Minix X7 - Hello and no 5.1 surround sound from HDMI?

[Trekie2]

Hi everyone, I am new here but have been reading the posts for months and have a Neo-X8-H and the X7. I am having one issue with the X7 though, that I can’t seem to find the answer to…I have the latest Firmware installed 2014-04-30-010 and use the Minix XBMC to play back all my media files but I can’t get it to play in 5.1 surround.

My setup is that my X7 is connected to my Pioneer (VSX-822) via HDMI and the Pioneer’s output HDMI to my TV, as I use the Pioneer for switching all my devices, I have the Pioneer setup to Auto Surround.….I have setup XBMC as a 2 channel device and it recognizes all my media files as ACC 5.1, I can switch the input in XBMC from Analog to Optical to HDMI but only the optical option allows me to state that I have a surround sound capable receiver, all those options on Analog and HDMI are grayed out. In the X7 itself I set the RC3188 (think that’s it as the other option is just Rockchip) to Pass-through….but all I am getting is Stereo. I understand as in my X8 that XBMC has to be in 2.0 channel to pass through (raw) all to the Pioneer…which is does, and I achieve 5.1 on the X8 no issues but not on the X7....

I read several threads that state that through HDMI I will not be able to get the 5.1 sound to the Pioneer and that I must use optical? Can I have both going to the Pioneer? I have installed an optical cable but all is the same….I have ordered another optical cable to see if that is the issue….(did try with another cable and the same issue) but other than that, from the software\setup side I can’t seem to find any other options to get 5.1 output….am I missing something? Is this latest firmware release not supporting multichannel over HDMI?

[Rokgaw]

Hi everyone, I am new here but have been reading the posts for months and have a Neo-X8-H and the X7. I am having one issue with the X7 though, that I can’t seem to find the answer to…I have the latest Firmware installed 2014-04-30-010 and use the Minix XBMC to play back all my media files but I can’t get it to play in 5.1 surround.

My setup is that my X7 is connected to my Pioneer (VSX-822) via HDMI and the Pioneer’s output HDMI to my TV, as I use the Pioneer for switching all my devices, I have the Pioneer setup to Auto Surround.….I have setup XBMC as a 2 channel device and it recognizes all my media files as ACC 5.1, I can switch the input in XBMC from Analog to Optical to HDMI but only the optical option allows me to state that I have a surround sound capable receiver, all those options on Analog and HDMI are grayed out. In the X7 itself I set the RC3188 (think that’s it as the other option is just Rockchip) to Pass-through….but all I am getting is Stereo. I understand as in my X8 that XBMC has to be in 2.0 channel to pass through (raw) all to the Pioneer…which is does, and I achieve 5.1 on the X8 no issues but not on the X7....

I read several threads that state that through HDMI I will not be able to get the 5.1 sound to the Pioneer and that I must use optical? Can I have both going to the Pioneer? I have installed an optical cable but all is the same….I have ordered another optical cable to see if that is the issue….(did try with another cable and the same issue) but other than that, from the software\setup side I can’t seem to find any other options to get 5.1 output….am I missing something? Is this latest firmware release not supporting multichannel over HDMI?

Install Minix Community 2.1.0 Firmware

http://www.minixforum.com/threads/x7-kitkat-v2-1-0-community-edition.2830/

Use the Minix XBMC provided in the firmware. In the android sound settings, select "HDMI Bitstream" option, then inside Minix XBMC app in the audio options, while watching a movie, select "Passthrough" it should then passthrough your audio through HDMI to be decoded by your receiver.

Also if you want to use Kodi 14.0 this version of the app will provide proper audio passthrough as well.

http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.php?15824-KODI-with-passthrough-(for-devices-with-a-modified-libmedia-so)

Hope this helps. This is just the setup that works for me. I tried forever to get it working and finally did. Im sure there are other setups that work too, but this one works nicely.

[Trekie2]

Thanks Rokgaw, I will try that....but I was also reading that SBMC fixes the programming issues of the MINIX edition of XBMC....and it seems to be working with the v10 firmware...but having another solution is always appreciated!!!

I dont get it...everyone worries or inquires about 1080p...yet no one cares about the sound...a great picture is nothing with out great sound to match....how people watch HD in two channels is beyond me...

[Rokgaw]

The one other thing you will have to adjust is the audio delay in XBMC. So again in the audio settings while watching a movie you can change the audio delay. What worked for me was 250ms ahead and it matched up nice.

[choekstr]

The one other thing you will have to adjust is the audio delay in XBMC. So again in the audio settings while watching a movie you can change the audio delay. What worked for me was 250ms ahead and it matched up nice.

I am about 125ms ahead by default and that is perfect for almost all movies/tv shows that are already in sync. I think each setup will be different as even the delay on the TV, the receiver delay, etc will affect this value.

Regarding the 5.1, I just noticed when I setup an X7 on my surround system it was mapped wrong and voices were coming out of the rear channels. Setting to HDMI bitstream in OS Settings, passthrough in Kodi, and THEN I had to change the mode on my receiver which somehow was thinking it was stereo despite my 2 tivo's on the same input (HDMI switcher) being set to Dolby PLII Surround. Just in case this helps someone else...