Surround Optical out in Lion 10.7 is broken

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Only problem: If I first load a Dolby file in VLC and then a DTS file, there's no sound at all.
Seems the sound output crashes without any notification.
So I need to close VLC and start it again, everytime I load a different sound format.

This needs a fix.

[reinis]

Code: Select all

Model Name: MacBook Model Identifier: MacBook2,1 Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor Speed: 2 GHz System Version: Mac OS X 10.7 (11A511) Kernel Version: Darwin 11.0.0

Same problem here. I have the latest 32bit VLC.
DD or DTS files will not give any audio surround via optical out to my Creative DDTS-100 decoder. The optical out line works system wide, but stereo only.

An example. I open an .mkv movie with AC3. There is audio, but in stereo. Once I select audio device "Built-in Output (Encoded Output)" there is no audio. After that, I have to restart the computer to get stereo again via optical out.

I guess it is a Lion problem, not VLC issue after all. Because 10.6.8 had the same issue, but Apple just released an update and now it is fixed system wide. I guess we need to wait for the 10.7.1. Perhaps there is a temporary fix?

[fkuehne]

Regrettably, there is no temporary fix since the bug is within the AppleHDA kernel extension. Regrettably, you cannot simply copy the fixed kext from a Snow Leopard installation to Lion to solve the issue, because the kext API changed, so the extensions are not interchangeable.

To have S/PDIF output working in VLC as soon as Apple fixes the OS, download a current nightly build of the 1.1-branch from http://nightlies.videolan.org or wait for the 1.1.2 update (there's no ETA for it at the moment, though).

[seqiro]

Out of curiosity... if this is a bug in Lion, then why does it work in XBMC? I can get Dolby Digital in that application just fine and I haven't even had to update it.

I'm not trying to be a PITA, I'm just genuinely curious.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

All applications don't use the same APIs.

[reinis]

Adding to seqiro,

FYI Also Plex on Mac OS X Lion works perfectly and outputs all possible audio, including DTS-ES 6.1 Discrete.

By the way, as I'm new to all this, has it been and/or is it possible to playback DTS-ES 6.1 Discrete or Matrix on VLC via optical out?

Thank you.

[poing]

Yes that is possible, Normally it works fine by me. But afther installing Lion All digital output from VLC is not working, It only put's stereo sound through my receiver. I hope they gonna fix it soon. At this moment i am using XBMC media player and 6.1 DTS ES is working perfect with this program.

[lukarak]

Regrettably, there is no temporary fix since the bug is within the AppleHDA kernel extension. Regrettably, you cannot simply copy the fixed kext from a Snow Leopard installation to Lion to solve the issue, because the kext API changed, so the extensions are not interchangeable.

To have S/PDIF output working in VLC as soon as Apple fixes the OS, download a current nightly build of the 1.1-branch from http://nightlies.videolan.org or wait for the 1.1.2 update (there's no ETA for it at the moment, though).

I'm using a 10.6.3 AppleHDA.kext in Lion, and the symptoms are the same as with 10.7 AppleHDA. If i run a DTS/DD file, the audio output selection is greyed out. If i disable SPDIF in the settings, then it works as stereo.

If i run ie XBMC, even with the 10.6.3 AppleHDA.kext the DTS/DD passthrough to Logitech 5450 works without a problem. But i would rather use VLC

Hope it gets solved soon.

[Ducato]

Yo, same thing here, Lion update and no ac3/dd/dts going to the amp anymore. Tried about 5 different vlc versions to no avail.
It was working fine with SL 10.6.8.

Good Luck!

[umbrifer]

My iMac is connected to a Z5500 speaker set... Upgrading to Lion made my VLC passthrough a sad panda.

Quicktime 7 + Perian + enabling the DD and the DTS passthrough through the terminal does the trick, though (as in "I have 5.1 sound reading my mkv's").

So.... yeah. It is possible.

ps : I tried the latest unstable nightly, just in case. DAT INTERFACE

[jimithing1]

Apple has the 10.7.1 update out that apparently fixes optical audio out. Anyone updated yet and can confirm if VLC works now? (I'm not at home right now and can't confirm)

[poing]

updated to 10.7.1 optical still don't work pfffff

[Muntyhoven]

Not working here either on 1.1.11 - no change (that is for the mixing up of 5.1 optical sound channels)

There was no change on the nightly builds on 10.7, I'll try the latest on 10.7.1 now

[Muntyhoven]

Not on 1.1.12-git 64 bit either.

10.7.1 may have addressed the other optical problem where they had no sound (which some people had got around anyway, not sure) but AFAIKT no change for the other one.

Ah well!

[carlylemiii]

I haven't tried it in VLC, but for those curious, the 10.7.1 update didn't fix the issue in MPlayerX. :/

[Muntyhoven]

Yes, sounds like we'll have to wait for the channel swapping problem to be fixed, other issues may be sorted (again?) however:

http://tidbits.com/article/12429

“Resolve an issue that may cause system audio to stop working when using HDMI or optical audio out.” This sounds remarkably like the fix in the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Supplemental Update that was necessary to resolve the audio problems introduced in the move from 10.6.7 to 10.6.8. Apple described that fix as “System audio that stops working when using HDMI or optical audio out.”

[Harrie]

Hi,

10.7.1 Did not repair anything. Not with vlc 1.1.10 either. Selecting the encoded output makes VLC irresponsive.

This is sad because i need the subtitles.

Tip for those who dont need the subs, MPEG Streamclip plays everything fine with Dolby 5.1 BUT misses the subs.

Bugger.

Lets hope there will be a solution for this annoying bug soon !

Cheers.
Mac Mini 2009, Lion 10.7.1

[sijk]

> 10.7.1 Did not repair anything. Not with vlc 1.1.10 either. Selecting the encoded output makes VLC irresponsive.

Same for me.

> This is sad because i need the subtitles.

Try XBMC, it supports subtitles.

[niltsh]

I haven't tried it in VLC, but for those curious, the 10.7.1 update didn't fix the issue in MPlayerX. :/

Did you tried MPlayerX 1.0.8 with Lion 10.7.1 ?

it has made some fixes for the optical output, but not sure whether it works.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

It doesn't either...

[thay]

Same here since Lion 10.7
I don't get DTS or Dolby over spdif toslink via VLC (Audio Settings are all right)

Maybe it is a MAC Issue but
I use Plex 0.8.5 and it does play DTS and Dolby over spdif.

In Snow Leo, Plex did find 5.1 settings Automatically. Now in Lion I have to use the Option "Force digital Output" in the Audio Settings.

Yesterday I did make update to 10.7.1 but VLC still cant play 5.1

I'm not a programmer but maybe the "Force Digital output thing" in Audio Settings is a hint.

Anyway Plex will work for you. http://wiki.plexapp.com/index.php/Downl ... nt_Version

Hopefully VLC can do it soon!

[niltsh]

It doesn't either...

Today I got one report that he made the SPDIF output OK under 10.7.1 and MPlayerX 1.0.8

[si600]

I wonder how many users vlc is losing in this debacle.... I have literally not been able to watch any of my films since I moved to lion since I won't accept listening to a modern film in stereo. Poor show Apple and poor show VLC.

[niltsh]

Hi all,

I think it may not be polite to post it here, but I really want to solve this problem and I see somewhat dawn light.
I am the author of MPlayerX, and I have been facing the exactly same problem from 10.7 and MPlayerX 1.0.7

then I worked with one volunteer who helped me very much to test and fix this problem (in 10.7.0), at last, we have done to the level of
it could output the DTS/AC3 through SPDIF, but after that, there will be no sound at all until the OS rebooting ( which I thought is a OS bug).

I have merged this patch in 1.0.8, but still I am not sure whether it could work in 10.7.1.
So if there is anyone who got time to help me to test it and make sure of it.
of course, I would like to share the patch.

MPlayerX is in Mac App Store, and also google code http://code.google.com/p/mplayerx

and here comes the test instruction.

1. arm your hardwares.
2. set the receiver as the default output in System Preference -> Sound -> Output
2. open MPlayerX, in Preference -> Audio
3. DISABLE Detect SPDIF digital output automatically (since some receiver could not recognized correctly)
4. ENABLE AC3 and DTS
5. try to open mkv or some file which has a AC3/DTS track.

I will check this thread as far as I could, but if you could leave me a message to zongyao.qu[at]gmail.com, it will be really sincere and appreciated.

[jackpot]

This is definitely a VLC issue, because native Mac OS DVD player plays DD and DTS perfectly.