Raspberry Pi 3B Produces Extremely Weak Audio

[MRW952]

I’m using Raspberry Pi 3B (RPI3B) as a media server and experiencing extremely weak audio. My primary media server is a home-built pc running kodi 18.9.0 on a linux mint OS (18.3). audio/video is routed through my receiver/amplifier, and displayed on a Visio 55-inch screen. ‘Ripped’ movies (from my personal DVD collection) play beautifully on this system.

My secondary media server is a RPI3B running OSMC 2020.11-1 (OSMC running Kodi 18.9). The purpose of the secondary media server is the ability to transport and view movies remotely in my RV. NOTE: Currently no wifi in the RV campground. The RPI3B/OSMC serves only as a video player. Movies are downloaded from my primary system to a 256GB memory stick. The stick is separately powered (with the RPI3B) using a powered USB drive. Viewing in the RV uses the 3.5mm audio jack to composite connection to an old 4:3 TV. Video is acceptable. However, the audio is extremely weak.

I have connected the RPI3B to my primary media server using HDMI, and audio is extremely weak compared with the original movie.

It seems to me that as the movie located on the memory stick is a direct copy of the movie on my primary media server, there should be no reason for audio differences.

Can anyone recommend settings that might need to be changed to remedy this?

[Tom_Doyle]

Hi,

@MRW952

I have connected the RPI3B to my primary media server using HDMI, and audio is extremely weak compared with the original movie.

Did you update the audio settings before playback:

Audio hardware and software configuration

This wiki article should cover all your general questions about how to connect up your OSMC device to get the best audio possible. There’s also a section with explanations of some of Kodi’s audio settings as well as information about the audio capabilities of our OSMC devices. Supported devices OSMC supports a range of devices: All Raspberry Pis and our own Vero series (Vero 1, Vero 2, Vero 4K, Vero 4K + and Vero V). Veros have an HDMI port for video and audio, a 3.5mm port for analogue au…

@MRW952

Viewing in the RV uses the 3.5mm audio jack to composite connection to an old 4:3 TV. Video is acceptable. However, the audio is extremely weak.

IMHO the audio jack on the pi is more suited for headphones, I would consider a USB DAC. I’m using this for a similar project:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B083V3J391/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Thanks Tom.

[grahamh]

@Tom_Doyle

IMHO the audio jack on the pi is more suited for headphones,

If it can drive headphones, it should be able to drive an amplifier. I suggest the OP checks the volume with alsamixer (may need sudo apt-get install alsa-utils).

A USB soundcard will make for better audio. Whether you would notice that on an old TV I couldn’t say. It would certainly get rid of the crackling users have reported recently.

[MRW952]

Thanks for the helpful guidance. A couple of ‘settings’ appear to have corrected the issue at home (using HDMI connection). Have made a note of changes required for switching to 3.5mm port for RV. Plan to test in next few weeks.