Arch Linux

gormine

Member

Registered: 2007-11-26

Posts: 55

SPDIF working but not ac3

I get sound out of all the speakers when watching videos. Using the sound test, I only hear out of the front left and front right  speakers.

Here is the output of mplayer -v

Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16le -> 0Hz/0ch/??...
[libaf] Adding filter dummy 
[dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
[dummy] Was reinitialized: 48000Hz/2ch/s16le
alsa-init: requested format: 48000 Hz, 2 channels, 9
alsa-init: using ALSA 1.0.15
alsa-init: setup for 1/2 channel(s)
alsa-init: using device default
alsa-init: pcm opened in blocking mode
alsa-init: chunksize set to 1024
alsa-init: fragcount=16
alsa-init: got buffersize=65536
alsa-init: got period size 1024
alsa: 48000 Hz/2 channels/4 bpf/65536 bytes buffer/Signed 16 bit Little Endian
AO: [alsa] 48000Hz 2ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)

Bob Day

Member

Registered: 2005-11-26

Posts: 43

Re: SPDIF working but not ac3

For me this worked: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ALS … DIF_output
and what if you play your video with these options? mplayer -ac hwac3, -ao alsa video.avi

gormine

Member

Registered: 2007-11-26

Posts: 55

Re: SPDIF working but not ac3

I don't see the /etc/asound.state file. Should I just create one and put that line in? I can't test anything until I get home later today.

gormine

Member

Registered: 2007-11-26

Posts: 55

Re: SPDIF working but not ac3

I forgot the power of ssh... The mplayer switches you suggested still result in 2ch. Here is the output of the alternative solution from the link you gave.

$  amixer set 'IEC958' 100 unmute
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Capture channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on] Capture [off]

FYI: Every time I play something, IEC958 is muted again when I go into alsamixer.

Last edited by gormine (2007-12-07 13:35:15)

Bob Day

Member

Registered: 2005-11-26

Posts: 43

Re: SPDIF working but not ac3

...
FYI: Every time I play something, IEC958 is muted again when I go into alsamixer.

Did you add 'alsa' to your DAEMONS in /etc/rc.conf ?

gormine

Member

Registered: 2007-11-26

Posts: 55

Re: SPDIF working but not ac3

yes

gormine

Member

Registered: 2007-11-26

Posts: 55

Re: SPDIF working but not ac3

I fixed the problem with sound not saving settings. I had to delete a locked file (forget where exactly).

I'm still having this problem though. I cannot get surround sound working. It's ruining my linux based home theater idea. Starting to consider going to windows

Last edited by gormine (2007-12-16 18:31:38)

gormine

Member

Registered: 2007-11-26

Posts: 55

Re: SPDIF working but not ac3

Ok, I downloaded a test file.

http://www.lynnepublishing.com/surround … d_test.ac3

Apparently all channels work but the rear speakers are not independant. So "rear left" and "rear right" come out of both speakers.

Also, the terminal output of mplayer still says 2ch... What is going on?

Last edited by gormine (2007-12-16 20:30:21)

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: SPDIF working but not ac3

Try with the channels flag. For 5:1, use 6:

mplayer -channels 6 <your_file>.ac3

gormine

Member

Registered: 2007-11-26

Posts: 55

Re: SPDIF working but not ac3

If I do that, I don't hear anything.