I am having a potential deal breaker of a problem if I can’t get this fixed. My AV710 sound card is only playing audio through the SPDIF for things that do not have an AC3 soundtrack, I believe.

My wife has started dropping comments like, “Don’t you think just getting a Tivo would be better?” Please help!

Here is the problem:

Anything with an AC3 sound will not pass through.
Any HD programming recorded from my HD5000 tuner (both Live TV and Recorded)
Any dvd

Regular SD tv plays audio through the spdif fine
Mythmusic plays through spdif fine

I used to have an Epia MII outputting AC3 successfully to my receiver. I also confirmed that the mpg’s that I have tested have audio by playing them on the backend system through 2 channel computer speakers.

My configuration details:
KnoppMyth R5B7
Hardware: 95% Dragon (only difference is the HD tuner, since mythic.tv was out of the HD3000)
If it matters, all the tuners are in my master backend and all the files reside there and are shared via NFS.
I am using the AV-710 with the Dragon spec’d /etc/asound.conf
I have ALSA:mplayer set as my audio device in Setup>General>Audio Output Device
I have Enable AC3 to SPDIF passthrough checked
I have Enable DTS to SPDIF passthrough checked
I have Use internal volume controls unchecked


I tested it outside of Myth with both mplayer I used the following command and generated the following output.

mplayer -v -fs -zoom -vc mpeg12,ffmpeg12, -vo xv -ao alsa:device=mplayer -ac hwa
c3, 2231_20060423210000.mpg > /home/mythtv/mplayer.out
(this does give a slight “click” through the speakers when it starts, but that is it)


MPlayer 1.0pre6-3.3.5 (C) 2000-2004 MPlayer Team
CPU: Advanced Micro Devices (Family: 8, Stepping: 2)
Detected cache-line size is 64 bytes
CPUflags: MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 1 3DNow2: 1 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled with runtime CPU detection - WARNING - this is not optimal!
To get best performance, recompile MPlayer with --disable-runtime-cpudetection.


CommandLine:init_freetype
get_path('font/font.desc') -> '/home/mythtv/.mplayer/font/font.desc'
font: can't open file: /home/mythtv/.mplayer/font/font.desc
Font /usr/share/mplayer/font/font.desc loaded successfully! (206 chars)
Using MMX (with tiny bit MMX2) Optimized OnScreenDisplay
Try adding "echo 1024 > /proc/sys/dev/rtc/max-user-freq" to your system startup scripts.
Using nanosleep() timing
get_path('input.conf') -> '/home/mythtv/.mplayer/input.conf'
Parsing input config file /home/mythtv/.mplayer/input.conf
Input config file /home/mythtv/.mplayer/input.conf parsed: 4 binds
Setting up LIRC support...
get_path('2231_20060423210000.mpg.conf') -> '/home/mythtv/.mplayer/2231_20060423210000.mpg.conf'
Playing 2231_20060423210000.mpg.
[file] File size is 6146913988 bytes
STREAM: [file] 2231_20060423210000.mpg
STREAM: Description: File
STREAM: Author: Albeu
STREAM: Comment: based on the code from ??? (probably Arpi)
Checking for YUV4MPEG2
ASF_check: not ASF guid!
Checking for Nullsoft Streaming Video
Checking for NuppelVideo
Checking for REAL
Checking for SMJPEG
Searching demuxer type for filename 2231_20060423210000.mpg ext: .mpg
Checking for MOV
Checking for VIVO
header block 1 size: 64
Checking for PVA
Checking for MPEG-TS...
TRIED UP TO POSITION 0, FOUND 47, packet_size= 188, SEEMS A TS? 1
GOOD CC: 31, BAD CC: 0
TS file format detected.
DEMUX OPEN, AUDIO_ID: -1, VIDEO_ID: -1, SUBTITLE_ID: -1,
Checking for MPEG-TS...
TRIED UP TO POSITION 0, FOUND 47, packet_size= 188, SEEMS A TS? 1
GOOD CC: 31, BAD CC: 0
PROBING UP TO 2000000, PROG: 0
PARSE_PAT, section 0 of 0, TOTAL: 1
PROG: 1 (1-th of 1), PMT: 5888
FILL_PMT(prog=1), PMT_len: 183, IS_START: 64, TS_PID: 5888, SIZE=184, M=1, ES_CNT=0, IDX=0, PMT_PTR=0x86eabf8
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 0), STREAM: 0, FOUND pid=0x840 (2112), type=0x10000002, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 23, bytes left: 27
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 1), STREAM: 1, FOUND pid=0x841 (2113), type=0x2000, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 22, bytes left: 0
----------------------------

New TS pid=2112

New TS pid=2113
PARSE_PAT, section 0 of 0, TOTAL: 1
PROG: 1 (1-th of 1), PMT: 5888
FILL_PMT(prog=1), PMT_len: 183, IS_START: 64, TS_PID: 5888, SIZE=184, M=1, ES_CNT=2, IDX=0, PMT_PTR=0x86eabf8
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 0), STREAM: 0, FOUND pid=0x840 (2112), type=0x10000002, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 23, bytes left: 27
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 1), STREAM: 1, FOUND pid=0x841 (2113), type=0x2000, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 22, bytes left: 0
----------------------------
PARSE_PAT, section 0 of 0, TOTAL: 1
PROG: 1 (1-th of 1), PMT: 5888
FILL_PMT(prog=1), PMT_len: 183, IS_START: 64, TS_PID: 5888, SIZE=184, M=1, ES_CNT=2, IDX=0, PMT_PTR=0x86eabf8
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 0), STREAM: 0, FOUND pid=0x840 (2112), type=0x10000002, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 23, bytes left: 27
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 1), STREAM: 1, FOUND pid=0x841 (2113), type=0x2000, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 22, bytes left: 0
----------------------------
PARSE_PAT, section 0 of 0, TOTAL: 1
PROG: 1 (1-th of 1), PMT: 5888
FILL_PMT(prog=1), PMT_len: 183, IS_START: 64, TS_PID: 5888, SIZE=184, M=1, ES_CNT=2, IDX=0, PMT_PTR=0x86eabf8
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 0), STREAM: 0, FOUND pid=0x840 (2112), type=0x10000002, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 23, bytes left: 27
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 1), STREAM: 1, FOUND pid=0x841 (2113), type=0x2000, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 22, bytes left: 0
----------------------------
PARSE_PAT, section 0 of 0, TOTAL: 1
PROG: 1 (1-th of 1), PMT: 5888
FILL_PMT(prog=1), PMT_len: 183, IS_START: 64, TS_PID: 5888, SIZE=184, M=1, ES_CNT=2, IDX=0, PMT_PTR=0x86eabf8
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 0), STREAM: 0, FOUND pid=0x840 (2112), type=0x10000002, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 23, bytes left: 27
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 1), STREAM: 1, FOUND pid=0x841 (2113), type=0x2000, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 22, bytes left: 0
----------------------------
PARSE_PAT, section 0 of 0, TOTAL: 1
PROG: 1 (1-th of 1), PMT: 5888
FILL_PMT(prog=1), PMT_len: 183, IS_START: 64, TS_PID: 5888, SIZE=184, M=1, ES_CNT=2, IDX=0, PMT_PTR=0x86eabf8
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 0), STREAM: 0, FOUND pid=0x840 (2112), type=0x10000002, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 23, bytes left: 27
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 1), STREAM: 1, FOUND pid=0x841 (2113), type=0x2000, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 22, bytes left: 0
----------------------------
VIDEO MPEG2(pid=2112)...AUDIO A52(pid=2113) NO SUBS (yet)! PROGRAM N. 1
==> Found video stream: 0
==> Found audio stream: 0
Opened TS demuxer, audio: 2000(pid 2113), video: 10000002(pid 2112)...POS=564
Searching for sequence header...
New TS pid=2112
OK!
VIDEO: MPEG2 1280x720 (aspect 3) 59.940 fps 14700.0 kbps (1837.5 kbyte/s)
[V] filefmt:29 fourcc:0x10000002 size:1280x720 fps:59.94 ftime:=0.0167
get_path('sub/') -> '/home/mythtv/.mplayer/sub/'
get_path('default.sub') -> '/home/mythtv/.mplayer/default.sub'
==========================================================================
Forced audio codec: hwac3
Opening audio decoder: [hwac3] AC3/DTS pass-through SP/DIF
dec_audio: Allocating 8192 bytes for input buffer.
dec_audio: Allocating 16384 + 65536 = 81920 bytes for output buffer.
hwac3: switched to AC3, 384000 bps, 48000 Hz
AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, 16 bit (0x400), ratio: 48000->192000 (384.0 kbit)
Selected audio codec: [hwac3] afm:hwac3 (AC3 through SPDIF)
==========================================================================
X11 opening display: :0.0
vo: X11 color mask: FFFFFF (R:FF0000 G:FF00 B:FF)
vo: X11 running at 1200x666 with depth 24 and 32 bpp (":0.0" => local display)
[x11] Detected wm supports layers.
[x11] Detected wm supports NetWM.
[x11] Detected wm supports FULLSCREEN state.
[x11] Current fstype setting honours LAYER FULLSCREEN X atoms
==========================================================================
Forced video codec: mpeg12
Opening video decoder: [libmpeg2] MPEG 1/2 Video decoder libmpeg2-v0.4.0b
Selected video codec: [mpeg12] vfm:libmpeg2 (MPEG 1 or 2 (libmpeg2))
==========================================================================
Checking audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/16bit -> 48000Hz/2ch/8bit...
[libaf] Adding filter dummy
[dummy] Was reinitialized, rate=48000Hz, nch = 2, format = 0x00000020 and bps = 2
AF_pre: af format: 2 bps, 2 ch, 48000 hz, big endian AC3
AF_pre: 48000Hz 2ch AC3
alsa-init: requested format: 48000 Hz, 2 channels, AC3
alsa-init: compiled for ALSA-1.0.8
alsa-init: soundcard set to mplayer
alsa-init: pcm opend in block-mode
alsa-init: chunksize set to 1024
alsa-init: fragcount=8
alsa-init: got buffersize=32768
alsa: 48000 Hz/2 channels/4 bpf/32768 bytes buffer/Signed 16 bit Little Endian
AO: [alsa] 48000Hz 2ch AC3 (1 bps)
AO: Description: ALSA-0.9.x-1.x audio output
AO: Author: Alex Beregszaszi, Zsolt Barat <joy@streamminister.de>
AO: Comment: under developement
Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/16bit -> 48000Hz/2ch/8bit...
[dummy] Was reinitialized, rate=48000Hz, nch = 2, format = 0x00000020 and bps = 2
[libaf] Adding filter format
Starting playback...
alsa-space: free space = 32768, prepared --

New TS pid=2113
VDec: vo config request - 1280 x 720 (preferred csp: Planar YV12)
Trying filter chain: vo
VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
VO Config (1280x720->1280x720,flags=5,'MPlayer',0x32315659)
VO: [xv] 1280x720 => 1280x720 Planar YV12 [fs] [zoom]
VO: Description: X11/Xv
VO: Author: Gerd Knorr <kraxel@goldbach.in-berlin.de> and others
Xvideo image format: 0x32595559 (YUY2) packed
Xvideo image format: 0x32315659 (YV12) planar
Xvideo image format: 0x59565955 (UYVY) packed
Xvideo image format: 0x30323449 (I420) planar
using Xvideo port 177 for hw scaling
[xv-fs] dx: 0 dy: 83 dw: 1200 dh: 500
[xv] dx: 0 dy: 83 dw: 1200 dh: 500
*** [vo] Allocating mp_image_t, 1280x720x12bpp YUV planar, 1382400 bytes
[xv] dx: 0 dy: 0 dw: 1200 dh: 666
[xv-fs] dx: 0 dy: 83 dw: 1200 dh: 500
A:64051.0 V: 0.0 A-V:64050.988 ct: 0.000 1/ 1 ??% ??% ??,?% 0 0 ^MPARSE_
PAT, section 0 of 0, TOTAL: 1
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 0), STREAM: 0, FOUND pid=0x840 (2112), type=0x10000002, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 23, bytes left: 27
PARSE_PMT(1 INDEX 1), STREAM: 1, FOUND pid=0x841 (2113), type=0x2000, ES_DESCR_LENGTH: 22, bytes left: 0
----------------------------
A:64059.1 V:64059.1 A-V: 0.007 ct: -0.456 460/460 34% 4% 0.8% 0 0 ^Muninit
audio: hwac3
uninit video: libmpeg2
alsa-uninit: pcm closed
vo: uninit ...

Exiting... (Quit)





Also, here is the output from mythfrontend while playing the same recording.

2006-04-25 10:01:33.134 Using runtime prefix = /usr
2006-04-25 10:01:33.147 New DB connection, total: 1
2006-04-25 10:01:33.149 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: 192.168.0.251
2006-04-25 10:01:33.150 Total desktop dim: 1200x666, with 1 screen[s].
2006-04-25 10:01:33.152 Using screen 0, 1200x666 at 0,0
2006-04-25 10:01:33.155 Current Schema Version: 1123
2006-04-25 10:01:33.156 mythfrontend version: 0.19.20060121-2 www.mythtv.org
2006-04-25 10:01:33.156 Enabled verbose msgs: important general
2006-04-25 10:01:33.255 lang0: aar
2006-04-25 10:01:33.255 lang: aar
2006-04-25 10:01:33.259 lang1: aar
2006-04-25 10:01:33.259 lang: aar
2006-04-25 10:01:33.312 Total desktop dim: 1200x666, with 1 screen[s].
2006-04-25 10:01:33.313 Using screen 0, 1200x666 at 0,0
2006-04-25 10:01:33.314 Switching to square mode (Iulius)
2006-04-25 10:01:33.570 New DB connection, total: 2
2006-04-25 10:01:33.570 Joystick disabled.
2006-04-25 10:01:33.571 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: 192.168.0.251
2006-04-25 10:01:33.606 Registering Internal as a media playback plugin.
2006-04-25 10:01:33.625 Registering MythDVD DVD Media Handler as a media handler
2006-04-25 10:01:33.626 Registering MythDVD VCD Media Handler as a media handler
2006-04-25 10:01:34.277 Registering MythMusic Media Handler as a media handler
SIP listening on IP Address 192.168.0.252:5060 NAT address 192.168.0.252
SIP: Cannot register; proxy, username or password not set
2006-04-25 10:01:34.557 Starting media monitor.
2006-04-25 10:01:40.270 Connecting to backend server: 192.168.0.251:6543 (try 1 of 5)
2006-04-25 10:01:40.276 Using protocol version 26
0: start_time: 0.036 duration: 323.651
1: start_time: 0.026 duration: 323.641
stream: start_time: 0.289 duration: 3596.237 bitrate=6707 kb/s
2006-04-25 10:01:45.835 AFD: Opened codec 0x82f1b90, id(MPEG2VIDEO) type(Video)
2006-04-25 10:01:45.851 AFD: Opened codec 0x82f1ed0, id(MP2) type(Audio)
0: start_time: 5764.633 duration: 323.692
1: start_time: 5764.586 duration: 323.698
stream: start_time: 64050.961 duration: 3597.099 bitrate=13670 kb/s
2006-04-25 10:01:47.888 AFD: Opened codec 0x8244bd0, id(MPEG2VIDEO) type(Video)
2006-04-25 10:01:47.889 AFD: Opened codec 0x82b9440, id(AC3) type(Audio)
2006-04-25 10:01:47.967 New DB connection, total: 3
2006-04-25 10:01:47.968 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: 192.168.0.251
2006-04-25 10:01:47.991 TV: Attempting to change from None to WatchingPreRecorded
0: start_time: 5764.633 duration: 323.692
1: start_time: 5764.586 duration: 323.698
stream: start_time: 64050.961 duration: 3597.099 bitrate=13670 kb/s
2006-04-25 10:01:48.110 AFD: Opened codec 0x83f3d90, id(MPEG2VIDEO) type(Video)
2006-04-25 10:01:48.110 AFD: Opened codec 0x83f40d0, id(AC3) type(Audio)
2006-04-25 10:01:48.111 Opening audio device 'mplayer'.
2006-04-25 10:01:48.273 VideoOutputXv Error: Couldn't get the color key color,
probably due to a driver bug or limitation.
You might not get any video, but we'll try anyway.
2006-04-25 10:01:49.203 Using realtime priority.
2006-04-25 10:01:49.210 TV: Changing from None to WatchingPreRecorded
2006-04-25 10:01:49.346 Video timing method: USleep with busy wait
2006-04-25 10:01:57.048 TV: Attempting to change from WatchingPreRecorded to None
2006-04-25 10:01:57.105 TV: Changing from WatchingPreRecorded to None
0: start_time: 5764.633 duration: 323.692
1: start_time: 5764.586 duration: 323.698
stream: start_time: 64050.961 duration: 3597.099 bitrate=13670 kb/s
2006-04-25 10:01:58.623 AFD: Opened codec 0x82b5930, id(MPEG2VIDEO) type(Video)
2006-04-25 10:01:58.623 AFD: Opened codec 0x82b5c70, id(AC3) type(Audio)
Destroying SipFsm object

An additional note: I just changed the audio device to ALSA:envy_spidfdmix and I started getting audio from all speakers. I can't quite tell if it's 5.1 surround though. But at least I can now watch my HD recordings. I still want to get this figured out though.

I've got the same mobo/card (also 95% dragon). If there's anything you'd like me to look up or dump out from the database, let me know.
My sound works, except for things like TuxRacer, and I've got to click on the error box in Xine to play a DVD or Ripped DVD with 5.1.
Music plays, HD plays, and I do have two HD channels with 5.1.

Another update as I continue to figure this issue out:

Since changing the device for Myth to ALSA:envy_spdifdmix worked for the recordings, I decided to change the DVD player command to the same thing.

All that did was cause a HORRID screech through the speakers. I changed it back to alsa:device=mplayer again and of course it didn't work. However, I did discover that if I remove the -ac hwac3, at the end of the line, it DOES work. Like with the HD recordings, I can't quite tell if it's 5.1 or not, but sound is definatly coming from all 5 speakers.

Thornsoft, thanks for the offer! Could you please post your /etc/asound.conf, Myth audio device, and the DVD player command that you are using? They should be the same as mine if you used a Dragon config. Beyond that, I don't have the knoweldge to even know what else to ask for.

Settings of interest from the "settings" table:




And from /home/mythtv/.xine/config

More details:

I tried your settings. Thornsoft and they didn't work for me. I don't know why, since we have the same hardware, but alas, they didn't.

Also, while I now get AC3 sound by changing my audio device to ALSA:envy_spdifdmix, my normal SD channels are now silent. To watch those, I have to switch it back to ALSA:mplayer.

Definatly not WAF material. Any ideas, please?

Ok now this is weird. I just wrote that I couldn't get regular with the envy_spdifdmix...that isn't actually correct. After trying thornsofts settings, I cant get either regular sound or AC3 to work with the envy_spdifdmix setting that had been working.

BUT:

Now both type are working with the ALSA:mplayer setting. Although I still can not select the AC3 Passthrough option. That still silences all audio.

Still looking for suggestions. Thanks!

FWIW, I only have an optical cable hooked up. No other audio cables on the system.

Same here, and onboard is disabled in the bios. aplayer -l confirms that only the AV710 is seen.

I am having the same type of issues I have build my system to dragon specs.... I am getting sound out of all 6 of my speakers but it is because my reciever is taking the default 2 channel and using Dobly Prologic II and making it come out of all my speakers but it is not a real 5.1 or 6.1 signal.... in both mplayer and xine

_________________
Marty

Long live Myth and Knoppmyth!!!!!

Something you might try:

Alsa's built in OSS emulation is quite good for some chipsets. The .asoundrc method is a complex customization that may not be necessary in some cases. For me, I can get stereo, DD or AC3/5.1 going direct to my receiver using the OSS emulation (the correct lights light up on my receiver). I haven't found any DTS sources to test though.

Backup/Delete ~mythtv/.asoundrc and /etc/asound.conf

Set adsp_map as described in http://www.knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=DigitalAudioHowTo

Reboot and try it out using the /dev/adsp device. Make sure you turn of "myth volume controls". If it doesn't work, restore the alsa config files an you are no worse off.

Cheers,

Allen

_________________
ASUS AT3N7A-I (Atom 330)
TBS 8922 PCI (DVB-S2)

well I have gotten my pass through to work with xine..... I did some closer reading on the DigitalAudioHowTo that was posted ealier and found after much trial and error that all I need to do was to change one part

pcm.!default {
type plug
slave {
pcm "spdif"
format S32_LE
}
}

the default one /usr/lib/krp/Dragon/Dragon_asoundrc had a referance in the pcm line to the digital mixer just replaced that with the "spdif" and format S32_LE and now I am getting pass through with no errors. I hope this may help others also.

_________________
Marty

Long live Myth and Knoppmyth!!!!!

Sorry for the late reply! I just got back from a vacation and have just started looking at this now. I'll try to help you fix this problem even though it's a home-grown non-spec Dragon.

That should have worked on anything. If it didn't work, then it's probably not a MythTV problem - it may be a hardware problem or something with the alsa configuration.

Taking them in order:
1) Have you ensured that your onboard audio device is disabled in the BIOS?

2) I see that you are using the Dragon asound.conf from /usr/lib/krp/Dragon/Dragon_asoundrc, so you're using the right configuration file. In DragonTweaker.sh, we do these extra steps after copying the config file into place. Maybe they will help you:

Please let me know if this gets you on the right track.

_________________
KnoppMyth R5.5
MythiC Dragon v2.0
Join the KnoppMyth Frappr!

Thanks Human, I really appreciate your help on this. Hope your vacation was a good one.

1) I have checked the Bios, and my onboard card -is- disabled.

2) I'm at work atm, but tonight I will confirm that the DragonTweaker.sh made the appropriate changes. It should have, since I did a "dragon" install (forcing it, per the instructions you gave me in a seperate email).

The key difference, is that after doing the install, I made this system a slave backend which in effect tossed out all the custom database changes the DragonSQLTweaker.sh script made. I then went back in and manually made those changes since they now needed to be applied to the database on the MBE.

But...these changes that you mention are filesystem based changes and should have been made and stayed changed. I will confirm tonight.

Checked both. Onboard is disabled and:

options snd-pcm-oss adsp_map=2

in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base


Any other ideas?
Think it could be hardware? In the soundcard or the reciever?