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travisbell · 2010-02-09, 23:21

Mojonba,

That's exactly it though. I don't think it is a widespread issue. There's lot of us using our Apple TV's just fine with AC3 audio. That's the problem you guys face, I'd say. With a small subset of users experiencing it, it's unfortunately, lower priority.

I want you guys to enjoy your XBMC experience as much as all of us, don't get me wrong, I'm just saying I think that's why it hasn't got much love yet.

davilla · 2010-02-09, 23:41

To fix it, we need to reproduce it. Unfortunately, sample files we get work fine on dev test boxes and the cause is still a mystery.

D-tyme · 2010-02-10, 00:52

I have notice that .m4v with AC3 Passthru works fine (when receiver is set for manual mode), but .mkv files that I have tried are a little different (also, when receiver is set for manual mode). With .mkv files when I first start the movie there is no sound. But when I stop the movie, exit back to list and start movie again the sound plays perfect.

interceptor121 · 2010-03-20, 18:22

I have checked a file that in XBMC is playing but gets downmixed to two channels
The same file in Nito does not play despite the A52 codec is loaded
I am starting to think this has more to do with the files than with XBMC

Mojonba · 2010-03-20, 18:32

In my case, it has nothing to do with the files. Im talking about all movies released by major scene groups encoded in AC3. They also play perfectly in xbox xbmc, sigma based media players & realtek based media players.

interceptor121 · 2010-03-20, 19:42

That is not the point. What is happening here has to do with the AppleTv declaring that is not capable of playing AC3 despite the passthrough set to on which is a mistery

tcroak · 2010-03-21, 06:14

Check and make sure that it's not going through your HDMI cable. AC3 passthru plays fine on my system. I have both HDMI and optical audio cables connected and the receiver will automatically switch between the two. Haven't figured out why some goes through the optical cable and others go through the HDMI though.

interceptor121 · 2010-03-21, 11:56

Because HDMI can give discrete channels whilst optical seems not.
In any case what is really funny that despite the entries in the log the receiver sets itself to Dolby Digital and the sound is actually surround which is absolutely crazy

tcroak · 2010-03-21, 14:47

interceptor121 Wrote:Because HDMI can give discrete channels whilst optical seems not.
In any case what is really funny that despite the entries in the log the receiver sets itself to Dolby Digital and the sound is actually surround which is absolutely crazy

As of 2007, HDMI 1.3 is the only means to transport a raw DD+ bitstream between two pieces of consumer equipment. The reason E-AC-3 bitstream cannot go across an optical audio cable is the data rate. I'd check your encoding on that file, easiest way to know if it's AC-3 or an E-AC-3 is that AC-3 will not have discrete channels and will require converting it into a S/PDIF compatible bitstream.

interceptor121 · 2010-03-21, 15:23

The encoding is A_AC3 which is supposedly supported by the AppleTv and the receiver.
The behavious of the file which is a DVD rip produced by HandBrake is the same playing throught the AppleTv frontrow player and XBMC. The receiver Dolby Digital light comes on in both cases. What surprises me is that in the XBMC log I find this error messages as it was downmixing.
On the other hand DTS which is non compressed discrete channels does travel through optical. So what I am talking about is not Dolby Digital Plus but normal AC3 5.1

tcroak · (This post was last modified: 2010-03-21, 15:55 by tcroak.)

Interesting. Do you have a sample of the file?

I have a file that's like that too. When I play it on the computer, it works just fine (playing using VLC that is), but the ATV gets no sound either. Then when I play it on the ATV, I get no sound. When I check it using Handbrake under the audio menu, it shows an unknown codec and mkv tools show the audio as: A_AAC, -aid 0, -alang und

I wonder if your file is the same problem. And yes, I had thought the file was encoded using AC3 also.

interceptor121 · 2010-03-21, 15:45

No I can make one though.
I am starting to think that the issue is with the fact that the AppleTv is sending the AC3 on both HDMI and Optical. Whilst on the Optical I have a 5.1 receiver on the HDMI I don't in fact if I do not mute it I heard cracking sound which clearly means it is actually streaming AC3. Maybe the error messages have actually to do with the handshaking on the TV that has not got a dolby digital decoder? Maybe I try to plug in component and see what happens then

tcroak · 2010-03-21, 15:59

interceptor121 Wrote:No I can make one though.
I am starting to think that the issue is with the fact that the AppleTv is sending the AC3 on both HDMI and Optical. Whilst on the Optical I have a 5.1 receiver on the HDMI I don't in fact if I do not mute it I heard cracking sound which clearly means it is actually streaming AC3. Maybe the error messages have actually to do with the handshaking on the TV that has not got a dolby digital decoder? Maybe I try to plug in component and see what happens then

A small sample would be great and I could check and see if it'll play on my system.

tcroak · 2010-03-21, 16:34

Have you read this thread?:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=38729&page=4

interceptor121 · 2010-03-21, 18:55

I have followed the whole story on the AC3/DTS
The files actually play fine, I am not saying they do not play but why are there errors on the log is a mistery it could be because of the lack of AC3 support over HDMI as the ATV outputs dolby digital on both HDMI and optical so you can't really choose