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[pscott]

I'm new here. This is my first post. I've been trying out JRiver MediaCenter center for a couple of weeks. It's complicated but seems flexible enough to do everything I want in a mostly classical music player and library manager, better than anything else I found. However, I'm having trouble with multichannel playback. I can't get MC to reproduce all channels of 24-bit surround flac files. It's clearly something MC CAN do, and is supposed to do, but I can't get it to work, ever though my setup and settings seem right, afaik. I'll keep trying to troubleshoot, tweaking MC, but it's complicated and has lots of setting. Hope I'm just overlooking something and someone can help. Details of my setup are described below.

I'm using using MC Media Center 27.0.15 on a new Mac Mini, running macOS Catalina. The computer is connected via hdmi to a Yamaha  RXV-685 AV receiver that's connected via hdmi to a Samsung 60" HD TV that's my display. The device setting are for the hdmi device and core audio. Every DSP Studio and Playback option that I've tried only outputs stereo, even though the playlist indicates that the audo file I'm playing has 6 channels (5.1 surround). In the "Tools" window, the "Audio Path" shows the following:
   Input: 96 kHz 24bit  ch from source format FLAC
   Changes: Convert from 5.1 channels to 2 channels
   Output: 9 kHz 32bit 2 ch using Core Audio (direct connection)

Output encoding is set to none and sample rates are all set to no change. I've tried setting channel output 'same as souce', 5.1, and 7.1 (which is how my receiver is configured). In every case, the result is the same, the output is converted to stereo. The audio path shows no changes playing everything else, including 24-bit stereo flac. The player just refuses to output 6 discrete channels. I've also fiddled with setting on my receiver, but don't see any reason hdmi device wouldn't be multichannel. I don't have any problems with multichannel playback from other sources (cable TV and blue ray player). What am I missing?

BTW, my computer does output 5.1 sound to my receiver from video files played using VLC, so I know that the hardware can do this.

Thank you for any suggestions.

[wer]

Welcome to the forums, Scott.

It would be helpful if you posted screenshots of the following:
MC Audio settings
DSP Studio Output format
MacOS audio device/speaker settings.  (this is probably not the issue since VLC works)

[pscott]

Attached is screenshot of DSP studio output setting. Note that it's set to output "source number of channels", after I try to play that is changed to 2 channels.

[pscott]

Here are the MC audio settings (although maybe not EVERY option is displayed).

[wer]

Ok, thanks.

One screenshot is cut off... Is the Output Format module actually activated (the checkbox on the left is checked)?
If you don't understand what I mean, retake that screenshot without cropping it, so I can see the entire dialog box.

Can you show what options you have for choice of devices (where it says core audio) and for device settings?

Also, let's see a screenshot of audio path with the file actually playing, because what you typed was odd:
Input: 96 kHz 24bit  ch from source format FLAC

There is no channel count there. There should be.

[pscott]

What's cutoff? Sorry, don't see it.Yes, it's checked.
Here's a more complete display of audio device settings.

[pscott]

And here's the output, show 6 channels are input:

[pscott]

Here's another screenshot of (which I think is) the complete DSP Output window

[pscott]

First screenshot is AFTER playing a 6 channel sound, second is how I set it BEFORE trying to play the sound. MC just changes the output setting to stereo.

[wer]

Hmmm.  Ok, I think I have to admit you've got me.  I have never seen MC behave that way.  I wonder if only the Mac version does that.

You can confirm that if you set output format to 5.1 instead of "source number of channels" that the same behavior still occurs, right?

The only reason I can think of why it would is if the OS is telling MC that the output device is a 2-channel device. That should affect VLC too, unless VLC is just ignoring it.

It could be a MacOS problem, in which case you're probably going to have to wait for a Mac person like Brian to drop by and look at your thread.

It could be an HDMI handshaking problem.  I would try connecting the mac directly to your tv, and see if the behavior is any different.  You might have to power cycle devices, or disconnect and reconnect HDMI cables.  HDMI handshaking problems can be tricky to reproduce.  The fact that VLC plays the file makes me doubt this.  Do you have the ability to test with Samsung disconnected?  You could remote control into the Mac from another computer if you have one, and control MC with the Samsung disconnected, or use gizmo or panel or jremote to play something.  For it to be a good test, reboot the mac and the yamaha after disconnecting the TV, so all the devices get fresh EDID.

The fact that your menu choice says "Samsung" means that the Yamaha is passing at least some of the EDID info from the Samsung.  This might be as simple as putting your Samsung into 5.1 mode instead of stereo mode; you could look in its menus.

When VLC plays the file, look at the diagnostics screen on the yamaha, and see what audio format it says it is receiving.

[pscott]

I've tried changing the "Channels" to 5.1 and 7.1, as well as "same as source". I know to only change settings when sound is not playing. I can even quit  and restart MC, and Output setting are saved UNTIL I start playback of the 6-channel flac. The output is converted to stereo when played, and when I reload the Output settings, "Channels" has reverted to 2 channels (stereo). The multichannel setting (source, 5.1, or 7.1) is saved until a sound plays, and then it reverts to stereo, after being played back converted to stereo. I if channels was set to "source", that change to setting only occur when I play the 6-channel file. Otherwise, setting is changed to stereo even when I play a stereo sound. The DSP Studio output setting just don't seen to matter or stick when I play a multichannel flac file.

Don't think my TV has any channel setting but I'll  check. I've also examined setting in receive related to "hdmi control", which can allow for TV audio to be sent BACK via hdmi, but that's explicitly disabled in my Yahama setting, the hdmi output from TV is  "off".

[pscott]

There's no 5.1 setting for the TV -- it's just a TV. I CAN turn the TV's speaker "ON" and then allow for some kind of surround format for the TV (can't imagine what that means for a TV speaker), but that doesn't change anything for MC playback.

BTW -- My Yahama receiver has a "straight" setting that bypasses sound processing. (The receiver has a lot of build-in programs for processing synthesized surround.)  The display on the front of the Yamaha shows the input channels of the receiver. Only the front 2 (stereo) speakers are active when I'm playing from MC. In contrast, the Yamaha displays 5 active speakers when VLC plays a video with surround sound.

[pscott]

Guess MC can't do accurate playback of my 24-bit flac surround flac files, after all.  .
I've run out of ideas, unless/until somebody can suggest another MC option to try.

[RoderickGI]

Hmmm.  Ok, I think I have to admit you've got me.

You were on the correct track Wer. It is an HDMI issue.

Guess MC can't do accurate playback of my 24-bit flac surround flac files, after all.  .

Of course it can, when set up correctly and playing to a device capable of playing surround.

Set "Options > Audio > Advanced > Auto configure output settings on playback error:" to "Ask".

Now when you try to play a surround flac file, MC will popup a message saying it can't play that and asking if you want to convert to stereo to play it. This will highlight the issue for you.

You are outputting via HDMI, your Samsung TV is the HDMI endpoint, and your TV is reporting that it is a stereo only device. Hence, when you try to play 6 channels to the TV, MC knows it can't do that. TV's that support "Surround" sound typically take a stereo signal and upmix it.

If you can't tell your TV it is a multichannel device, then maybe you can get the Yamaha receiver to act as the HDMI endpoint. I believe recent models have a setting for that, although it is a bit of an obscure setting. Your Yamaha  RXV-685 AV receiver looks like it might have such a setting though. It might be the "Setting the output of HDMI audio from the TV speaker" setting shown on page 116 of the manual. Turn that off. If no audio is being output to the TV, then the receiver may correctly become the HDMI endpoint.

If you can't get the receiver to become the HDMI endpoint and report that it support multiple channels, you will need to use a HDMI EDID spoofing device, such as HDMI Doctor or similar, so that MC knows it can play surround to your receiver.

I assume that you actually have speakers connected to the Yamaha and play all audio out through those.

I believe VLC ignores the HDMI endpoint information, and just plays what you tell it to play. MC tries to do better.

[wer]

Yes, I know all this (and Rod knows I know) but my unfamiliarity with mac and the VLC results make me suspicious.

The HDMI handshaking and EDID processing should be done by the a/v driver.  If the OS thinks the output is 2 channel, which it is obviously reporting to MC, then I wonder why VLC is behaving differently.  I'm suspicious of my own diagnosis.

That's why I was saying disconnect the tv and reboot everything.  The TV is the HDMI sink.  I am familiar with Yamaha gear. I have Yamaha myself.  The Yamaha would be reporting 7.1 unless the sink is saying otherwise.  Testing without the TV connected, and after rebooting the mac and the Yamaha to ensure fresh EDID would prove this.

If you get multichannel output in such a test, then you would either need to fix your TV, or get a dongle like Dr HDMI to lie about the EDID to the mac.

But I just want proof of the diagnosis.

Have you tried playing a dvd or bluray rip with multichannel audio?  Just to prove there's nothing odd about your flac file...

[RoderickGI]

I meant to say psychoscott should do all the testing you suggested Will. I forgot.

The main reason for adding to the thread was this:

Set "Options > Audio > Advanced > Auto configure output settings on playback error:" to "Ask".

[wer]

Yes, and that is a good idea.  I forgot about that, because I turned fix it off about 10 years ago and haven't thought about it since.  That setting probably explains why his MC is magically changing the output format settings, and it also explains why I find that behavior so surprising: because I always have fix it disabled.

I want to see the results of the test.

I don't think this is one of those situations where someone has stuffed a DTS datastream into a flac, because I think in that case MC detects it as a 2ch input.

[RoderickGI]

Yes. Me too. Agree. 

[pscott]

Thanks for the suggestions, even though some comments by RoderickGI  are a little insulting ("Of course it can, when set up correctly and playing to a device capable of playing surround.") Duh, yes my Yamaha AV Receiver is capable of playing surround sound and has 7.1 speakers connected, which work just fine playing surround when I'm connected via hdmi to DVD/Blu-ray and to my Cable TV receiver, as I said in my original post. Obviously, MC is NOT convinced that my system is multichannel capable (though I'm not sure why it cares) and maybe that's caused by irrelevant EDID information from the TV. Regarding getting MC "set up correctly", I'm counting on you experts to explain exactly HOW to do that. I've obviously failed. Some searching for "Mac hdmi" reveals that others have had various problems, on occasion, with Mac hdmi connections. Based on troubleshooting suggestions for that, I tried clearing the Mac's NVRAM & PRAM while restarting, but that didn't change anything.

Regarding VLC playback, I've subsequently noticed that for VLC to send multichannel information to the Yamaha, the actual device setting in VLC is "Samsung (encoded)", a setting not otherwise available, to the finder or MC. Might be a clue, nevertheless, if I knew what that meant to VLC.

BTW, wer, I can't test any of this without the Samsung connected because that's my only display. I can, however, try rebooting without the display connected, and THEN connect it and test the playback when I can see the Mac. I 've already turned OFF the output of hdmi audio from the TV speaker in the Yahama hdmi settings.  I don't think I'll bother to "fix my tv" or get a new one, just to get MC to work, but would consider ways to spoof EDID information and would like to know more about that.

I do appreciate the everyone's troubleshooting ideas, but can't test them tonight. Tomorrow I will try every suggestion that I can and post the results. It's 1 am here, so I'm done for the day -- and can't very well play my audio through speakers now because my partner is sleeping. Thanks again for trying to help.

[wer]

Rod wasn't being insulting.  Your conclusion was premature.

BTW, wer, I can't test any of this without the Samsung connected because that's my only display.

You can if you have a tablet, phone or any other internet capable device that can access the web interface of MC over the network. And if you have another computer or tablet, you can remote control you mac with it.  I mentioned that earlier.

[RoderickGI]

Regarding VLC playback, I've subsequently noticed that for VLC to send multichannel information to the Yamaha, the actual device setting in VLC is "Samsung (encoded)", a setting not otherwise available, to the finder or MC. Might be a clue, nevertheless, if I knew what that meant to VLC.

I believe that "Samsung (encoded)" means that VLC is sending multi-channel audio encoded in Dolby Digital, which is encoded in stereo channels. So VLC is actually sending stereo, but your Yamaha is decoding DD to multiple channels. Your Yamaha should display that it is receiving DD when you play multi-channel files to it using that setting, as a confirmation. The fact that this setting refers to the Samsung TV, and not the Yamaha Receiver, shows that the TV is being considered the endpoint/sink.

MC can do that as well, by setting the Output Encoding under Output Format in DSP settings to "Dolby Digital". But you will lose audio quality as encoding to DD and decoding is a lossy process. If you have set the "Options > Audio > Advanced > Auto configure output settings on playback error:" to "Ask", MC may even ask if you want to encode to DD when it hits this problem. I can't remember if it does that or not, as it has been a long time since I used that configuration. Although it wouldn't be that hard for me to check...


Just to clarify, if this is actually an HDMI issue, MC thinks it is playing to a stereo device. Hence, a device not capable of playing multi-channel surround sound. The device in this case is the Core Audio driver, not the Yamaha. In fact, if Core Audio works anything like sound in Windows, it is OSX telling MC you are playing to a stereo device, based on what the Core Audio driver is telling OSX, based on the HDMI audio chain the driver has detected. So as Wer says, I wasn't being insulting, I was stating the facts, and I explained why I had come to that conclusion. Wer's tests will validate if that was the correct conclusion.

BTW, "Web Interface" means Panel.

[wer]

I didn't notice that encoded mention in the post. That is key.

Scott, look at page 102 of your Yamaha manual to see how to access the diagnostic screen I was talking about. It's what I was asking for before. I think you were looking at the wrong screen.

The Yamaha will identify the format and the number of channels it is receiving. Do this while VLC is playing your file.

If the format shows as DTS or DD/AC-3, then VLC is sending an encoded bitstream, a 5.1 channel signal encoded in a 2-channel package. If that is so, then your OS is seeing a 2-channel interface, and this is not an MC problem. MC could work around it, but that would not be the correct solution; the correct solution would be what I described before.

If the screen, when VLC is playing, reveals the format as PCM and the channels as 6 (5.1), then we have a different situation. 

[pscott]

I checked & confirmed your expectations about multichannel VLC output. As you predicted, the Yamaha receiver shows that the the multichannel audio from VLC is DTS or DD 5.1.

Also tested MC playback of 24-bit multichannel flac with a "headless" Mac Mini. Disconnected from the receiver to the Samsung TV and controlled the Mac Mini using screen sharing from another Mac. With the Samsung disconnected, the Yamaha receiver was recognized as an audio device available to the OS and MC. When selected as the audio device, MC was able to play the 6-channel flac files directly, without conversion to 2-channel stereo. As soon as I reconnected hdmi to the TV, though, playback reverted to stereo. Evidently, EDID info from the TV via hdmi convinces MC that it can't output multichannel audio.

About the only prediction by my expert advisors that failed, sort of, has to do with a suggestion regarding telling MC to "ask" what to do when it encounters a playback error. When I do that, nothing changes if the sound is 2-channel, it plays normally, but if it is multichannel, MC crashes instead of rather than asking what to do, showing the playback error more dramatically than intended.  That seems to be an MC bug on the Mac, at least for my system.

I don't have time tonight to go into more detail or respond to anyone's suggestions or questions. However, I did want to confirm predictions by Rod and Wer. The next question is how to address this problem. I'm not getting another TV just to play an occasional multichannel file. The 60+"  HD TV I have is good enough for now. When I do upgrade it'll be to 4K. There might be other ways to address this playback limitation, but I'll probably try an hdmi spoofing device. I know next to nothing about those, but I'll start my research tomorrow. In the meantime, I'd love to hear about anyone's experience or recommendation for such a device.

Thanks again for everyone's help. -- 
Scott

[RoderickGI]

Good to hear Wer and I were on the right track.

When I do that, nothing changes if the sound is 2-channel, it plays normally, but if it is multichannel, MC crashes instead of rather than asking what to do, showing the playback error more dramatically than intended.  That seems to be an MC bug on the Mac, at least for my system.

That is definitely not normal. I use Ask on my Windows PC all the time. You may want to start a separate thread on that as a possible bug report, so it isn't lost in this thread.

Wer knows more about EDID Emulators/spoofing devices, so I'll let him recommend what to try.

Also, I am quite sure that someone else who had this problem with a Yamaha receiver fixed it with a setting in the receiver. But I can't find the reference to that right now.

[RoderickGI]

A little better search terms found this: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,117404.msg813550.html#msg813550

I think that is the thread I was thinking of, and the solution there wasn't a Yamaha setting, but a HDMI Emulator. However read it to the end, as Wer makes a suggestion which never received a response.

EDIT:
This one also worth a read. Specific post and whole thread: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,93619.msg685233.html#msg685233

[wer]

So beyond any question this is an EDID problem.  Scott, your misunderstanding about what VLC was doing is understandable, but that's what my having you look at the diagnostic screen some time back was intended to catch. I guess I needed to be more specific about which one, so we lost some time there.  But at least now you know where the good one is.

Rod is going to laugh, but I had actually forgotten about that post he mentioned.  I guess you get old enough and have enough facts stuffed in your noggin, and you can't keep track of everything.

Thanks Rod, you did me a favor, as now I have to type much less!

Scott, you should carefully read that last post I made in the thread Rod linked to.

The advice I gave there is exceedingly excellent, and I would not say anything different to you now.

The only caveat is maybe your device doesn't have all those options. Do however put your reply here because that other thread is years old.

[pscott]

Thanks for the advice Wer via Rod. I read the posts. Not sure I absorbed everything, but get the jist. Considering all of that, I continued to fiddle with MC, Samsung, & Yamaha AV options today, to no avail.  I even updated the TV's firmware. Nothing but cutting off the head the Mac Mini has fixed this problem, so far. While that can work, it's not convenient.
 
I know there might still be other solutions, and that even this might or might not work, but I'm willing to experiment, so I ordered the HD Fury - Dr HDMI Converter on Amazon, which should arrive next Thur. (Hope this is the same device you've used, Wer.) I'll post again after that, or sooner if I have new insight or a breakthrough.

[pscott]

Finally got 6-channel flac playback working, with the help of HDfury DR HDMI 4K DrHDMI4K https://www.amazon.com/HDfury-DrHDMI4K-18Gbps-600MHz-Manager/dp/B07VK2WSWN.

This is a newer version of Dr HDMI, $20 more than than the original Dr HDMI, which I ordered first & then tried unsuccessfully to cancel. The newer model arrived first. Since I got it to work, I'm planning to return the older model, HD Fury - Dr HDMI Converter https://www.amazon.com/HD-Fury-Converter-Solves-issues/dp/B00755DBCW/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=HD+Fury+-+Dr+HDMI+Converter&qid=1603406246&s=electronics&sr=1-3, even though I have some concerns about that, explained below.

The newer model has a lot more settings and is thus more complicated. I've only managed to get 2 of its many setting to even transmit a picture to my TV -- the original settings copied from my monitor and one other setting, which does allow 5.1 sound. Hope I don't regret getting the newer, more complicated and more expensive model. The additional features & settings could be worse than unnecessary, especially since you, Wer, have experience to share with the original model, but might not with this one. The device comes with minimal instructions, although there is an online forum which hasn't been very useful so far. I've mostly been shooting in the dark, trying different things just to get it to work and transmit a picture. Finally did, but I'm still unsure exactly how or what settings can and should work.

If anyone is interested, I'll post more about how I've setup my Mac Mini -> Yamaha RXV685 -> Samsung to work with MC. Actually I'll post a little more, regardless, when I have more time to document my experience. -- Scott

[wer]

Well, I certainly agree that new one looks complicated! 

Do you have to stand on one foot while adjusting the dial after three long presses and two short under a full moon too?

I haven't had to touch my old one in years, so I'm not sure if this will be helpful for your new one, but for what it's worth...

As I recall, I did not have a lot of fun with the old one trying to copy settings from the sink.  I found that the best thing to do was just setting it to "full baldfaced lie mode".  There used to be a mode where the Dr HDMI would just tell the source "I support everything" and leave it at that, regardless of what sink was actually attached.  This actually works quite well on modern receivers, because for modern receivers and processors, they usually DO support everything that can go over HDMI.  (Besides your receiver will definitely process a lot of audio formats your TV cannot, so you don't really WANT to copy the EDID from the TV anyway.)

So, taking a guess based on that lame guide printed on the device, I might think this corresponds to "Green Mode 1" on your device.

If you select Green Mode 1 and your house explodes, don't blame me.  The documentation on their web site is shockingly poor and the little video they have is so inscrutable I couldn't make anything out of it. There was a little paper guide that came with mine, but I don't see a pdf of anything for your device on their site. 

To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure HOW to select Green Mode 1 on your device.  But do the hokey pokey or whatever else you have to do to set it, and see if Green Mode 1 works.  And I can't even make out what those da_n buttons do, although I see the word "reset" mixed in there for one of them......  Geez, and it's even worse than I thought; I now see it has a different set of lights on each side: one side says Dr HDMI FHD, and the other says Dr HDMI UHD, so it's a schizophrenic device too. 

Well good luck with the device.  I guess you didn't have any choice if you needed 4k.  It's too bad their documentation is non-existent.  You might try that utility they have; I don't know if that would make yours easier to set up. I don't think I needed it.  Hopefully yours will behave like mine in that once you get it into the right mode, you will never have to touch it again and can forget all about it.

If you figure out how to drive that thing, I suggest you make a short guide and post it on the forums, over in one of the Devices forums, so that other people later won't be as tortured as you are.

[pscott]

Complaints might have overshadowed my understated announcement in that last post: That I …"Finally got 6-channel flac playback working…"
Kept fiddling and finally got lucky I guess. Like to know WHY it's working now. Right now, with the Dr between the receiver and TV, the picture looks normal for the Mac and Cable TV, and the Mac OS and MC show show a 5.1-capable audio device "Dr HDMI" instead of "Samsung". I'd feel lots better, like I'd made more progress, if I understood why it's working and what it's doing. Seems to be working on a blue FHD setting. I'm puzzled why only 2 settings on that side even send a picture to my TV. Maybe need to wait longer & fiddle more when I change settings. I intend to post more if/when I know more.

Having second thoughts about returning the old version. I don't need the new model for 4k now, but might before long. Another concern was continued support (like firmware updates) because the older model is being discontinued. Don't seem like such good reasons now. Might try the other model before deciding which to keep.

[wer]

I noticed that, but I focused more on:

I've only managed to get 2 of its many setting to even transmit a picture to my TV -- the original settings copied from my monitor and one other setting, which does allow 5.1 sound.

so I thought you were concerned you settings weren't optimal.  Or that the picture wasn't full resolution, or that it showed a 5.1 capable device when your receiver is a 7.2 channel unit, or something like that.

I'm surprised it reports "Dr HDMI" to the computer.  Obviously this new version could not be more different from the older version I have, which is completely transparent except for doing what it's supposed to do: fix the EDID.

Blue mode 1 for yours I think is the best HD setting; but I thought your TV was 4k, which is why I said Green mode 1... Perhaps I was mistaken.

I'd feel lots better, like I'd made more progress, if I understood why it's working and what it's doing.

I thought you did understand this already. It's quite simple: The Yamaha is passing bad EDID to the Mac, indicating it can only receive 2-channel audio. The dingus strips out all the EDID, and replaces it with new EDID, based on whatever setting on the device you select. The modes on the device correspond to certain resolutions, audio channel capabilities, 3d capability, etc.  When the Mac sees EDID that says "6 channel audio is supported" it happily sends 6-channel audio. Simple as that.  If you selected a stereo mode on the device, it would trick your Mac right back into sending 2-channel audio only. So you need to make sure you pick a "5.1" or "Full Audio" mode, which is seems you already did.

I'm puzzled why only 2 settings on that side even send a picture to my TV. Maybe need to wait longer & fiddle more when I change settings.

Maybe. But another possibility is that the other options force (via EDID) your video card to think that the HDMI device doesn't support any video modes that are defined as valid in your Mac's video card configuration (refresh rate, interlaced, bit depth, etc). I don't know enough about Mac video configuration to say more.

Here's a test to perhaps help you decide which device to keep:
My old model keeps its configuration if it loses power. I have heard a mention that the new 4k model resets to defaults if it loses power.  Since that would be a real drag, I would test that before you decide which one to keep, if you're saying you don't need the 4k.

Anyway, it sounds like you're getting a good image and all the sound channels you want, so it looks like your problem will be solved whichever device you keep.  That's good.

[Dennis in FL]

Complaints might have overshadowed my understated announcement in that last post: That I …"Finally got 6-channel flac playback working…"
Kept fiddling and finally got lucky I guess. Like to know WHY it's working now. Right now, with the Dr between the receiver and TV, the picture looks normal for the Mac and Cable TV, and the Mac OS and MC show show a 5.1-capable audio device "Dr HDMI" instead of "Samsung". I'd feel lots better, like I'd made more progress, if I understood why it's working and what it's doing. Seems to be working on a blue FHD setting. I'm puzzled why only 2 settings on that side even send a picture to my TV. Maybe need to wait longer & fiddle more when I change settings. I intend to post more if/when I know more.

Having second thoughts about returning the old version. I don't need the new model for 4k now, but might before long. Another concern was continued support (like firmware updates) because the older model is being discontinued. Don't seem like such good reasons now. Might try the other model before deciding which to keep.

I spent a good many hours trying to get multi channel working.  I tried on an old Mac, a new Mac and a Linux Raspi 4.   Couldn't do it.   Although another poster has the exact setup as me (including the receiver model) got it to work.   I couldn't do it....although I was using DLNA from the Mac to the Raspi and he was using the Raspi as the server.   I later tried the Raspi all by itself and then I tried the Mac streaming to the receiver and bypassing the Linux.  Eventually I gave up.   

The sources I'm using are all showing 5 channels in MC.   But they are being converted to 2 channel.

I got the original CD and played it using my CD player and the receiver spewed out beautiful 5.1 music.   

Then I gave up.

More here...  https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,126312.msg879723.html#msg879723

[wer]

Thanks for sharing.  Your situation is not in any way similar to Scott's or what's being discussed in this thread though.  Scott's issue is an HDMI EDID problem.

[Dennis in FL]

I have a Marantz receiver with a Samsung TV and I'm using HDMI.   

[wer]

Scott has a Yamaha receiver, not Marantz. You just mentioned using DLNA, Scott's not.  And you also talk in that thread about using a raspberry pi; Scott's not.

And you mention playing a CD with 5.1 channel music.  CD supports only 2 channel audio. You either meant SACD, or you were playing a DTS-CD which is encoded 5.1 in a 2-channel package.

If you think you have the same problem as Scott, by all means try the solution I gave him, as it solved his problem.  I didn't see any other point in your "Then I gave up." post other than wanting to share.  Good luck with your issue.