HDMI passthrough magic in resource.img

[ontherocks]

I reloaded a 5 year old PC which has SPDIF. Windows 10 latest version, Kodi 16.1 stock standard, everything works. After enjoying some movies and music, back to the Z68's. Loaded lonix v9-5 with resource and kernel replaced as per above. DTS plays spdif, nice. DD5.1 plays spdif, nice. For the life of me - my receiver detects linear PCM when playing music (MP3, Flac, whatever), but no sound - except if I turn up my TV I can hear it through the HDMI there.

It's ok - I have a working solution with the Win10 box, but seriously, I just don't get how you guys have it working and after flashing 3 different Z68 boxes with so many different combinations, I can't get a working spdif Z68. Can I borrow yours ontherocks to try here?

Don't worry. We will make it work.
Now that you have got your hands on flashing, try the following that I am using currently.

Step #1. Download Android Tool v2.35. This has all config files set up for Z68. Link --> http://www.mediafire.com/download/k0...dTool_v2.35.7z
Step #2. Flash UT4 v.1.1.3 ROM. Use "EraseFlash" option first. Link --> https://mega.nz/#!qMJAlBrS!E9pdUHEQQ...pVWhb8wN4nSSSM
Step #3. Download Kernel_Resource.7z. This has the latest Z68 kernel and Stzo resource. Flash the kernel and resource. Link --> http://www.mediafire.com/download/tl...el_Resource.7z

I don't know how to repack a ROM correctly, else I would have given you a full flashable ROM.

[Scholten]

Thanks ontherocks, Followed your excellent instructions, DTS test - nice (but still lose audio when I skip forward). DD test - nice, and works when I skip forward. MP3 test - dang! Still only audio via HDMI. Disconnect HDMI, nothing. My receiver detects linear PCM, but no sound. Must just be my receiver (Sony E9000ES preamp with 2 x N9000ES power amos) it's pretty old) doesn't like this box. Thankfully the ol' Windows PC is working like a bought one so I have a solution. I wish I had an HDMI receiver so I could test passthru with HDMI. I've looked at firmware for the Sony and it seems I'm relatively up to date (can't find a newer version than 2.01 which is installed)

[ontherocks]

Thanks ontherocks, Followed your excellent instructions, DTS test - nice (but still lose audio when I skip forward). DD test - nice, and works when I skip forward. MP3 test - dang! Still only audio via HDMI. Disconnect HDMI, nothing. My receiver detects linear PCM, but no sound. Must just be my receiver (Sony E9000ES preamp with 2 x N9000ES power amos) it's pretty old) doesn't like this box. Thankfully the ol' Windows PC is working like a bought one so I have a solution. I wish I had an HDMI receiver so I could test passthru with HDMI. I've looked at firmware for the Sony and it seems I'm relatively up to date (can't find a newer version than 2.01 which is installed)

Does your PC have optical or coaxial SPDIF?
What is the situation while playing MP3s with the UT4 v.1.1.3 stock music player (not Kodi)?

[Scholten]

The PC has optical spdif.
Playing mp3 with stock music player also outputs hdmi to the TV.

[ontherocks]

The PC has optical spdif.
Playing mp3 with stock music player also outputs hdmi to the TV.

If there is audio in your receiver with PC SPDIF, then your receiver is fine. I believe there is no "version" in SPDIF like HDMI. So SPDIF should be identical in Z68 as compared to your PC.

Theory: With DTS/DD, since your TV is not capable of decoding so audio goes to receiver. But with MP3, both your TV and receiver is cable of handling, but audio goes to TV rather than receiver because HDMI is taking precedence over SPDIF.

To test the above theory you would need a display device with HDMI input but which is not cable of processing any audio, for e.g. a computer monitor. Do you have or beg/borrow/steal such a display device?

[Scholten]

I have plenty of Dell 30" monitors with HDMI input, but they can handle audio as well. Fact is though, when I unplugged the TV audio still didn't play out spdif. Thanks for trying - but I think I should just give up and let someone have these that's not interested in surround sound.

[ontherocks]

Again a speculation....I think pulling out the HDMI cable in the middle of audio being played will not help. The audio stream has to start afresh with the TV not in place.

[Scholten]

Thanks for your time and efforts ontherocks. I understand your speculation, however I think the box isn't smart enough to try playing via HDMI first, then failing that switching to spdif. In fact I did try playing an mp3 without the tv connected (as in press play without HDMI there) so the stream started from no sound.

As mentioned before, the receiver detects linear pcm, but there's no stream coming to play. What gets me is your setup works (and as you've mentioned, you get audio out the HDMI and the spdif same time). I can only assume our hardware is slightly different.

I went back to the stzo_v51 firmware I'd been playing with before as I hadn't done enough testing with it. Same situation - DTS/DD plays, but linear pcm doesn't. Time to add these boxes to the junk pile in the garage and enjoy the working windows box

I'm sure the hardware can work in it's non-standard way, and it's just that no one has the time to develop a solution for something that's not conforming to standard APIs. If I was younger and smarter maybe I could find the solution. Having said that, if I was smarter I'd know life is too short to waste time when I have a solution available in the form of a windows box already. Time to enjoy quality sound and relax instead of being holed up in my cupboard under the stairs playing around with firmware wizardry (no joke - my "office" is under the stairs hehe