PulseAudio: Difference between revisions
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{{redv|DEVICE ENUMERATION:| XBMC Enumerates Pulseaudio devices as SPDIF when you have '''Passthrough''' set. Otherwise its '''PCM Device'''.}} | {{redv|DEVICE ENUMERATION:| XBMC Enumerates Pulseaudio devices as SPDIF when you have '''Passthrough''' set. Otherwise its '''PCM Device'''.}} | ||
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'''<big><nowiki>★★</nowiki></big>''' Where AVR has HDMI inputs. No Passthrough can be selected when Multichannel is enabled... | '''<big><nowiki>★★</nowiki></big>''' Where AVR has HDMI inputs. No Passthrough can be selected when Multichannel is enabled... | ||
{{Note| spdif has 2 pcm channels but can do virtual 5.1 formats like dts, ac3, eac3}} | |||
== '''FAQ''' == | == '''FAQ''' == |
Revision as of 21:40, 20 January 2014
Template:Gotham
THIS PAGE IS A WIP
70% Completed
Outline
In the past XBMC had immense problems with users not getting Audio, because they had a full blown Ubuntu Desktop environment with PulseAudio installed. PulseAudio blocked the specific device required, and Audio Playback only worked reliably when using the virtual pulse device. Our workaround for those users was to uninstall pulseaudio. This of course broke complete Desktop Audio for these users.
- We wanted this situation to change with XBMC Gotham releases.
Changes in Gotham: Users that run a normal Ubuntu Desktop and just use xbmc for normal video / audio playback while also wanting Audio in parallel in their browser or pause xbmc, run a game or rhythmbox / skype or whatever, they can now use our new PulseAudio Sink when using nightly and newer XBMC Gotham builds..
Introduction
This Sink automatically detects if PulseAudio is running and so assumes that the user, which installed PA and uses PA, also wants to use it.
This pulseaudio sink is also able to do AC3, DTS and EAC3 passthrough. Alternatively it can be configured to be a 7.1 or 5.1 output device. This is an exclusive OR. pulseaudio only provides AC3, DTS, EAC3 when it is configured to run with 2 channels (which is the default on every Desktop).
- Clenup
Further references to Pulseaudio in this page also as PA or Pulse
- Cleanup
{{Hidden
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Format support
Passthrough Support Audio formats Supported Limitations AC3 Yes No DTS Yes No DD+/E-AC3 Yes No DTS-HD No Yes TrueHD No Yes
Setup
Passthrough
In order to activate Passthrough Codecs, just setup pavucontrol, as in the following:
Note: Ubuntu 13.10 has a bug and passthrough might sound like noise, if you are affected only disabling passthrough helps. This is a distribution bug (OpenELEC, Arch, Debian, OpenSUSE works with the same code)
Multichannel
To alternatively configure Multi channel, do the following:
Settings in xbmc for Pulseaudio
THIS IS A WIP still,
XBMC Settings | PC Speakers (2.0) |
PC Speakers (5.1) |
TV | AVR SPDIF | AVR HDMI ★ |
AVR HDMI ★★ |
SPDIF AC3 support |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audio Output | Analog | Analog | Analog | Optical/Coaxial | HDMI | HDMI | SPDIF |
Speaker configuration | 2.0 | 5.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 5.1 | 7.1 | 2.0 |
Boost volume level on downmix | Enabled | Enabled | Enabled | Enabled | Enabled | Enabled | Enabled |
Stereo upmix | Disabled | Disabled | Disabled | Disabled | Enabled | Enabled | Enabled |
Dolby Digital (AC3) capable receiver | N/A | N/A | N/A | Enabled | Disabled | Disabled | Enabled |
Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3) capable receiver | N/A | N/A | N/A | Enabled | Disabled | Disabled | Enabled |
DTS capable receiver | N/A | N/A | N/A | Enabled | Disabled | Disabled | Enabled |
TrueHD capable receiver | N/A | N/A | N/A | Disabled | Disabled | Disabled | Disabled |
DTS-HD capable receiver | N/A | N/A | N/A | Disabled | Disabled | Disabled | Disabled |
Linux / OSX - Output Device Settings | |||||||
Audio output device | Speakers | Speakers | SPDIF/HDMI | SPDIF | HDMI | HDMI | SPDIF |
Passthrough output device | N/A | N/A | N/A | SPDIF | HDMI | HDMI | SPDIF |
★ Where AVR has HDMI inputs. No Passthrough can be selected when Multichannel is enabled...
★★ Where AVR has HDMI inputs. No Passthrough can be selected when Multichannel is enabled...
Note: spdif has 2 pcm channels but can do virtual 5.1 formats like dts, ac3, eac3
FAQ
- When would I want Pulseaudio
- You use your xbmc computer mainly as your Desktop when you don't run xbmc
- You want other sounds like Skype, youtube, browser mail notification in parallel
- You use xbmc windowed as Desktop player
- You use Pulseaudio as a network sink to stream Audio to other devices in your living room
- Passthrough is nice to have for you, but to be honest - you don't really need it.
- Whenever you plugin your BT headset, xbmc audio will continue over this new device (when Default (PULSE) device is chosen)
- When would I want ALSA
- You use xbmc as your standalone media center
- You are highly interested in bitperfect exclusive audio output
- DTS-HD, TrueHD is something you use daily and is of high importance
- You don't need other applications that would access audio in parallel
Why can't I have both:
- PA might hogg your Audio device and you cannot open the ALSA device exclusively, therefore we decided for one or the other.
Placeholder for content from http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=183436
DO NOT Remove page, DO NOT Delete or rename this page
Linux - PulseAudio Sink Discussion and further information. |
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