No DTS passthrough on HDMI/IEC passthrough works after Sony Bravia Nougat 7.0 Update

[stumpjumper82]

Hi all,
unfortunately I did the nougat update yesterday on my KD-43XE8096 TV
After the upgrade there's no way to get out the DTS audio stream on my home theater (that obvioulsy support any kind of stream, included Dolby True HD, DTS-HD, etc.)

I can get the Dolby streams decoding but no DTS passthrough through HDMI ARC, on the display of my home theater I saw just "PCM" and there's no sound
With the IEC passthrough option ON there's also no passthtrough with Dolby Digital streams!!

On previous Marshmallow OS I didn't get any kind of problem, I tried several combination on settings on SPMC but there's no way to get the DTS passthrough....
I did also a test with the pre-installed Sony Video App and it works without any problem, I can get out the DTS decoding.
Considering that now the Android Nougat update has been released "widely"by Sony, it will be have a massive impact on SPMC use!! Please Koying do not forget us.... ;)

[mo123]

You will have to tell Sony to fix it in a new firmware update, they probably broke something.
That is the same answer you will get if posting in the Kodi forums.
Nothing that can be done from Kodi or SPMC's side, as your device either supports IEC61937 or not.

[stumpjumper82]

It's not all the truth.... :)
I'm currently using a test version of Kodi (obvioulsy with very poor performance compared to SPMC) that's called "shitty build" :) (available in the test repository of Kodi)
As far as I understood from Kodi's forum this version allows the "PCM Hack" (a RAW audio data passthrough that's probably quiet different from the "RAW passthrough" option already present in SPMC audio settings, that doesn't work anymore in android nougat) that is potentially not safe for the hardware, but is a good workaround or the "last chance" in situation like the one that I posted. It would be great that this "feature" can be introduct also in SPMC, maybe with a proper trigger in Settings menu and a specific alert/pop-up that says "Potentially damage your hardware/use at your own risk!!" or something like this....
Consider also that the Philips android TV owners had the same problem after the nougat update, and it would be helpful also for them, while we will wait an official fix from Sony/Philips/Mediatek side, that in any case will NOT comes soon probably (or potentially never comes because the default embedded video player app works properly)

[MrMC]

It's not going to damage your audio receiver unless you have the volume cranked up to 11. Pure FUD :)

[stumpjumper82]

It happens often when I'm listening some Sepultura live concerts.... ;)

[wrxtasy]

Mo123 was correct - this is NOT a SPMC or Kodi problem but Firmly a mediatek/Philips/Sony Android Firmware problem.

The reason DTS works with the Sony Video App is they use their own custom Audio Hacks - that is no longer acceptable in any version of Kodi.

Basically you have the worst Firmware on those Android TV's for Kodi Audio compatibility period.
Transcode DTS Audio to AC3 - see the Kodi Android Subforum sticky thread for this workaround.