Kodi Community Forum

Kodi 14.1 (Ubuntu package from main Kodi PPA)
Ubuntu Trusty i686 (hardware is NVidia ION, won't run 64 bit code)
NVidia graphics drivers in use

Having just updated to Kodi from Gotham I've come across an audio regression.

I use a generic external USB 5.1 channel sound device. Since my main L&R speakers have plenty enough bass already I do not have a subwoofer attached to the '.1' channel. In Gotham I used to set the sound output to 'USB Audio Device (Analog)' and the number of channels to 5.0. This worked perfectly.

In Helix, this configuration causes choppy audio playback with any 5.1-encoded source. (I've tried Dolby Digital, AAC, and DTS-HD sources).

Setting the number of channels to 5.1 appears to cure the choppiness but this obviously doesn't match my speaker setup.

Since this is definitely a regression I'd guess it's a bug but I thought I'd come here to ask first.

Post a Debug Log - so that we can see which audio channel map is returned by your output device.

Sorry, even had a log ready and forgot to attach it:

http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=421907

Other things that might be relevant:
Sync playback to display is enabled.
I'm connected to a TV and am setting the display refresh to match the video frame rate, with a 2.5s pause enabled while doing this. Audio playback starts *before* the display changes refresh rate, then pauses.
*edit* This log is when the sound output is set to 5.0. When I set it to 5.1 the audio playback does not start until the screen refresh rate has changed. I'll get a log for that if you need one. */edit*
A/V sync is using Audio Clock, as this is the only option that works for me.

That log did not look that bad. In fact it also opened all 6 channels ALSA wise and the rest needs to be cared by audio engine.

Can you describe the issue that you see on screen? Stutter? A comparing 5.1 log would be nice.

Edit: And something else, choosing 5.1 would also not make a problem in general, as the LFE channel is not mixed in, in no scenario.

Here's a log with the output set to 5.1:

http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=421972

The video output is fine in both cases. In the 5.0 case the audio output is choppy or distorted - like it is cutting in and out really quickly. Volume levels are the same in both cases so I don't think it's actual analog distortion, it's definitely more like continual rapid drop-outs.

It's good to know that I'm not missing out on anything anyway.

Puh - clueless. Try to make a longer Debug Log with 5.0 and tail -f the logfile, perhaps you see what is logged in that regard. I see two disconts in the original Debug Log but I am not sure this is the issue you think of.

Quote:Running on Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS, kernel: Linux x86 32-bit version 3.13.0-45-lowlatency

^^ sure you need that?

Well I always run the lowlatency kernel since it seems to run better. Perhaps I should try the generic kernel? I do need i386 builds as my ION hardware is 32-bit only.

tried to access the log but no luck. we should advertise not to use xbmclogs.com anymore. This site does not work for more than 50% of the attempts.

Hmm. Pastebin says the log is too big. I don't want to pay for a Pro account. Any suggestions?