[Niko21]

Menu Sounds: CAESinkAUDIOTRACK::Initializing with: m_sampleRate: 44100 format: AE_FMT_FLOAT (AE) method: PCM stream-type: PCM-STREAM min_buffer_size: 88200 m_frames: 2205 m_frameSize: 8 channels: 2
Dolby ATMOS Helicopter:  CAESinkAUDIOTRACK::Initializing with: m_sampleRate: 192000 format: AE_FMT_S16LE (AE) method: IEC (PT) stream-type: STREAM_TYPE_TRUEHD min_buffer_size: 768000 m_frames: 9600 m_frameSize: 16 channels: 8
Menu Sounds after stop: CAESinkAUDIOTRACK::Initializing with: m_sampleRate: 44100 format: AE_FMT_FLOAT (AE) method: PCM stream-type: PCM-STREAM min_buffer_size: 88200 m_frames: 2205 m_frameSize: 8 channels: 2
Some AC3 track: CAESinkAUDIOTRACK::Initializing with: m_sampleRate: 48000 format: AE_FMT_S16LE (AE) method: IEC (PT) stream-type: STREAM_TYPE_AC3 min_buffer_size: 48000 m_frames: 2400 m_frameSize: 4 channels: 2
Menu Sounds after stop: CAESinkAUDIOTRACK::Initializing with: m_sampleRate: 44100 format: AE_FMT_FLOAT (AE) method: PCM stream-type: PCM-STREAM min_buffer_size: 88200 m_frames: 2205 m_frameSize: 8 channels: 2
EAC3 from Safari_Dolby_Digital_Plus: CAESinkAUDIOTRACK::Initializing with: m_sampleRate: 192000 format: AE_FMT_S16LE (AE) method: IEC (PT) stream-type: STREAM_TYPE_EAC3 min_buffer_size: 192000 m_frames: 9600 m_frameSize: 4 channels: 2

As you can see - kodi three times opened some passthrough format ... the rest is done by your FireTV. Nothing I can do about that.

Thanks for checking my log!
What do the channel number after the highlighted text mean?
For example your wrote STREAM_TYPE_EAC3 min_buffer_size: 192000 m_frames: 9600 m_frameSize: 4 channels: 2 - but in the log there is also:
CAEStreamParser::TrySyncAC3 - E-AC3 stream detected (4 channels, 48000Hz); Creating audio stream (codec id: 86056, channels: 4, sample rate: 48000, pass-through)

So does Kodi pass-through 4 or 2 channels when playing E-AC3?

I also tried to change the pass-trough setting to (RAW): https://paste.kodi.tv/cefiwivihi
When changing the FireTV setting to "Dolby Digital Plus" and using the recommended Kodi decoder, this is what comes out: https://paste.kodi.tv/fijiteyoru
But there doesn´t seem to be difference between those logs compared to the original one.

 

"the rest is done by your FireTV. Nothing I can do about that."

I don´t even know if there is a problem - I was curious that my soundbar showed Multichannel PCM instead of DD+ and as you also own a Cube I just wanted to ask about your FireTV cube audio setting, as you probably have a similar setup. But Multichannel PCM might be fine as other users also reported this behavior and it shouldn´t really make a difference I guess.

[fritsch]

I pasted exactly what kodi does. Don't confuse "bitstream" (raw audio packages) and potential channel detection, which is only relevant when decoding.

[Niko21]

Alright, thank you

[dajana.s]

AAC is not a passthrough format, kodi sends it as PCM ... when DD+ comes out of an AAC file it's not kodi doing it

I know. I also did not claim that Dolby Digital Plus comes out of an AAC file. Please quote me. I wrote that all my videos use AAC and the AV receiver displays PCM accordingly (and also sounds optimal). When I switch to Amazon Prime Video, for example, Dolby Digital Plus is sometimes used (but this has nothing to do with KODI). The problem is - as described in detail - that sometimes in KODI when watching a movie the sound changes as soon as you pause, fast forward or rewind, see previous message. At these times, the only thing that helps is to leave KODI and restart KODI.

[dajana.s]

Hi, I've noticed that the problem with switching from surround sound to "stereo" has been occurring more often recently than before. Maybe because of an Amazon Stick firmware update? Or is it due to KODI? I don't understand it. In any case, it occurs sporadically when I press pause or fast forward or rewind. It then sounds horrible. Previously crystal-clear, wonderful 5.1 sound, then suddenly sound only from the front stereo speakers. Horrible. Either I stop KODI, restart KODI or I wait and hope that at some point (sometimes) there will be no sound for a second when it suddenly switches back to 5.1 sound - without me doing anything.

All my MKV files have the codec "AAC (avcodec), which I set when converting in Handbrake - for every movie. This was also recommended on the Internet, which is why I did it this way for a very long time. But is it true that this apparently causes problems because KODI/the stick/receiver is not told exactly "You are Dolby Digital and 5.1 sound"? I don't want to have to re-encode every movie and change something in the codec - because the sound, when it works, is really flawless and wonderful.

You probably know Handbrake. You can select audio there:

None
AAC (avcodec) -- What I use!
AC3
E-AC3
E-AC3 Passthru
MP3
Vorbis
FLAC 16-Bit
FLAC 24-Bit
Opus

I was always advised to use AAC. Was that wrong after all?

When I play a movie via the VLC player on the PC and play the sound via the AV receiver, there were NEVER any problems with the sound. Everything is crystal clear 5.1 sound. So without KODI.

[MrMagic]

I was always advised to use AAC. Was that wrong after all?

Yes that was definitely wrong if your purpose is to play your files through audio/video equipment instead of a PC.

Most such equipment (TVs, soundbars, AV receivers, etc.) do not have native support for AAC. So you would have been much better off encoding the audio to DD5.1+ (i.e. AC3 or E-AC3).

However, Kodi is capable of converting AAC to PCM and even transcode it to AC3. So if things are going wrong with that, it might be worth posting a debug log, so @fritsch can take a look.

[dajana.s]

My Receiver supports AAC 100%.

[dajana.s]

What seems to have helped at the moment: Deactivating the UI sounds in KODI. They are "stereo only". Apparently this is a problem when a movie is playing, you pause or navigate somewhere and the "stereo UI sounds" interfere. At the moment I no longer have this problem.

[MrMagic]

My Receiver supports AAC 100%.

Are you sure your receiver can decode AAC 5.1 that is bitstreamed over HDMI?

I've done some searching and I can't seem to find any receiver that can do this. Just other people asking questions about it for over 10 years already

Also, see here: https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid...pid2806170

[fritsch]

AAC 5.1 is never bitstreamed (!) - no matter what the AVR "could do", kodi and Android, none of them will pack and stream it AAC encoded. You have two chances in kodi: Firmware that can output multi-channel: Set speakers to "the number of speakers you have". If you have a cheap soundbar and or a broken firmware set them to 2.0 and enable AC3 as well as Dolby Ac3 Transcoding ...

[dajana.s]

I'm just saying that all my movies use AAC and this sound is also optimally reproduced by my surround system. It sounds great - up until the point described here several times. I have already described the solution (workaround?) here in my last post: I completely disabled the UI sounds and also enabled the permanent inaudible sound in KODI. I don't know which of the two was the solution in the end. But it is only a workaround, in my opinion it is not an actual "solution". The problem only occurs in KODI. My output is by the way (as always) set to 5.1 and I am using a AV-Receiver, no soundbar or similar "cheap" solutions.

[dajana.s]

Quick info: Deactivating the UI sounds did not solve the problem. The sound still changes as soon as you pause or fast-forward or rewind. I can even see it on the front display of my (AAC-supporting!) AV receiver. As soon as I press pause, for example, it switches from PCM (during the movie) to Dolby Digital Plus and then back to PCM when the movie starts (and at that moment, often only 2.0 stereo).

It really sounds best when the movie starts for the first time. Such a great surround sound: perfect from the center at the front, front speakers really good, both speakers at the back produce a wonderful, room-filling sound. But as soon as you pause and start again: either 2.0 stereo (which sounds horrible because it only comes from the two front speakers) or some kind of surround sound, but not as great and room-filling as before.

Surely there must be a solution?

By the way: What was actually meant by "broken firmware"? I am using the latest firmware of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen).

[black_eagle]

Surely there must be a solution?

Without the debug log (wiki) that you haven't yet posted, no-one has any idea.....

[dajana.s]

Which codec is actually the best alternative to AAC?

AC3
E-AC3
E-AC3 Passthru
Vorbis
Opus

I guess only AC3, E-AC3 and E-AC3 Passthru are relevant here, right?

I've always used AAC so far - and my receiver plays it perfectly. I also have a lot of files (MKV), so I can't have them all encoded again in sound. That takes ages.

[fritsch]

Your AAC is not a problem.
Set speakers to 2.0
Enable AC3
Enable Dolby Transcoding

and now multi-channel AAC is output as AC3.

done ... no need for any reencode. In general you should keep the original track your bluray has. Kodi can passthrough / decode / transcode all of it.