older tv without 1080p

I have an older TV that does not support 1080p. I can't seem to get any picture on it. Initially I tried connecting my already built libreelec box on a RPi 3, but the TV displayed an error message. I then tried doing a fresh libreelec install v11 (maybe I should try v10?). Same result. I see the initial rainbow splash screen, but then the screen goes black and the TV eventually displays an error message that it can not display the picture.

I tried forcing 720p using config.txt and hdmi_mode=4

I also tried hdmi_safe=1

no luck with either....

how can I get libreelec to boot into a lower resolution initially and then I can make adjustments from there?

My TV is a Samsung UE40D8000YS.

if anyone can help me figure out how to get a picture on it with preferably LibreELEC v10 I would be very grateful. thank you

Quote from popcornmix

config.txt settings apply to the old, deprecated firmware display driver.

cmdline.txt is the standard linux way of configuring display modes. e.g. see here.

Something like:

Code

video=HDMI-A-1:1280x720@60D

Added to cmdline.txt (on end of same line).

That worked and I was able to get a picture! Yay! However audio does not work now and adjusting both the audio output device and the resolution in the GUI is not possible. Both are grayed out and I am not able to change the settings in the GUI.

It's strange because the TV does appear capable of 1080p. If I plug my laptop into the TV with an HDMI cable it comes up as 1920x1080 60Hz and I get a picture. So the TV does seem capable. If I get rid of the cmdline.txt change that you gave me, I am back to a black screen. But now that I have at least gotten it to boot up with picture, I was able to get the Wifi connected and now I am able to log in via ssh and make adjustments that way.

If I let it boot up normally without your cmdline.txt alteration, I then log in via ssh and open /storage/.kodi/userdata/guisettings.xml

this section seems relevant:

<resolutions>

<resolution>

<description>1280x720 @ 60.000000 Hz</description>

<subtitles>673</subtitles>

<pixelratio>1.000000</pixelratio>

<overscan>

<left>24</left>

<top>15</top>

<right>1259</right>

<bottom>706</bottom>

</overscan>

</resolution>

</resolutions>

If I edit that and change

<description>1280x720 @ 60.000000 Hz</description>

to

<description>1920x1080 @ 60.000000 Hz</description>

then reboot, I still get black screen

when I open /storage/.kodi/userdata/guisettings.xml

<description>1920x1080 @ 60.000000 Hz</description>

has reverted to

<description>1280x720 @ 60.000000 Hz</description>

I did a video calibration after my successful boot with cmdline.txt and I believe all the settings in <resolutions> are from that successful boot, because I can see the overscan section is filled out...

I'd like to be able to get it to boot up without using the cmdline.txt so that I can then make adjustments via the GUI

I suppose the other option is to add an audio config in addition to the video config in cmdline.txt

-I don't know how to do that, perhaps you can tell me how to add an audio line with HDMI as the audio output?

Right now in the GUI "Audio output device" is grayed out, I can not change it. The setting is "Default,Bluetooth Audio(PULSEAUDIO)"

I would think Default would be HDMI, but as I said I don't get any audio. No GUI sounds, and when I play a video no audio there either...

Ideally I'd like to get things working in 1080P, since I know the TV is capable with my laptop....

But at minimum I'd like to at least get audio working...

Thank you for the help. Definitely happy I am moving in the right direction

It's difficult because when googling, all the advice is to make changes to config.txt. But now I know that is deprecated. Tough to find relevant advice for cmdline.txt

Quote from popcornmix

The fact it doesn't just work out of the box for you (like it does for almost everyone else) suggests you have a problem with detecting the display. This is probably a faulty hdmi cable (although it could be a faulty display).

Try switching hdmi cable, or connecting to a different hdmi input (of there is more than one).

Post a log file which may have more clues.

I don't think it's the HDMI cable, it works perfectly fine with my laptop, audio included. I tried two other HDMI ports, all same result. I can get a picture with the cmdline.txt adjustment you gave me, but no sound.

I don't have another HDMI cable handy, but I'll be able to grab one in a couple hours...

What would I add to cmdline.txt to hard code audio out to HDMI?

I definitely agree that the TV is less than optimal. But I'm visiting a friend in Poland and it is the only one available. I don't think a new TV is going to happen. So trying to get it working...

My apologies, it's been a while since I did some Kodi debugging. Libreelec has been rock solid for me for quite a while until this trip...

http://ix.io/4ApT

Quote from popcornmix

That log doesn't have debug enabled.

The link I gave shows a pastekodi command that reports a lot more info than the kodi.log.

There is no cmdline option to hardcode audio. We need to confirm what the issue is.

I'm suspecting it's not possible to read the edid, which suggests either the hotplug detect (pin 19)

or SCL/SDA (pins 15/16) are not functional.

My apologies, it's been a while since I did some Kodi debugging. Libreelec has been rock solid for me for quite a while until this trip...

http://ix.io/4ApT

Do you want a version of the log file without the cmdline.txt change?

Quote from popcornmix

Remove

Code

hdmi_group=1
hdmi_mode=5

from config.txt (they apply to a deprecated driver we don't use).

Remove hdmi_drive=2 from cmdline.txt (they only make sense in config.txt and if you moved them there, they would have no effect as they apply to a deprecated driver we don't use)

This is the key bit from log:

Code

2023-07-12 08:05:03.831 T:770      INFO <general>: Found resolution 1280x720 with 1280x720 @ 60.000000 Hz

There should be many modes found, and is more confirmation that there is no usable edid.

To be sure, run:

Code

find /sys -name edid -exec wc -c {} \;

You should see something line:

Code

256 /sys/devices/platform/gpu/drm/card0/card0-HDMI-A-1/edid
0 /sys/devices/platform/gpu/drm/card0/card0-HDMI-A-2/edid
0 /sys/devices/platform/gpu/drm/card0/card0-Writeback-1/edid

The actual hdmi display you are using should start with a non-zero number (typically 256 for a TV style display with audio).

If all the numbers shown are 0, we can't read the edid.

Display More

did as instructed with config.txt and cmdline.txt

new log file

http://ix.io/4Aq1

LibreELEC:~ # find /sys -name edid -exec wc -c {} \;

0 /sys/devices/platform/soc/soc:gpu/drm/card0/card0-Writeback-1/edid

0 /sys/devices/platform/soc/soc:gpu/drm/card0/card0-HDMI-A-1/edid

All 0's

So I guess we can't read the edid....

Still no audio

Is there anyway to get the audio output to not be grayed out in Settings? Just wish I could try changing it...

I'll have anew HDMI cable in about an hour

I visited this same friend in Poland 2 years ago and I was able to get libreelec working on this same TV, albeit an older version. I do recall I had to do some tweaking...but I can't remember exactly what I did. In any event I was able to figure it out on my own 2 years ago. This TV is definitely a pain in the butt though

I'm wondering if it only found the single mode because we hardcoded that into cmdline.txt...

Should I try removing

video=HDMI-A-1:1280x720@60

from cmdline.txt and rebooting and getting a new log file?

If I remove that I don't get a picture anymore, but I can still log in via ssh and get the log file

Quote from popcornmix

You can, but I believe the kernel will just choose a default hdmi mode (I have a feeling it was 1024x768 which isn't that widely supported) if hotplug detect is working. If hotplug detect is not working I think you will get no resolutions.

Do you have another TV you can connect to? If that works it rules out the hdmi cable. If it doesn't then the cable is the problem and needs replacing.

If the other TV works and has similar capabilities then you could try capturing its edid and using it with the original TV.

See: https://wiki.libreelec.tv/configuration/edid

I don't have another TV unfortunately. But I used this exact same libreelec box and HDMI cable back at home in the US and it worked fine.

I will have a new HDMI cable in less than an hour.

Is there anything I can do from the command line to select the audio output? It's been a while since I used these low level tools.... but I see amixer is available on libreelec.

I'm more familiar with alsamixer....but that is not available.

Could I try doing something on the command line to change the audio to HDMI without Kodi using the "Default" audio output?

I'm happy with the picture at 720p, it's not ideal but it works. If I could just get audio working I'd be satisfied...

Thank you so much for all of your help. It is greatly appreciated.

Here is a new log file with no cmdline.txt edits

http://ix.io/4Aq9

Or is there a kodi config file I could edit manually to set the audio output to HDMI?

new HDMI cable...same results

log file with cmdline.txt modification

http://ix.io/4Aqm

log file without cmdline.txt modification

http://ix.io/4Aqn

I think the solution is to manually edit the kodi config files. Either to manually set the resolution to 720p without the cmdline.txt, or manually set the audio output to HDMI.

Is there any way to do this?

I believe last time I solved this problem with this TV 2 years ago, I was able to connect the libreelec box to a different TV, set the resolution to 720p, then connect the box back to the problematic TV, then change the audio output to HDMI.

I am unable to do this now because I don't have a second TV. But I will be able to do that this weekend I think when I visit one of my friend's family members.

I'm really hoping I can solve the problem before that. Is there any way to keep the cmdline.txt modification and prevent the audio output section of Settings from being grayed out? Or any way to edit the kodi config files to manually set the resolution to 720p or the audio output to HDMI as I asked earlier?

I really appreciate your help and attention. I wish I could get past this on my own. I hate to be a bother. Thank you

I installed Kodi on my windows laptop and I am able to use it on the same TV with HDMI out from my laptop. 1080P works, and audio output via HDMI to TV works fine. Both HDMI cables I have work fine.

So I think I should be able to get this operational....

Quote from popcornmix

First, remove any changes to config.txt and cmdline.txt (note: a # character is not a valid comment character in cmdline.txt).

Run "getedid create". It captures your current edid (which is a broken, zero length one) and modifies http://config.txt/cmdline.txt to use it.

It appears here (with zero length): /storage/.config/firmware/edid/edid-HDMI-A-1.bin

What you can do is replace that file with a valid edid (it won't exactly match your display capabilities, but it may be usable).

Here is a possible edid

Download that and copy it to /storage/.config/firmware/edid/edid-HDMI-A-1.bin

Run "create-edid-cpio" to update the fake edid used to this one.

Now reboot. Do you get video? Can you choose audio output?

Display More

didn't work, black screen, no video

same as before

here is log

http://ix.io/4AqH

whoops, nevermind, it did work, I forgot to run

getedid create

I just put your edid in the right location and ran

create-edid-cpio

I've got a picture.... a 1080P picture!

changed audio output...

AND I HAVE SOUND!!!!

Thank you so much! You are my hero.

I really appreciate your efforts. Thank you Thank you Thank you

1080P at 50Hz