Ubuntu – Surround sound woes with 14.04

14.04alsapulseaudiosound

I have intel onboard audio and am trying to get surround sound working over the digital coax spdif port. I followed these instructions:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DigitalAC-3Pulseaudio
…which got me to the point where I can use speakertest -c 6 and successfully hear sound out of all my speakers independently, but I can't actually select this new device from VLC, the built-in "videos" app, or mplayer without getting errors and/or no sound whatsoever.

Anyone using 14.04 and getting surround sound (via DTS/AC3 passthrough)? If so, how!?

Best Answer

Finally had some luck by doing the weirdest thing. Leaving pavucontrol up.

That's right - I just don't close it. As long as I select one of the two Digital Surround 5.1 profile options (one includes Analog input) under the built-in audio section under the configuration tab of pavucontrol then DON'T CLOSE that app, I get working 5.1 audio in all other programs. If I close it, I go back to wonky issues including my receiver freaking out trying to decode whatever my computer is outputting and not knowing what to do.

This doesn't feel much like an answer, so if someone can shed some light on what might be going on here I'd appreciate it.

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – How to view video file with external ac3 audio track

And here's how to do this with VLC via the command line:

vlc videofile --input-slave audiofile

, then select the audio channel.

NB. Though not strictly related, --sub-file <subfile> will also load subtitles.

Ubuntu – XBMC Passthrough Audio and Pulse

I have at least been able to get 2 out of 3 with the following set up. Both Stereo audio and passthrough work within XBMC without having to uninstall pulse. I still however have to select a different audio output from the ubuntu sound settings (i.e. internal audio):

In ~/.asoundrc:

# ALSA library configuration file

# Include settings that are under the control of asoundconf(1).
# (To disable these settings, comment out this line.)
</home/kbrandt/.asoundrc.asoundconf>
pcm.dmixer {
    type dmix
    ipc_key 1024
    slave {
        pcm "hw:0,2"
        period_time 0
        period_size 1024
        buffer_size 8192
        #periods 128
        #rate 44100
        rate 48000
     }
     bindings {
        0 0
        1 1
     }
}

Then in XBMC:

enter image description here

note: The greyed out "Custom Passthrough Device" means that the option is not in use. It only is in use if "Passthrough output device" is set to "Custom"

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – How to view video file with external ac3 audio track

Ubuntu – XBMC Passthrough Audio and Pulse

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