I seem to be getting a resurgence of this issue on atmos encoded files. I think it might have started with the recent update, but I’m not sure. I only seem to get that nasty click / pop on Atmos files when skipping and stopping the video. I’ll try the keep audio device alive setting to see if it improves the situation
Which version did you upgrade from?
We haven’t touched anything passthrough related in a very long time
Sam
Hey Sam
It just picked up the automatic updates that were being pushed. Looks like I’m on 2020.11-1 and KODI 18.9.
I tried keep audio device alive and it didn’t seem to impact it.
Are there any other settings I ought to be checking in the settings that might be leading to this? I don’t have much atmos content and while my receiver is atmos compatible, I am just running a standard 5.1 speaker pattern setup.
I would check if your AVR has recently received a firmware update or if anything in your environment has changed recently.
Well I’ve just been living with this problem since last year and decided to have a second look at the issue.
I have a STR-DN1080 which is 2 years old and a pretty modern AVR in terms of support for Atmos, DD+, 7.2 and so forth. Sony patched the firmware in October of 2020 and I’m running that version.
I’m still getting the audio pops when I skip forward on Atmos encoded content and when I ‘stop’.
I’ve set Keep Audio Device alive to ‘Always’ and that hasn’t had any impact.
Just as a refresh, I have a 5.1 speaker setup and the AVR is configured to 5.1 speakers, Pass through is enabled and all the various AVR features are enabled (supports TrueHD, E-AC3, etc…).
Other settings are:
- settings->system->audio->number of channels is 7.1
- settings->system->audio->output configuration is best match
- settings->player->video->adjust display refresh rate is start/stop
As per something I read here, I have observed that if I change output configuration to ‘Fixed’ the pops go away. But my understanding is that means I’m probably getting some resampling happening and that this is compromising audio quality?
Hi @spacemanspiff,
I’ve a similiar audio environment
Environment
- Sony STR-DN1080 (latest/greatest firmware M41.R.0516)
- a real 5.1 speaker setup
- Vero 4k+
- Panasonic Full HD plasma TX-P42GTW60
Vero Settings:
-
GUI → Settings → Player → Video
- Adjust display efresh rate = Always
- Display 4:3 videos as = Use HDMI AVI signalling
-
GUI → Settings → System → Audio
- Number of channels = 7.1 (I let the AVR do the job of merging 8-channel PCM to 6 channel speaker config, passthrough is not affected by this at all)
- Output configuration = Best match
- Keep audio device alive = Always
- send low volume noise = On
- all passthrough options enabled
Here I use a OSMC software stack from the development stage
- vero364-kernel-osmc:arm64 3.9.196
- kodi mediacenter v19 (latest/greatest experimental build)
With that I tried all my Atmos examples and cannot reproduce any pops/noise if I skip through the clips, do time jumps, start and stop, etc.
All these examples are non-4k material.
So, from the logic: There is no guarantee that your issue is fixed with coming OSMC but at least a good chance. The only unknown is whether you have the issues using 4k material and the problem is dependent from this circumstance.
Good to find a user that has the same AVR, setup and a 4k+. I’ve checked all my settings against yours and we have parity and I still get the clicks and pops when I skip and stop content that is Atmos encoded.
I have tried to look for directions on the forums here for deploying an experimental build for v19 and your Vero kernel that you are using, but I don’t see anything. Can you steer me in the right direction because I’d like to try both of those software stacks and see if my issue remains.
The only other area that I can think of that could cause an issue is something buried in the STR-DN1080 settings (I’m in engineer calibration mode and have the speaker configuration set as true 5.1) or perhaps there is something unusual with the HDMI ports on my Samsung TV, but that seems unlikely since I’m in passthrough mode.
Kodi v19 is now built and in staging.
A test thread will come in a couple of days, but any can upgrade now with the buster-devel repository.
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I meanwhile tested the DN1080 “engineering” calibration profile (I’ve set mine to full flat) and 5.1 speaker config (my setting is 7.1) in the mediacenter but still cannot reproduce the problem. So either the kernel+v19 kodi combination brings the solution or we have to compare all hdmi and audio settings on the AVR side … or this depends on 4k video material, upscaling by the Vero or the AVR.
@sam_nazarko can’t seem to find anything in the wiki or any posts that say what’s the best method/procedure for upgrading from the repository? Can you steer me in the general direction of how to do this?
I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a testing thread started before the weekend with full instructions.
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@JimKnopf - I’ve installed the v19 test build @sam_nazarko released this weekend and upon the first playing of content (1080p but with Atmos encoding), everything played fine with no pops/clicks when skipping or stopping the content. I thought, “Oh joy, it’s fixed!”. However after stopping and starting it the issue remains. I don’t know why it wasn’t a issue on the first play.
So one more question for you about your DN1080. What do you have the Sound Field set to in ‘Sound Effects’ ? I usually have ‘Dolby Surround’ or A.F.D. enabled and when I play Atmos content, I can see ‘Dolby Atmos’ + Dolby Digital+ scroll across the AVR display. When this is happening I get the pops/clicks.
As a test, I set the Sound Effects to ‘Direct’ and I don’t get any clicks, but the AVR only shows Dolby Digital+ and doesn’t go into Atmos mode.
@spacemanspiff Typically watching movies the Sony’s “sound field” is set to “Dolby Surround” and the AVR’s display shows “Dolby Atmos + Dolby Digital” string scrolling with the Atmos examples. I append some quick pictures about my DN1080 settings:
So, perhaps you can create a small clip from your problem video only containing 2-3 chapters. I could offer to test this here with my environment. Here is a way how you could try to upload such data if you want: [TESTING] Video sample uploader and MediaInfo for OSMC users
@JimKnopf - thank you that is so helpful. I set all my settings to mirror yours exactly. There were only a few minor differences.
Unfortunately, it made no impact on the issue with the pops when skipping and stopping.
I have uploaded one of the Dolby Atmos demo trailers that causes the issue for me. One thing I observed as I tried some of the different Atmos sample files - this issue is only present with videos encoded with Dolby Digital+ with Atmos. TrueHD with Atmos is fine.
I’m not sure how you will find the sample file, but it’s called Universe_Fury2.mp4. Here’s the paste of the media information - https://paste.osmc.tv/cesedaxoro
Hi @spacemanspiff,
thx for the sample. With this video clip I can reproduce your issue in my environment at once.
@sam_nazarko Seems like E-AC-3 JOC (DD+ with Atmos) is the culprit. I meanwhile downloaded several Dolby trailers with DD+ and Atmos using 6 and 8 channels and all show the same symptom.
That doesn’t sound promising for a solution: https://ap.community.sony.com/s/question/0D54O00006U2pSKSAZ/strdn1080-clickingpopping-sound-when-pausing-dolby-atmos-dd-content?language=en_US
Let’s wait whether anyone else can reproduce the issue without a Sony STR-DN1080.
Addition: Other members of the OSMC team tested the trailer samples our Sony STR-DN1080 shows the pop/click noise doing skips/jumps/pauses/stops: None of them can reproduce the issue. They used Denon and Yamaha AVRs. I fear it is really a SONY problem playing Atmos with DD+.
thanks @JimKnopf - at least I guess I have an answer, but I’m totally gutted. I only bought the STR-DN1080 less than 2 years ago for the express purpose of having an AVR that supported all the different codecs as well as HDR.
It really is just hell trying to find an AVR that maintains compliance/support for the current round of standards/formats/codecs. Any idea which model Denon and Yamaha the team members are using? Or any good links to discussions about AVR’s that people are using with the Vero 4k+ and having good results?
Well, I’m extreme satisfied with my STR-DN1080. The issue you found isn’t one in my real usage of the device since I watch very seldom video material having an Atmos track … and all have a Dolby TrueHD core, here.
A second reason why I’m not affected by this issue: Normally I start a movie and watch it till the end. There is no need for me to often do time/chapter jumps … and for those seldom situations I can live with the click noise if it would be Atmos+DD+. Btw. this click/pop comes from the right front and right rear speakers, only.
Let’s see whether/what the other OSMC team members want to suggest in brand and model. Perhaps, you should open a new thread to discuss actual experiences and suggestions using an AVR + OSMC Vero?
I separated this specific SONY thread from the original since this has got a different context.
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I have a Denon AVR-X1400H in my main setup. It is bottom of the range but it does everything I want and I’ve been happy with the sound quality both with A/V and music. I’m pretty sure I picked it up on Amazon as a previous year model for half price or so and it has been truckin’ along for a few years now. I didn’t need more wattage, inputs, or my AVR mucking around doing video processing so I saw little benefit of going up the range and spending more.