[Killjoy Industries]

I had an issue with the codec in the mx player app itself. Passthrough would not work, picture but no sound. Turn passthrough off and the sound plays no problem. Here is how I fixed it. Open mx player and go to settings, go to decoder and scroll down to custom codec. My version was ARMV7 NEON. Go to the play store and download the version of the mx player codec you need. Install it. Problem solved.

[diodorus]

I have a Sony 43XD8099, updated to android 7.0. I read various recent thread (haven't done it on this subject for a month or two), and understand there is still no solution.

What I'd like someone to explain in relatively simple terms is how the Archos Video app is (or seems?) capable of doing 5.1 PT, at least with these files:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/teri50tbui2ty...aLCca?dl=0

Thanks!

[rontonomo]

because of the limited firmware on the tv itself... in the future don't worry about android on the tv itself and buy and decent android player like nvidia shield tv box then you be able to have a much much better experience

[diodorus]

because of the limited firmware on the tv itself...

But the Archos app is on the same TV...!

[Gracus]

because of the limited firmware on the tv itself...

But the Archos app is on the same TV...!

Kodi use only android standard API

Your android firmware does not respect these standards (not new on sony TV)

The archos app has probably been made to work without using the android standard API

[CiNcH]

Archos app can do PCM hack...

[janci]

Just quick report that SHITTY passthrough works fine on my Sony KD-55XD8005 -> optical -> Onkyo TX-SR605 even with the latest shitty build as of today and the latest Sony firmware based on Android 7 Nougat. In other words it works the same as with previous Sony Android 6 Marshmallow and older shitty v17.0.

I didn't even bother to try non-shitty version as I read on Sony forums that Mediatek bugs were not fixed in Nougat, but I'm glad my shitty solution wasn't broken with the latest Kodi build and latest Sony Android.

Hi oo.viper.oo,
What settings do you use for the shitty version, I guess the version is 2505? I'm with KD-XE498077 and after update to 7.0, even the old hack with always transcode to AC3 < 640 kbps does not work. Of course the build in app, and apps like Netflix work as expected. Passthrough to TV (HDMI) and then from TV to receiver (S/PDIF) works perfect though - any format, DD, DTS, AC3 640 kbps, anything Sound coming from an app on the TV - now this is the problem.

Ok,

Kodi version used: kodi-20170525-b2b9d8b-shitty-armeabi-v7a.apk
SONY version used: Android 7.0 BRAVIA_ATV2_EU-user 7.0 NRD91N.S36 1.6.0.26.02.1.00
-------------------------------------------
Kodi System/Audio settings (loosely translated from my language to English):

Number of channels: 2
Configuration of output: best match
Remaining settings not relevant, or so I think

Enable passthrough: yes
Receiver compatible with Dolby Digital: yes
- enable transcoding to Dolby Digital: yes
Receiver compatible with Dolby Digital Plus: no
Receiver compatible with DTS: yes
Receiver compatible with ... all other stuff: no (well, it is compatible, but this stuff can't be passed through optical)

Enable DSP processing: no
-------------------------------------------
SONY TV Audio settings:

Output: audio system
Preference of audio system: yes
Headphones output/audio output: audio output (fixed)
Output for headphones or speaker: enabled (this option is greyed out)
Home theater control - not relevant
System sounds: disabled
Digital audio output: Auto 1
TV position: stand - don't think it's relevant

-------------------------------------------
With above, I get:

DD is passed through as DD
DTS is passed through as DTS
AAC is transcoded to DD

Hi everyone, i would like to add my 5 cents, I would like this to be solved as I love Kodi
With above settings (and many, many, many other combinations) I get:

DD as silence
DTS as silence
AAC havent tested

KODI version 17.4:20170822-7fc6da0
TV Sony KD-65XD7505
Receiver Onkyo TX-NR616
using HDMI (ARC)

I have tried almost every decent player from the playstore and found that Archos video player and the native Sony video player are able to pass through both DD and DTS. (only with Digital audio output: Auto 2 )

[rontonomo]

save yourself the trouble and just go and get a shield tv. the end result will be on a whole different level especially because your receiver supports all audio codecs and shield tv works with all codecs. i personally would never use audio return channel because it cause to many issues with different devices,

[wrxtasy]

The Shield does not support HDR VP9 profile 2 (aka HDR Youtube) - so it does not "work with all codecs". Some modern 4K HDR TV's do.

A better Kodi only option would be a 4K AMLogic S905X LibreELEC Kodi Krypton box & a quality Plug N Play Wireless remote.

You then avoid a bunch of Android OS limitations all together. Like external Android media players lack of Auto 1080p / 4K resolution switching, and the Shield's poor quality Kodi Krypton 1080p > 4K upscaling picture outputs.

Use the Smart TV for light - Netflix, Amazon Video, Youtube etc - casual Android TV Apps use only and leave ALL Kodi and HD Audio duties to LibreELEC.

This is called playing to Hardware media player device strengths and keeping it simple in the process.

[JonSnow88]

Sorry to bring up a dead thread, but I would like to say I was able to get proper DTS, AAC and Dolby using the below builds on my Sony X900E running the latest Android 7 firmware.
kodi-20170819-caa0c87-dtsshittyonly-armeabi-v7a.apk
kodi-20170827-1ef7165-shitty-armeabi-v7a.apk

Hopefully this hack still works in the future or Mediatek/Sony actually fix it, I didn't want to purchase another box just for HDR since i already have a s905 box (yes i understand we don't have HDR content other than demos).

[migube]

Hi Jonsnow88, what I'm afraid off is that newest Kodi 15.x would stop supporting this hack ?
Then we'd still have issues that Sony should implement the standard official way of doing this.
I opened a ticket to Belgian Sony support and they just don't know what I'm talking about
Not helpfull to get Sony to see users suffering...
(if anyone got his issue recognized in another country, let us know
tx

[lesmikesell]

Should the stock Kodi 1.7 (current from play store) play DD 5.1 on a Sony TV?   Plex seems to play all of mine without transcoding (and does server-side trancoding for DTS) but when I set Kodi for 5.1 and passthrough I get no sound at all and most of the other options send 2-channel lcpm when playing the same content.  Did I miss some other setting that Plex does by default?

[CiNcH]

You have to wait until Kodi 17.5 in case your Sony is on Android Nougat. Official Kodi 17.4 forces IEC API which the MediaTek audio driver does not implement.

[lesmikesell]

Thanks, the last update from the google play store seems to have fixed it.   DD 5.1 passthrough is working, with DTS or 6-channel AAC being transcoded nicely.   I was confused by this very long thread with people saying it should work on a  Sony with certain settings without specifying version numbers when in fact the released version would not do that.

[lesmikesell]

Has anyone compared the kodi client-side transcoding to Plex doing it server-side?    My ears aren't that great but my first impression is that kodi sounds better with my concert videos where DTS is being transcoded to DD 5.1.   Could they be using a different output bitrate or is this my imagination?