LibreELEC-RR 9.x [ Emulationstation | Retroarch | Pegasus | DolphinQT | Moonlight | Chrome | Spotify ]

**5schatten** · April 13, 2019 at 11:12 PM

Quote from HaLeXz

with kodifreeze the volume drop to 44% and stays there after unfreeze (pulseaudio as backend). With alsa backend it stays always at 100% (that's the reason why we use pulse as backend: the emulators volume is too high)

Another way could be to provide a volume selector for alsa backend in rr config, as you developed for pulse backend. In this way with both backends everyone can set a backend volume.

Thank you again

ALSA is basically useless & only needed for some special snowflake software like PCSX2. My TV uses HDMI and changing the ALSA Master volume does not even effect the audio output so it does not make sense to add any functions for this backend while PA normally works fine & is mandatory for video previews for example.

HaLeXz · April 13, 2019 at 11:17 PM

Quote from 5schatten

ALSA is basically useless & only needed for some special snowflake software like PCSX2. My TV uses HDMI and changing the ALSA Master volume does not even effect the audio output so it does not make sense to add any functions for this backend while PA normally works fine & is mandatory for video previews for example.

Sure. I agree to select pulseaudio as backend. So, maybe the code is not working for all the folks using analog outputs.

I would select pulse audio in kodi too, but it's not selectable for me I only have bluetooth audio output for pulseaudio section in kodi audio devices.

**5schatten** · April 13, 2019 at 11:26 PM

Quote from HaLeXz

Sure. I agree to select pulseaudio as backend. So, maybe the code is not working for all the folks using analog outputs.

I would select pulse audio in kodi too, but it's not selectable for me I only have bluetooth audio output for pulseaudio section in kodi audio devices.

Because it's not needed. PulseAudio is only used for BT audio because basically Kodi works fine with ALSA.

HaLeXz · April 13, 2019 at 11:44 PM

Aw, okay. I misunderstood... I thought you were using pulseaudio even in kodi for digital output.

So, if you're using alsa in kodi like me, the only difference is analog or digital output? With digital audio your scripts work fine but with analog don't?

I'll wait for your fix now that it's identified. Thanks a lot for your work.

**5schatten** · April 13, 2019 at 11:50 PM

Quote from HaLeXz

Aw, okay. I misunderstood... I thought you were using pulseaudio even in kodi for digital output.

So, if you're using alsa in kodi like me, the only difference is analog or digital output? With digital audio your scripts work fine but with analog don't?

I'll wait for your fix now that it's identified. Thanks a lot for your work.

I guess they use PA because it's able to detect & configure bt devices on the fly. In the past PA had some issues and so they did not fully made the step to use PA for everything.
My workstation has some analog speakers attached but it's a while since I used it. Maybe the sound output changes there too but I guess only a small minority don't uses a digital audio system

**5schatten** · April 14, 2019 at 10:06 AM

HaLeXz

you can try this build libreelec-generic.x86_64-9.1-rr-20190414-b8f528c.tar and see if it fixes your audio problem.

This should set back the Master volume to 100% if PA is used to adjust the volume. oem/audio-settings-common: restore ALSA Master volume after unloading… · 5schatten/LibreELEC.tv@b8f528c · GitHub

HaLeXz · April 14, 2019 at 3:36 PM

Thank you 5schatten , it works!

**5schatten** · April 14, 2019 at 3:46 PM

Quote from HaLeXz

Thank you 5schatten , it works!

One bug less

Kupo91 · April 19, 2019 at 6:25 PM

In the past I used alsa as audio backend because I didnt manage to run pulseaudio. Now I gave it another try because this volume difference between dolphin and the rest annoys me too and just noticed that everything I had to do was unchecking "Use module-udev-detect to autodetect PulseAudio device". So the sound is working now and also decreasing the volume in the rr config tool works fine.

However only with Emulationstation 5schatten you maybe remember that Im using a different script in Rom Collection Browser and I dont get it working with pulse. Currently I have no sound in dolphin if I start it via RCB. Can you please take a look and tell me what I have to change? Is it even possible to use pulse on this setup because I dont freeze kodi and I use alsa in kodi?

Bash

#!/bin/sh
# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
# Copyright (C) 0riginally created by Escalade (https://github.com/escalade)
# Copyright (C) 2018-present 5schatten (https://github.com/5schatten)

. /etc/profile

# Set common paths
DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG=/storage/.config/dolphin-emu/share
DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL=/storage/.local/share/dolphin-emu

# create link to config directory
if [ ! -L ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL} ]; then
  mkdir -p ${DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG}
  cp -r ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL}/* ${DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG}/
  rm -rf ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL}
  ln -s ${DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG} ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL}
fi

# Change refresh rate to 50Hz(PAL) or 60Hz(NTSC/PAL60)
set_refresh_rate_60

# Set audio backend to PulseAudio or ALSA
export SDL_AUDIODRIVER=alsa

# Set Qt5 screen scale environment vars
set_QT_screen_scale_environment_vars

dolphin-emu "$@"> /var/log/dolphin.log 2>&1

Display More

I just tried to change =alsa to =pulseaudio but that doesnt work.

**5schatten** · April 20, 2019 at 8:27 AM

Quote from Kupo91
In the past I used alsa as audio backend because I didnt manage to run pulseaudio. Now I gave it another try because this volume difference between dolphin and the rest annoys me too and just noticed that everything I had to do was unchecking "Use module-udev-detect to autodetect PulseAudio device". So the sound is working now and also decreasing the volume in the rr config tool works fine.

However only with Emulationstation 5schatten you maybe remember that Im using a different script in Rom Collection Browser and I dont get it working with pulse. Currently I have no sound in dolphin if I start it via RCB. Can you please take a look and tell me what I have to change? Is it even possible to use pulse on this setup because I dont freeze kodi and I use alsa in kodi?
Bash
#!/bin/sh
# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
# Copyright (C) 0riginally created by Escalade (https://github.com/escalade)
# Copyright (C) 2018-present 5schatten (https://github.com/5schatten)

. /etc/profile

# Set common paths
DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG=/storage/.config/dolphin-emu/share
DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL=/storage/.local/share/dolphin-emu

# create link to config directory
if [ ! -L ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL} ]; then
  mkdir -p ${DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG}
  cp -r ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL}/* ${DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG}/
  rm -rf ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL}
  ln -s ${DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG} ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL}
fi

# Change refresh rate to 50Hz(PAL) or 60Hz(NTSC/PAL60)
set_refresh_rate_60

# Set audio backend to PulseAudio or ALSA
export SDL_AUDIODRIVER=alsa

# Set Qt5 screen scale environment vars
set_QT_screen_scale_environment_vars

dolphin-emu "$@"> /var/log/dolphin.log 2>&1
Display More
I just tried to change =alsa to =pulseaudio but that doesnt work.

In short? No. As long as Kodi is running the ALSA device is locked and PulseAudio can't create the sink. So unless Libreelec itself won't rework the whole audio subsystem to use PulseAudio this is not an option.

Kupo91 · April 20, 2019 at 9:31 AM

Hm okay, thank you. Then I have to live with that volume difference

HaLeXz · April 21, 2019 at 2:59 PM

Quote from Kupo91
In the past I used alsa as audio backend because I didnt manage to run pulseaudio. Now I gave it another try because this volume difference between dolphin and the rest annoys me too and just noticed that everything I had to do was unchecking "Use module-udev-detect to autodetect PulseAudio device". So the sound is working now and also decreasing the volume in the rr config tool works fine.

However only with Emulationstation 5schatten you maybe remember that Im using a different script in Rom Collection Browser and I dont get it working with pulse. Currently I have no sound in dolphin if I start it via RCB. Can you please take a look and tell me what I have to change? Is it even possible to use pulse on this setup because I dont freeze kodi and I use alsa in kodi?
Bash
#!/bin/sh
# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
# Copyright (C) 0riginally created by Escalade (https://github.com/escalade)
# Copyright (C) 2018-present 5schatten (https://github.com/5schatten)

. /etc/profile

# Set common paths
DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG=/storage/.config/dolphin-emu/share
DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL=/storage/.local/share/dolphin-emu

# create link to config directory
if [ ! -L ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL} ]; then
  mkdir -p ${DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG}
  cp -r ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL}/* ${DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG}/
  rm -rf ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL}
  ln -s ${DOLPHIN_HOME_CONFIG} ${DOLPHIN_HOME_LOCAL}
fi

# Change refresh rate to 50Hz(PAL) or 60Hz(NTSC/PAL60)
set_refresh_rate_60

# Set audio backend to PulseAudio or ALSA
export SDL_AUDIODRIVER=alsa

# Set Qt5 screen scale environment vars
set_QT_screen_scale_environment_vars

dolphin-emu "$@"> /var/log/dolphin.log 2>&1
Display More
I just tried to change =alsa to =pulseaudio but that doesnt work.

You could try to insert "amixer set Master 25% unmute" at some point of the script that launches the game... But I don't know if there's a "close script" where you can insert the same code to roll back alsa master volume to 100%.

Hope this gives you the start point for your solution.

**5schatten** · April 21, 2019 at 4:36 PM

Quote from HaLeXz

You could try to insert "amixer set Master 25% unmute" at some point of the script that launches the game... But I don't know if there's a "close script" where you can insert the same code to roll back alsa master volume to 100%.

Hope this gives you the start point for your solution.

This could work if he uses analog audio too, but at least on my systems the master volume did not change the volume of my HDMI audio output.

So something like amixer -q set Master,0 75% unmute in front of the dolphin start command could work.

Kupo91 · April 22, 2019 at 10:53 AM

Ye the command didnt change the volume of my hdmi audio output. However it was worth a try, thank you

HaLeXz · April 22, 2019 at 10:17 PM

Quote from Kupo91

Ye the command didnt change the volume of my hdmi audio output. However it was worth a try, thank you

I think you can find the right command to obtain it. 5schatten, for example, wrote a different command... if changing the master volume doesn't affect your HDMI output volume, maybe you can specify another channel to change the volume. If you're using alsa I think there must be a way to control the HDMI output with alsamixer.

Try to change the different channels volume in alsamixer through ssh while playing something to find out which channel affects your HDMI output, and finally change the channel name in the amixer command.

I can't try what you're experiencing cause my nuc has not HDMI out (only DVI), so I have to use analog or spdif (digital optical output).

**5schatten** · April 23, 2019 at 1:55 PM

Build RR-20190423-716b9f8 | is mostly online | C2 uploading

updated copyright & license in package files
added basic Rockchip project for RockPro64 RK3399 -> WIP
updated to latest LE 9.x
updated to Kodi 18.2
updated Generic kernel to 5.0.9 | RPi kernel to 5.0.8
updated Mesa to 19.0.2
updated Vulkan to v1.1.106
updated dav1d to 0.2.2 & fixed multi threaded SW AV1 decoding
updated Gstreamer to 1.16.0 | added gst-omx for RPi -> WIP
updated FluidSynth to 2.0.5
added Kodi announcement when a frontend & Spotify is started
fixed ALSA volume for analog audio -> restores 100% after exiting frontends
added recording options to Retroarch -> you have to delete your retroarch.cfg before you update, start, exit & start RA again if you use PulseAudio
splitted libretro cores & coreinfo into separate packages -> clean up & satisfies my ocd
added lr-nSide SNES emulator based on higan v106r25 to Generic builds
updated (lr-)ppsspp to v1.8.0-dev for Generic | reverted v1.7.5 for all other projects due speed issues
updated GLideN64 to 4.0 for Generic | fixed build for RPi but still WIP
updated DOSBox to 0.74-2 | r4156
updated several libretro-cores
updated citra & dolphin

**escalade** · April 23, 2019 at 3:24 PM

Quote from 5schatten

ALSA is basically useless & only needed for some special snowflake software like PCSX2. My TV uses HDMI and changing the ALSA Master volume does not even effect the audio output so it does not make sense to add any functions for this backend while PA normally works fine & is mandatory for video previews for example.

Being too lazy to research how to use it properly does not equal being useless

HDMI is a digital signal so it's only logical that volume control doesn't work (ever try adjusting the volume on your TV when connected to a soundbar with optical?). What Pulseaudio does is resampling the audio stream before passing it along, so in that way increasing the volume is possible. You could do the same thing with ALSA as well by using dmix/softvol. As for PCSX2, if you wanted to use Pulseaudio you could just configure your container properly so that it would use it. You can have sound in video previews at the same time as you have sound in the menus as well, there is nothing that requires Pulseaudio.

And how do you think Pulseaudio talks to your sound card? ALSA

**5schatten** · April 23, 2019 at 4:29 PM

Quote from escalade

Being too lazy to research how to use it properly does not equal being useless

HDMI is a digital signal so it's only logical that volume control doesn't work (ever try adjusting the volume on your TV when connected to a soundbar with optical?). What Pulseaudio does is resampling the audio stream before passing it along, so in that way increasing the volume is possible. You could do the same thing with ALSA as well by using dmix/softvol. As for PCSX2, if you wanted to use Pulseaudio you could just configure your container properly so that it would use it. You can have sound in video previews at the same time as you have sound in the menus as well, there is nothing that requires Pulseaudio.

And how do you think Pulseaudio talks to your sound card? ALSA

Well I'm aware of those ALSA plugins & I know that basically Kodi and PA just resamples the given audio stream and in- or decreases the volume this way. AFAIK the master volume just controls the onboard amplifier and sets the output voltage for analog outputs.

But to be honest I had other priorities. Maybe some would call it lazy but I was to busy to overhaul the docker scripts & images to make sure you always get a defined tagged version of the container and I was also busy to fix PCSX2 for at least most Nvidia users by figuring out what's wrong with the driver. So yes you might have to take your remote and lower the volume but at least you can run ps2 games.

If someone isn't pleased by using one of three frontends that all feature theming, assets or video previews then c'est la vie. Feel free to use any third party stuff and I help to fix some bugs if I can but I'm not motivated to reconfigure the ALSA stuff while a fully functional PulseAudio backend is available which even the average user can configure in a Kodi addon without having to deal with a terminal or other cli stuff. But as I said priorities

In the end you can either use this build which basically runs ootb after some minor adjustments or you craft a custom solution. Pick your p0ison