[SOLVED] No sound from spdif output

Everything relating to hacking, expanding and modifying the Joggler hardware.
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papaiannis
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 9:53 pm

[SOLVED] No sound from spdif output

Post by papaiannis »

I did the mod to get spdif digital audio out of my joggler running SqueezePlay OS (thanks, roobarb!), as described in this wiki page:
http://www.jogglerwiki.com/wiki/Internal_SPDIF_output

I then connected the spdif output to a DAC. Unfortunately I got no sound at all.
A digital signal can be observed on the oscilloscope, of about 1V peak-to-peak. Wave form is quite good.
The DAC locks the sync all the time (the "lock" indicator is always on), whether the joggler is playing or not. And no sound.
I used the following asound.conf, which I created for the occasion, as it was missing in the "out of the box" configuration of Squeezeplay OS:

pcm.!default {
type plug
slave.pcm {
type hw
card 0
device 1
}
}

ctl.!default {
type hw
card 0
device 1
}

With this asound.conf file the internal speakers do not work (as expected). Removing the asound.conf file, the internal speakers work again and, strangely enough, the DAC locks the sync all the time, as it does with the above asound.conf file in place.

I would appreciate any help. Thanks a lot.
Last edited by papaiannis on Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
gegs
Posts: 1146
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:22 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Re: No sound from spdif output

Post by gegs »

I'm amazed that you tried this. I've just recently received a Behringer UCA 202 USB soundcard/DAC. It works perfectly and has S/PDIF, phono and 3.5mm sound output. Plug it in, modify the asound.conf file and it works straight away. Maybe not as much fun as fiddling with the guts of the joggler, but less risky.
papaiannis
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 9:53 pm

Re: No sound from spdif output

Post by papaiannis »

Please consider that using direct spdif output you can avoid usb-to-spdif conversion. It is an advantage, because these devices are likely to introduce jitter, not to mention that good converters are not cheap.
Furthermore a lot of audio hifi systems already have a dac with spdif input, but are not equipped with a USB input. This is my case.
Therefore I see a point in having spdif out of the joggler.
Currently, digital signal is there, but I hear no sound. I suspect that asound.conf is not correctly configured, but I have not the required knowledge to fix the issue.
Could anybody help me? Thanks a lot.
gegs
Posts: 1146
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:22 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Re: No sound from spdif output

Post by gegs »

The USB plug on the UCA 202 fits into the Joggler, not the amp. There isn't USB output, only phono, 3.5mm and S/PDIF but I can see where you're coming from regarding sound purity. Good luck finding a fix.
papaiannis
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 9:53 pm

Re: No sound from spdif output - SOLVED

Post by papaiannis »

I reflashed my Joggler and installed PnP III.
Then I updated the S07boot.loadmodules file as described in the wiki page and...I got sound from spdif!!!
I'm really happy. Many many thanks to whom provided PnP III and the spdif mod.
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JimbobVFR400
Posts: 264
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 8:39 pm

Re: [SOLVED] No sound from spdif output

Post by JimbobVFR400 »

Did you ever get this working in squeezeplayOS at all?

The optical socket is glowing red and my amp appears to have a lock on a digital signal but I can't get it working by editing asound.conf

I'd like to keep using SqPOS if possible. I might try reflashing PNP and seeing if I can get it working that way, at least it proves I've installed to optical output properly.

Its Working! :-)
Stupidly it was as simple as opening alsamixer and un muting the S/PDIF option in there. Now sounds awesome using the DAC in my Arcam AVR200 and I couldn't be happier
multiplex
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:07 pm
Location: Hampshire, UK

Re: [SOLVED] No sound from spdif output

Post by multiplex »

Where did you manage to find TOSLink transmitters?

I toying with the idea of trying this mod to allow getting rid of the Squeezebox Receiver I'm currently driving from my Joggler - one less Ehternet and power supply in the TV/stereo stack :-).
User avatar
JimbobVFR400
Posts: 264
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 8:39 pm

Re: [SOLVED] No sound from spdif output

Post by JimbobVFR400 »

I had a really old DVD player in the garage that I destroyed to get just the socket. I may use the case at some point to house a small PC so kept just the case
multiplex
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:07 pm
Location: Hampshire, UK

Re: [SOLVED] No sound from spdif output

Post by multiplex »

That's pretty much what I thought - will keep my eyes open for a suitable piece of donor hardware, it's not exactly the sort of component that Maplin stocks!
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