VLC 0.8.6 and SPDiF passthrough

[NightwalkerPL]

Hi,
I have very big problem, I' try find some clue on google, but i found nothing. Here is my problem, i wanna play my dvd's and divx's with ac3 sound via SPDiF passthrough but when i select A/52 via spdif (in Audio -> Audio Device dropdown box) sound only scratching. My soundcard is SoundBlaster Live! SB0060. In MPlayer works fine

Ubuntu 7.04; kernel 2.6.20; ALSA 1.0.13; VLC from ubuntu repository (self compiled have the same problem).

Thanks in advance,
Nightwalker

[Jan]

I've the same problem. I'm also using Ubuntu 7.04, kernel 2.6.20, but as the sounddevice a nvidia soundstorm (nforce2).

The problem is also described here:
http://www.via.ecp.fr/via/ml/vlc/2007-03/msg00019.html

Thanks

[Hubris]

I have the same problem as well. If you change the audio device (via the pulldown) to be stereo...it will send stereo out over your SPDIF - but I get no sound at all when it automatically detects AC3 and tries to use A/52.

So far...nobody has had an answer.

I'm using 0.8.6 and Ubuntu 7.04, kernel 2.6.20 with a SN25P audio (IEC1724). Personally I think it's an issue with the A/52 useage...since it seems to span different devices.

[Uwe Hayek]

Same here : A/52 does not give a sound in VLC media player

And in XIne player there is crackling sound and the image is distorted

I am just evaluating Ubuntu Dapper. Also bbc hdtv and other European HD transport streams do not play h264 HD video

[Hubris]

The Trac system seems to be rather complicated....we should submit this as an official bug. While it's hard to find someone using SP/DIF output to read a problems thread and confirm that things ARE working....there certainly seem to be a number of us who can confirm that it is NOT.

On the Ubuntu forums I can find people commenting about this exact error dating back to 2005. I suspect it's a config that none of the developers use...and they need to be informed that it's broken.

[Lurker]

I thought developers read the forum... At least this WiKi article makes me think so...

My problem is here:

viewtopic.php?t=35873[/url]

[Hubris]

Here's a bump - this is broken, and needs to be fixed.

That link you provided....it in no way suggests the developers read the forums...it just asks that you provide full info when asking for help - in the forum, e-mail, or in submitting a bug.

We need to submit a bug report for this....that is the only place the developers are reading.

[Hubris]

Update - there is an existing bug identified on the bug tracking system http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/ticket/894

Downside....the ticket is 7 months old...nobody is assigned. Developers are volunteer, they work on problems that interest them, and at present, nobody is interested/able to address this.

[vlcuser01]

I'm interested in this problem too. So I'll watch this topic closely for a solution of the bug.

[Hubris]

If you read the ticket....there is an update....code is posted, and if it's determined to be a fix it will hopefully be available in the next version release.

[vlcuser01]

You're right. There is work in progress for this problem. Maybe I'll compile VLC from source if I know how to use the 'diff' file (patch) to test if it works.

[Lurker]

In the timeline I see no a corresponding fix in the current sources Is there a chance it will be fixed in a nearest future?

I'd make some tests with my setup, but I don't think I can go through source patching/rebuilding...

[funman]

Some code had been disabled in http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/changeset/15494 changeset

I verified the ticket #461 and it is still a problem when the patch attached to the ticket #894 is used, so another way has to be used to fix #461 I guess

[vlcuser01]

Let's hope it will get some attention from the development team. VLC is useless to me without s/pdif passthrough (media center).

[funman]

I would take care of that, if only i had a card with SPDIF output, and speakers with SPDIF input

Maybe the patch works, i don't know, but the issue is to take care of trac ticket #461

One has to take care of fixing the SPDIF bug without reopening the bug #461.

I asked the developer who did make that fix, but he's somehow not active anymore, and I don't know if he will take care about this issue.

Programers with ALSA knowledge are welcome

[nubunty]

Hello, just adding my voice.

Same problem -
Late model KUBUNTU (7.04)
Nforce2 soundsystem (onboard on Gigabyte mobo - it may be old but it works PERFECTLY under Winblows)
SPDI/F out is wired up fine and drives my Boston Acoustics digital speakers.

Analog out works fine.
No SPDI/F out no matter what combos of the switches and sliders in KMix and alsamixer I try.
Briefly took the system to OSS instead of ALSA but no joy there either.

Jon

[funman]

we all know spdif output in alsa is broken, don't need everybody to tell so !

[Hubris]

He was probably just posting so he could subscribe to the topic. A lot of us are eagerly awaiting the resolution of this issue.

[funman]

just to let you know i'm in possession of a laptop with spdif output, till next week-end, but I don't have compatible speakers.

If it get some, I may be able to fix that bug, but I don't know nothing about spdif.

Is it the codec used by DVDs ?
How much is speakers' cost ?

[Hubris]

The problem seems to occur anytime VLC tries to use A/52. It happens when I play a dvd disk, or an avi movie encoded with the AC3 codec for 5.1 surround.

[vlcuser01]

just to let you know i'm in possession of a laptop with spdif output, till next week-end, but I don't have compatible speakers.

If it get some, I may be able to fix that bug, but I don't know nothing about spdif.

Is it the codec used by DVDs ?
How much is speakers' cost ?

In my experience, speakers are not specific s/pdif or not.

I set my soundcards driver (= ALSA) to "s/pdif output" (= Sony/Philips Digital InterFace). Then I connect my soundcards OUT (jack) with my Dolby Digital (=DD)/DTS Receiver's coacial s/pdif IN. That way the audio signal (multiple-channel/AC3/A52/IEC958/Dolby Digital or DTS or Stereo) is NOT decoded by my computer, nor by my soundcard, but it is digitally transfered to my Receiver. Then my receiver decodes it and passes the music to my 5 speakers. They are the same speakers that I have had for years, when only stereo existed.

So I don't know what you should spend on speakers, but what you DO need is a DD amplifier with a digital IN (= AC3 IN or: IEC958 IN or: s/pdif IN). A friend of mine had 5 little (computer) speakers from Creative that came with a s/pdif compatible sound card and a little amplifier (16 Watt) that could decode Dolby Digital via it's s/pdif IN.

My Digital Receiver costed about $220 (which is not much for a good Ampifier for in your living room).

I hope that this info helped you out. Maybe you can take the laptop to a friend or family's house who owns a DD Receiver? Good luck! If you've got any questions about spdif and speakers don't hestitate to ask.

[funman]

ok i meant amplifier, not speakers of course

but sometimes the amplifier is built in a speaker, so i was confused.

i'll try to find that kind of amplifier, and keep you informed.

thanks for your answer, it's clearer now

[Hubris]

Are you having any luck Funman? Do you need any other verification from us?

[funman]

sorry, i forget to tell you

i gave the laptop to its owner (my brother) so i can't do anything now

[vlcuser01]

I don't know what kind of audiocard you have in the computer that you own yourself, but many have an spdif out. On mine (a cheep one) it is one of the jack outputs that doubles as rear-left/right and spdif (I use Gnome-volume-control to select its function). I use a cable that has a jack on one side (the most common connector for walkmans, computers etc.) and two normal RCA connectors for an amplifier on the other side (red and white: stereo). That sort of cable is commonly used to connect the OUT of your PC to some stereo IN of an amplifier and it is very cheap. I connected the red RCA connector to the (coacial) spdif IN of my amplifier. Simple and cheap!

One may have a look at the following ALsa soundcard list to see if your soundcard has spdif support: http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Main Look for TOSio or RCAio.