[JM.Black]

XBMC on the aTV is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I am having one strange and annoying issue on my install of Atlantis beta 2.

Upon startup (or *sometimes* when switching to/from the HDMI interface from other inputs), HDMI Audio will not work within Movies/TV, although menu sounds work and mp3s will play out of the audio tab. Part of my work around involves first disabling menu sounds.

Next, I have found that there are some files on my system, which if played in the right order, will seem to bump XBMC HDMI Audio into working correctly. At this point it involves first playing a MPEG encoded music video, followed by a snippit of an AVI file. From there on out, all audio is fine/as expected.

As these details are vague, I have taken a dump of verbose mplayer output while running a snippit of these two files, hopefully showing enough about the audio formats:

Needs to be played first: http://pastebin.ca/1243464
Needs to be played second: http://pastebin.ca/1243470

The setup: aTV hooked into TV via HDMI, the TV dumps coax digital-out to receiver. aTV set for digital audio within system menu, and xbmc configuration pane.

[konan]

I was able to follow your work around but with slightly different results. First, I was trying against XBMC 9.11 (as you may guess the sound via HDMI issue for the ripped DVD still exists). Second it seems there is no need to play other formats before trying to play DVD: it's just enough to turn off the system sound in the System/Appearance settings. By doing that the chattering moise disappears however the central (voice) channel is not sent out in case of the 5.1 sound track so you can not hear the voice, but everything else (back sounds) are OK (though it does not really help). If I turn the system "click" sound back I can hear the center channel again but only via SPDIF optical output since HDMI is filled with the chattering again. Any other findings?

[JDizzy]

I have copied this over from another thread regarding what appears to be same issue.
Here is my 'workaround'....

I too have an occasional 'no sound, or chattering' issue on my ATV.
Running most recent Camelot Beta 1. I have the DD5.1 set to passthrough. I am using .mkv files comressed using the Staxrip program.

When I have 'no sound', I have to back out of Movies, go to Music, start a song (sound goes ON)... then go back to movies and it plays the DD5.1. (note: when there is no sound, nothing has sound, zip... (not even the sounds from the interface while moving around through the various XBMC screens).

When I get the 'chattering' (helicopters) sound upon starting a movie, I have to stop the movie, and then start it again. Then the DD5.1 is fine.

Doing this has been clearing the problem, or allowing me to watch movies with the 5.1 soundtrack. (I have experienced the 'no center' sound before, but only once.