[mythtv-users] Odd audio problem. Can only get audio via spdif

[stefan_jones at comcast.net]

----- "Allen Edwards" <allen.p.edwards at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: "Allen Edwards" <allen.p.edwards at gmail.com>
> To: "Discussion about mythtv" <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 9:17:35 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
> Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Odd audio problem. Can only get audio via spdif
>
> On Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 9:33 PM,  <stefan_jones at comcast.net> wrote:
> > (NB: Abit motherboard, GeForce 7050/nForce 630 chipset.)
> >
> > Before my Fedora 12 install, my system could play audio via the
> TV's
> > speakers (connected to the mobo standard speaker out)  (if the video
> was
> > analog) or from my stereo system (for digital recordings), which has
> an
> > spdif connection to my mobo. I could live with this.
> >
> > Now I can only play via the spdif port, when ALSA:spdif is selected.
> And it
> > works for both analog and digital recordings! I can't get any other
> ALSA
> > device to work.
> >
> > What puzzles me is that when I test my audio devices via Fedora's
> Settings /
> > Multimedia section, I can get sound out of the standard speakers.
> >
> > Fedora's multimedia section mentions a Pulse Audio device. Why
> doesn't this
> > show up as a device under Myth? Maybe the ALSA devices are too low
> level?
> >
> >
> 
> I have spent many hours trying to figure out how to get spdif and
> analog out at the same time.  My own solution is to use a second
> external spdif decoder for the TV set to stereo while the HiFi is set
> to 4.1 surround.  If you figure this out, please let me know.

SIGH.

I fixed things by going to HDMI*, and selecting the ALSA:hdmi device in setup:general. I'd put off going to HDMI because I'd heard it was a mess to get going, but it worked fine after a moment tinkering with the nvidia config GUI. Now my digital and analog programs both play from the TV.

But for some reason things go silent when I request 5.1 audio in the front end setup:general section.

Stefan

* Harbor Freight sells a 3' HDMI cable for something like $10! It seems to work fine. Go figure.