[timoxx4]

I have been playing around with the audio setting in 12.3 and have found that when I select 7.1 audio in XBMC but don't have the pass through check boxes selected then I get no audio and video runs at about 8fps. If I select the audio pass through options then it works ?

I have a ATI HD7970 that is connected to my AVR via HDMI using WASAPI output.

Its really odd. I see some setup guides on setting up the audio say to set it to 7.1 and to not select the pass through for AC3. But if I do that then any movie with AC3 audio plays at 8fps and no audio.

Its like XBMC cant decode the audio and pass it to my AVR as PCM ?

[Jogee]

When you have the pass through enabled, you're telling XBMC to send the audio to your AVR to let it decode it. Which I figure you understand. The AVR knows how to downmix to fewer channels if necessary, depending on how you have your speakers configured.

I've come across more than a few threads that note issues with downmix issues. For example, multichannel flac files if I recall correctly. You might want to try setting the audio channels down. Knowing what you are trying to play and what the rest of the audio settings are might help someone here provide a better answer than I can.

Might I suggest you try the latest beta XBMC? I normally wouldn't suggest upgrading software to fix a config issue. But the new version has a redone audio core and it may get around your scenario a bit easier. You can run it in portable mode so that you don't mess up your existing install, but backup your userdata folder before hand.

Ciao.

[timoxx4]

Thanks I might give that a try.

Yeah my setup is configured as 5.1 and I would bitstream all audio to the AVR so its not really a problem as such as my AVR can decode everything I have thrown at it. It just seems odd that my XBMC cant seem to do the decoding which it should be able too regardless if my AVR can handle bitstreaming or not. If my AVR couldent do the decoding I would be in real trouble. So I was just wondering why this could be happening is all.

Not that I need it to do any decoding but it would be nice to have the option working none the less just because it should.

[fritsch]

Debug Log crystalball is out of business

[pr0xZen]

How does this work with acutal 7.1 soundtracks?
From the setup and the behavior you're describing, this typically indicates that your AVR is not accepting your audio signal. Similar to pushing a DTS bitstream to an AVR that doesn't do DTS.

If you statically set the speaker configuration to 7.1 and don't do either passthrough or upmixing - the audio signal to the AVR might be identified as 7.1 but not contain enough channels. Not all AVRs will handle that very nicely.

I'm guessing you're trying to let the AVR downmix 7.1 to 5.1, but have you considered trying to set the XBMC settings to match your actual speaker configuration?

[timoxx4]

Hi pr0xZen,

My AVR is a 7.1 channel one ( Yamaha RX -V3800) and playing a bluray rip in mkv format with DTS HD or True HD soundtrack it will bitstream fine. But if I deselect the bitstreaming of DTS HD and True HD in xbmc is all comes crashing down. Like xbmc cant decode them.

Its not just Bluray rips eather. It will do it with DVD rips with Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 soundtracks also if I deselect the bitstreaming in xbmc for them.

If it was the AVR not likeing the 7.1 setting then why would the picture frame rate slow down to less than 8fps ? Shouldn't I just get no audio and the picture plays on fine ?

I shall get a debug log for you fritsch next time I am at it.

[pr0xZen]

XBMC cannot, AFAIK, decode DTS-HD. Also, on some device / OS combinations, HD audio issues has been reported (mostly Bay-Trail Intel systems, and usually running Windows 7/8(.1))). Odd that you should experience these issues with AC3 and "vanilla" DTS though. What is your "Output Configuration" set to? And are there any settings for HDMI audio output in your OS of choice?

It might be worth having good read through here: Some times we simply forget how some settings affect others: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Audio_settings . You'll also notice that they explain the effects you're illustrating for us.

Beyond that: Debug log.

[timoxx4]

Ok here is the log

debug xbmc.log: http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=188370

Yeah its a funny one as I am getting the opposite to what you would find if the AVR didn't support say True HD and you had True HD selected in XBMC you would get slow playback and no audio. But I am seeing that with the True HD setting (Or any other setting ) NOT selected. Its really weird.

5.1 works. Its just 7.1 that is not.

[pr0xZen]

Now I'm not an expert on this, but from what I could pick up in this log - XBMC is unable to establish an 7.1 channel PCM (uncompressed) audio stream with with your AVR. Are you sure that your AVR is capable of handling a 7.1 PCM stream, especially in a 5.1 configuration?

I would also suggest you backup your userdata folder and upgrade to XBMC Gotham (v13) RC1. The change- and fixlist is far to long to memorize, this might be some bug that is fixed in Gotham.

[timoxx4]

I am pretty sure the AVR can handle 7.1 PCM streams. This is it here. http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-vis...mode=model

Gotham might be the go. I have been putting it off till its official stable release and for when the Aeon Nox skin is available for it in the repository.

[timoxx4]

Alright just back from trying Gotham RC1 and it works. Sends full PCM out to my AVR no trouble at all. I guess its a Frodo problem after all.

Only problem now is Gotham is so much different to setup and use I don't really like it. But that's another story.

[pr0xZen]

I'm glad to hear Gotham solved your issue. Might not be a bug really, more a "lack of feature". "fixed" now anyway

There is so much new that has come and is still on its way, and quite a lot changed so some new stuff will not work with Frodo or earlier... So for the sake of "future-proofing", making the change is probably for the best.