PulseAudio: Difference between revisions

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=== Device support ===
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== '''Setup''' ==
== '''Setup''' ==

Revision as of 21:24, 20 January 2014

Template:Gotham
THIS PAGE IS A WIP

70% Completed


Template:Audionav

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


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Device support

Editor note: << table this with rest

What Pulse supports: When configured as digital stereo) Multichannel Output (when configured as 5.1 device)

What Pulse does not do: - DTS-HD, TrueHD passthrough

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

IMPORTANT: Passthrough is always exclusive mode. If you have another application hogging the device, e.g. google chrome or skype or something else, Passthrough won't work.
REMEMBER: To use passthrough you need to be using 2.0 channel configuration.


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,

DEVICE ENUMERATION: XBMC Enumerates Pulseaudio devices as SPDIF when you have Passthrough set. Otherwise its PCM Device.


XBMC Settings PC Speakers
(2.0)
PC Speakers
(5.1)
TV AVR SPDIF AVR HDMI
AVR HDMI
★★
SPDIF
AC3 support
SPDIF
Audio Output Analog Analog Analog Optical/Coaxial HDMI HDMI SPDIF SPDIF
Speaker configuration 2.0 5.1 2.0 2.0 5.1 7.1 2.0 5.1
Boost volume level on downmix Enabled Enabled Enabled Enabled Enabled Enabled Enabled Enabled
Stereo upmix Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Enabled Enabled Enabled Enabled
Dolby Digital (AC3) capable receiver N/A N/A N/A Enabled Disabled Disabled Enabled Disabled
Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3) capable receiver N/A N/A N/A Enabled Disabled Disabled Enabled Disabled
DTS capable receiver N/A N/A N/A Enabled Disabled Disabled Enabled Disabled
TrueHD capable receiver N/A N/A N/A Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled
DTS-HD capable receiver N/A N/A N/A Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled Disabled
Linux / OSX - Output Device Settings
Audio output device Speakers Speakers SPDIF/HDMI SPDIF HDMI HDMI SPDIF SPDIF
Passthrough output device N/A N/A N/A SPDIF HDMI HDMI SPDIF 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...

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.

Supported Formats in Pulseaudio

Add this so page layout is more or less.

Audio Codec Audio Source XBMC PulseAudio Setting
HD DVD Blu-ray Disc DVD-Video DVD-Audio
Channels (max) Max bit rate Sample rate (max) Channels (max) Max bit rate Sample rate (max) Channels (max) Max bit rate Sample rate (max) Channels (max) Max bit rate Sample rate (max)
Dolby Digital (AC-3) 5.1 504 kbit/s 48 kHz / 16 bit 5.1 640 kbit/s 48 kHz / 16 bit 5.1 448 kbit/s 48 kHz / 16 bit 5.1 448 kbit/s 48 kHz / 16 bit Dolby Digital (AC3) capable receiver
Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) 7.1 3 Mbit/s 48 kHz / 24 bit 7.1 1.7 Mbit/s 48 kHz / 24 bit N/A
DTS 5.1 (Core) 1536 kbit/s 48 kHz / 24 bit 5.1 (Core) 1536 kbit/s 48 kHz / 24 bit 6.1 768 kbit/s 48 kHz / 16 bit N/A DTS capable receiver
DTS 24/96 N/A 5.1 1536 kbit/s 96 kHz / 24-bit 5.1 1536 kbit/s 96 kHz / 24-bit
Linear PCM (LPCM) 7.1 27 Mbit/s 192 kHz / 24 bit 8.1 27 Mbit/s 192 kHz / 24 bit 5.1 6.1 Mbit/s 48 kHz / 16 bit 5.1 6.1 Mbit/s 96 kHz / 24 bit Automatically set
Dolby TrueHD 7.1 18 Mbit/s 192 kHz / 24 bit 7.1 18 Mbit/s 192 kHz / 24 bit N/A No
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio (HRA) 7.1 6 Mbit/s 96 kHz / 24 bit 7.1 6 Mbit/s 96 kHz / 24 bit N/A No
DTS-HD Master Audio (MA) 5.1 18 Mbit/s 192 kHz / 24 bit 5.1 18 Mbit/s 192 kHz / 24 bit N/A
7.1 18 Mbit/s 96 kHz / 24 bit 7.1 18 Mbit/s 96 kHz / 24 bit N/A

Placeholder for content from http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=183436

DO NOT Remove page, DO NOT Delete or rename this page

Attention talk.png Linux - PulseAudio Sink Discussion and further information.


Welcome to add information to it.