[ROM] Mecool M8S Pro L TVStock Nexus ROM (Android TV 7.1)

[supermal]

Its a 5.1 setup. Running the same kodi config on my Windows machine and the Mecool box to further debug. Only difference is the audio passthrough device so still leaning towards hardware support \ hdmi handshake issues

if your avr is 5.1 it does not support dolby true-hd or dts-hd ma.it wont have the codecs.if you have a 7.1 avr and have only got 5.1 speaker set up you need to add two more speakers for kodi to see you have a compatible avr connected.what make/model is your avr?

[clarkss12]

if your avr is 5.1 it does not support dolby true-hd or dts-hd ma.it wont have the codecs.if you have a 7.1 avr and have only got 5.1 speaker set up you need to add two more speakers for kodi to see you have a compatible avr connected.what make/model is your avr?

This is not a true statement.

[Guest]

if your avr is 5.1 it does not support dolby true-hd or dts-hd ma.it wont have the codecs.if you have a 7.1 avr and have only got 5.1 speaker set up you need to add two more speakers for kodi to see you have a compatible avr connected.what make/model is your avr?

That's not quite true. Its a certified Onkyo avr which supports TrueHD and DTS-HD, I've had windows and linux setups perfectly passing through those codecs with this 5.1 configuration. Plugging in my Windows 10 laptop right give's me full HD support on all formats.

However, it wouldn't surprise me if a 5.1 setup was "less" rigorously supported with HD audio than 7.1 with via custom firmware hacks newer and newer native audio API's like Android's. I've read some forum post on folks having to edit EDID's to pretend they are running a 7.1 setup so that's my next port of investigation.

[supermal]

That's not quite true. Its a certified Onkyo avr which supports TrueHD and DTS-HD, I've had windows and linux setups perfectly passing through those codecs with this 5.1 configuration. Plugging in my Windows 10 laptop right give's me full HD support on all formats.

However, it wouldn't surprise me if a 5.1 setup was "less" rigorously supported with HD audio than 7.1 with via custom firmware hacks newer and newer native audio API's like Android's. I've read some forum post on folks having to edit EDID's to pretend they are running a 7.1 setup so that's my next port of investigation.

ok.my statement was not 100% true but was meant to steer closer to find where issue lies.it can get complicated going into the nitty gritty!so yes your avr supports truehd and dts-hd.so its the edid info not quite what it should be.got to be close to solving this.good luck!keep me posted.it will be good to learn.

[Guest]

ok.my statement was not 100% true but was meant to steer closer to find where issue lies.it can get complicated going into the nitty gritty!so yes your avr supports truehd and dts-hd.so its the edid info not quite what it should be.got to be close to solving this.good luck!keep me posted.it will be good to learn.

Just checked, the EDID appears to be exactly as it should be, at least when read out through windows 10. EDID data structure 1.3, reporting correct channel and format support. Will keep investigating....

[Guest]

This is not a true statement.

So, I've finally made another couple of steps towards nailing the source of the problem. I verified that my EDID was not corrupt and was indeed sending the correct info for HDMI handshakes so I ruled that out as the problem.

I then tried to eliminate the M8S Pro L hardware itself as the cause by flashing Libreelec for S912 devices (https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/58...-8-2-for-s912/) onto an sdcard and booting into it on the Pro L box. Kodi 17.6 successfully boots on it and outputs all HD audio formats successfully. Hence it leads me to believe that the firmware shipped with the box has audio driver problems with the android audio API.

Can I ask both of you what audio output devices are available in your Kodi settings? I only see the 'android, audiotrack' output device with the stock android os on the box, while the Amlogic driver appears to be packaged with Libreelec so I can select the Aml-m8audio' device.

[clarkss12]

So, I've finally made another couple of steps towards nailing the source of the problem. I verified that my EDID was not corrupt and was indeed sending the correct info for HDMI handshakes so I ruled that out as the problem.

I then tried to eliminate the M8S Pro L hardware itself as the cause by flashing Libreelec for S912 devices (https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/58...-8-2-for-s912/) onto an sdcard and booting into it on the Pro L box. Kodi 17.6 successfully boots on it and outputs all HD audio formats successfully. Hence it leads me to believe that the firmware shipped with the box has audio driver problems with the android audio API.

Can I ask both of you what audio output devices are available in your Kodi settings? I only see the 'android, audiotrack' output device with the stock android os on the box, while the Amlogic driver appears to be packaged with Libreelec so I can select the Aml-m8audio' device.

Same here, Kodi running the "android, audiotrack", same as yours. I have run different firmware's on my box, but have not had any issues playing HD audio.

[supermal]

So, I've finally made another couple of steps towards nailing the source of the problem. I verified that my EDID was not corrupt and was indeed sending the correct info for HDMI handshakes so I ruled that out as the problem.

I then tried to eliminate the M8S Pro L hardware itself as the cause by flashing Libreelec for S912 devices (https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/58...-8-2-for-s912/) onto an sdcard and booting into it on the Pro L box. Kodi 17.6 successfully boots on it and outputs all HD audio formats successfully. Hence it leads me to believe that the firmware shipped with the box has audio driver problems with the android audio API.

Can I ask both of you what audio output devices are available in your Kodi settings? I only see the 'android, audiotrack' output device with the stock android os on the box, while the Amlogic driver appears to be packaged with Libreelec so I can select the Aml-m8audio' device.

on my kodi settings that option is greyed out so it just skips over it.i cannot select anything but from what i can see the only option is android/android audiotrack.so it doesnt seem to use it.hope this helps.suggests the decoding is left to the reciever/avr?my avr has no issues playing all hd audio formats.i use yamaha rx-v581.

[Guest]

Same here, Kodi running the "android, audiotrack", same as yours. I have run different firmware's on my box, but have not had any issues playing HD audio.

Just to confirm, are you currently on the M8S Pro L stock firmware? Also what AVR are you plugged into?

[clarkss12]

Just to confirm, are you currently on the M8S Pro L stock firmware? Also what AVR are you plugged into?

Yes, I am on the stock Feb. 05 firmware right now. This is the original box that came with the Bluetooth Voice remote, so I updated it once or twice. I also had firmware from the LB box dated April 17 for while, but reverted back to the stock Feb 05 firmware.

I have a Denon-AVR-S700W that I feed my box into. I also have another "L" and a Pro and a Pro PLUS, they ALL passthrough the HD audio. Not sure why you are having difficulty. Since you eliminated the box and the HDMI cable, and everything in the chain by installing LibreELEC. That definitely points to your firmware, or firmware settings. Are you sure you have your audio settings in android to "surround sound >> always", "digital sounds >> HDMI raw".

[Guest]

Yes, I am on the stock Feb. 05 firmware right now. This is the original box that came with the Bluetooth Voice remote, so I updated it once or twice. I also had firmware from the LB box dated April 17 for while, but reverted back to the stock Feb 05 firmware.

I have a Denon-AVR-S700W that I feed my box into. I also have another "L" and a Pro and a Pro PLUS, they ALL passthrough the HD audio. Not sure why you are having difficulty. Since you eliminated the box and the HDMI cable, and everything in the chain by installing LibreELEC. That definitely points to your firmware, or firmware settings. Are you sure you have your audio settings in android to "surround sound >> always", "digital sounds >> HDMI raw".

Yep, my audio settings are set the same. Only difference with ours appears to be that I'm on the latest April 17 firmware while you are on the Feb 05 firmware. I updated the firmware OTA as soon as I received the box so have never tested the old firmware. Why did you revert your Pro L box back to the old firmware? Did you encounter issues?

[clarkss12]

Yep, my audio settings are set the same. Only difference with ours appears to be that I'm on the latest April 17 firmware while you are on the Feb 05 firmware. I updated the firmware OTA as soon as I received the box so have never tested the old firmware. Why did you revert your Pro L box back to the old firmware? Did you encounter issues?

When I updated to the April 17 firmware, I lost WiFi connection (I knew that), and also lost the ability to install and run HBOGO. There were a few other minor issues, but don't remember. I ran that version for a few days prior to reverting back to the stock Feb 5, firmware. Never had any issues with HD audio.

My other L box is still running the April 17 firmware.

[Guest]

When I updated to the April 17 firmware, I lost WiFi connection (I knew that), and also lost the ability to install and run HBOGO. There were a few other minor issues, but don't remember. I ran that version for a few days prior to reverting back to the stock Feb 5, firmware. Never had any issues with HD audio.

My other L box is still running the April 17 firmware.

At this stage it's probably worth me trying to revert and testing! How did you go about reverting?

[clarkss12]

At this stage it's probably worth me trying to revert and testing! How did you go about reverting?

I just used the local OTA install using the zip file.

[supermal]

At this stage it's probably worth me trying to revert and testing! How did you go about reverting?

i am using latest firmware on my LB version box.no hd audio issues.on checking other threads there has been many onkyo avr owners who have had hd audio issues using kodi 17.some still have.some went back to jarvis to get hd working.could you somehow swap out your avr and see if same problem?or try mecool on someone elses avr?could be some android/onkyo compatibility issue.