[mythtv-users] Nvidia 8400GS SPDIF/HDMI pass through.. how?

[James Crow]

Roy Lofthouse wrote:
> 2009/10/5 James Crow <james at ultratans.com>:
>   
>> Roy Lofthouse wrote:
>>     
>>> 2009/10/5 jedi <jedi at mishnet.org>:
>>>
>>>       
>>>> On Mon, Oct 05, 2009 at 04:31:08PM +0100, Roy Lofthouse wrote:
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> I've been pulling my hair out at this for two days now, but I can't
>>>>> seem to get my nvidia 8400GS to play sound via the HDMI.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've connected the cable that comes with it from the onboard SPDIF
>>>>> header to the SPDIF (in) of the nv card, but I can't seem to get the
>>>>> thing working..
>>>>>
>>>>> Maybe someone who has experience of this can help me out a bit?? :)
>>>>>
>>>>> Once the cable is connected I presume I should just set my sound to
>>>>> play through the SPDIF connection?
>>>>>
>>>>> aplay -l shows the following:
>>>>>
>>>>> **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
>>>>> card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC880 Analog [ALC880 Analog]
>>>>>  Subdevices: 1/1
>>>>>  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
>>>>> card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC880 Digital [ALC880 Digital]
>>>>>  Subdevices: 1/1
>>>>>  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
>>>>>
>>>>> and I then run:
>>>>>
>>>>> mplayer -ao alsa:device=hw=0.2 <file> to try and test this, but
>>>>> nothing happens.. (no errors initially when running this)
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> ...run alsamixer and make sure the HDMI output is not muted.
>>>>
>>>> [deletia]
>>>>
>>>>  Some times, it's just a simple thing.
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> mythtv-users mailing list
>>>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>>>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> Everything is unmuted (no HDMI option though, just IEC***)
>>>
>>>       
>> Because you are passing the spdif audio to the nvidia card the iec958 _is_
>> your hdmi audio. I have the exact same setup and I just set myth to output
>> to ALSA:default and checked the options for AC3 and DTS passthrough. I have
>> nothing connected to the analog sound outputs and only a DVI->HDMI cable
>> connected. Audio plays through the TV speakers. I have no ~/.asoundrc or
>> /etc/asoundrc and iec958 is unmuted. I have to use the TV remote to control
>> sound. The output above from 'aplay -l' looks very much like mine. Try
>> running 'aplay -L' not the _capital_ L. You should see the iec958 listed
>> there.
>>
>> You also should double check the polarity of the SPDIF cable from the MB to
>> the nvidia card. On my MB the SPDIF header is just 4 pins and it would be
>> easy to have the plug backward.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> James
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> mythtv-users mailing list
>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>
>>     
>
> IEC958 does show in aplay -L
>
> The only asound file I have is /etc/asound.state
>
> I'm running a pure dvi cable, but will test with a dvi-hdmi cable
> tomorrow.  I'm starting to think it's a hardware issue.  My SPDIF
> header only has three pins and I went off the connector that was
> already there (Black/Red and White wires).
> _______________________________________________
>   
SPDIF only requires 2 pins so three is ok. The only TV I have seen with 
a DVI input did not support sound over DVI. Are you sure the device you 
are connecting to support sounds over DVI?

Cheers,
James