Surround Optical out in Lion 10.7 is broken

[chelgrian]

Which isn't really surprising as Apple do not care about DVD playback as optical spinning media has been de-prioritised in favour of streaming and downloads via iTunes.

[chelgrian]

So the supplemental update for OS X 10.6.8 which has just been released claims to address problems with HDMI and optical out. I suspect this may fix the class of issues where the digital out doesn't work at all but does not fix the issue with bitstreaming AC3 via optical from VLC. I've confirmed that XBMC still works.

[fkuehne]

@chelgrian: could you check whether a current nightly build (http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/mac ... l/?C=M;O=D) starting with "1.1-branch-intel64" works for you on 10.6.8 with the supplemental update? Thanks!

[oceanviewstudio]

Hi FPK

V 1.1.11 The luggage (Intel 64bit) on SL 10.6.4 does not play back DTS (encoded output option missing), I tried the file you provided in the link and this brought back the encoded output option and now plays DTS again.

Will I leave my 1.1.11 and wait for an update where this fix is build in?

[chelgrian]

@chelgrian: could you check whether a current nightly build (http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/mac ... l/?C=M;O=D) starting with "1.1-branch-intel64" works for you on 10.6.8 with the supplemental update? Thanks!

Will do when I'm back in the same location as my test setup which will probably be Wednesday evening. Is this the auhal fix in git commit 8aebaee4016a27d98de19f019cc06751422ceb55 you want me to test?

I've got it built from source as well now (GNU Build System and not knowing which bits you have to rerun to get a coherent build after git pulling not with standing)

[fkuehne]

In fact, it's commit 8c76228df69031e8e52c246235fc219c06c8aa13. You are welcome to use a nightly build btw., since this should be much easier to access for you.

[chelgrian]

In fact, it's commit 8c76228df69031e8e52c246235fc219c06c8aa13. You are welcome to use a nightly build btw., since this should be much easier to access for you.

At least for 10.6.8 + Supplemental patch the the nightly 1.1-branch-intel64-20110726-0210 works correctly and can bitstream AC3 to my processor.

I'm afraid I won't have access to a Lion machine to test until next week.

[jeodell]

I tried the nightly build in 10.7 and couldn't get it to work...
Curiously, if I select audio device 2 in the advanced setting, I get some approximation of stereo...

[Mr. Underhill]

I am posting to state that my Mac Mini (late 2009) output DTS perfectly fine in Snow Leopoard (whether via DVD and/or file through VLC). Now with Lion, unable to play DTS encoded audio. I can see the pictures but no audio at all through VLC. If anyone here can restate the configurations one must do to enable DTS that would be much appreciated. Not sure if I have to do something different in "Audio" or "Audio Midi" or under "VLC Preferences". Was so long ago that I did it all that I forgot if there were steps that I forgot.

[Pet0r]

I have a

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Modellname: MacBook Modell-Identifizierung: MacBook3,1 Prozessortyp: Intel Core 2 Duo Prozessorgeschwindigkeit: 2 GHz Anzahl der Prozessoren: 1 Gesamtzahl der Kerne: 2 L2-Cache: 4 MB Speicher: 1 GB Busgeschwindigkeit: 800 MHz

with following software:

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Systemversion: Mac OS X 10.5.8 (9L31a) Kernel-Version: Darwin 9.8.0 Startvolume: Macintosh HD Startmodus: Normal Gerätename: Macbook

I have the same problem with VLC 1.1.11 => only Stereo Output.
Now I dowloaded the nightly build "1.1-branch-intel-20110728-0111.zip 28-Jul-2011 01:12 23M " and it works!
I now got DTS and Dolby Digital on my Onkyo receiver.

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.

Regards

[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]

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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. :/