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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 28 for Mac => Topic started by: actricarico1 on October 02, 2021, 04:59:37 pm
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I just installed media center 28 for MAC on a Mac Mini that is hooked up via HDMI to a Samsung UHD 4K TV which is connected via eARC HDMI to my Onkyo receiver. In media center if I choose the MAC Mini internal speakers as the playback device the audio file play fine through the mac mini speakers. If I then choose the Samsung TV as the playback device I get an audio output error message. The error message states the following:
Something Went Wrong
Playback could not be started on the output 'CORE AUDIO' using format '44.1 kHz 2ch'
This playback issue only occurs in Media Center. I can play the audio file just fine through the TV/Receiver using the MAC Music app. I suspect it is just a setting or something in media center I need to change but I don't know which it could be or what it should be set to in order for it to play my MP3 files.
PLEASE HELP
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Have you tried connecting the MacMini HDMI to the Onkyo and running a HDMI from the Onkyo to the TV (assuming the Onkyo has at least two HDMI ports)?
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It's most likely that you're on an M1 mac mini which for some strange reason does not support any audio sample rate except 48khz over HDMI, so in dsp settings you need to make all sample rates be resampled to 48 khz for it to work.
JRiver is trying to send unchanged CD sample rate directly through your HDMI connection which is very likely resulting in the playback error message. By resampling before output you avoid this issue. I hope this helps!
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It's most likely that you're on an M1 mac mini which for some strange reason does not support any audio sample rate except 48khz over HDMI, so in dsp settings you need to make all sample rates be resampled to 48 khz for it to work.
JRiver is trying to send unchanged CD sample rate directly through your HDMI connection which is very likely resulting in the playback error message. By resampling before output you avoid this issue. I hope this helps!
This is the most likely issue.
The user could also set the switch in Tools->Options->Audio->Advanced->Configure audio output settings on playback error to Yes and the DSP resampling will get done automatically.
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Just so I'm clear on how to use JRiver MC 28 properly with an M1 Mac Mini, here are its limitations:
- the HDMI output for the current M1 minis are limited to 48kHz multichannel--Apple has done this for some strange reason
- there is no direct digital audio output anymore on the Mac Mini either--Apple again
- older Mac Minis (pre 2019) *do* allow other multichannel output rates. But unfortunately, they don't support 4K HDMI video output :/
So to get multichannel audio for 4k home theater from MC 28 with a new Mac Mini, I would need to
- get a USB --> SPDIF adapter and plug that into my AVR (which has no USB input)
- set the Mac midi app to use the USB multichannel core audio output (and make sure MC is set to output properly)
- Use video stream from HDMI, and audio from the SPDIF input
Is that even remotely correct? It seems needlessly complex. For movies, is it just better to accept the limited HDMI sound?
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I don't think any of that is necessary or beneficial.
The vast majority of audio that is in movies and TV shows is 48kHz. So you should be able to play the multichannel audio from nearly any video file without any sample rate conversion. I don't think you need any kind of external USB device.
You might make an argument about a 2 channel USB DAC providing different (and maybe better) sound quality than the DACs in your receiver, for 2 channel content (CD rips, etc), but that's a totally different point.
For Movies and TV, it should be just fine with HDMI.
NOTE: I have not tested this with an M1 based Mac.
Brian.
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I don't think any of that is necessary or beneficial.
The vast majority of audio that is in movies and TV shows is 48kHz. So you should be able to play the multichannel audio from nearly any video file without any sample rate conversion. I don't think you need any kind of external USB device.
{snipped}
Brian.
Thanks Brian. I guess I just didn't want to be "locked in" to that bitrate, especially given that my older Mac Mini seems perfectly capable of differing rates.
But I guess I hadn't realized that most streamed movie and TV show audio is 48kHz, so I'm going to go ahead and use HDMI for that on the M1. Here's hoping it works, because the 4k video output from the M1 is what I want!
As you also said, I can always use a stereo USB dac for dedicated audio. Thanks again!