[mossman1120]

I am running a fresh install of kubuntu 18.04.1 and Kodi 17.6 (installed via stable ppa) on an ASRock Fatal1ty Z370 Gaming ITX/ac with a i7-8700K CPU using kernel 4.19.4-041904-generic. The htpc is connected to a Yamaha RX-V867 receiver. I am unable to get pass-thought audio output of DTS-HD / Dolby TrueHD. Standard Dolby Digital / Dolby Digital Plus / DTS works with out issue. I have pulse audio disabled and running with only ALSA.

I have a similar set up but with and older htpc running xbuntu 16.04 using a 7th general i7 and kodi 17.6. This setup is able to pass-thought the DTS-HD / Dolby TrueHD without issue. The same receiver as above is being used.

In terms of trouble shooting I have tried stock 4.15 kernel, along with 4.16, and finally 4.19. I have used the alsa test command shown below which correctly outputs a test sound to each channel.

Code:


speaker-test -D hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=2 -c 8


Here is a copy of the debug log captured from startup, attempted playing of a video with a DTS-HD stream, and finally shutdown.
https://paste.kodi.tv/omomawahux.kodi

This is the connection being used by kodi to pass-thought the audio:

Code:


07:50:18.512 T:139877450536128  NOTICE:     Device 7
07:50:18.512 T:139877450536128  NOTICE:         m_deviceName      : hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=2
07:50:18.512 T:139877450536128  NOTICE:         m_displayName     : HDA Intel PCH
07:50:18.512 T:139877450536128  NOTICE:         m_displayNameExtra: SAM SAMSUNG on DisplayPort #2
07:50:18.512 T:139877450536128  NOTICE:         m_deviceType      : AE_DEVTYPE_HDMI
07:50:18.512 T:139877450536128  NOTICE:         m_channels        : FL,FR,LFE,FC,BL,BR,BC,BLOC,BROC
07:50:18.512 T:139877450536128  NOTICE:         m_sampleRates     : 32000,44100,48000,88200,96000,176400,192000
07:50:18.512 T:139877450536128  NOTICE:         m_dataFormats     : AE_FMT_RAW,AE_FMT_S32NE,AE_FMT_S16NE,AE_FMT_S16LE,AE_FMT_RAW
07:50:18.512 T:139877450536128  NOTICE:         m_streamTypes     : STREAM_TYPE_AC3,STREAM_TYPE_DTSHD,STREAM_TYPE_DTSHD_CORE,STREAM_TYPE_DTS_1024,STREAM_TYPE_DTS_2048,STREAM_TYPE_DTS_512,STREAM_TYPE_EAC3,STREAM_TYPE_TRUEHD


This is what ALSA shows when trying to sort out the audio information:

Code:


07:50:23.162 T:139876873586432   DEBUG: CActiveAESink::OpenSink - trying to open device ALSA:hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=2
07:50:23.162 T:139876873586432    INFO: CAESinkALSA::Initialize - Attempting to open device "hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=2"
07:50:23.166 T:139876873586432    INFO: CAESinkALSA::Initialize - Opened device "hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=2,AES0=0x06,AES1=0x82,AES2=0x00,AES3=0x09"
07:50:23.166 T:139876873586432   DEBUG: CAESinkALSA::InitializeHW - Request: periodSize 1024, bufferSize 4096
07:50:23.176 T:139876873586432   DEBUG: CAESinkALSA::InitializeHW - Got: periodSize 1024, bufferSize 4096
07:50:23.176 T:139876873586432   DEBUG: CAESinkALSA::InitializeHW - Setting timeout to 22 ms
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG: CAESinkALSA::GetChannelLayout - Input Channel Count: 8 Output Channel Count: 8
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG: CAESinkALSA::GetChannelLayout - Requested Layout: RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG: CAESinkALSA::GetChannelLayout - Got Layout: RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW (ALSA: none)
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG: CActiveAESink::OpenSink - ALSA Initialized:
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG:   Output Device : HDA Intel PCH
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG:   Sample Rate   : 192000
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG:   Sample Format : AE_FMT_S16NE
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG:   Channel Count : 8
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG:   Channel Layout: RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW,RAW
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG:   Frames        : 1024
07:50:23.177 T:139876873586432   DEBUG:   Frame Size    : 16


Please let me know if you need any additional information or have any pointers as to why my setup is unhappy. Thank you in advance for any help.

[mossman1120]

I aquired a DisplayPort to HDMI adaptor and it seems to have resolved the problem. I used the following adapter from StarTech:

DP2HDMI2 - StarTech.com DisplayPort to HDMI Video Converter - Video/audio adapter - DisplayPort/HDMI - 19 pin - DisplayPort (M) HDMI (F)

I then reverted my kernel back to the officially shipped one with my distro (Linux 4.15.0-39-generic) and tested again. Again everything worked as expected.

I am guessing there must be some issue with the built in HDMI port. I see that some of the NUC machines required a firmware upgrade to fix a similar issue but I don't see that update for my setup. ASRock only lists the BIOS upgrade along with some drivers for Window's none of which seem relevant.

[fritsch]

You need an LSPCON update for your mainboard, without that you won't get it to work. Nothing that kodi can solve :-(

[mossman1120]

You need an LSPCON update for your mainboard, without that you won't get it to work. Nothing that kodi can solve :-(

Thanks I figured that might be the case and understand it isn’t a Kodi issue. Do you happen to know how / where I would go about doing that update? The only board update I saw on ASRock was a BIOS update. Thanks.

[fritsch]

Nope. I used the Intel nuc update on my ASRock Board, but take great care and find out if it's compatible with your chip and the way it is connected first!

[mossman1120]

Nope. I used the Intel nuc update on my ASRock Board, but take great care and find out if it's compatible with your chip and the way it is connected first!

 I was actually comparing that one with the one released by ASRock for the Z170 version of my board (HDMIFwUpgrader(v1.66).zip) with NUC one (NUC6CAY-NUC7ixBN-HDMI-Update-1.72.zip).

When I looked at the files being used it seemed the one from ASRock is called "MCDP2800_C21_C22_V1.66.00_LSPCON_MP_SIGNED_CMDB.BIN" where as the NUC one had two files "MCDP2800_C21_C22_V1.72.00_LSPCON_MP_FHC_SIGNED_CMDB_AY.BIN" and "MCDP2800_C21_C22_V1.72.00_LSPCON_MP_FHC_SIGNED_CMDB_BN.BIN". I did a binary diff of the two files and they are almost identify save for two bytes.

Do you mind if I ask which ASRock board you have? Did the updater that you used have two files as well? How did you figure out which one to use? I didn't really see anything in the provided material from ASRock that talked about how it is connected. Is there a documented or site that you used when you did the research for your board?

Thanks!

[fritsch]

Asrock J4205 - btw. the 1.66 firmware is good enough. Try kernel 4.18.x

[mossman1120]

Asrock J4205 - btw. the 1.66 firmware is good enough. Try kernel 4.18.x

 Alright, I shall give it a go with the 1.66 updater from ASRock for the Z170 board once I figure out a way to get a bootable windows thumb drive. In the meantime I submitted a support ticket to ASRock telling there is an issue with the Z370 board so maybe they will release one for my version. I will report back once I have made some progress. Thanks for all the help.

[fritsch]

I used this one: https://computerservice-mtk.de/windows-rescue-live-v10/ - worked fine.

[mossman1120]

I used this one: https://computerservice-mtk.de/windows-rescue-live-v10/ - worked fine.

 Thanks, I will give that one a try. I also heard back from ASRock. I was linked to a download for BobcatAuxISPTool_V1.74_20181128 hosted on a Google drive and told by support it would work for the Z370 board. I asked if that file was going to be made available to the general public and was told maybe. If anyone has a board from ASRock and is facing this issue I would suggest reaching out to them as it seems they have unreleased updates.

[fritsch]

Did they forbid posting the link in kodi forum?

[mossman1120]

Did they forbid posting the link in kodi forum?

I didn't specifically ask that:

Code:

Hi John,
Thanks for getting back to me. Is this going to be posted publicly? Thanks.


Code:


I am not sure that will. If the R&D team confirm that can be post on DL page.
Thank you
 
ASRock America Support Team


It seems like a generic updater so I can post it to a free file hosting site and link it if you are okay with that.

[mossman1120]

So I tried to run the update and it said could not find hardware. Do you know if I need to have an active connection to that on board HDMI connection in order for it to work? Thanks.

I connected the output directly to the on board HDMI instead of the DisplayPort -> HDMI adaptor I have been using. The updater was able to find the hardware and update. It was running version 1.66 and after the updater ran it is not on version 1.74. I rebooted into Ubuntu and still no luck with the DTS-HD / Dolby TrueHD via the on board HDMI. I am using kernel Linux 4.15.0-39-generic.  Prior to the upgrade I tried kernel 4.16 and 4.19 which should have been using the 1.66 firmware that was already installed.

[fritsch]

Too bad. Nothing I can think of from kodi side ... try it with 1080 p60 and disable refreshrate switching. Try perhaps LibreELEC from a stick.