2013-02-11, 14:32
Here are some further thoughts I've had on this.
Why do we need both and Audio output device and Passthrough output device on Frodo? There was only one output device selection on Eden so was there a specific reason for the introduction of separate output devices for decode and passthrough? The only use case I can think of is if HDMI is connected to TV for video playback and SPDIF is connect to amp for music playback, in which why not have Music output device for PAPlayer and Video output device for DVDPlayer instead?
XBMC enumerates devices so why not use this information to set the defaults? anything not supported according to enumeration should not be selectable . Thus a system that can't do DTS-HD won't allow a user to select that option and then wonder why they get crappy video playback, and similarly don't allow the number of channels according to Speaker configuration to be set above what the enumeration reports the hardware can support.
Why also is there need of Audio Output with Analog/SPDIF/HDMI choices, this again is confusing to users while not seeming to really offer anything other than telling XBMC the LPCM capabilities, but again this information could potentially be gathered from the selected audio device and the enumeration.
IMHO the Audio Output screen should be something like:
The capable receiver items are confusing as presently implemented but worth retaining to allow people the choice of XBMC decode or passthrough, so my solution is to move them from the main Audio Ouput screen to a new Passthrough settings screen selected from within Audio Output. This cleans up the Audio Output screen whilst still retaining choice for more advanced users, in case they want to override what the enumeration has selected as enabled for passthrough so that XBMC can decode. Any format not supported according to enumeration would be greyed out and not selectable so XBMC always decodes.
Why do we need both and Audio output device and Passthrough output device on Frodo? There was only one output device selection on Eden so was there a specific reason for the introduction of separate output devices for decode and passthrough? The only use case I can think of is if HDMI is connected to TV for video playback and SPDIF is connect to amp for music playback, in which why not have Music output device for PAPlayer and Video output device for DVDPlayer instead?
XBMC enumerates devices so why not use this information to set the defaults? anything not supported according to enumeration should not be selectable . Thus a system that can't do DTS-HD won't allow a user to select that option and then wonder why they get crappy video playback, and similarly don't allow the number of channels according to Speaker configuration to be set above what the enumeration reports the hardware can support.
Why also is there need of Audio Output with Analog/SPDIF/HDMI choices, this again is confusing to users while not seeming to really offer anything other than telling XBMC the LPCM capabilities, but again this information could potentially be gathered from the selected audio device and the enumeration.
IMHO the Audio Output screen should be something like:
Code:
[Audio Output screeen]
*Audio Output Device:
*Speaker configuration
*Boost volume level on downmix
*Output stereo to all speakers
*Play GUI sounds
*Passthrough settings ->
[Passthrough settings screen]
- Dolby Digital (AC3) capable receiver
- DTS capable receiver
- AAC capable receiver (this doesn't appear to do anything)
- MultiChannel LPCM capable receiver
- TrueHD capable receiver
- DTS-HD capable receiverThe capable receiver items are confusing as presently implemented but worth retaining to allow people the choice of XBMC decode or passthrough, so my solution is to move them from the main Audio Ouput screen to a new Passthrough settings screen selected from within Audio Output. This cleans up the Audio Output screen whilst still retaining choice for more advanced users, in case they want to override what the enumeration has selected as enabled for passthrough so that XBMC can decode. Any format not supported according to enumeration would be greyed out and not selectable so XBMC always decodes.
