X5-30gb -- no audio on Line Out jack

[hollowman]

I just installed the latest RockBox onto my X5-30gb (first time on this X5) and am getting no audio via Line Out jack (on subpack). Headphone out on main unit works fine. Also, it seems that music/audio signal is being deliberately muted as I can hear, over Line Out, the usual in-between track and power on/off switching ("whistling") noises. But as soon as music/audio starts, the output is muted. Again, only affecting Line Out.
I have another X5 (60gb) running an older RockBox version, and that works fine.

[soap]

Could you swap installs and rule out hardware and confirm software?

[hollowman]

Could you swap installs and rule out hardware and confirm software?

I don't understand what this means?
I installed v3.5.1 again. No diff.

[soap]

Yea, it wasn't the best worded request.

From the original post it appears you are running the latest version of Rockbox on a previously unRockboxed X5, and an old Rockbox on another X5.

You are implying something is wrong with current Rockbox because your other X5 (the one with old Rockbox) works fine and the "new" X5 with "new" Rockbox does not.

I am suggesting that it is more likely you have a hardware issue - but the only way to be sure is to put "new" Rockbox on the "old" X5 and copy "old" Rockbox to the "new" X5, then repeat the test.

[hollowman]

From the original post it appears you are running the latest version of Rockbox on a previously unRockboxed X5, and an old Rockbox on another X5.

Yup

You are implying something is wrong with current Rockbox because your other X5 (the one with old Rockbox) works fine and the "new" X5 with "new" Rockbox does not.

...Or the way my new X5 "accepted" RB

I am suggesting that it is more likely you have a hardware issue - but the only way to be sure is to put "new" Rockbox on the "old" X5 and copy "old" Rockbox to the "new" X5, then repeat the test.

The "new" X5's Line Out worked before I installed RB. Have made no other software/hardware changes to it knowlingly. I assume RB has no way of controlling Line Out as it does with Line In?

Again, and this is important: The audio signal seems to be deliberately muted. If I turn up the vol. on my Line-Out connected amp, I can hear the usual background digital spuriae noise one hears if one cranks up the vol. while unit is in Pause, Skips trk, Powers On/Off.

[soap]

You may very well be right - but there are multiple possibilities which can not be ruled out until the test I attempted to outline is performed.

[hollowman]

You may very well be right - but there are multiple possibilities which can not be ruled out until the test I attempted to outline is performed.

I am not willing to jeopardize my other X5 -- I only have two PMPs
Can you suggest a way to hack RB so I can at least try to rectify the issue? Otherwise, what's the simplest way to go back to the orig. Cowon firmware?
Thx!

[soap]

I don't see the jeopardy.

Simply copy off your current install from the "old" X5 and paste it onto the "new" one.  And vise-versa.  (copying to a temporary folder will make this easier)

If you don't like the results you can reverse the process.

You appear to be asking for rectification of an issue which has not been soundly demonstrated to exist.  As things stand now there is not strong evidence of anything other than hardware issues.  Before you mention again that this problem did not exist before the install of Rockbox on the "new" X5 - I hear you but w/o repeating the situation we very well might be chasing a coincidental hardware issue.

[hollowman]

I don't see the jeopardy.

Simply copy off your current install from the "old" X5 and paste it onto the "new" one.  And vise-versa.  (copying to a temporary folder will make this easier)

If you don't like the results you can reverse the process.

You appear to be asking for rectification of an issue which has not been soundly demonstrated to exist.  As things stand now there is not strong evidence of anything other than hardware issues.  Before you mention again that this problem did not exist before the install of Rockbox on the "new" X5 - I hear you but w/o repeating the situation we very well might be chasing a coincidental hardware issue.

Regardless, you have failed to answer my question whether RB code/firmware is capable of controlling Line Out as it does with Line In? If you don't know the answer to this question, please say so. If you do, then clue me in.
IAC, my other X5 is at my residence quite a distance from current location. My current "PMP" is, alas due to the X5 snafu, my laptop.

[soap]

I do not believe the TI TLV320AIC23B has the hardware capability to control the line-out volume.
And nothing audio-driver related has been touched on the iAudio players in almost one year.  If there were a Rockbox problem I would expect it to have reared its ugly head by now.  The Cowon players are not the most popular, but they have exactly the userbase I'd expect complaints from.

[pixelma]

Line-out works for me on my M5 which is very similar to the X5 and especially the audio, processing and line-out hardware is the same (DAC, CPU  and subpack). I tested with one of today's builds, revision 25710 to be precise.

Rockbox does not control the line out volume with one exception - a global (headphone) mute will also completely mute line-out, setting the volume one step above the line-out will give its full volume - a bit like on or off. I don't know why this is the case just stating what I see on my player.

If you still want to go back to the original firmware you need to install a Cowon firmware again, i.e. a firmware update by them. This Cowon support page should have all the info you need: How to upgrade iAUDIO X5 Firmware?.

[hollowman]

Line-out works for me on my M5 which is very similar to the X5 and especially the audio, processing and line-out hardware is the same (DAC, CPU  and subpack). I tested with one of today's builds, revision 25710 to be precise.

And it works for me, too, on my other X5 60-gb.

FYI: I did swap the two X5s' HDs, and the orig. muted X5 still presents muted Line Out audio regardless of HD. Not sure what this proves?? After all, RB also flashes firmware, which stays with the unit regardless of HD used.

Rockbox does not control the line out volume with one exception - a global (headphone) mute will also completely mute line-out, setting the volume one step above the line-out will give its full volume - a bit like on or off. I don't know why this is the case just stating what I see on my player.

Yeah, I've known about this since my X5 was new. And this is what I was implying earlier. Any way you know how to manually see and control that bit?

If you still want to go back to the original firmware you need to install a Cowon firmware again, i.e. a firmware update by them. This Cowon support page should have all the info you need: How to upgrade iAUDIO X5 Firmware?.

Thx. A lot on my plate right now but if/when I have progress, I'll post.

[soap]

FYI: I did swap the two X5s' HDs, and the orig. muted X5 still presents muted Line Out audio regardless of HD. Not sure what this proves?? After all, RB also flashes firmware, which stays with the unit regardless of HD used.

Bootloader gets flashed.
Hard drive is Rockbox itself.

If you swapped HDs you swapped Rockbox.

[hollowman]

I uninstalled RockBox and installed the orig. Cowon firmware. Line Out still "dead".

I went back to RB, in hopes a flag or bit would toggle. Nope!

Again, Line Out is not dead. The normal noises, such as the garbage  one normally hears when one is skipping tracks, powering on/off, etc., are clearly audible in both channels. Then, as music signal starts, it's as if the Line Out audio signal is deliberately muted. Again, Phones out is unaffected.
Any ideas ?? -- I'm just about to call it quits.

Editorial remarks: The X5 is antiquated. When orig released, it had no rivals -- and not for a while. But it, for me, has always been buggy and unreliable. I've owned more than one. I put up with it, as many audiophiles have I suspect, just because it sounded good. Now, with inexpensive and/or way-better audiophile PMPs from China (e.g., Nationite flo 2, Head-Direct HiFiMan), Cowon, Apple, iRiver, etc. are clearly outmatched in the audio department. The Nationite units are cheap, too. Or you can save up for a HiFiMan.

[soap]

I uninstalled RockBox and installed the orig. Cowon firmware. Line Out still "dead".

That is unfortunate.  The evidence points pretty conclusively to hardware failure.

Again, Line Out is not dead. The normal noises, such as the garbage  one normally hears when one is skipping tracks, powering on/off, etc., are clearly audible in both channels. Then, as music signal starts, it's as if the Line Out audio signal is deliberately muted. Again, Phones out is unaffected.
Any ideas ?? -- I'm just about to call it quits.

Deliberate muting as you describe is an active behavior that Rockbox does not perform, nor can perform when the original firmware is loaded.  And vise versa.  Consistency on this part is clearly a hardware issue.