could have totally removed dolby from their app. if this happened 90% people wont even know it due the equipment they use
Click to expand...
Actually this is not true. As I've mentioned there are many old titles that still have 5.1 audio. It's only that the latest releases are missing it. My concern is that no intimation was given on the same. 4k and 5.1 is the only reason I opted for premium subscription. Else would've gone with torrent way as it has been for past few years.
lockhrt999 said:
I still torrent high action content
Click to expand...
That's what I've been doing for many years. Since Hotstar added 5.1 audio I thought of taking the subscription and now this issue. Guess I'll have to go back to the old way...
Sambhuhdas said:
I also have hisense tv and i am also not getting 5.1 audio now
Click to expand...
It's not only Hisense. If you see my SS from Twitter, the list includes Sony Bravia, AFTB, Realme and many more.
 
The shit these corporations pull without communicating with the customers.

if you already torrent, i suggest looking at paid Plex shares, i’m on one as long as its online i don’t think i’ll sub any other OTT service, ever again.
 
nsas02 said:
As I've mentioned there are many old titles that still have 5.1 audio. It's only that the latest releases are missing it
Click to expand...
yes this is why im not able see a logic in their shitty move. May be they had the dolby licence earlier and now discontinued it.

if possible can someone else check this same movie in their Tv/app and see if they its has the surround sound.

dissel said:
Apple TV Box still shows this Dolby Vision and 5.1 signs though.
Click to expand...
can you check the same title OP is referring to.. i mean id it really playing 5.1 or just listed?
Also you are in apple.... the platform/app in discussion in android.

im suspecting a discontinuation of using Dolby, knowingly or by mistake.

Also, the movie in discussion has shitty audio - although my version says
Code: 
Format              : E-AC-3 JOC
Format/Info         : Enhanced AC-3 with Joint Object Coding
Commercial name     : Dolby Digital Plus with Dolby Atmos
i don't observe any channel separation or even planning of audio, even across stereo channels.
seems like a stereo sound is used and artificially converted into 5.1 matrix audio.
 
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Ramadhir Singh said:
you should be thanking hotstar to stop you from watching that Multiverse of Madness - real shitty movie.

On serious note - hotstar/disney+ never had even half decent audio, i realised that during Justice League - Snyder cut. utter shitt audio quality.
"atmos" is joke at most for hotstar/disney streaming services.

Dolby licensing is not free - but i'm confused what and how much Hotstar will save by disabling dolby on selected devices.
Can anyone else confirm if they getting dolby in their app, regardless brand/model of equipment.

they could have totally removed dolby from their app. if this happened 90% people wont even know it due the equipment they use.
Click to expand...
nsas02 said:
Hey folks, hope everyone is alright.
For starters, I have a Hisense Android smart TV (50A71F) and Sony HTIV300 connected via ARC and a Hotstar India premium subscription.
Now, to the issue. Last week I sat down to watch Multiverse of Madness on Hotstar. I couldn't find the Dolby Audio on the movie poster and it showed only 4K and DolbyVision icons. I played the movie anyways, but inside Audio settings also I couldn't find 5.1 audio option. Initially I thought the App could be outdated, so checked in playstore, but was the latest version. Then I tried playing some old title Black Panther & Moana and voila I could see 5.1 option inside, while outside still it didn't show the 5.1 audio option. I raised this concern in some other forum and came to know that the issue is faced by many users.

There was even a response to a customer on Twitter that it has been removed.

View attachment 138070

Since the list didn't contain my Hisense TV and mine is a 2020/2021 (not sure) year model, I tried to raise the same concern in Twitter and shockingly, similar response. I even had another Hisense user commented on top saying he too is facing this issue.
View attachment 138071

Anyone is having some other brand device/TV except the ones mentioned above, is Dolby 5.1 Audio working for you? (Pls use Multiverse of Madness if you want to test as it is the latest title).

I have Kodi in my TV. I tried installing Hotstar app on kodi using Botallen repo. The Hotstar app in this has various settings and by fiddling with them you either get 1080p, 720p or 4K and either 2.0 or 5.1. Not sure how the settings even work. If anyone is using can guide me. I'm looking at 4K video with 5.1 Audio.

So, the list stands like this: Bravia 2015 TV, Amazon FireTV Box, MiTV-MOOQ1, RealMe smart TV and Hisense TV won't support 5.1 Audio in Hotstar Apps. I always believe a perfect audio is 50% of the experience, while the rest if the video and I feel cheated even after buying the premium subscription.

I wanted to bring this to a bigger forum about the shitty behavior of Hotstar. (or understand more on this? I don't know. May be I just want to vent it out somewhere)
Click to expand...
Same problem here. Before I got proper 5.1 audio from Disney Hotstar Premium but now 5.1 audio not working or not providing from Disney Hotstar. I'm using Mi QLED TV 55" with Logitech Z906 5.1 home theater system.
 
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I've the Hotstar sub, but seen many episodes of Late Night by John Oliver getting censored, and have to resort to piracy/watch on YouTube (if skipped segments are on main content) to skip those jarring jump cuts.
Useless service anyway tbh. Streaming is a mess, doesn't remember last view point, gets censored, AQ is a joke.
 
Ramadhir Singh said:
Dolby licensing is not free - but i'm confused what and how much Hotstar will save by disabling dolby on selected devices.
Can anyone else confirm if they getting dolby in their app, regardless brand/model of equipment.
Click to expand...
Got update. there is some licensing model changes by Dolby, they are getting much much greedy.

It's not flexible volume licence for manufacturers now, it per deployment... a big nexus with creators, every audio now is wrapped as dolby+ or atmos. lolz.
simple 2/6channel dolby is cheap as penuts, it get complicated with e+, atmos etc. and 99% cases no one needs e+/atmos, atlest not in OTT as medium

Atmos is the biggest lie on this earth - the biggest marketing gimmick.
Object based sound was existed in DTSx since ages, and it never even required to have extra up-firing speakers. but only downside its not meant for streaming.
We do have AAC/mp4 which can handle upto 8 channels of audio.. but no one uses it. or even superior opus.

99.99% people in home environment cant get what it is claimed to be. atmos just a fookin marketing gimmic.
And except netflix evey other OTT audio is shit, wrapping audio in atmos container doesn't magically make things atmos. its like saving a jpg file as .RAW.
It even hillarious when people "claim" to have Amos via their headphone. and M$ selling atmos codec to PC users :D
alekhkhanna said:
I've the Hotstar sub, but seen many episodes of Late Night by John Oliver getting censored,
Click to expand...
no point watching any non-indian content in OTTs available in India. everything is censored. few JO episodes are not even available in india.
i use prime/nf only as ref, download international version and then watch. Im not going to extend my prime once it over this year.
only platform worth giving any money in NF.

if you have old computer or something like that, setup an emby/jellyfin for non-live content, you will enjoy it.
Bonus ranting:
According to Brett Crockett, Dolby’s senior director of sound research, “If you have the space and budget, you can build a Dolby Atmos system with as many as 24 speakers on the floor and 10 overhead speakers.” However, today’s home theater equipment is sort of limiting.
Click to expand...
So the guys wanted to get atmos with their 2/6 sparker systems, they need to study elementary physics.
better donate those 50k to PM cares funds then buying a atmos-compatible headphone or some softwares which will magically deliver object and position based sound.

if we get decent, lets say 384kbps aac/dlp we are more then good.
 
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Ramadhir Singh said:
if you have old computer or something like that, setup an emby/jellyfin for non-live content, you will enjoy it.
Click to expand...
this.
i used to sub to all OTTs until covid. then during covid i went to hometown and the internet there was just not enough to stream content in highest quality possible. thankfully learned about media server back then and there was no going back. currently running Jellyfin on a old and damaged laptop which does the task very very efficiently.
 
Hi Guys, I was also facing same issue. I have to watch Ind vs Eng semifinal and because of no audio i got frustrate and then i tried to screen mirroring with my phone and after that i just disconnect my phone and try again on TV directly with hotstar and now it's working fine for me.
 
Ramadhir Singh said:
you should be thanking hotstar to stop you from watching that Multiverse of Madness - real shitty movie.

On serious note - hotstar/disney+ never had even half decent audio, i realised that during Justice League - Snyder cut. utter shitt audio quality.
"atmos" is joke at most for hotstar/disney streaming services.

Dolby licensing is not free - but i'm confused what and how much Hotstar will save by disabling dolby on selected devices.
Can anyone else confirm if they getting dolby in their app, regardless brand/model of equipment.

they could have totally removed dolby from their app. if this happened 90% people wont even know it due the equipment they use.
Click to expand...
The catch is, it surprisingly isn't.
While HS continues to use absolutely atrocious data rates for sports streaming , it has OK rates for non disney syndicated content..
And surprise surprise, one of the highest rates for disney + content (beat only by ATV+)

I tested it recently - had PDFed the results so what you see listed below is the video bitrate - although the screenshot has other details as well.

While the app (for all platforms) have their own issues - but honestly, given the unusually low subscription price and the quality of disney + streaming, its somewhat unfair to complain

1668068334901.jpeg
 

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In my house watching match on hotstar means a lot of buffering. No matter what device I'm watching it on. Is my ISP throttling hotstar? I don't have this problem with any other streaming.
 
I use Hotstar for my F1 coverage. Got the then basic pack with a Jio Mobile Recharge. This was I believe somewhere in 2020. At that time Disney+ was relatively new. It was massively hyped and Avengers Endgame was a big thing.

I remember not being allowed to watch the Disney+ contents like Marvel movies in English. The basic plans limited them to Hindi Dub only and one had to pay a premium just to hear it in English. I believe they have revised this now.

The picture quality is sub-par and I can't enjoy watching F1 or any other live sports on my Monitor. The picture gets blurry especially the postions/timing charts on the left of the screen.

I remember once whilst watching a live race they just decided to end the stream abruptly and replace it with some ongoing IPL match.

Also, Danke Seb. I will miss you.
 
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