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[Windows] HDMI Failed to Initialize Audio - Printable Version

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[Windows] HDMI Failed to Initialize Audio - threeclaws - 2010-03-20

Setup is as follows, Dell Studio Hybrid -(HDMI)>Sony ht-ct100-(HDMI)>Panasonic Plasma

Audio is fine in windows and pretty much every other app so up to that point things are fine. In XBMC, even with HDMI set as the audio device and digital enabled, I get the failure to initialize audio error.

Now take the Sony out of the equation and everything works fine, also if if I connect an optical cable between the Dell and the Sony it works fine. What I think I'm noticing is that while windows is sending some kind of a signal to the Sony to let it know audio is incoming (the Sony sits displaying the input, 'BD' in this case, but once windows starts sending audo '2.0 stereo' comes up on the display) XBMC does not do this though.

Thanks in advance.

edit - Some new info, if I set the audio in xbmc to analog, it works fine so at least I can use xbmc and have sound right now but it sucks not getting digital out.

- Brad P - 2010-03-21

Try putting it back to Digital, and unchecking DTS and AC3, and check Downmix to Stereo. I am using 9.04, the Babylon release.

- threeclaws - 2010-03-21

Yep, that works too.

I just don't get why everything worked fine when I had the HDMI hooked directly to the tv from my dell but the spidf hooked to the sony but now that the HDMI is hooked directly to the sony it isn't working.

- Brad P - 2010-03-21

I have HDMI from my PC to TV (via a HDMI extender using Cat5e), then optical from my TV to my Denon receiver. I haven't tried to mess around with those connections.

But I have the same problem as you...for certain audio codecs anyway.

- The_Dogg - 2010-03-22

I have the same problem using revo 3610 -HDMI- Sony STR-DG720 amp -HDMI- LG LCD

the thing is sometimes the digital audio works fine and then boom, just stop working. I've check the debug logs, here is what I see:
Code:
23:51:11 T:3316 M:641462272   DEBUG: CWin32DirectSound::Initialize: Packet Size = 12384. Avg Bytes Per Second = 192000.
23:51:11 T:3316 M:641458176   DEBUG: CWin32DirectSound::Initialize: Couldn't create secondary buffer (DSERR_UNSUPPORTED). Trying without LOCHARDWARE.
23:51:11 T:3316 M:641458176   DEBUG: CWin32DirectSound::Initialize: Couldn't create secondary buffer (DSERR_UNSUPPORTED). Trying without CTRLVOLUME.
23:51:11 T:3316 M:641425408   ERROR: CWin32DirectSound::Initialize: cannot create secondary buffer (DSERR_UNSUPPORTED)
23:51:11 T:3316 M:641425408   ERROR: Creating a Null Audio Renderer, Check your audio settings as this should not happen

the full debug log can be found here: http://pastebin.com/WUwxM3Uy

- joshuass - 2010-03-22

HDMI is a finicky beast.

What version of windows?

Are your graphics card drivers up to date?

I know that before switching to Win7, HDMI on vista was a pain in the arse at times.

There is a set order in which I had to turn my system, TV, and receiver on (it went PC, RECEIVER, then TV, for me). This prevents my ATI drivers from switching up my color settings and stuff, and ensures that when windows comes up, the receiver is ready to accept signals and the handshaking occurs properly.

One thing you can do is check whether Windows is properly seeing the HDMI device by going into audio devices (vista/win7 only) and testing the device. You can send sounds to the receiver in DTS, and DolbyDigital to see if its working right.

Check XBMC's selected audio device to ensure that its using hte HDMI audio device explicitly if it is not your default device in windows. Even better, select the WSAPI HDMI device if it is available, as it will use Windows new api instead.

- The_Dogg - 2010-03-23

thanks joshuass,

it looks like the order of turning things on has an effect on it. I haven't done much testing but last night I powered up my receiver than my TV and the digital audio was working fine.

The thing is that my htpc is on 24/7, so I hope this wont affect the sequence.

I noticed this problem right after I changed my TV, I went from a Sharp to an LG, the sharp TV didnt have any kind of hdmi link (where you can power off all devices with only 1 button) and the LG has this kinda feature, but eventhough it's disabled it might affect something in this.

I will play with my settings to see if I can get a good idea of what is going on, but thanks for the tip, it puts me in the right direction.

- joshuass - 2010-03-23

You can thank the ridiculous HDCP handshaking junk for screwing things up.

I never had good luck keeping my HTPC on 24/7 and switching the TV/Receiver off all the time. Every time I would turn the receiver off, then back on again, the computer would recognize a new device and would reset all of my settings, and I would sometimes lose sound completely.

Try this test:

1. Turn everything off.
2. Turn on the receiver
3. Turn on the computer
4. Turn on the TV
5. Verify that windows sees HDMI as a sound device (ATI HDMI or something like that).
6. Try out XBMC as it should most likely work

- Sprakeloos - 2010-03-23

I'm having 'similar' problems with an i3 530 where audio just stops working after being idle for some time.
As long as it plays audio it's all fine, if I pause audio for some minutes trouble begins but can be solved by reselecting the input on our Denon 3310.
If however it hasn't played audio for an hour or more I get the failed to initialize audio error.
Debug log will show the same kind of errors about a secondary buffer.
The only solution is to stop and start XBMC and it will work right away.
Biggest problem with this 'solution' is the misses, it's way too difficult according to her.

Specs :
i3 530 on H55M-E33 board
2GB RAM
Vista 32 bit
Denon 3310

I'm starting to think about ordering Windows 7 but since I'm not sure it will solve anything I haven't done it yet.

- The_Dogg - 2010-03-23

yeah it's always too complicated for the misses LOL

and no Win 7 wont fix that problem Sad

- joshuass - 2010-03-24

Actually, i found that Win7 is much much more tolerant of HDMI connections. I used to have glitchy video where the screen would flicker constantly (in XBMC and every other program, including Windows). I've had no such issue with Win7 and I've left my computer on for an hour or more idle plenty of times. No sound drop-outs or anything.

Poke around the power settings to make sure Windows isn't turning off connections to save power. For instance I don't have my monitor turn off after a certain amount of time (which cuts the connection and could cause issues). Instead, I opt to use a blank or constantly moving screen saver instead.

- John_Hoek - 2010-03-24

I've solved this problem with the nice little program HDMIYo
After my panasonic plasma TV switched off for a while and my HTPC at standby; the HDMI handshaking went somewere wrong and audio was lost.
This nice program resets the screen HDMI handshaking after resume from sleep, standby or hibernate and also on hotkey.

Quote:
HDMIyo
This application is intended to help out with those unfortunate glitches that occur with Windows PCs and HDMI attached screens. The types of issues it is intended to help:

When my computer resumes from sleep the display is blank.
I accidentally turn my TV on before the computer and the screen is blank.
When my computer wakes from sleep the HDMI audio link does not work (possibly?).


HdmiYo re-initializes the HDMI link by sending display on-off signals to force the display and PC to re-sync. It does this when:

1) the PC resumes from sleep.

2) the user presses a hot key (Default: Ctrl-Space).

If you are having HDMI issues, you may want to give HdmiYo a try. The application sits in the taskbar notification area after installation.
unquote:

You can download it at:
http://gettingoutalive.spaces.live.com/?_c11_BlogPart_BlogPart=blogview&_c=BlogPart&partqs=amonth%3D1%26ayear%3D2010

- joshuass - 2010-03-25

Dude, awesome find. I know I could use this! Big Grin

- The_Dogg - 2010-03-25

thanks, I jsut tried it and it doesnt fix my problem, once my order is changed (either by closing 1 component or switching input on my amp) this program wont bring it back, and if I run it when its working fine, it screws up the order.

sucks that each time I switch inputs on my amp that I have to restart the amp than the tv.

- The_Dogg - 2010-03-25

good news, I just figured out how to get rid of the problem.

The solution was my amp config.

I just disabled the Control for HDMI (which allows other device to control over hdmi) I didnt use it anyway.

I had turn this on when I got my new TV and it happen at the same time I started having problems.

now I can turn any component off at anytime and it always works.

thanks to everyone who replied, it lead me to the solution Smile