HDMI Audio Issue

[DEcosse]

I am running a custom 7.1.2 Android ROM on a Minix U9-h

Audio does not output from HDMI (video is fine) - however it will randomly start at some point after it has been booted for a while (nothing specific seems to trigger it starting to work, it just does - this could be 20 mins to an hour)

This is ONLY with my LG TV - it works fine with another TV;
this issue is also the same for another user with same box, same ROM and also an LG TV - so suspect it does not like something about the EDID from the LG - however that other user also has an X96 box running 7.1.2 which plays perfectly on his LG - the audio_policies look very very similar; I suspect the Kernels are different and why they behave differently; that other user also experiences the same random 'suddenly starts working' condition.

I have tried to force default HDMI output via the audio_policy.conf and that made no difference

I have attached the dmesg logs filtered for 'hdmi' and 'audio' and also the audio_policy file - perhaps someone could take a look and see if anything sticks out as to why it does not output to the HDMI

Thanks for looking and for any suggestions you may have

dmesg_hdmi.txt

dmesg_audio.txt

audio_policy_conf.txt

[ReaperMan]

As you see, HDMI-Handshake is wonky from your LG T.V..
Look for a newer firmware for your T.V.
Or look for a newer firmware (not likely older) for your China Box.
Inconvenient, use a HDMI switch box as a middleman to facilitate "Handshake".

[DEcosse]

The TV has the latest firmware
It also works fine with different box with same android level
It also works fine with this box with older Marshmallow Firmware and with CE on this box
So yes, of course it's something about how that handshake is being processed - the question is what and how to resolve/bypass that

[mo123]

The TV has the latest firmware
It also works fine with different box with same android level
It also works fine with this box with older Marshmallow Firmware and with CE on this box
So yes, of course it's something about how that handshake is being processed - the question is what and how to resolve/bypass that

THe Nougat ROM is broken, nothing you can do about it since it won't be updated.
Downgrade and use Marshmallow or CE is your only solution.

[DEcosse]

The Nougat ROM is broken, nothing you can do about it since it won't be updated.....

Sorry - Just saying 'it's broken' is obvious and your response is appreciated and I'm sure well-intended although a bit curt.
You are obviously a smart individual when it comes to custom ROM creation, so hoping for a little more direction from someone with knowledge such as yourself, in where to look and whether the dmesg provides any clues or whether other information (and what) could help diagnose the root of the issue.
The point of my question was requesting some assistance to identify WHAT is broken - this is a community ROM and have already had good support from the developers & if I could offer a bit more insight into WHAT is broken, then could work further with them to potentially fix it. i.e. saying it won't be updated is not necessarily true, so shouldn't be summarily dismissed on that basis

[mo123]

Sorry - Just saying 'it's broken' is obvious and your response is appreciated and I'm sure well-intended although a bit curt.
You are obviously a smart individual when it comes to custom ROM creation, so hoping for a little more direction from someone with knowledge such as yourself, in where to look and whether the dmesg provides any clues or whether other information (and what) could help diagnose the root of the issue.
The point of my question was requesting some assistance to identify WHAT is broken - this is a community ROM and have already had good support from the developers & if I could offer a bit more insight into WHAT is broken, then could work further with them to potentially fix it. i.e. saying it won't be updated is not necessarily true, so shouldn't be summarily dismissed on that basis

The firmware doesn't implement the IEC61937 Audio API.

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/media/AudioFormat

You can post a detailed Kodi debug log in the Kodi forum under the Android section with the problem so developers their can give you feedback, the log will show what is supported by the firmware and what is broken.
Minix has moved on to newer devices and don't provide new firmware updates for this device anymore and the custom firmware the users made is still based on old source code full of bugs,
You will only get basic general support now.
You need at least Android Pie firmware now to support HD Audio passthrough correctly, older Android OS's mostly used proprietary methods that won't be supported by Kodi 19 anymore too or will still work but with problems.

[DEcosse]

Thank you
But this isn't a Kodi or even HD Audio issue - there is NO audio - not even system sounds - when the device boots up (although inexplicably will randomly start some time later)

There is sound from the headphone jack or SPDIF if I try those, it is just fundamentally not switching ANY sound to the HDMI connector.
This configuration does not seem to understand the EDID from the LG TV - although the 6.0 ROM does; similarly other 7.1.2 devices detect the LG TV, so there is an instruction lacking somewhere in the specific configuration in recognizing and sending the audio output to the HDMI connector

I have found in Internet Search other devices with this specific LG incompatibility such as Raspberry Pi - on that device it was overcome by adding this instruction
# Force the monitor to HDMI mode so that sound will be sent over HDMI cable hdmi_drive=2 I don't know how to configure something like that in the Android instruction set however