Looking for help with audio driver breaking when playing DTS encoded files, forcing reboot to restore audio

    Current setup: Intel NUC 11 Pro NUC11PAHi3 running LibreELEC 12.0.0, connected via HDMI cable to Denon AVR-2112CI in 3.1 speaker configuration, video output to a ViewSonic projector

    My issue is that when playing downloaded files from my NAS that are encoded with DTS or DTS-MA, the video plays but there is no audio. I have GUI Sounds enabled always, so when this happens, I notice immediately that I no longer have any audio at all. I have to reboot to get audio to work again.

    No issues playing Dolby encoded files from what I can tell


    Current Settings > System > Audio config that mostly works for me:

    AUDIO DECODER

    Audio Output Device

    • ALSA: Default (HDA Intel PCH ALC256 Analog)
    • ALSA: HDA Intel PCH, ALC256 Analog
    • ALSA: HDA Intel PCH, DON DENON-AVAMP on DisplayPort #0
    • ALSA: HDA Intel PCH, HDMI #1
    • ALSA: HDA Intel PCH, HDMI #2
    • ALSA: HDA Intel PCH, HDMI #3
    • PULSE: Default, Bluetooth Audio (PULSEAUDIO)

    Number of Channels: 3.1

    Output Configuration: Optimized

    Maintain original volume on downmix: True

    Stereo upmix: False

    Resample quality: Medium

    Keep audio device alive: Always

    Send low volume noise: True

    GUI SOUNDS

    Play GUI Sounds: Always

    AUDIO PASSTHROUGH

    Allow passthrough: True

    Passthrough output device:

    • ALSA: HDA Intel PCH, DON DENON-AVAMP on DisplayPort #0
    • ALSA: HDA Intel PCH, HDMI #1
    • ALSA: HDA Intel PCH, HDMI #2
    • ALSA: HDA Intel PCH, HDMI #3

    Dolby Digital (AC3) capable receiver: True

    Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3) capable receiver: False

    DTS capable receiver: True

    TrueHD capable receiver: False

    DTS-HD capable receiver: True


    I've tried default settings, but what I noticed is that unless I have Passthrough Audio set to True, I will not get any audio at all. At wit's end here!


    KODI.log and 04_Audio.log here

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    Thanks!

    Does you Denon display "DTS" or "DTS-MA" when playing those files?

    Also, why do you have these 2 settings marked as False when your AVR is capable of playing them?

    Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3) capable receiver: False

    TrueHD capable receiver: False

    Quote from HomerJau

    Try setting output to HDMI not Display Port

    That's the weird thing, the NUC does have a Mini DP port, but nothing is connected. And if I select any HDMI output, no audio

    Quote from blueribb

    Why do you have these 2 settings marked as False?

    Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3) capable receiver: False

    TrueHD capable receiver: False

    I am not sure my Denon AVR supports those codecs

    Edited once, last by thereddestdog: Merged a post created by thereddestdog into this post. (August 26, 2024 at 12:56 AM).

    Quote from blueribb

    Does you Denon display "DTS" or "DTS-MA" when playing those files?

    Also, why do you have these 2 settings marked as False when your AVR is capable of playing them?

    Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC3) capable receiver: False

    TrueHD capable receiver: False

    I do notice when DTS is displayed, I do not remember ever seeing DTS-MA ever. I'll check those boxes, I wasn't aware my AVR supported those!

    The Displayport selection is likely a non issue. Your NUC like uses a Displayport to HDMI 2.0 converter (AKA LSPCON) internally so Libreelec will see Displayport.

    Any reason you are using bitstreaming? For your 3.1 speaker config providing Librelec outputs 3.1 OK there is no advantage to bitstreaming whatsoever, Libreelec/Kodi will decode to multichannel PCM with no quality loss at all. The main reason people use bitstreaming is to allow passthrough of DTS:X and Atmos data which Kodi cannot decode but if your setup is 3.1 that is irrelevant to you.

    If you really want to fix bitstreaming it might be worth checking if an HDMI / LSPCON firmware update is available for your NUC. It is also worth trying one of the Libreelec nightly builds because they have a newer Linux Kernel which introduced a bitstreaming fix for LSPCONs which might fix DTS but wont fix the odd detection of DTS bitstreaming support without Dolby bitstreaming support.

    Quote from Krobar

    The Displayport selection is likely a non issue. Your NUC like uses a Displayport to HDMI 2.0 converter (AKA LSPCON) internally so Libreelec will see Displayport.

    Any reason you are using bitstreaming? For your 3.1 speaker config providing Librelec outputs 3.1 OK there is no advantage to bitstreaming whatsoever, Libreelec/Kodi will decode to multichannel PCM with no quality loss at all. The main reason people use bitstreaming is to allow passthrough of DTS:X and Atmos data which Kodi cannot decode but if your setup is 3.1 that is irrelevant to you.

    If you really want to fix bitstreaming it might be worth checking if an HDMI / LSPCON firmware update is available for your NUC. It is also worth trying one of the Libreelec nightly builds because they have a newer Linux Kernel which introduced a bitstreaming fix for LSPCONs which might fix DTS but wont fix the odd detection of DTS bitstreaming support without Dolby bitstreaming support.

    Is bitstreaming the same as audio passthrough? If so, I found that unless I have audio passthrough enabled, I do not hear anything.


    Is hardware firmware updates the same as UFEI/BIOS updates? I will check to see if my NUC is most up to date, thanks

    I am wondering if my AVR is to blame

    The video file I played in the attached log file of my original post I was actually able to hear audio yesterday, and I saw that my AVR was displaying DTS-MA while doing so. However today, I tried playing that very same file and it is not cooperating and my AVR is staying on Stereo not switching over to DTS-MA.

    Is there test functionality I could use to command my AVR through Kodi to switch audio decoders? Maybe test files or something?

    When you have no audio or stereo instead of DTS-MA, try wiggling both ends of the hdmi cable when the file is playing. If that doesn't help, try another cable. This is just an idea since I had similar problem, and a new cable fixed it for me.

    Quote from blueribb

    When you have no audio or stereo instead of DTS-MA, try wiggling both ends of the hdmi cable when the file is playing. If that doesn't help, try another cable. This is just an idea since I had similar problem, and a new cable fixed it for me.

    So I did try this with no improvement, and I don't think the cable is to blame since I can replicate my issue repeatedly with no physical interaction


    I updated LibreELEC to v12.0.1 and also the BIOS which I found Asus released Version 0056 on 2024/08/20 - still no difference.


    Really not sure what else to try at this point

    Quote from Da Flex

    Also update the Windows HDMI driver. Those drivers include firmware, which can affect LE audio.

    So I have been searching this forum and did find other posts saying the same thing, but it does not appear there are any HDMI firmware updates or update tools for the NUC 11 platform. Unless they are bundled in one of these?

    NUC 11 Performance Kit｜NUCs｜ASUS Global

    But I'm lost on how to update the drivers using a Windows exe without running Windows..

    Apparently my NUC has an LS-PCON graphics adapter, could this be the issue?

    Thread

    LS-PCON Good or Bad

    Panther Lake I3 Gen12 GPU AV1 decode = CIR and PCON for HDMI - Any degrade in picture quality, any downsides in getting the Panther Lake???

    Tiger Lake I3 Gen12 GPU AV1 decode = No CIR and Retimer for HDMI - I like booting from off state using CIR but this new model they removed it not sure why, even all the Celerons NUC 11 have no CIR only the Performance Panther lakes have CIR.

    Thanks
    denist
    August 30, 2022 at 5:03 AM

    https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/mini-pcs/nuc-kits/NUC8ixBE-HDMI-FW-Update-Guide.pdf

    Thank you, I will


    I also found this which is very similar to what I'm experiencing:

    LSPCon - No HBR Audio - Same kernel, DP to HDMI adapter and HDMI hardware works with AMD (#10819) · Issues · drm / i915 / kernel · GitLab
    I am using Kernel 6.6.26 in Libreelec nightly build. Intel hardware is I3-8300 on Supermicro motherboard using Intel C246 Chipset. Working AMD platform is…
    gitlab.freedesktop.org

    Just discovered LibreELEC 12.0.1 Linux x86 64-bit runs kernel version 6.6.46..

    I'm thinking I'm SOL 😢

    Edited 3 times, last by thereddestdog: Merged a post created by thereddestdog into this post. (August 28, 2024 at 3:09 AM).

    Reset your AVR. My old Denon AVR-X7200W would not recognise DTS or Atmos, multichannel pcm etc over HDMI (stuck on ‘stereo’) about once every 18 months or so. A hard Reset would fix it.

    The above was using various LibreElec builds on Intel NUCs. The AVR reset ‘fix’ was needed over about 6 years. I’ve not had any such issue using my new Denon 4800H but it’s happened on another Denon (AVR X3400H) I use in another room once in 6 years (Intel NUC/LibreElec).

    In that 6 year period it been NUC5, NUC8 (I’m now using NUC11TNK and NUC12SWH LE12 and still have 2 x NUC8 for test builds)