[LINUX] HOW-TO get Digital Audio Pass-Through Output working on Linux with XBMC - Printable Version +- Kodi Community Forum (https://forum.kodi.tv) +-- Forum: Support (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=33) +--- Forum: General Support (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=111) +---- Forum: Linux (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=52) +---- Thread: [LINUX] HOW-TO get Digital Audio Pass-Through Output working on Linux with XBMC (/showthread.php?tid=83614) |
[LINUX] HOW-TO get Digital Audio Pass-Through Output working on Linux with XBMC - xbmcuser01 - 2010-10-20 [additional tags: IEC9958, DD 5.1, pas through, passtru, Dolby Surround] I see that a lot of people have trouble getting digital audio pass through to a Doly Digital/DTS capable amplifier/receiver via s/pdif (Sony/Philips digital interface) working in XBMC. I had these troubles too. Mostly because Pulseaudio does not support passtru (what a piece of crap!). I had to give the same advise over and over again so I thought: "I'll write my tips 'n' hints in one post to refer to each time.". Well, this is it. Beware: I'm no developer and no expert what so ever! This post will contain errors and mistakes and it's not guaranteed that it will solve your specific probelem. 1. To get digital audio pass through from a computer running Linux and XBMC
2. Remarks
3. For XBMC Live users (pass tru doesn't seem to work as of yet... ) WIP (work in progress). What I tried so far:
Good luck! P.S. Maybe a moderator can make this sticky if it proves to be useful. - aeiah - 2010-10-20 gnome-alsamixer? you may find people on here who aren't very experienced with linux, and also dont have gnome installed (i assume live doesn't have gnome, and people will follow barebones install tutorials wont either) probably better just to suggest alsamixer, since its cli but still easy to use. gnome-alsamixer will just pull loads of gtk and gnome dependencies down from the interwebs. - uomiarz - 2010-10-20 xbmcuse01 - thx and here is some additional info: First thing everybody should do (if problem with audio comes up) is update ALSA. Topic on ubuntu forum explains in details on how to update and test. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6589810#post6589810 - xbmcuser01 - 2010-10-20 aeiah Wrote:gnome-alsamixer? you may find people on here who aren't very experienced with linux, and also dont have gnome installed (i assume live doesn't have gnome, and people will follow barebones install tutorials wont either)Indeed, if you don't have Gnome installed then Gnome's version of Alsamixer is too much trouble. I wrote the How To for myself and Ubuntu: standard Gnome you know... Anyway, edited my How To to read: "(gnome-)alsamixer". And there's Alsamixergui etc. And @Uomiarz: thanks for the advice and the link about updating Alsa! - Angi321 - 2010-10-22 Hi xbmcuser01, By the procedure above, do you still have XBMC sounds effects that come with the skins? Also, is the sound OK when using for example the VLC, without XBMC? - titanUK - 2010-10-22 Hmm will try this out, I only get navigation and music sounds on XBMC and everytime I play a movie I get audio device failed. Tried everything! Running Full desktop Lucid and XBMC on top on Acer Revo via HDMI. - xbmcuser01 - 2010-10-22 Angi321 Wrote:Hi xbmcuser01,I'm afraid sound effects are gone this way... Sorry. However, everything that has to do w/ sound of course still works as one still does have all the audio card drivers (= alsa). [not sure about the following part:] The sound daemon running in the background that enables directing sound to multiple appps at the time (= pulse or gstreamer) is no more. - xbmcuser01 - 2010-10-22 titanUK Wrote:Hmm will try this out, I only get navigation and music sounds on XBMC and everytime I play a movie I get audio device failed. Tried everything! Running Full desktop Lucid and XBMC on top on Acer Revo via HDMI.Then you really should try this. I had the exact same prob. you describe. - Angi321 - 2010-10-23 xbmcuser01 Wrote:I'm afraid sound effects are gone this way... Sorry. However, everything that has to do w/ sound of course still works as one still does have all the audio card drivers (= alsa). [not sure about the following part:] The sound daemon running in the background that enables directing sound to multiple appps at the time (= pulse or gstreamer) is no more. Then it is a partial fix, XBMC does not work fully and this is not the proper setup. In fact you do not need to purge pulse. If you set it up in sounds to analog output, then XBMC will use Alsa and have the DTS, AC3, etc but not xbmc sounds. The key here is to use both. I remember that I read a thread where it was a scrip (if I remember correctly) that disabled pulse for a limited time while xbmc was starting and in one point (before reformating the HD) I could make it to work both pulse and also in xbmc. I tried to find this thread and I couldn't find it. What a bugger! That thread was a good idea to be a sticky. - xbmcuser01 - 2010-10-23 Angi321 Wrote:[...] while xbmc was starting and in one point (before reformating the HD) I could make it to work both pulse and also in xbmc.Xbmc is an application and it does NOT format 'yer hard drive when it starts... I think you mean something else, but what? - xbmcuser01 - 2010-10-28 Added more and more info from several topics. Can a mod change the title that appears in the topic lists (because it contains a typo now)? And, if acceptable, maybe make it sticky? - ravedog - 2010-10-29 I have this issue ofc and i tried it all here still no sound. I then went for the alsa upgrade script, totaly made the ubuntu hang instead. I think the xbmc live version also uses alsa 1.0.23 and that also hangs my system. so weird..... After reverting for that script, the usb card isnt found at all anymore. I have a Sweex 7.1 usb card (C-Media CM6206 ). Anyone at all got that chipset to work? br, Ravee - xbmcuser01 - 2010-10-29 ravedog Wrote:I have a Sweex 7.1 usb card (C-Media CM6206 ). Anyone at all got that chipset to work?Thats an USB audio card isn't it? Its supposed to work, be it that s/pdif output isn't all that great... - ravedog - 2010-10-29 Hi mate, Yeah its an usb card. I only get menu sounds sometimes, and distortion sounds (buzzes). This is the card: http://www.sweex.com/en/assortiment/sound-vision/sound-cards/SC016 It only shows up in alsamixer when i got the integrated card activated in bios, else it does not show up at all. And when it does it only have a few settings (four sliders). Thanks in advance, PS. Thanks for a good guide btw, appreciate it! Ds. Ravee - uomiarz - 2010-10-29 @ravedog sounds like you have one then more device (ubuntu sees your usb camera as sound device for example) and then every time you reboot ubuntu puts them in a different order so when you issue alsamixer command (which by default pics first device) sometimes it works and sometimes not Code: aplay -l will show you how many devices alsa sees, you should see something like: card 0 ... ... card 1 ... ... so then when you do alsmixer make sure you specify correct sound device Code: alsamixer -c 0 Code: alsamixer -c 1 etc... also once you are in alsamixer you can press F6 to see list of cards being recognized if ubuntu mixes device numbers on bootup every time, then your settings in xbmc will always be wrong (that was my case) so then you have to force alsa to give same card numbers to given sound devices at bootup check if this is your case and we can go through forcing how to force alsa correct numbers every bootup |