Rivulet Player for Apple TV enables lossless audio and Dolby Vision FEL playback from Plex servers

Rivulet Player is a free, open-source alternative media player for Apple TV that supports Plex, Jellyfin, and live TV. Its primary advantage is enabling high-end features previously limited on the platform, specifically lossless audio formats like Dolby TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X, as well as Dolby Vision Profile 7 with the Full Enhancement Layer (FEL). Since Apple TV lacks dedicated hardware for FEL, Rivulet utilizes the device's CPU to pre-process the enhancement layer before outputting it through the video system. This "brute force" approach works smoothly on third-generation Apple TV 4K models, though it may struggle on older hardware. The app includes a polished interface that syncs with Plex servers, maintaining watchlists and bookmarks. It offers a "multiview" feature for live TV, allowing users to watch up to four broadcasts simultaneously if enough tuners are available. Other playback features include skipping intros and credits, manual transcoding selection, and detailed real-time playback statistics. However, there are limitations: FEL playback currently disables height channels for Atmos/DTS:X due to CPU constraints, and ATSC 3.0 broadcasts are not yet supported.

Tech4K Staff8:04 watch

Rivulet Player is a free, open-source alternative media player for Apple TV that supports Plex, Jellyfin, and live TV. Its primary advantage is enabling high-end features previously limited on the platform, specifically lossless audio formats like Dolby TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X, as well as Dolby Vision Profile 7 with the Full Enhancement Layer (FEL). Since Apple TV lacks dedicated hardware for FEL, Rivulet utilizes the device's CPU to pre-process the enhancement layer before outputting it through the video system. This "brute force" approach works smoothly on third-generation Apple TV 4K models, though it may struggle on older hardware. The app includes a polished interface that syncs with Plex servers, maintaining watchlists and bookmarks. It offers a "multiview" feature for live TV, allowing users to watch up to four broadcasts simultaneously if enough tuners are available. Other playback features include skipping intros and credits, manual transcoding selection, and detailed real-time playback statistics. However, there are limitations: FEL playback currently disables height channels for Atmos/DTS:X due to CPU constraints, and ATSC 3.0 broadcasts are not yet supported.

Rivulet Player is a free, open-source application for Apple TV that connects to Plex and Jellyfin servers. The software enables playback of Dolby Vision Profile 7 with the Full Enhancement Layer by utilizing the Apple TV's CPU.

Lossless audio formats including Dolby TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X are supported through on-device decoding. A built-in multiview feature allows users to watch up to four live TV streams simultaneously from a Plex server.

The application syncs metadata, watchlists, and playback progress directly with existing Plex and Jellyfin accounts. Enabling the Dolby Vision Full Enhancement Layer currently prevents the use of height channels in spatial audio formats.

Chapter guide

Introduction to Rivulet PlayerLon Seibon introduces the free, open-source alternative to the official Plex app for Apple TV.Interface and Plex IntegrationA look at the smooth UI and how it syncs metadata and watchlists with Plex servers.Dolby Vision FEL SupportExplanation of how the app uses the CPU to process the Full Enhancement Layer for Dolby Vision.Lossless Audio HandlingDetails on decoding Dolby TrueHD Atmos and DTS:X directly on the Apple TV hardware.Audio and Video SettingsConfiguring height speakers and enabling FEL in the playback menu for optimal home theater performance.Advanced Playback FeaturesOverview of skipping intros, manual transcoding, and viewing real-time playback details.Live TV and MultiviewDemonstration of watching multiple live broadcasts simultaneously via a Plex tuner.

Worth noting

  • The video is a paid sponsorship from Plex.
  • Dolby Vision FEL playback is CPU-intensive and may not perform well on older Apple TV hardware.
  • Enabling FEL currently disables height channels for Atmos and DTS:X audio due to processing limitations.
  • ATSC 3.0 broadcasts are not supported at the time of this review.

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