Mintbox Mini 2 line out/S/PDIF not working

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jcplemons
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:41 pm

Mintbox Mini 2 line out/S/PDIF not working

Post by jcplemons »

I purchased a Mintbox Mini 2 Pro a few weeks ago and have been unable to get any sound at all to be output from the "line out" jack (running the same Linux Mint 19 that it shipped with). Sound via HDMI out works perfectly.

Linux Mint's "Sound" menu shows two audio devices: one for HDMI and the other for Digital S/PDIF, which is the one I select when I want audio from the line out jack. I've tried both simple analog headphones and a 3.5mm S/PDIF to RCA cable connected to my receiver - nothing. I've also verified in BIOS that my OS is set to Linux, and I've booted from a Linux Mint 19 USB Drive and experienced the same issue. Is there anything else I can test etc.? Or is my only conclusion that I must have a defective unit?

iancynk
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:45 pm

Re: Mintbox Mini 2 line out/S/PDIF not working

Post by iancynk »

After reinstalling Linux Mint I had the same issue. As some other user in this forum pointed out http://www.fit-pc.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... und#p21337, I messed around with the Bios settings. After resetting them to default (I have no clue what specifically did it), my audio jack returned.

Hope it helps.

jcplemons
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:41 pm

Re: Mintbox Mini 2 line out/S/PDIF not working

Post by jcplemons »

Thanks, iancynk - helpful info.

Update: I discovered that when a device is connected to Mintbox’s “line out” jack, Linux Mint’s Sound menu identifies it as “line in” on the tab “Input”. Similarly, when a device is connected to Mintbox’s “line in” jack, Mint identifies it as “rear microphone” on tab “Input”. It appears that Mint is sensing both jacks as inputs and neither as outputs (a driver issue?), which explains why I can’t get any sound output from either of them.

After googling extensively, I discovered a program called “hdajackretask” (part of package alsa-tools-gui) that allows the user to repurpose audio jacks. After playing around a bit, I discovered that the pins which correspond to Mintbox’s physical 3.5mm “line out” jack are by default set up to function as “line in” - which is exactly what Mint’s Sound menu displays. I checked the “override” box next to this entry and changed “Location”to “Front”, “Device” to “Line Out”, and “Channel group” to “1”. Once this was done, the “Sound” menu displayed an additional output called “Line Out” which, when selected, properly played analog stereo audio through my analog headphones. I did not, however, find any way to get S/PDIF output through this jack.

Any info I can provide/anyone have any other ideas I can try to see if I can get S/PDIF working?

jcplemons
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:41 pm

Re: Mintbox Mini 2 line out/S/PDIF not working

Post by jcplemons »

I have now successfully resolved my 3.5mm S/PDIF audio issue – although up until now I have been using a 3.5mm S/PDIF to RCA adapter, it was apparently the wrong type. The 3.5mm end of the adapter was plugged into the Mintbox’s line out jack as designed, but the adapter had only a “mono” type plug (i.e. only one black ring and two poles).

After looking further on this forum, I found a post http://www.fit-pc.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... dif#p19607 referencing a four-pole (i.e. three black rings) 3.5mm S/PDIF connector and subsequently took a long hard look at the S/PDIF cable picture at http://www.fit-pc.com/web/purchasing/or ... cessories/ - which also appears to be a four-pole 3.5mm connector. These cables are for some reason incredibly difficult to find, but I did find one on Amazon made by “Extreme Audio” and once I received it, I just plugged it into Mintbox’s “line out” jack, went to Mint’s “Sound” menu and selected the output device “Digital Output (S/PDIF) Built-in Audio”, and got S/PDIF passthrough audio perfectly!

iancynk
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:45 pm

Re: Mintbox Mini 2 line out/S/PDIF not working

Post by iancynk »

Wow jplemons! Good job in figuring out this issue. Great to know about that messed up "mapping" of ports.

Thanks a lot for sharing!

Denis
Posts: 301
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:24 pm

Re: Mintbox Mini 2 line out/S/PDIF not working

Post by Denis »

Hi all,

It was revealed that sound issues were caused by switching BIOS setting "OS Selection" from [Windows] to [Linux]. Switching back to [Windows] fixes the issue.

If your default BIOS setting "OS Selection" is [Windows] but you want [Linux] please run the attached script https://fit-iot.com/files/download/fitl ... a_patch.sh and reboot the system:

Code: Select all

$ sudo ./fitlet2_alc1150_hda_patch.sh
$ sudo reboot
Compulab's Linux support

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