[primaeval]

I think everything is actually ok.

I forgot that Audacity dithers wav files by default, so I was actually generating some white noise in my 'silence' wav files. I am pretty sure all 32 bits are being sent because the white noise was less in a 24 bit wav file and almost inaudible in a 32bit wav file. The flac files actually seem to contain silence.

The other noise I was hearing was from the Keep Alive setting in Audio. I have a vague recollection that it was intentional to stop some DACs detecting silence. If I turn it off sometimes my DAC takes a few seconds to ramp up the volume from auto mute.

I couldn't see what bit depth was default in the xbmc.log file.

[popcornmix]

You will see something like:

Code:

23:30:21 4072.014893 T:3048199264   DEBUG: CActiveAESink::OpenSink - SinkPi Initialized:
23:30:21 4072.015137 T:3048199264   DEBUG:   Output Device : HDMI
23:30:21 4072.015381 T:3048199264   DEBUG:   Sample Rate   : 44100
23:30:21 4072.015625 T:3048199264   DEBUG:   Sample Format : AE_FMT_FLOAT
23:30:21 4072.015625 T:3048199264   DEBUG:   Channel Count : 2
23:30:21 4072.015869 T:3048199264   DEBUG:   Channel Layout: FL,FR
23:30:21 4072.016113 T:3048199264   DEBUG:   Frames        : 4410
23:30:21 4072.016357 T:3048199264   DEBUG:   Frame Samples : 8820
23:30:21 4072.016357 T:3048199264   DEBUG:   Frame Size    : 8

when you play a file. The "Sample Format : AE_FMT_FLOAT" will show the bit depth. It may say something like AE_FMT_S24 for 24-bit.

[primaeval]

I can produce different Sample Rates but the Sample Format always stays the same if I try 16, 24 or 32 bit wav files.
Here is how it starts.

Code:

17:09:57  72.513817 T:3028599872   DEBUG: CActiveAESink::OpenSink - ALSA Initialized:
17:09:57  72.513969 T:3028599872   DEBUG:   Output Device : Default (snd_rpi_hifiberry_dac Analog)
17:09:57  72.514114 T:3028599872   DEBUG:   Sample Rate   : 44100
17:09:57  72.514320 T:3028599872   DEBUG:   Sample Format : AE_FMT_S32NE
17:09:57  72.514488 T:3028599872   DEBUG:   Channel Count : 2
17:09:57  72.514641 T:3028599872   DEBUG:   Channel Layout: FL,FR
17:09:57  72.514786 T:3028599872   DEBUG:   Frames        : 2205
17:09:57  72.514954 T:3028599872   DEBUG:   Frame Samples : 4410
17:09:57  72.515091 T:3028599872   DEBUG:   Frame Size    : 8

[popcornmix]

I can produce different Sample Rates but the Sample Format always stays the same if I try 16, 24 or 32 bit wav files.
Here is how it starts.

Yes, that's what I thought. It always outputs 32-bit audio. Is that a problem?

[primaeval]

It isn't a problem. The ES9008 24 bit dac can handle 32bit input fine, it just ignores 8 of them.
I get no noise now. I double checked my input wav files this time. They are full of zeros now. That will teach me to blindly trust my test files. Beware of dithering.
Thanks for the help.

[0xFF]

@popcornmix is this patch for HifiBerry going to be integrated into the master XBMC at some point?

Gotham has been frozen for some time, so not until Gotham is released. Hopefully after that.
(There will be Gotham test builds that include the patches).

Is there chance to include HifiBerry/ALSA support in new 13.1 beta1 Gotham release?

[popcornmix]

Is there chance to include HifiBerry/ALSA support in new 13.1 beta1 Gotham release?

I believe openelec has picked up the required patches so this does work in openelec 4.

[0xFF]

I believe openelec has picked up the required patches so this does work in openelec 4.

Does it mean only Openelec will support this feature or it will be available in official XBMC repo?

[popcornmix]

Does it mean only Openelec will support this feature or it will be available in official XBMC repo?

It's not in mainline xbmc yet.
It's in raspbmc.
It's in my gotham_rbp_backports branch if you want to make a custom build.

[0xFF]

It's not in mainline xbmc yet.
It's in raspbmc.
It's in my gotham_rbp_backports branch if you want to make a custom build.

OK, thanks for explanation ;-)

[spookybathtub]

I've been using a Milhouse build for months with a HiFi Berry, but I'd like to upgrade to an official release when possible. I read somewhere HiFiBerry is officially supported since 4.1.5 - can someone please confirm that? I only have one SD card right now, so I don't want to test.