[cw-kid]

Hi

Hoping someone can help me, I have a problem with one of my TVs and for some unknown reason it cannot handle HDMI audio being outputted from the XBMC PC, which is Ubuntu 12.10 minimal / XBMC V12.1

So I'd like to use the green 3.5mm port on the back of the PC and output analog audio to the DVI / Audio in on the back of the TV.

I have connected the analog cable and changed the audio output device in XBMC system settings to be the Analog device, there are two analog devices listed I have tried both, but I get no sound.

Been in to Alsamixer and unmuted everything.

Using an Intel DH67CF itx media motherboard.

Is there anything else I need to do to enable analog audio output ?

Thanks.

[cw-kid]

xbmc@xbmc02:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC892 Analog [ALC892 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 1: ALC892 Digital [ALC892 Digital]
Subdevices: 0/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
xbmc@xbmc02:~$

[cw-kid]

Code:

xbmc@xbmc02:~$ aplay -L
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
sysdefault:CARD=PCH
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Digital
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0
    HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=1
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 1
    HDMI Audio Output
dmix:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=PCH,DEV=1
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Digital
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=PCH,DEV=3
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=PCH,DEV=7
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 1
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=PCH,DEV=1
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Digital
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=PCH,DEV=3
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=PCH,DEV=7
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 1
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=1
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Digital
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=3
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=7
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 1
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Analog
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=PCH,DEV=1
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC892 Digital
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=PCH,DEV=3
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=PCH,DEV=7
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 1
    Hardware device with all software conversions
xbmc@xbmc02:~$

[cw-kid]

This is interesting, If I bootup the XBMC PC and once on the XBMC main menu, I then unplug the HDMI cable leaving just the analog 3.5 mm audio cable connected from back of PC to TV, if I then select either analog audio output device from the XBMC Audio Settings:

HDA INTEL PCH, ALC0892 ANALOG
DEFAULT (HDA INTEL PCH, ALC0892 ANALOG)

then it works, I can hear through the TV speakers the music track I am playing in XBMC via analog audio out !

However when I plug the HDMI cable back in to the PC the music can no longer be heard, so the HDMI connection is taking priority over Analog audio.

For this particular setup I need Video via HDMI and Audio via analog 3.5mm out.

[cw-kid]

Seems I need to be using Device 0

card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC892 Analog [ALC892 Analog]

If I use this command in Terminal (Whilst HDMI cable unplugged) I can hear the test sound on the TV speakers

speaker-test -D plughw:0,0 -c 2

This test command also works:

aplay -D plughw:0,0 /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav

So I guess I just need a way to make Audio Device 0 the default device and so it does not use the HDMI device for audio. If I knew how to do that, that is.

[nickr]

Your tv may be turning off analog when it detects hdmi. You may be able to switch the tv to analog when hdmi is plugged in. Read the manual.

[cw-kid]

Your tv may be turning off analog when it detects hdmi. You may be able to switch the tv to analog when hdmi is plugged in. Read the manual.

Possibly but I am using the HDMI port on the TV that is meant for DVI / Analog audio in. I could not see anything related in the TVs menus.

What if I connected the green 3.5mm analog port on the PC to a stereo amplifier and the HDMI to the TV as a test ?

Can't believe it is so difficult to just get analog audio working from PC.

Thanks

[nickr]

Plug some headphones in to the green socket and see if anything is coming out.

The dvi port should be the right one but I seem to recall something in my samsung manual about switching between the analog and hdmi audio via some setting. If I can find the manual I'll take a look. I have an lg, panasonic, samsung and a sony. Trying to remember which one has what settings is not easy.

[cw-kid]

I think this is the only thing in the manual related:

DVI IN (HDMI 2) (AUDIO R/L)
- When connecting this product via HDMI or DVI to a Set Top Box, DVD Player or Games Console
etc, make sure that it has been set to a compatible video output mode as shown in the table
below. Failure to observe this may result in picture distortion, image breakup or no picture.
- When using an HDMI/DVI cable connection, it is only possible from the HDMI 2 terminal.
You should use the DVI-to-HDMI cable or DVI-HDMI Adapter for the connection, and the
“R - AUDIO - L” terminal on DVI for sound output.

TV is a Samsung 37" LE37R88BDX-XEU

I will try the headphones if I find some, not sure where they are at the minute.

Thanks

[nickr]

Downloaded your manual and couldn't see anything about switching audio so I hope I haven't led you up a garden path...

PS you do have the right sockets on the back of the TV? there is audio out right next to audio in.

Also external speakers (like computer ones) would test as easily as headphones.

[cw-kid]

Yes using audio in RCAs on back of the TV not audio out which are right next to it as you say.

Thanks for your input though!!

[cw-kid]

I seem to be making a little progress, XBMC is all setup for Analog audio out.

I plugged in some head phones and they worked.

I then plugged the PC in to a stereo amplifier which is in my bedroom and connects to the ceiling speakers and that works

I then plugged it in to the Samsung TV and it does not work, no sound, I then pressed the Volume up on the TV remote and for a split second I can hear the music that is playing in XBMC, if I hold down the volume up button its kinda hard to explain I can hear crackling / popping but that's not the right description for it, sounds more like its stuttering, the audio cutting in and out.

This is the exact same thing that happens when I send HDMI audio from XBMC PC to this particular Samsung TV, which is why I wanted to get the analog out working in the first place.

For some unknown reason the TV just does not seem to like the audio output coming from XBMC, whether it's HDMI audio or analog audio as I have just found out.

I can probably live with just connecting the XBMC PC to the stereo amplifier using the analog out until I get a new TV set.

Ideally I would have set it up like this:

PC - HDMI to TV for Video and Audio
TV - Audio out to Stereo Amp in

That way I can either just have the sound coming from the inbuilt TV speakers or if I turn on the stereo amp then the sounds comes out of ceiling speakers.

I can't think why this particular Samsung TV is problematic? I know its a bit old now, but It worked perfectly OK with Windows MCE and HDMI.

Cheers

[nickr]

Maybe the tv is at fault after all? Can you try plugging something else into the analog audio in of the TV? ipod/mp3 player perhaps?

Another option might be VGA and the accompanying audio in, although many TV VGA's don't have as good resolution options as HDMI.

[cw-kid]

Maybe the tv is at fault after all? Can you try plugging something else into the analog audio in of the TV? ipod/mp3 player perhaps?

Another option might be VGA and the accompanying audio in, although many TV VGA's don't have as good resolution options as HDMI.

No VGA on the itx motherboard.

Thinking about it, a few days ago I did plug in an Android tablet to the DVI audio in on the TV and it did the same thing no sound and then this stuttering thing if I held down the Vol up or down buttons on the TV remote.

I also connected my laptop to the TV via VGA and the audio input which is a different one I think for VGA and that worked OK, music playback on laptop came out of TV speakers OK.

Something not right with the TV I think, although I did try re-connecting the old Windows MCE PC and that still worked OK audio wise via HDMI, but the XBMC PC does not work.

I did also go in to the service menu and reset the TV back to factory defaults and setup again etc.

Guess I need a new TV, which will have to wait till I am feeling flush with $

[nickr]

Or, as you say in your other thread, swap with your father