[ROM] Mecool M8S PRO+ TVStock Nexus ROM (Android TV 7.1)

[Lecturer in Recent Runes]

That is because your TV will have a Dolby Audio licence that allows DD 5.1 Audio to be extracted from Netflix's DD+ Audio streams.

The MECOOL has no Dolby Audio licence.

On platforms with no Dolby Audio licence - Android TV Netflix will only ever output DD+ 5.1 audio to a HDMI connected TV/AVR/Soundbar that is actually capable of DD+ otherwise expect 2.0 PCM Audio.

Well, my soundsystem (Canton DM90.3) has Dolby Digital, DTS TruSurround and DTS Digital Surround, so the licences are there and the Mecool is connected directly to the soundbar with an HDMI cable.

I set the soundsettings for 'Surround Sound' to 'always', Dolby Sounds to 'off' (other options are 'Line' and 'RF) and Digital Sounds to HDMI. DTS Sounds are at 0 as I don't want any DRC happening. I'm just quite surprised that I don't get a choice between 5.1 and Stereo in Netflix anymore, which I did get before. In Kodi I use audio passthrough to let my Canton decode, which works flawlessly and sounds a lot better than without passthrough. However, I can't find that option in Android TV and Netflix only indicates HD for content and provides no information on what sound comes with it. I would like to just have audio passthrough for Netflix and let my soundsystem do the decoding, but I'm not sure that that's what's happening at the moment. But I might just have to wait for Kodi 18 and the Netflix add-on to get that working?

Since you mentioned that you had 5.1 in Netflix, I was wondering how I can determine if I have that too. My system 'upscales' any PCM you throw at it to some kind of 'surround', but that's not quite the same as having it working with real 5.1 audio. Is there any way to test what I'm actually getting from the box?

[clarkss12]

Well, my soundsystem (Canton DM90.3) has Dolby Digital, DTS TruSurround and DTS Digital Surround, so the licences are there and the Mecool is connected directly to the soundbar with an HDMI cable.

I set the soundsettings for 'Surround Sound' to 'always', Dolby Sounds to 'off' (other options are 'Line' and 'RF) and Digital Sounds to HDMI. DTS Sounds are at 0 as I don't want any DRC happening. I'm just quite surprised that I don't get a choice between 5.1 and Stereo in Netflix anymore, which I did get before. In Kodi I use audio passthrough to let my Canton decode, which works flawlessly and sounds a lot better than without passthrough. However, I can't find that option in Android TV and Netflix only indicates HD for content and provides no information on what sound comes with it. I would like to just have audio passthrough for Netflix and let my soundsystem do the decoding, but I'm not sure that that's what's happening at the moment. But I might just have to wait for Kodi 18 and the Netflix add-on to get that working?

Since you mentioned that you had 5.1 in Netflix, I was wondering how I can determine if I have that too. My system 'upscales' any PCM you throw at it to some kind of 'surround', but that's not quite the same as having it working with real 5.1 audio. Is there any way to test what I'm actually getting from the box?

I can't understand why your sound bar is not playing DD+ with Netflix. My box is connected to an HDMI switch, and from there to my Denon AVR, when I play an HD video on Netflix, my AVR shows DD+. When I play a BlueRay rip with HD audio using Kodi, my AVR shows what HD codec is being played. I don't know how to access stats for nerds for Netflix, but have to tested YouTube to see if it plays in Dolby or DTS, using stats for nerds???

[P.X]

Hi,

Not sure what it is ...

My AV-amp plays AC3 and DTS 5.1, but with my test video that has both streams I have to manually switch to AC3 stream as the DTS one is transcoded to Stereo PCM
Presumably something is not detecting my HDMI connected AV-amp as DTS capable ??

A sample file with DD-HD is also only outputting Stereo so that must also be being detected as AV-amp not capable.

On another note - Is there any way to set the Radio connected Rii mini keyboard to use my UK Layout ? Can't find a setting ??

Thanks,
Pete

[wrxtasy]

Well, my soundsystem (Canton DM90.3) has Dolby Digital, DTS TruSurround and DTS Digital Surround, so the licences are there and the Mecool is connected directly to the soundbar with an HDMI cable.

Some licences may be there but you Audio equiptment is old and inadequate.

As I said unless the HDMI connected audio receiver handshakes with the MECOOL as identifies itself as Dolby Digital Plus capable, expect 2.0 PCM Audio only from Netflix and a bunch of other Android TV DD+ DRM streaming Apps.

My 4K HDMI connected TV is DD+ capable - and yes i get 5.1 Audio from Netflix.

adb login to the MECOOL and run a Logcat, and you will soon see EAC3 (DD+) messages popup when you start Netflix playback if HDMI connected equiptment is DD+ capable.

Time to upgrade your Audio equiptment, because there are no workarounds due to the MECOOL also not having a Dolby Audio licence.

[Lecturer in Recent Runes]

As my audio equipment is less than two months old and the current top soundbar from a very reputable German brand, I wouldn’t say that it’s old and inadequate. For some reason, though, it doesn’t do the handshake with the Mecool to make Netflix switch to 5.1, so I’ll have to find a solution for that.... I’ll also see if I can get a Logcat, although that’s something I have never doen before. I’ll look into it!

[WeK05]

As my audio equipment is less than two months old and the current top soundbar from a very reputable German brand, I wouldn’t say that it’s old and inadequate.

Your soundbar may not be old, but if it lacks support for HD audio or even Dolby Digital Plus, then I would consider it as inadequate for modern day standards. Like wrxtasy has mentioned, Netflix on Android TV checks support for Dolby Digital Plus and only then it enables 5.1 audio. The same goes for Google Play Movies/HBO Go etc.

Even if the box has Dolby Audio decoder, if the sink doesn't support Dolby Digital Plus, you will only get stereo PCM from Netflix. I believe the firmware has to be modified for Netflix to support Dolby Audio decoder (as in Amazon FireTV devices and may be WeTek devices also). This seems to be the case with MECOOL M8S + box. Even though it isn't advertised, the box seems to have Dolby/DTS decoders, but the Dolby Audio decoder will not work with Netflix since there is no firmware support.

[clsA]

I am stuck in the setup wizard trying to enter the wifi password ...where the connect button ?

my wifi password is only 5 letters and it won't connect

[wrxtasy]

I believe the firmware has to be modified for Netflix to support Dolby Audio decoder (as in Amazon FireTV devices and may be WeTek devices also).

Yes that is exactly correct for both devices to add support for old DD only audio equiptment from DD+ Android DRM streaming Apps.
Amazon even publish Dolby Integration Guidelines for developers.

[edit4ever!]

Is it possible for a device like the Mecool M8S PRO+ running the TVStock Nexus ROM to support usb tuners? Or is that something that is missing from the kernel? I'm hoping mine arrives next week to some testing/developing - but I was wondering if someone may have tried this out??

[clarkss12]

Is it possible for a device like the Mecool M8S PRO+ running the TVStock Nexus ROM to support usb tuners? Or is that something that is missing from the kernel? I'm hoping mine arrives next week to some testing/developing - but I was wondering if someone may have tried this out??

That would be interesting.

Yes, there's a bunch of tuner drivers in the NVIDIA Shield TV firmware that we could potentially borrow.

[wrxtasy]

Want to change Pixel Density easily on the fly to 320DPI or other values for a larger/smaller Android TV interface ?

Simply go into the Apps Drawer, launch Terminal and type:

su
wm density 320

If you get permissions access problems you may need to Root the MECOOL properly....

1) Download Magisk-v13.3.zip from XDA Forums - save to a USB stick
2) Reboot to TWRP recovery using the Reset button or Terminal (type - reboot recovery)
3) UsingTWRP install that .zip - then reboot.
4) Try terminal again, and grant the Terminal App - Root access if you get a permissions Popup.

This will also survive a reboot, it appears to ignore the lcd.density in build.prop

[Macen]

I just installed this rom via the OTA app from the original rom.
But so far the stock rom worked a lot better for me . When i'm playing a video in exodus it will completely freeze after some time of playing the video,
and all i can do is reboot the box. I tried with both specto and exodus, same problem.

Now i wanted to try your non tv rom, but i can't find my usb to usb cable, and the OTA app is gone.

Any suggestions? Don't know if you experienced this issue`?

[clsA]

I just installed this rom via the OTA app from the original rom.
But so far the stock rom worked a lot better for me . When i'm playing a video in exodus it will completely freeze after some time of playing the video,
and all i can do is reboot the box. I tried with both specto and exodus, same problem.

Now i wanted to try your non tv rom, but i can't find my usb to usb cable, and the OTA app is gone.

Any suggestions? Don't know if you experienced this issue`?

My box has some freezing issues also on the Android TV Rom
Terrarium and BobbyHD and Kodi all froze at different times

not for sure but I think you can boot TWRP with the reset button and flash the other Rom from TWRP and an ext_usb stick or sdcard

Save

[Macen]

My box has some freezing issues also on the Android TV Rom
Terrarium and BobbyHD and Kodi all froze at different times

not for sure but I think you can boot TWRP with the reset button and flash the other Rom from TWRP and an ext_usb stick or sdcard

Save

I kinda thought this rom was meant to be better than the stock one, never had a single freeze with the stock rom .. thank's for your suggestion, I will try that

Better is a very subjective term, I'm afraid. I think making it more like the pure Android TV experience you'd get with a Nexus Player or NVIDIA Shield TV is better, but any custom ROM comes with some risks. I haven't seen any freezes, but I can't test every scenario with every hardware permutation. I'm not an OEM development team, I'm just one guy who does this for fun in his spare time.

[P.X]

Your soundbar may not be old, but if it lacks support for HD audio or even Dolby Digital Plus, then I would consider it as inadequate for modern day standards. Like wrxtasy has mentioned, Netflix on Android TV checks support for Dolby Digital Plus and only then it enables 5.1 audio. The same goes for Google Play Movies/HBO Go etc.

Even if the box has Dolby Audio decoder, if the sink doesn't support Dolby Digital Plus, you will only get stereo PCM from Netflix. I believe the firmware has to be modified for Netflix to support Dolby Audio decoder (as in Amazon FireTV devices and may be WeTek devices also). This seems to be the case with MECOOL M8S + box. Even though it isn't advertised, the box seems to have Dolby/DTS decoders, but the Dolby Audio decoder will not work with Netflix since there is no firmware support.

Hi,

I just want to play video files with old fashioned DTS & AC3 audio but Kodi only passes through DTS and VLC doesn't pass either.
My amp (ArcamAVR600) is not new but supports
Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS-ES Discrete, DTS-ES Matrix, DTS 96/24, DTS Neo:6, Dolby Volume, Dolby Digital, DTS

https://www.whathifi.com/arcam/avr600/specs

Any way to get normal passthrough for files ???

Would a genuine Xioami Mi TV Box be any different ? Does it have licences that would enable things ?
Why is there no longer the good old fashioned options set
OFF
AUTO
ON

Thanks,
Pete