Q10 Pro --> No Sound output from Toslink/Digital Audio

[KODIFIED]

Hello, firstly, to all generally, and specifically to any now reading this.

I hope that somebody who does may be able to provide a fix to my issue (or tell me definitively whether or not my new unit needs to be returned).

I should state that I'm no techie or geekwizard, so sorry if this turns out to be some simple setting adjustment that I have not been aware of (but I have tried the ones of which I am).

Also apologies if somebody has already posted on this topic......but I HAVE spent some time searching unsuccessfully amongst other threads for an answer before resorting to now creating this one.


My Q10 Pro isn't outputting any audio from its digital audio/Toslink port to my SONY MDR-RF6500 wireless headphones (via their docking/transmitter station). They can receive/play audio (analogue & digital) up to and including 5.1 surround sound.

The Q10 outputs sound perfectly (from all files played) via HDMI to the TV.

I don't know if this failure to transmit audio from its Toslink port to the headphones stems from a hardware or software based issue within the Q10.


My Q10 currently has Krypton 17.4 (upgraded from 16.1). Also from android 5.1 to android 7 using the onsite firmware release:    HMD-2.0.4 2017-07-05.191425    This upgrading seems to have progressed without issue. But unfortunately, prior to the upgrades I hadn't checked sound transmission from its optical audio port (having upgraded very quickly after acquiring the Q10) so I don't know if this issue would have manifested (as it is now doing) with the original installed software.

I have a Popcorn Hour media player and have checked (by swapping the same optical audio cable between the Popcorn Hour and the Q10) that the issue doesn't lie with my headphones, optical audio cable or any other externals at fault,  as the audio to the headphones is perfect when output is from the Toslink port of the Popcorn Hour.

I have tested on both units with various film files which have different audio types ranging from 5.1 digital surround to standard stereo.
Again, all audio is fine via the Popcorn Hour. But no sound from any via the Q10.

The settings I know of and have tried on the Q10 are having the audio passthrough option switched to both on and off. And having in:  System > Audio  the number of channels switched to both 2.0 and to 5.1. (I imagine that not all.....if perhaps any....of these settings would produce any change to the issue but I wanted to at least try whatever I could before broaching others with this problem). No effect was made by the choice of any of these settings.

So I've now exhausted my limited options of how to proceed/resolve this (as, again, I'm no techie).

Is there some solution that I'm failing to see? Or does this perhaps arise from some unresolvable fault with the unit?

Any help would obviously be massively appreciated.

Thanks.

[stl]

Hi,

In settings check the format for the optical output, test RAW and PCM. In my case with my AMP only PCM works.

[KODIFIED]

Hi stl.

Thanks for your help reply.

I have had a trawl through the settings in Kodi, Wasn't able to find any options there for choosing RAW, PCM, etc.

Then I went into the settings (accessed from the home/boot-up splashpage) for the Q10 itself. In   Settings  >  Sound    there is  an option in SPDIF to switch from  RAW  (which was the preset setting) to  LPCM.

I made that setting change. But it didn't produce any audio through to my headphones from the Toslink port.

However, it stopped any audio being transmitted via HDMI to the TV.

Rebooting the Q10 didn't change this. I was forced to switch that SPDIF setting back to RAW and beboot the Q10 to get sound back via HDMI. I tried this back & forth process twice to make sure that the result first time wasn't some one-off abberation result. The result was consistent. That setting cancelled audio via HDMI, even though "HDMI Output"  in the "Sound" setting section is set to "Auto".

In Kodi there are more settings in   System  >  Audio  settings section that were set to "off", which I have (subsequent to my first post) set to "on". So currently enabled is:

Allow Passthrough
Dolby Digital (AC3) capable receiver
Enable Dolby Digital (AC3) transcoding
Dolby Digital plus (E-AC3) capable receiver
TrueHD capable receiver
DTS-HD capable receiver

There is another setting called "Enable Audio DSP processing". Enabling that creates another option below it that is "Audio DSP Manager". Clicking that results in being informed that "No audio DSP modes are available". So I have returned  "Enable Audio DSP processing" to its disabled state.

None of the above enabled settings have produced sound from the optical sound port. I also tried (in  System  >  Audio) changing "Output Configuration" to both "Fixed" and "Best Match" . No resulting change manifested. So that setting is now back to its preset "Optimized". And "Number of Channels" is likewise back to the preset 2.0.

I got this unit after the Minix Neo U1 I had started failing to recognize my external HDDs and crashing. But it (like my previously mentioned Popcorn Hour media player) didn't have any issues with outputting audio via its Toslink to my headphones.

So why this Q10 Pro won't do so is a frustrating puzzler....


Wish I was bald. Wouldn't have to be resisting this strong urge to start pulling my hair out...   

[stl]

The issues in kodi might be related to the existing problem with audio decoding and the need to use the wrapper.
Using himedia player only do you get any sound from the digital output choosing raw or lpcm?  Can youn test the digital output of the Q10 with another device, an amplifier for example?

[KODIFIED]

Hi again.

I have tried playing several files via both the default Kodi player, and the "Play with..." HiMedia player when SPDIF Output has been set to both RAW and LPCM.

I have tested only about a dozen of my video files. but that seems enough to be giving back info (though I've no idea of what to make of what it is telling me   ).

Whilst using HiMedia player (while SPDIF setting is on LPCM) some of the files will play. These that will seem to all be AC3, MP3 audio format files. Others that are AAC are making Kodi stop/crash when using HiMedia player.

Whereas the default Kodi player will successfully play all tested files (while SPDIF setting is on LPCM), including the ones causing the Kodi crash when the HiMedia player attempts to open them.

The default Kodi player outputs sound via HDMI when (as listed in the Technical Info section for that file in question) the individual audio channels aren't stated as being RAW. If they are RAW then no sound is transmitted via HDMI.

Similarly, those that HiMedia player will play (without a Kodi crash) which are AC3 (and whose technical info states as having audio channels that are listed as FL, FR, FC, etc.....as opposed to RAW, RAW, RAW, etc) will transmit sound via HDMI whilst the "Audio passthrough" option is disabled, and not transmit HDMI sound whilst it is enabled.

So there seems plenty of settings and formats having different affects.

But the one universal here is that with all files tested, utilising either player, and SPDIF Output set either to RAW or LPCM system setting  =  no sound whatsoever seems to be being output from the Toslink/digital audio port.

With the SPDIF Output setting set to RAW once more the HiMedia player is once again able to play all the videos tested, including with AAC based audio,  with sound being output via HDMI and without Kodi crashing when HiMedia tries to open the file in question.

[stl]

I've been making some tests, it seems the behavior is different with 2.04 than with 2.0.3.
Please make this test: in settings - playback menu set both Hdmi and spdif to LPCM and restart the box. Next open MediaCenter app and play your test files, you should have sound from both your TV and headphones connected to the digital output.

[KODIFIED]

Did so. Both AC3 and AAC type audio files (all tested) played with sound via HDMI.    But no sound to the headphones.

If 2.0.3 is different is there reasonable chance that it won't manifest this issue that 2.0.4 (if that is the root of the issue) is doing?

Also, if this was fixable in 2.0.4 is it likely that  the only way to use the Q10 with working Toslink output would then be via the MediaPlayer app (as opposed to within Kodi itself)?

Because I much prefer the functionality of the HiMedia player to the default Kodi player.

And part of what drew me from the Popcorn Hour was the Netflix-style  presentation you could implement with your media library as well as the multitude of general functions and customization offerings the Kodi system and addons can offer.

It would be a massive letdown to have to dispense with all of that in order to have a means to use my headphones (which is a must).   

Sorry. I forgot to include in my prior message that no, unfortunately I haven't anything else such as a sound bar or hifi, amplifier, etc, that i can use to test the Q10 Toslink output with. I only have the headphones (which work with the Minix & P. Hour).

[stl]

Have you tried connecting your headphones to the TV digital output?
In my setup I have one optical fiber cable connected from my TV to my Amp so I can listen sound originated in the TV and sound coming from the Q10 via HDMI and another cable from the Q10 directly to the Amp so I can listen to music for example with the TV turned off.
It seems your headphones are capable of decoding so you can try the previous test with Raw but with MediaPlayer so you can isolate the problem from the Box and Kodi.

[pcristi]

@KODIFIED

Try kodi-20170827-1ef7165-shitty-armeabi-v7a.apk
http://mirrors.kodi.tv/test-builds/android/arm/kodi-20170827-1ef7165-shitty-armeabi-v7a.apk

[KODIFIED]

Thanks for this continuation of efforts to help, stl.

That sounds a good practical setup you've formed.

My TV likewise has an optical audio port. That was the port that I've priorly always chosen to output to my headphones whilst in my current location (and very handy it was too). But it got damaged a little while ago, and isn't now working.

Also I regularly spend extended periods of time at a different location. When I do my entertainment stuff (headphones, player, etc) goes with me. And the TV used there doesn't possess an optical port. So for individual respective reasons the TV bypass of the the problem is not a workable solution here in either instance (I doubt I'd be posting about this issue if it was, as I'd perhaps not consider the failure of my box to Toslink output as being worthy of the time/effort needed to resolve under those circumstances). And as things stand this issue consequently really needs to be corrected at source (if possible).

Have tried the 2 playback settings set to RAW and playback chosen via the MediaCentre app and again with the HiMedia player in Kodi. Sound was output via HDMI, as expected.  But once again, no sound from the optical port.


@ pcristi

Thank you for your input/help too. Can't tell you how much assistance from others like this is being appreciated!

I have downloaded the apk file.

Sorry to have to be trumpeting the breadth of my ignorance like this. But here goes...

This link you have provided for me. If this a firmware? Or is it some patch or something for the existing one?
And how do I deploy it? The only firmware update I did with this box required using a pin in the back of the box which wiped EVERYTHING that had been installed/set.

Is that what is required here. Or is it just a case of choosing "local upgrade" in the system upgrade section? Or is this apk file something else that requires something different?

And what effect (other than the hoped for resolution of the current issue) will be made to the box, settings, installed and stored stuff, etc?

By these questions I don't want you to think I'm rebuffing in any way this potential solution. I'm definitely not. I just want/need to know what to do and expect.

Thanks.

[stl]

Hi,

If you don't get sound from himedia player there's really no chance, in my opinion, you'll get sound with any other app.
When you upgraded to 2.0. 4 did you used the restore button method (in the back)? If you didn't there could be software issues.

If I were you I would install 2.0.3 just to be sure of what's going on. I think  there's something buggy with 2.0.4 version:
With 2.0.3 I would only get sound from my Amp if I chose LPCM but with 2.0.4 I also get sound with Raw (partial if it's 5.1). The problem is that my Amp is a stereo only Amp not an AV Amp, I shouldn't get any sound at all choosing Raw output...

[KODIFIED]

My upgrade was from factory installed 1.10 and was carried out with a newly released Futeko build that enabled jumping straight to 2.0.4 without the requirement to first install some intervening stepping-stone firmware. And yes, using the rear restore button (that requires being depressed until the android figure appeared onscreen) was a mandatory part of that install. And the Q10 got scrubbed clean in that process.

Would either downgrading to 2.0.3, or upgrading to 2.0.4 again (if that didn't prove to be a solve) require the restore button install method? Or can it be done by merely clicking the "Local Upgrade" option/button (thereby not wiping the box addons and settings, etc).

I am certainly willing to entertain giving 2.0.3 a rattle...

Got to admit you've lost me a bit re the AV amp. But I'm not doubting that you know what you're talking about (even if I don't   ).

Are you at all familiar with that apk that   pcristi    kindly provided a link to (subsequent to your previous post to me)?

Is it a firmware, or a patch, or something else? How it's introduced/implemented? What installing effect on the current system settings, addons, etc?

I'm willing to try  these others that have been suggested to me, but would rather not have a wiped box in that process (if avoiding that is possible).

[stl]

I was stating that I have a stereo amplifier, not an AV receiver like most people have. I suspect only a few people use the digital SPDIF output  on their box at all.

What pcristi was suggesting was installing another version of the Kodi app. If you didn't get any sound only on kodi that could be a solution but it's not the case.

The restore button method is always the recommend one. You can backup your kodi settings but don't ask me how because I don't use it (shocking I know).

[KODIFIED]

I'm not at all familiar with AV receivers. But I'm gathering that they are considerably more (connection wise) than stereo amps. And I believe I'm getting your general drift.

Thanks for clearing up the pcristi thing for me.

Guess I will have to look into a means for a backup of the system then.

Do you still think it more likely that it will be software related then (as opposed to a possible duff unit with some hardware imperfection).

[stl]

Do you still think it more likely that it will be software related then (as opposed to a possible duff unit with some hardware imperfection).

Yes, I think its more likely to be a software issue that is causing an incompatibility with your headphones. Ideally you should test the digital output of the Q10 with another equipment so you can be sure, maybe you have a friend or relative tha has an amplifier with SPDIF digital imput.