Problem with Sony HT-SF150

[zazzko]

Hi,
Yesterday I installed MoOde for the first time on my RPi 4. So far so good. Then I tried to pair it with my soundbar Sony HT-SF150. And then problems started. Actually, I have just one issue with this soundbar - there is no sound at all. I have connected RPi to it via HDMI. It looks like the soundbar somehow does not like the audio format (it supports only PCM and Dolby Digital). So to confirm that I tried to connect RPi to my TV keeping the soundbar connected to the TV...and it worked. Once I connect the soundbar directly to the RPi I have no sound. 

So I tried different settings:
1. Switching to DSD over PCM
2. Setting different parameters in /boot/config.txt

But the result is more or less the same. Here is the result of aplay -l:

Code:

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: b1 [bcm2835 HDMI 1], device 0: bcm2835 HDMI 1 [bcm2835 HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 4/4
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
  Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
  Subdevice #3: subdevice #3
card 1: Headphones [bcm2835 Headphones], device 0: bcm2835 Headphones [bcm2835 Headphones]
  Subdevices: 4/4
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
  Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
  Subdevice #3: subdevice #3

Then moodeutl -l

Code:

pi@moode:~ $ moodeutl -l
20210403 225415 worker: -- Start
20210403 225415 worker: Successfully daemonized
20210403 225415 worker: Integrity check (passed)
20210403 225416 worker: File check (OK)
20210403 225416 worker: Session vacuumed
20210403 225416 worker: Session loaded
20210403 225416 worker: Debug logging (OFF)
20210403 225416 worker: -- Device
20210403 225416 worker: ALSA cards: (0:b1 | 1:Headphones | 2:empty | 3:empty
20210403 225416 worker: MPD config: (0:Pi HDMI 1 | mixer:(HDMI) | card:0)
20210403 225416 worker: ALSA mixer actual (HDMI)
20210403 225416 worker: ALSA HDMI volume set to (0%)
20210403 225416 worker: -- System
20210403 225418 worker: Host     (moode)
20210403 225418 worker: moOde    (7.1.0 2021-03-15)
20210403 225418 worker: RaspiOS  (10.6)
20210403 225418 worker: Kernel   (5.4.77-v7l+ #1371)
20210403 225418 worker: Platform (Pi-4B 1.1 4GB)
20210403 225418 worker: ARM arch (armv7l, 32-bit kernel)
20210403 225418 worker: MPD ver  (0.22.6_p0x3)
20210403 225418 worker: CPU gov  (ondemand)
20210403 225418 worker: USB boot not available
20210403 225418 worker: File system expanded
20210403 225418 worker: HDMI port on
20210403 225418 worker: -- Network
20210403 225418 worker: eth0 exists
20210403 225418 worker: eth0 wait 0 for IP address
20210403 225421 worker: eth0 wait 1 for IP address
20210403 225442 worker: eth0 wait 2 for IP address
20210403 225445 worker: eth0 wait 3 for IP address
20210403 225448 worker: eth0 wait 4 for IP address
20210403 225451 worker: eth0 address not assigned
20210403 225451 worker: wlan0 exists
20210403 225451 worker: Pi integrated wlan0 power save disabled
20210403 225451 worker: wifi country (LU)
20210403 225451 worker: wlan0 trying SSID (Sisonder)
20210403 225451 worker: IP addr (192.168.172.86)
20210403 225451 worker: Netmask (255.255.255.0)
20210403 225451 worker: Gateway (192.168.172.1)
20210403 225451 worker: Pri DNS (192.168.172.1)
20210403 225451 worker: Domain  (fritz.box)
20210403 225452 worker: -- Audio
20210403 225452 worker: ALSA card number (0)
20210403 225453 worker: MPD audio output (Pi HDMI 1)
20210403 225453 worker: Audio formats (U8, S16_LE)
20210403 225453 worker: ALSA mixer name (HDMI)
20210403 225453 worker: MPD volume control (software)
20210403 225453 worker: Hdwr volume controller exists
20210403 225453 worker: Max ALSA volume (100%)
20210403 225453 worker: Reset renderer active flags
20210403 225453 worker: CamillaDSP (off)
20210403 225453 worker: -- MPD
20210403 225453 worker: MPD started
20210403 225454 worker: MPD accepting connections
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 1 ALSA Default (on)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 2 ALSA Crossfeed (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 3 ALSA Parametric EQ (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 4 ALSA Graphic EQ (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 5 ALSA Polarity Inv (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 6 ALSA CamillaDSP (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 7 ALSA Bluetooth (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 8 HTTP Server (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD crossfade (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD ignore CUE files (yes)
20210403 225454 worker: -- Feature availability
20210403 225454 worker: Source select (available)
20210403 225454 worker: Source select (source: MPD)
20210403 225454 worker: Source select (output: Pi HDMI 1)
20210403 225507 worker: Bluetooth (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: Airplay renderer (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: Spotify renderer (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: Squeezelite (available)
20210403 225507 worker: RoonBridge renderer (not installed)
20210403 225507 worker: UPnP renderer (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: DLNA server (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: UPnP browser (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: GPIO button handler (available)
20210403 225507 worker: Stream recorder (n/a)
20210403 225507 worker: -- Music sources
20210403 225507 worker: USB sources (none attached)
20210403 225510 worker: NAS and UPnP sources (mountall initiated)
20210403 225510 worker: -- Miscellaneous
20210403 225510 worker: USB volume knob (Off)
20210403 225510 worker: Shellinabox SSH started
20210403 225510 worker: USB auto-mounter (udisks-glue)
20210403 225510 worker: LED0 (On)
20210403 225510 worker: LED1 (On)
20210403 225510 worker: Saved MPD vol level (0)
20210403 225510 worker: Preamp volume level (0)
20210403 225510 worker: MPD volume level (29) restored
20210403 225510 worker: ALSA HDMI volume (96%)
20210403 225510 worker: Auto-play (Off)
20210403 225510 worker: Maintenance interval (3 hrs)
20210403 225510 worker: Screen saver activation (Never)
20210403 225510 worker: Session permissions (OK)
20210403 225510 worker: Watchdog started
20210403 225510 worker: Ready

amixer -c 0

Code:

Simple mixer control 'HDMI',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback -10239 - 400
  Mono: Playback 0 [96%] [0.00dB] [on]

The current settings in /boot/confing.txt are:

Code:

pi@moode:~ $ cat /boot/config.txt
disable_splash=1
disable_overscan=1
hdmi_drive=2
hdmi_blanking=1
hdmi_force_edid_audio=1
hdmi_force_hotplug=1
hdmi_group=1
dtparam=i2c_arm=on
dtparam=i2s=on
dtparam=audio=on
#dtoverlay=disable-wifi
#dtoverlay=disable-bt

One more thing - honestly I'm not sure which port actually it HDMI 1. Based on the RPi we have two ports - 0 and 1, where zero is the one which is closed to the USB-C port. I have sound only from that port, even if it is shown as HDMI 1 in ALSA. 

Any help will be appreciated.

[vinnn]

I must ask, if this is for a AV/TV system why not use something more appropriate as a media centre like Libreelec?

[zazzko]

I must ask, if this is for a AV/TV system why not use something more appropriate as a media centre like Libreelec?

Hi,
It is not for AV/TV system. I just want to listen music/radio in my bedroom. For the TV I have Android box with KODI.

[Tim Curtis]

Hi,
Yesterday I installed MoOde for the first time on my RPi 4. So far so good. Then I tried to pair it with my soundbar Sony HT-SF150. And then problems started. Actually, I have just one issue with this soundbar - there is no sound at all. I have connected RPi to it via HDMI. It looks like the soundbar somehow does not like the audio format (it supports only PCM and Dolby Digital). So to confirm that I tried to connect RPi to my TV keeping the soundbar connected to the TV...and it worked. Once I connect the soundbar directly to the RPi I have no sound. 

So I tried different settings:
1. Switching to DSD over PCM
2. Setting different parameters in /boot/config.txt

But the result is more or less the same. Here is the result of aplay -l:

Code:

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: b1 [bcm2835 HDMI 1], device 0: bcm2835 HDMI 1 [bcm2835 HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 4/4
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
  Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
  Subdevice #3: subdevice #3
card 1: Headphones [bcm2835 Headphones], device 0: bcm2835 Headphones [bcm2835 Headphones]
  Subdevices: 4/4
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
  Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
  Subdevice #3: subdevice #3

Then moodeutl -l

Code:

pi@moode:~ $ moodeutl -l
20210403 225415 worker: -- Start
20210403 225415 worker: Successfully daemonized
20210403 225415 worker: Integrity check (passed)
20210403 225416 worker: File check (OK)
20210403 225416 worker: Session vacuumed
20210403 225416 worker: Session loaded
20210403 225416 worker: Debug logging (OFF)
20210403 225416 worker: -- Device
20210403 225416 worker: ALSA cards: (0:b1 | 1:Headphones | 2:empty | 3:empty
20210403 225416 worker: MPD config: (0:Pi HDMI 1 | mixer:(HDMI) | card:0)
20210403 225416 worker: ALSA mixer actual (HDMI)
20210403 225416 worker: ALSA HDMI volume set to (0%)
20210403 225416 worker: -- System
20210403 225418 worker: Host     (moode)
20210403 225418 worker: moOde    (7.1.0 2021-03-15)
20210403 225418 worker: RaspiOS  (10.6)
20210403 225418 worker: Kernel   (5.4.77-v7l+ #1371)
20210403 225418 worker: Platform (Pi-4B 1.1 4GB)
20210403 225418 worker: ARM arch (armv7l, 32-bit kernel)
20210403 225418 worker: MPD ver  (0.22.6_p0x3)
20210403 225418 worker: CPU gov  (ondemand)
20210403 225418 worker: USB boot not available
20210403 225418 worker: File system expanded
20210403 225418 worker: HDMI port on
20210403 225418 worker: -- Network
20210403 225418 worker: eth0 exists
20210403 225418 worker: eth0 wait 0 for IP address
20210403 225421 worker: eth0 wait 1 for IP address
20210403 225442 worker: eth0 wait 2 for IP address
20210403 225445 worker: eth0 wait 3 for IP address
20210403 225448 worker: eth0 wait 4 for IP address
20210403 225451 worker: eth0 address not assigned
20210403 225451 worker: wlan0 exists
20210403 225451 worker: Pi integrated wlan0 power save disabled
20210403 225451 worker: wifi country (LU)
20210403 225451 worker: wlan0 trying SSID (Sisonder)
20210403 225451 worker: IP addr (192.168.172.86)
20210403 225451 worker: Netmask (255.255.255.0)
20210403 225451 worker: Gateway (192.168.172.1)
20210403 225451 worker: Pri DNS (192.168.172.1)
20210403 225451 worker: Domain  (fritz.box)
20210403 225452 worker: -- Audio
20210403 225452 worker: ALSA card number (0)
20210403 225453 worker: MPD audio output (Pi HDMI 1)
20210403 225453 worker: Audio formats (U8, S16_LE)
20210403 225453 worker: ALSA mixer name (HDMI)
20210403 225453 worker: MPD volume control (software)
20210403 225453 worker: Hdwr volume controller exists
20210403 225453 worker: Max ALSA volume (100%)
20210403 225453 worker: Reset renderer active flags
20210403 225453 worker: CamillaDSP (off)
20210403 225453 worker: -- MPD
20210403 225453 worker: MPD started
20210403 225454 worker: MPD accepting connections
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 1 ALSA Default (on)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 2 ALSA Crossfeed (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 3 ALSA Parametric EQ (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 4 ALSA Graphic EQ (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 5 ALSA Polarity Inv (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 6 ALSA CamillaDSP (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 7 ALSA Bluetooth (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD output 8 HTTP Server (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD crossfade (off)
20210403 225454 worker: MPD ignore CUE files (yes)
20210403 225454 worker: -- Feature availability
20210403 225454 worker: Source select (available)
20210403 225454 worker: Source select (source: MPD)
20210403 225454 worker: Source select (output: Pi HDMI 1)
20210403 225507 worker: Bluetooth (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: Airplay renderer (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: Spotify renderer (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: Squeezelite (available)
20210403 225507 worker: RoonBridge renderer (not installed)
20210403 225507 worker: UPnP renderer (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: DLNA server (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: UPnP browser (available: started)
20210403 225507 worker: GPIO button handler (available)
20210403 225507 worker: Stream recorder (n/a)
20210403 225507 worker: -- Music sources
20210403 225507 worker: USB sources (none attached)
20210403 225510 worker: NAS and UPnP sources (mountall initiated)
20210403 225510 worker: -- Miscellaneous
20210403 225510 worker: USB volume knob (Off)
20210403 225510 worker: Shellinabox SSH started
20210403 225510 worker: USB auto-mounter (udisks-glue)
20210403 225510 worker: LED0 (On)
20210403 225510 worker: LED1 (On)
20210403 225510 worker: Saved MPD vol level (0)
20210403 225510 worker: Preamp volume level (0)
20210403 225510 worker: MPD volume level (29) restored
20210403 225510 worker: ALSA HDMI volume (96%)
20210403 225510 worker: Auto-play (Off)
20210403 225510 worker: Maintenance interval (3 hrs)
20210403 225510 worker: Screen saver activation (Never)
20210403 225510 worker: Session permissions (OK)
20210403 225510 worker: Watchdog started
20210403 225510 worker: Ready

amixer -c 0

Code:

Simple mixer control 'HDMI',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback -10239 - 400
  Mono: Playback 0 [96%] [0.00dB] [on]

The current settings in /boot/confing.txt are:

Code:

pi@moode:~ $ cat /boot/config.txt
disable_splash=1
disable_overscan=1
hdmi_drive=2
hdmi_blanking=1
hdmi_force_edid_audio=1
hdmi_force_hotplug=1
hdmi_group=1
dtparam=i2c_arm=on
dtparam=i2s=on
dtparam=audio=on
#dtoverlay=disable-wifi
#dtoverlay=disable-bt

One more thing - honestly I'm not sure which port actually it HDMI 1. Based on the RPi we have two ports - 0 and 1, where zero is the one which is closed to the USB-C port. I have sound only from that port, even if it is shown as HDMI 1 in ALSA. 

Any help will be appreciated.

ALSA card 0 is HDMI 1 which is the port marked 0 on the PCB. Its closest to the USB-C power port.

HDMI audio can be tricky to debug when it's not working. I haven't done much testing with HDMI so hopefully others that have some experience can help out.

[TheOldPresbyope]

...I tried to connect RPi to my TV keeping the soundbar connected to the TV...and it worked. Once I connect the soundbar directly to the RPi I have no sound. 
...

I suspect your test shows that your soundbar gets its audio from your TV via HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC). I don't know this technology and I have no equipment to experiment with. From the descriptions I've seen the ARC uses different pins on the HDMI connector (and perhaps even sends different signals through these pins?).

Kent

[zazzko]

Thanks for all replies, you are right. The soundbar is connected to the TV via HDMI ARC. I didn’t know that they are so different. In this case I cannot do more than keeping TV on, which is not nice, but acceptable solution.

[Phil323UK]

Thanks for all replies, you are right. The soundbar is connected to the TV via HDMI ARC. I didn’t know that they are so different. In this case I cannot do more than keeping TV on, which is not nice, but acceptable solution.

Kent is right, HDMI ARC is the issue here.

If you want to use your soundbar without turning your TV on, why not use Bluetooth?

Another option is a Pi hat with digital output, and connect it that way.

[zazzko]

Hi,
This is something that came to my mind yesterday. Now I have some doubts about the DAC. I prefer to use USB DAC like this one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/40012446...web201603_

But I have two doubts:

1. Is it better to use some hat or USB is also fine? The reason why I prefer a USB is that I can use it with my laptop (and it is more flexible in general). Last but not least is the fact that the USB DACs have S/PDIF + RCA outputs which is very practical.
2. Why we need DAC for S/PDIF? As I know S/PDIF is a digital protocol, so it will more like a converter (if my understanding is correct). I'm afraid that after buying a DAC it won't be compatible with the soundbar.

[vinnn]

@zazzko

It's unclear from your last comment what you're trying to do as you haven't explained your system very well. First you say this isn't an AV/TV system but only AV/TV systems have HDMI ports, then you've corrected yourself to say this is hooked up to a TV.
In your case your soundbar is getting its main input from, and is being controlled via the TV. Hence a media centre such as Kodi or Plex may be more suited for your playback needs as they have a TV-centric interface and support the CEC protocol which integrates with TVs and AV systems. Moode is more suited for headless operation with Hi-Fi systems and separates.

It seems you're getting confused between a SPDIF interface and a DAC. A DAC takes a digital input and outputs an analogue line signal to go into an amplifier, in the case of modern DACs USB input is the preferred option (or I2S/IIS but that's more specialist) and optical/SPDIF are considered legacy interfaces and do not support bitrates as high as USB/IIS inputs and are more prone to digital jitter.
Your soundbar will have a DAC built in which is how it is able to process digital audio coming from the TV.
The Sony HT-SF150 seems to have HDMI, USB and optical inputs. If you want to hook that to a raspberry PI then you might be able to use the USB input or if you want to use the optical input purchase a digital interface board for your Pi such as a JustBoom Digi or Allo DigiOne, these are not DACs. Your soundbar doesn't seem to have an analogue input that a standalone DAC would connect to.

[zazzko]

Hi,
Sorry for the late reply. Actually, I'm trying to remove the TV from the equation and to use the soundbar as Internet radio, and to listen to some ripped FLAC files. As you correctly mention it has HDMI ARC, optical, Bluetooth, and USB. Unfortunately, the USB is just a mass storage device and it cannot be used directly as input (on top it does not support FLAC and Bluetooth is draining the battery when it is used the whole day).

My confusion was with the S/PDIF and optical input. For me, they were the same, but it seems not. This is the reason why I asked why I need DAC for the optical input since it is digital. It seems that I don't need DAC in this case. So I bought a splitter to extract the audio signal and to pass it to the optical output. 

This soundbar is quite cheap and probably internal DAC is not that good (speakers are far from great as well), but it has a noticeable difference when you play something via Bluetooth and AirPlay. And even more when FLAC is streamed directly from the NAS drive.