StreamFab for Windows Apple TV+, Hulu and Peacock Issues

[mustangdmg]

Apple TV+
This have been going on for quite a while. I can't download with HEVC and SDR settings. If I select those settings, It'll download with Dolby Vision instead of SDR. I had the same problem with Disney+ recently but it seems to be fixed with the latest version. There's no reason for developers not to fix the settings if they were able to fix Disney+.

Hulu
Seems 4K option disappeared. And I noticed the bitrate for a downloaded file are lower than it used to be. The audio options are mixed. For example, Family Guy, Before the changes by Hulu (I assume), I was able to download in HEVC and EAC3. Now it's AVC and AAC. Some shows are unchanged like The Handmaid's Tale.

Peacock
Audio settings on their end seems to be changed as well. The EAC3 remains the same but the audio is bit rate 384 on everything. It used to be 768 on newer movies and series.

Hopefully the developers can be able to correct those issues.

[Germania]

I never used Hulu or Peacock with SF ..
.. but for your AppleTV problem => see here
I think it's the same with SDR

[MrGrackle]

Hulu
Seems 4K option disappeared. And I noticed the bitrate for a downloaded file are lower than it used to be. The audio options are mixed. For example, Family Guy, Before the changes by Hulu (I assume), I was able to download in HEVC and EAC3. Now it's AVC and AAC. Some shows are unchanged like The Handmaid's Tale.

Peacock
Audio settings on their end seems to be changed as well. The EAC3 remains the same but the audio is bit rate 384 on everything. It used to be 768 on newer movies and series.

Hulu -- multiple thread open on the topic. The devs are aware. For the time being it's best to leave your codec at h264. For awhile this issue only affected those with certain Duo or Trio plans, now it affects all.

Peacock --- I have never seen 768 audio. Not saying it wasn't there, just never saw it. Do you have an example series or movie that used to have 768 audio?

[mustangdmg]

On the left, I downloaded a movie, Belfast, in February. On the right, I downloaded it today.

[Cats4U]

In either case, it is very unlikely that you'll be able to perceive a difference. Human hearing is just not very good. Here is a more in-depth analysis of the situation from Google's Gemini AI. Just sit back and enjoy the movie and not worry about bitrate specs.

At what audio bitrate using EAC3 can a human not hear any difference between it and a lower bitrate?

It's challenging to pinpoint a single audio bitrate for EAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus) below which every human ear can suddenly detect a difference, as perceptual audio quality is subjective and depends on several factors. These include:

• The listener: Individual hearing acuity, listening experience, and sensitivity to compression artifacts vary greatly.
• The audio content: Complex audio with a wide dynamic range and rich frequency spectrum (e.g., orchestral music, action movie scenes) will reveal compression artifacts more readily than simpler content (e.g., dialogue-heavy scenes).
• The listening environment and equipment: High-quality headphones or a well-calibrated surround sound system are more likely to expose differences than basic TV speakers or earbuds.
• The EAC3 encoder quality: Official Dolby encoders are generally considered more efficient and capable of producing better quality at lower bitrates compared to some third-party encoders like the one found in FFmpeg (though FFmpeg's encoders are constantly improving).

However, based on industry practices, recommendations, and user experiences, we can establish some general guidelines for different channel configurations. The question "At what audio bitrate using EAC3 can a human not hear any difference between it and a lower bitrate?" implies finding a threshold (let's call it 'X') where, if you use a bitrate lower than 'X', the degradation in audio quality becomes noticeable to many listeners.

Here's a breakdown by common channel configurations:

For 5.1 Surround Sound:

• General Threshold: Many sources suggest that for 5.1 channel EAC3, bitrates in the range of 192 kbps to 256 kbps represent a point where going lower is more likely to introduce audible artifacts for a significant number of listeners, especially with good quality encoders and critical listening.
  • Dolby historically recommended 192-256 kbps for 5.1 EAC3 as being perceptually equivalent to 384 kbps AC3.
  • Streaming services often use 192 kbps as a baseline for 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus.
  • Some listening tests and user discussions indicate that with FFmpeg's EAC3 encoder, these lower bitrates might be more challenging, and some users prefer 384 kbps or higher for 5.1 content to ensure transparency or avoid noticeable degradation compared to even lower rates. For example, some users report that 256 kbps with FFmpeg for 5.1 music can be "unlistenable," and issues can arise below 192 kbps for content other than basic voice.
• Higher Quality/Safer Bet: Many users find 384 kbps to 640 kbps for 5.1 EAC3 to be transparent or very close to transparent, meaning that reducing the bitrate from this range to a lower tier (like 192-256 kbps) might be noticeable to discerning ears, while further increases above this range yield diminishing returns for most people. Streaming services sometimes use up to 768 kbps for EAC3 with Atmos metadata.
• Point of Diminishing Returns: While some users encode at higher bitrates (e.g., 768 kbps or even 960 kbps) and perceive no difference from lossless sources, the point at which a reduction from these very high rates would be noticed compared to a slightly lower (but still high) rate is less clearly defined and highly subjective.

For Stereo (2.0) Audio:

• General Threshold: For stereo EAC3, a common range where lowering the bitrate further may become noticeable is around 96 kbps to 128 kbps, particularly when using high-quality encoders.
  • Dolby's past recommendations for stereo EAC3 were in this range.
  • Some sources suggest that official Dolby encoders can provide good quality at or above 128 kbps.
• Higher Quality/Safer Bet: Bitrates from 160 kbps to 224 kbps for stereo EAC3 are often cited as being "near transparent" or of good quality. A reduction from this range to the 96-128 kbps range could be perceptible to some. Some users opt for 320 kbps (160 kbps per channel) for stereo EAC3 for robust quality.

Summary and Key Considerations:

• No Single Number: There isn't one magic number. The threshold is a range and is content and listener-dependent.
• Encoder Matters: Using an official Dolby encoder typically allows for better quality at lower bitrates compared to some open-source alternatives. If using FFmpeg, slightly higher bitrates than the minimums mentioned might be advisable to ensure a certain quality level where further reduction is clearly audible.
• "Lower Bitrate" is Relative: If you are starting from a very high bitrate (e.g., 1.5 Mbps for 5.1 EAC3), you likely wouldn't hear a difference if you reduced it to 768 kbps. The question implies finding a threshold where any further reduction from that threshold starts to introduce noticeable artifacts.
• Practical Sweet Spots:
  • For 5.1 EAC3, maintaining at least 256-384 kbps is a common practice to avoid easily perceptible differences compared to lower rates, especially for broader compatibility and varying content. Below 192-256 kbps, differences are more likely to be heard.
  • For Stereo EAC3, aiming for 128-160 kbps or higher generally ensures that a drop to a significantly lower bitrate would be noticeable.

Ultimately, the best way to determine this for your own needs is to conduct listening tests with your own equipment and typical audio content, comparing different EAC3 bitrates. Start with a higher bitrate and incrementally lower it until you (or your target audience) can reliably hear a negative difference.