[AppleTV2] HOW-TO to enable AC3 and DTS output for Apple TV 2

bruienne · 2011-01-23 06:41

FWIW, and somewhat as expected turning on AAC passthrough results in no sound. However, turning AAC passthrough off but leaving AC3 and DTS passthrough on results in multichannel AAC also being output. My receiver picked it up as DD5.1, XBMC Audio settings labeled it Unknown 5.1 surround. Good enough for me, just about all my content plays in multichannel now.

**davilla** · 2011-01-23 07:02

We see everything Smile

https://github.com/xbmc/atv2/commit/e42e...41e7669697

It was hidden to keep the testing matrix small for the first release.

Majestic · 2011-01-23 09:45

For me the setting doesnt work. I got no sound with this on true. HDMI or optical. Any suggestions?

ashlar · 2011-01-23 12:06

davilla Wrote:We see everything

https://github.com/xbmc/atv2/commit/e42e...41e7669697

It was hidden to keep the testing matrix small for the first release.

Other than a genius, Davilla, you are seriously evil too! Big Grin

oksehud · 2011-01-23 12:21

bruienne Wrote:Just tinkered around a bit in /var/mobile/Library/Preferences/XBMC/userdata/guisettings.xml and flipped these two on, hoping it'd work, and it did:

In the <audiooutput> section, change "false" to "true" on the following entries:

<ac3passthrough>false</ac3passthrough>
<dtspassthrough>false</dtspassthrough>

I am now getting AC3 passed through from the SPDIF out to my 7.1 receiver. Overall video playback is also a lot smoother now that it's not downmixing to 2.0 audio it seems.

HTH.

I would like to try that, but I'm a total noob....
I can ssh into the XBMC directory, but I don't know how to edit the guisettings.xml file.

I know, I have to use an xml editor, and have found several free editors on the net, but how do I actually open, edit and replace the xml file?
Can it be done in terminal, or do I have to copy the xml file to another location, open it in the editor, and copy it back to the atv2 Confused

Sorry for the apparently stupid questions, but this is my first time at this..
Any help is appreciated..

DN38416 · 2011-01-23 12:23

Doesn't seem to work for me either unfortunately. I'm connected via HDMI and my receiver is a Denon AVR-590.
I get a loud static noise when I try to play files with 5.1 audio Sad

superpete · 2011-01-23 12:23

Majestic Wrote:For me the setting doesnt work. I got no sound with this on true. HDMI or optical. Any suggestions?

Try editing the file when XBMC isn't running. When you relaunch it you should be good!

DN38416 · 2011-01-23 12:29

oksehud Wrote:or do I have to copy the xml file to another location, open it in the editor, and copy it back to the atv2

That's all I did. Copy it to the desktop then edit it with notepad (or whatever the equivalent is if you're using a mac), save it, then copy it back and replace the file with the new one.

I dunno if that's the right way to do it or not though (since mine didn't work Tongue

)

npkamen · 2011-01-23 12:52

You can install "nano" which is a console based text editor and use that to edit the xml file.

That is what I did to get it working.

jockethebastard · 2011-01-23 12:59

this is just awesome!
Works great with all my movies.

bruienne Junior Member Posts: 7 Joined: Jan 2011 Reputation: 0	2011-01-23 06:41 Post: #11 FWIW, and somewhat as expected turning on AAC passthrough results in no sound. However, turning AAC passthrough off but leaving AC3 and DTS passthrough on results in multichannel AAC also being output. My receiver picked it up as DD5.1, XBMC Audio settings labeled it Unknown 5.1 surround. Good enough for me, just about all my content plays in multichannel now.
	find quote

davilla Team-XBMC Developer Posts: 10,397 Joined: Feb 2008 Reputation: 58	2011-01-23 07:02 Post: #12 We see everything https://github.com/xbmc/atv2/commit/e42e...41e7669697 It was hidden to keep the testing matrix small for the first release. MediaInfo : http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/ Do not e-mail XBMC-Team members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules.
	find quote

Majestic Member Posts: 54 Joined: Jan 2011 Reputation: 0	2011-01-23 09:45 Post: #13 For me the setting doesnt work. I got no sound with this on true. HDMI or optical. Any suggestions?
	find quote

ashlar Donor Posts: 2,048 Joined: Mar 2006 Reputation: 26	2011-01-23 12:06 Post: #14 davilla Wrote:We see everything https://github.com/xbmc/atv2/commit/e42e...41e7669697 It was hidden to keep the testing matrix small for the first release. Other than a genius, Davilla, you are seriously evil too! For troubleshooting and bug reporting please make sure you read this first.
	find quote

DN38416 Junior Member Posts: 46 Joined: Jan 2011 Reputation: 0 Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia	2011-01-23 12:23 Post: #16 Doesn't seem to work for me either unfortunately. I'm connected via HDMI and my receiver is a Denon AVR-590. I get a loud static noise when I try to play files with 5.1 audio
	find quote

superpete Junior Member Posts: 2 Joined: Jan 2011 Reputation: 0	2011-01-23 12:23 Post: #17 Majestic Wrote:For me the setting doesnt work. I got no sound with this on true. HDMI or optical. Any suggestions? Try editing the file when XBMC isn't running. When you relaunch it you should be good!
	find quote

npkamen Junior Member Posts: 15 Joined: Jan 2011 Reputation: 0	2011-01-23 12:52 Post: #19 You can install "nano" which is a console based text editor and use that to edit the xml file. That is what I did to get it working.
	find quote

jockethebastard Junior Member Posts: 2 Joined: Jan 2011 Reputation: 0	2011-01-23 12:59 Post: #20 this is just awesome! Works great with all my movies.
	find quote