Pi4 audio settings for HDMI

mitu

@wild-snail I don't understand what update you're waiting. If you read the post, it outlines what configurations need to be done - after Raspian's updates - so that audio works in EmulationStation. If you're using the 4.6 image, but you didn't update your system, then you will not be affected by those updates.

wild snail

Ok thanks
maybe i just need a new tv.

Clyde

Does your TV or your sound system have other audio inputs? Then maybe the audio jack of the Pi could be an option? (This should be obvious, but sometimes we miss the forest for the trees.)

wild snail

Yes i have my pc-speakers at the moment, only it is a mess with all the wires.
I really think it is some PCM problem, with samplerate or channels.

GreenGriffon

@mitu You don't understand why people might be waiting on an update to fix a problem that breaks the sound in ES on a brand new installation of the official RetroPie image?

mitu

@GreenGriffon Yes, care to explain me ?

Unknown

@mitu said in Pi4 audio settings for HDMI:

@wild-snail I don't understand what update you're waiting. If you read the post, it outlines what configurations need to be done - after Raspian's updates - so that audio works in EmulationStation. If you're using the 4.6 image, but you didn't update your system, then you will not be affected by those updates.

I agree with mitu. There is no need to update the pi for this, since you only need to change your audio settings.

wild snail

Well then tell me please how do i change my audio settings ?

The Pi3B works fine on my TV, the Pi4B not, it does work at other TVs.

So what is changed in the Pi4 audio compared to the Pi3 ?
Is the samplerate increased ?, maybe there is channels added for surround ?
All these things can give problems on my 10 year old TV.

So dont say i need to change my setting if you dont know how.

mitu

@wild-snail said in Pi4 audio settings for HDMI:

Is the samplerate increased ?, maybe there is channels added for surround ?

No, those things haven't changed.

All these things can give problems on my 10 year old TV.
So dont say i need to change my setting if you dont know how.

It's your choice - have you read the troubleshooting topic ?

Clyde

@wild-snail said in Pi4 audio settings for HDMI:

Yes i have my pc-speakers at the moment, only it is a mess with all the wires.

Well, you could use an HDMI audio extractor as near as possible to your TV and your speakers, so that most of the distance it's only one HDMI cable between the Pi and the extractor. I'm using such a device to connect me and my friend's classic mini consoles to my video projector and my 5.1 surround sound system, since the consoles only have HDMI audio output. These extractors should be available for little money even in domestic shops.

wild snail

Funny, my HDMI-cable is 0,5 meter.

Clyde

@wild-snail It was just an idea to reduce the mess of wires. 😉

GreenGriffon

@mitu Okay. If someone burns a brand new out-of-the-box RetroPie image and updates it - as I imagine most people would do - they will find that their sound no longer works in ES.
Unless that's intended behavior to break the audio, it doesn't seem unreasonable for people to expect this problem will get fixed. It's a pretty critical one.
Hope that's a clear enough explanation.

mitu

@mitu Okay. If someone burns a brand new out-of-the-box RetroPie image and updates it - as I imagine most people would do - they will find that their sound no longer works in ES.

If you burn a 4.6 image, then you'll have the same sound configuration (in Raspbian and EmulationStation) as any of the previously released images. The 4.6 image does not have the updated kernel/firmware that changed the sound configuration.

The issue appears when you update your OS and kernel/firmware packages on the 4.6 image and the sound configuration is changed because of it. We don't control how Raspbian/The Raspberry Pi Trading release updates.

GIven that there is no single configuration that will work out-of-the-box for both updated and non-updated system, the best we can, right now, is to add the necessary configuration options to EmulationStation and make the users that updated aware of the change - hence the topic opened and pinned at the top of the Help category.
We currently support RetroPie on both Raspbian Stretch (which is not affected by the change), this means any system installed using an image prior to 4.6, and Raspbian Buster, this means any system using the 4.6 image.

Ashpool

Anyone mentioned setting hdmi_drive=2 within /boot/config.txt so far?

GreenGriffon: see the lower comment in my postscriptum (for me the experience with the 4 was a vice versa here) ->

P.S.: (I've also having this "one" older tv where, with each fresh install (since ???Retropie 4.x???) and regardless of Pi 3B, Pi3B+ I am always guessing anew how to enable the sound...
1st steps always where: fresh image/setting hdmi audio via setup and forcing hdmi mode within config.txt, updating the whole system and then after a few hours of trial and error I got sound working on this tv (on the other ones it always was an OOBE experience/or just changed setting within the start menu) and always forgot to write the steps taken down).
Now with my freshly bought Pi4B I was surprised that it simply had sound after updating the kernel packages of the 4.6 Image I haven't had to "quest it down" again (that was just within the last hour before posting here).

wild snail

How do i update those packages without wifi ?
I also have trouble installing dreamcast without wifi.

Maybe i should try wifi and all my troubles are gone ?

mitu

You'll need a working internet connection for any updates/new installations. It doesn't matter if is via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

wild snail

Ok, i could try.

btw : my TV is a DGM.
What is your TV that dont works ashpool ?

Ashpool

@wild-snail
In my case it is a Telefunken T22R910 from around 2010/2011.

wild snail

I wonder if any "good brand" TV of that time has also this problem ?

Telefunken used to be good, they sold the name, its not really telefunken anymore.
DGM is a total unknown brand.

I wonder if any LG TV has audio problems.