[Matje123]

Hi all,

You guys are my final resort, as I am having troubles with sound dissappearing for a few seconds now and then when using XBMC on Raspberry Pi. The trouble started when I connected my new Sonos Playbar (with an Optical cable to my Philips TV). The sound issue does not happen when using my set-top box or Playstation though, and I rember having this issue when running XBMC before on a different platform and on a different soundbar (also connected with an optical cable). But when I use my TV speakers, this issue does not happen.

So when I use other sources my set-up works flawlesly so I do not see an issue with either optical cable, sound through-put from TV or Playbar. But when I use my TV speakers the sound does not drop once, so also my Raspberry Pi and the HDMi connection to the TV should be alright.... So basically..... HELP!

Anyone had this issue, knows what it could be, or could just offer emotional support as I am about to lose it...?

Edit: Some more info: Im running OpenELEC. I played around with :

- Adjust display refresh rate to match video --> No difference
- Enable / Disable Passthrough --> no difference

I searched the forum and found that I am not alone, and that the issue occurs only when using an AMP / Soundbar, etc.. I could not find any solution though, so would be grateful if this issue could be solved..

Thanks!

[popcornmix]

No definite ideas, but you can try a few things.
You could try the config_hdmi_boost option from here:
http://elinux.org/R-Pi_Troubleshooting#I...VI_monitor

You could try disabling "adjust display refresh rate..." and explicitly setting a resolution/refresh rate.
E.g. does 720p or a lower/higher refresh rate behave any differently?

You could try enabling "sync playback to display", and try the different sync methods.

What version of OE are you running? You could try the latest Helix RC build (and there should be a Helix final any day now).

[User 203163]

I have had the same problem and I'm upgrading every other day to the latest Kodi build and doing a fresh install about every month using no customizations other than medium overclock, hdmi_force_hotplug=1 and my licenses for codec.

My RPi is connected to my Denon AVR-4520 surround receiver using a HQ 50cm HDMI-cable and then from the Denon to my Samsung 55" Curved H8 using a 1.2m HDMI.

The sound is cutting out at what it seems random occations and always for 1-2 seconds. Video is perfect. I noticed that not every movie is having this problem but nearly 50% of what I download from various sources.

I was using the option "Enable Passthrough" but it still cut out so I changed the System / Audio setting to "Outsignal - fixed", "5.1" "Limit sampling - 48khz" (it disables the Passthrough) now it doesn't cut the audio.
I don't know if this is the best approach but I didn't want to mess with the HDMI_BOOST stuff in case I fry something expensive.

My Kodi is in Swedish so the menu options might have slightly different names.

[popcornmix]

I was using the option "Enable Passthrough" but it still cut out so I changed the System / Audio setting to "Outsignal - fixed", "5.1" "Limit sampling - 48khz" (it disables the Passthrough) now it doesn't cut the audio.

Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. What frequency/number of channels was the audio in the file with dropouts?

Can you try the suggestions I mentioned. The boost option won't fry anything.

[User 203163]

Okay I've flipped around with the settings and the boost hdmi does nothing in my case. But I think I found a setting that I had wrong on my RPi.
The refresh rates had nothing to do with it.

In Passthrough I had DD-AC3 Compatible receiver AND DD-Transcoding enabled.
Just unchecking the Transcoding seems to do the trick.
So under passthrough I now have:

- Dolby Digital (AC3) Compatible Receiver

- Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3) Compatible Receiver

- DTS Compatible Receiver

[popcornmix]

In Passthrough I had DD-AC3 Compatible receiver AND DD-Transcoding enabled.

The transcoding option that includes the help text:
"Not recommended on Pi as this requires a lot of CPU"...

[User 203163]

The transcoding option that includes the help text:
"Not recommended on Pi as this requires a lot of CPU"...

Uhh yep

But unfortunately that wasn't it.
The same movie had sound dropouts again after RPi reboot.

When I disable passthrough everything is ok.

[popcornmix]

As I said earlier:

You could try disabling "adjust display refresh rate..." and explicitly setting a resolution/refresh rate.
E.g. does 720p or a lower/higher refresh rate behave any differently?

You could try enabling "sync playback to display", and try the different sync methods.

What version of OE are you running? You could try the latest Helix RC build (and there should be a Helix final any day now).
pm find

[JaztheRaz]

I am having the same problem with Audio dropping out.

I have a PI Running Openelec 3.2, have been running this since 3.2 came out with no problems Audio or Video

Over Christmas I thought I would load my spare pi up with Kodi Openelec R5. But when I play back AC3 files or MP4 files I get audio drop out. Not tried DTS yet.

I have played with most of the settings with no improvement. (The files are form the same NAS as my 3.2 Pi)

I tried RASPBMC the other night and that seemed ok (can’t get the Remote.xmls files to work in XBMC” so would rather stick with Openelec).

The drop out are random and if you replay the same section the audio drop does not occure in the same place.

Its very frustrating. Where is the Transcoding option?

Regards Jaz

[Milhouse]

Provide a sample file. Or a debug log (wiki). At the very least, the mediainfo for one or more of the files you're having problems with. Even try describing what type of amplifier you're connecting to (make, model, brand).

Why do you think transcoding on a Raspberry Pi is likely to help you?

[popcornmix]

@jaz have you tried all the suggestions in post 2?

[JaztheRaz]

Provide a sample file. Or a debug log (wiki). At the very least, the mediainfo for one or more of the files you're having problems with. Even try describing what type of amplifier you're connecting to (make, model, brand).

Why do you think transcoding on a Raspberry Pi is likely to help you?

Saw this in post above "Posted by IntelSwe - 2015-01-06 18:15"

Quote:
The transcoding option that includes the help text:
"Not recommended on Pi as this requires a lot of CPU"...

I have not seen that setting!

[Mattx]

Hi there!
I've got just the same problem with AC3 files. Sound interrupts every few seconds...5 seconds sound followed by 5 seconds no sound. My Onkyo Receiver switches from DD to analog in this period of silence, but no output.
Tried everything without success: Only way out of this is a reboot. It seems the problem does NOT turn up, IF the file is the first one on Kodi. Once I watch another file -> problem with these files.

- All the files are A_AC3.
- Affected are only a small number of files, about 10%
- No problems with AAC, DTS, nothing to do with file size or Video Codec,
- No load problem, only passthrough
- play fine with all other players
- changed HDMI cable
- checked and tried every setting on Receiver, and Kodi (vid an audio)
- started with Kodi release
- raspbmc on Pi B+
- other files working like a charm, even bitrates up to 10k and DTS 7.1 with a CPU load around 50% (h264).

Log messages I get:
ERROR: OMXPlayerVideo: Got MSGQ_IS_ERROR(-1) Aborting
WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(player):ut MSGQ_NOT_INITIALIZED
WARNING: CRenderManager::WaitForBuffer - timeout waiting for buffer
WARNING: Previous line repeats 1 times.
But these lines exist within working files, too.

Only way ist to completely reboot and play these files before starting another video.
Another thing ist, that I have 2 or 3 picture dropouts at the beginning of some videos, but just in the first seconds. After that the files play without problems. Maybe some sort of calibration or adaption.
Maybe someone has an idea or something..
Thanx and Greetings!

[popcornmix]

I've got just the same problem with AC3 files. Sound interrupts every few seconds...5 seconds sound followed by 5 seconds no sound. My Onkyo Receiver switches from DD to analog in this period of silence, but no output.

Does the problem exist with "adjust refresh rate to match video" disabled?
Have you tried config_hdmi_boost from here?

[Mattx]

Have you tried config_hdmi_boost from here?

Yes. Doesn't work. But ->

Does the problem exist with "adjust refresh rate to match video" disabled?

Did the trick. *duck*
I swear an oath I tried this before many times. At least I believe, somehow...weird, double damn... *urrgghh*
OK, I'm an idiot. Sorry for the trouble and thanx for your time!

Comparing a few files there seems to be a pattern: AFAI can say, the "bad" files all have a frame rate of 29.97 fps, whyever. I'm going to to check the whole thing on saturday.
Thank you very much! (Can't use the reputation system as a new member...)