[tudstudent]

All,

Today I made an error log for an othe rissue what I have with an app. So I thought let me try to investigate my audio drop problem with bitstream.
So I turned on a movie with bitstream and let it run. At the moment I investigated the drop I uploaded the log:

http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=24344

As you see there are a lot of broken pipes with audio engine with causes my sound to stotter (hope the word is known in english). However since I already tested many things I would like to ask you guys to investigate this.

I made my research for my part in this topic:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=149221&page=2

Things I changed to make sure it works:
- NFS for 50 megabyte per second
- Tested an alternative switch
- Tested with wireshark (positive test, no problems)
- Changed from app, since the originall app is not working properly

But this error I cannot solve on my own.

Any additional info needed, let me know.

[Martijn]

Don't post in development section

[tudstudent]

Okey, you moved it. Thnx

[DDDamian]

Moving again to Linux section - there's many good ALSA config guys there. Would also suggest you post your alsa aplay settings and give more details,

[tudstudent]

My error is concerning the:
ERROR: CAESinkALSA::HandleError(snd_pcm_avail) - underrun
This is the only thing I can trace back which may cause my audio drops during bitstream movies.

The debug log from XBMC:

Code:

12:50:41 T:140144605599488   DEBUG: CDVDPlayerAudio:: Discontinuity1 - was:11613647.625556, should be:11689833.333333, error:76185.707778
12:50:41 T:140145396582144   DEBUG: webserver: request received for /image/image://http%253a%252f%252fcf2.imgobject.com%252ft%252fp%252foriginal%252fs2IG9qXfhJYxIttKyroYFBsHwzQ.jpg/
12:50:41 T:140145387054848    INFO: CAESinkALSA - ALSA: pcm_hw.c:535:(snd_pcm_hw_hwsync) SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_HWSYNC failed (-32): Broken pipe
12:50:41 T:140145387054848   ERROR: CAESinkALSA::HandleError(snd_pcm_avail) - underrun
12:50:41 T:140144605599488    INFO: CAESinkALSA - ALSA: pcm_hw.c:517:(snd_pcm_hw_delay) SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_DELAY failed (-32): Broken pipe
12:50:42 T:140144605599488    INFO: Previous line repeats 11 times.
12:50:42 T:140144605599488   DEBUG: CDVDPlayerAudio:: Discontinuity1 - was:12305924.906333, should be:12189833.333333, error:-116091.573000
12:50:42 T:140145396582144   DEBUG: webserver: request received for /image/image://http%253a%252f%252fcf2.imgobject.com%252ft%252fp%252foriginal%252fs2IG9qXfhJYxIttKyroYFBsHwzQ.jpg/
12:50:44 T:140144605599488   DEBUG: CDVDPlayerAudio:: Discontinuity2 - was:14190194.444333, should be:14138922.963286, error:-51271.481048

My /etc/asound-pulse.conf

Code:

# PulseAudio plugin configuration

pcm.!default {
    type pulse
    hint {
        show on
        description "Default ALSA Output (currently PulseAudio Sound Server)"
    }
    fallback "sysdefault"
}

ctl.!default {
    type pulse
    fallback "sysdefault"
}

My: /etc/alsa-pulse.conf

Code:

@hooks [
        {
                func load
                files [
                        "/etc/asound.conf"
                        "/etc/asound-pulse.conf"
                        "~/.asoundrc"
                ]
                errors false
        }
]

<confdir:alsa.conf>

My: /usr/share/alsa/smixer.conf

Code:

_full smixer-python.so
usb {
        searchl "USB"
        lib smixer-usb.so
}
ac97 {
        searchl "AC97a:"
        lib smixer-ac97.so
}
hda {
        searchl "HDA:"
        lib smixer-hda.so
}

My: /usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf
http://pastebin.com/qPE81CZw
Did not fit in a forum message

If an other log or piece of info is needed let me know.

Config:
- Opensuse 12.2 64 bit
- Sapphire Edge HD2 (Atom D525 & ION2)

---

[wsnipex]

pulse just doesn't work properly with Xbmc atm. Imho it introduces too much audio lag and thats why you see underruns.

[tudstudent]

But I compiled xbmc with the:

Code:

./bootstrap;
./configure --prefix=/usr --enable-vdpau --disable-pulse --disable-crystalhd
make -j4

The reason I coppied the logs is because I had no clue what logs are needed. This is somewhat new terrain for me so just ask and I will answer if something is missing. Maybe even something above is incorrect or is using pulse, I have no clue

[un1versal]

You may have compiled xbmc without pulse, but the config files are still there and pulseaudio is still there too I bet.

rename all those config files and purge pulseaudio and alsa-plugins then reinstall alsa-tools and libasound2.

Code:

sudo apt-get remove --purge pulseaudio alsa-plugins -y
sudo apt-get install --reinstall alsa-tools libasound2
sudo restart xbmc
alsamixer

Reconfigure your xbmc audio settings and post a screenshot of that.

Would like a screenshot of alsamixer with F6 pressed.

uNi

[tudstudent]

Just for my info:

With that I should also eliminate my KDE desktop if I am correct!
So in short based on you wow pulse might influence the alsa setup in such a way that xbmc goes nuts?

Furthermore it is not an issue to get rid of KDE, but just want to be sure.

Btw I am using OpenSuSe so no apt-get, but I will manage.

[un1versal]

With full desktop pulseaudio is required, though I have no idea about desktop installs or how-to resolve those.

You could have already provided basic information such as that, either way pulseaudio is evil imo.

Given that new information I defer to other peoples knowledge as mine is insufficient.

uNi

[tudstudent]

@Uni: No I would welcome your help very much, since I actually only use XBMC on the HTPC I can deinstall the desktop environment. Takes only a little longer to figure. This afternoon I am away for the weekend but will try to configure remote and then I can test on monday.

[wsnipex]

at least on unity(and probably most other desktops) pulse is not strictly required. removing it will not remove the entired desktop environment (only the ubuntu-desktop meta package).

edit: plz also note the running xbmc on top of a compositing window manger like compiz in unity (and Kwin with compositing ON) usually does not work very well.

[tudstudent]

Complete KDE deinstalled.
Complete pulse removed except 2 components I could not get rid of:
- libpulse0
- libpulsemainloop-glib0

Furthermore reinstalled the packages requested:

Code:

htpc01:~ # zypper in -f alsa-tools libasound2
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...
Forcing installation of 'alsa-tools-1.0.26.1-42.1.x86_64' from repository 'Multimedia Build 12.2'.
Forcing installation of 'libasound2-1.0.26-131.1.x86_64' from repository 'Multimedia Build 12.2'.
Resolving package dependencies...

The following NEW packages are going to be installed:
  alsa-firmware alsa-tools fxload

The following package is going to be reinstalled:
  libasound2

3 new packages to install, 1 to reinstall.
Overall download size: 2.6 MiB. After the operation, additional 9.2 MiB will be used.
Continue? [y/n/?] (y): y
Retrieving package alsa-firmware-1.0.25-20.1.noarch                                                                     (1/4),   2.1 MiB (  8.6 MiB unpacked)
Retrieving: alsa-firmware-1.0.25-20.1.noarch.rpm ..........................................................................................[done (3.1 MiB/s)]
Retrieving package libasound2-1.0.26-131.1.x86_64                                                                       (2/4), 323.8 KiB (  1.0 MiB unpacked)
Retrieving: libasound2-1.0.26-131.1.x86_64.rpm ........................................................................................................[done]
Retrieving package fxload-2008_10_13-18.1.4.x86_64                                                                      (3/4),  23.6 KiB ( 45.1 KiB unpacked)
Retrieving: fxload-2008_10_13-18.1.4.x86_64.rpm .......................................................................................................[done]
Retrieving package alsa-tools-1.0.26.1-42.1.x86_64                                                                      (4/4), 168.4 KiB (551.7 KiB unpacked)
Retrieving: alsa-tools-1.0.26.1-42.1.x86_64.rpm .......................................................................................................[done]
Installing: alsa-firmware-1.0.25-20.1 .................................................................................................................[done]
Installing: libasound2-1.0.26-131.1 ...................................................................................................................[done]
Installing: fxload-2008_10_13-18.1.4 ..................................................................................................................[done]
Installing: alsa-tools-1.0.26.1-42.1 ..................................................................................................................[done]

Now I am going to update xbmc to the latest GIT.

[un1versal]

er I may have got carried away, was it alsa-utils that needed installing as opposed of alsa-tools? I always confuse those two. Yea its alsa-utils my bad.

uNi

[tudstudent]

No problem
As long as the 2 remaining pulse packages do not cause any problem1

Code:

htpc01:~/XBMC/xbmc # zypper in -f alsa-utils
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...
Forcing installation of 'alsa-utils-1.0.26-75.1.x86_64' from repository 'Multimedia Build 12.2'.
Resolving package dependencies...

The following package is going to be reinstalled:
  alsa-utils

1 package to reinstall.
Overall download size: 963.3 KiB. No additional space will be used or freed after the operation.
Continue? [y/n/?] (y): y
Retrieving package alsa-utils-1.0.26-75.1.x86_64                                                                        (1/1), 963.3 KiB (  1.9 MiB unpacked)
Retrieving: alsa-utils-1.0.26-75.1.x86_64.rpm ............................................................................................[done (22.8 KiB/s)]
Installing: alsa-utils-1.0.26-75.1 ....................................................................................................................[done]