[Bug]: Nova is unable to passthrough Multichannel PCM on Android 12

[branches78]

Problem description

My device (Homatics Box R 4K Plus) is connected directly to a Samsung TV with EARC support and the TV is connected to an AV receiver with EARC support as well, however, with recent releases, the Nova app is unable to detect that the TV has multichannel PCM passthrough support and it's downmixing it to stereo, other apps I use (Emby and Jellyfin) are able to detect it and passthrough the audio correctly.

This is happening only on Android 12 because with Android 11 the Nova app is able to passthrough multichannel PCM to the AV receiver correctly when the device I use (Realme 4K stick) is also connected directly to the same TV.

Steps to reproduce the issue

N/A

Expected behavior

No response

Your phone/tablet/androidTV model

Homatics Box R 4K Plus

Operating system version

Android 12

Application version and app store

v6.2.47

Additional system information

No response

Debug logs

No response

[phhusson]

Could you give us the result of adb shell dumpsys media.audio_policy ?

Le Mon Jan 08 01:26:57 GMT+01:00 2024, Richard @.***> a écrit :

 PROBLEM DESCRIPTION    My device (Homatics Box R 4K Plus) is connected directly to a  Samsung TV with EARC support and the TV is connected to an AV  receiver with EARC support as well, however, with recent releases,  the Nova app is unable to detect that the TV has multichannel PCM  passthrough support and it's downmixing it to stereo, other apps I  use (Emby and Jellyfin) are able to detect it and passthrough the  audio correctly.    This is happening only on Android 12 because with Android 11 the  Nova app is able to passthrough multichannel PCM to the AV receiver  correctly when the device I use (Realme 4K stick) is also connected  directly to the same TV.    STEPS TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE    N/A    EXPECTED BEHAVIOR    No response    YOUR PHONE/TABLET/ANDROIDTV MODEL    Homatics Box R 4K Plus    OPERATING SYSTEM VERSION    Android 12    APPLICATION VERSION AND APP STORE    v6.2.47    ADDITIONAL SYSTEM INFORMATION    No response    DEBUG LOGS    No response    —  Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub  [https://github.com/nova-video-player/aos-AVP/issues/1041], or  unsubscribe  [https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAAA4OUKM6GRABPUJ5EWQFDYNM4NDAVCNFSM6AAAAABBQWHCT2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43ASLTON2WKOZSGA3DSMZXGUZDAOI].  You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this  thread.Message ID: @.***>

[courville]

There are logs that can be enabled but still need to be retrieved by adb...

Please refer to: https://github.com/nova-video-player/aos-AVP/wiki/Debugging and if need be use chatgpt. Many of the issue reporters never used adb before and managed to take the leap of faith.

[courville]

@branches78, I do not have a EARC TV but I connected a Chromecast Google TV ("sabrina", Android 12) to my Samsung AV receiver via HDMI and with Android 12, nova is able to output multichannel PCM (EAC3, AAC 5.1 sources). I know this is not the same setup as you. Could you please try the same with your Homatics Box R 4K Plus and see if you get multichannel PCM output (i.e. not using passthrough with nova and being sure that downmixing to stereo is not forced in nova settings)? If it does then this is due to EARC for some reasons and we will try to progress from there.

[branches78]

I didn't have to wait until the weekend 🤭

I tested an old version (6.1.6) and it was the same, so I imagine something changed in the firmware of the device that renders the app unable to detect multichannel PCM, the thing is, Emby and Jellyfin are able to passthrough multichannel PCM so Nova should be able to do the same since it uses Exoplayer, correct?

The device is under the november 2023 security patch, however, the Realme stick on Android 11 has a security patch dated october 2023 and it's able to passthrough multichannel PCM as well.

Please let me know if you need anything else.

[branches78]

I was able to get a log where Multichannel PCM it's still getting downmixed to stereo on latest versions of the app, please fix it.

Multichannel PCM not working on Nova.txt

[branches78]

Could you give us the result of adb shell dumpsys media.audio_policy ?

Answering to your request, there you have:

dumpsys media.audio_policy.log

[xitwid]

same problem

Device: Ugoos AM8 OS: Android 11 Nova Ver: 6.2.73

[branches78]

Will this issue be fixed for good?

I provided the requested logs so I just hope you guys pay attention to this issue.

Thank you.