mpv passthrough with Pipewire: "no target node available", ALSA works

[Tatsh]

mpv Information

mpv 0.39.0 Copyright © 2000-2024 mpv/MPlayer/mplayer2 projects
libplacebo version: v7.349.0
FFmpeg version: 6.1.2
FFmpeg library versions:
   libavcodec      60.31.102
   libavdevice     60.3.100
   libavfilter     9.12.100
   libavformat     60.16.100
   libavutil       58.29.100
   libswresample   4.12.100
   libswscale      7.5.100

Other Information

- Linux version: Gentoo
- Kernel Version: Linux limelight 6.13.1-gentoo-limelight #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC TKG Tue Feb  4 17:42:27 EST 2025 x86_64 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-11900K @ 3.50GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux
- GPU Model: 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation AD102 [GeForce RTX 4090] [10de:2684] (rev a1)
- Mesa/GPU Driver Version: 570.86.16
- Window Manager and Version: Plasma 6.2.5
- Source of mpv: Gentoo ebuild
- Latest known working version: n/a

ALSA works after disabling pipewire: mpv --ao=alsa --audio-channels=5.1,stereo '--audio-device=alsa/hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1' --audio-exclusive=yes file.mkv.

Reproduction Steps

1. Make sure AC3 is enabled:
   
   pw e NODE_ID Props | grep -F Codecs -A 3

  Prop: key Spa:Pod:Object:Param:Props:iec958Codecs (65553), flags 00000000
    Array: child.size 4, child.type Spa:Id
      Id 1        (Spa:Enum:AudioIEC958Codec:PCM)
      Id 3        (Spa:Enum:AudioIEC958Codec:AC3)

2. Use this command line: mpv --ao=pipewire --audio-channels=5.1,stereo '--audio-device=pipewire/alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-surround-extra1' --audio-exclusive=yes --audio-spdif=ac3 file.mkv

Expected Behavior

Video should play. AC3 bitstream should be sent to receiver.

Actual Behavior

The video does not start. Error message:

[ao/pipewire] Stream in error state, trying to reload...
[ao/pipewire] Error during playback: No such file or directory, no target node available

Log File

output.txt.gz

Sample Files

No response

I carefully read all instruction and confirm that I did the following:

• I tested with the latest mpv version to validate that the issue is not already fixed.
• I provided all required information including system and mpv version.
• I produced the log file with the exact same set of files, parameters, and conditions used in "Reproduction Steps", with the addition of --log-file=output.txt.
• I produced the log file while the behaviors described in "Actual Behavior" were actively observed.
• I attached the full, untruncated log file.
• I attached the backtrace in the case of a crash.

[avatar1024]

I'm facing exactly the same issue. And thank you @Tatsh for the trick, using alsa while specifying the device worked very well for me too! Though I also had to specify the option --audio=spdif=ac3 for it to work

[t-8ch]

Can you run mpv with the env variable PIPEWIRE_DEBUG=5 and post the output?

[t-8ch]

What happens without --audio-channels=5.1,stereo '--audio-device=pipewire/alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-surround-extra1' --audio-exclusive=yes ?

[Tatsh]

Can you run mpv with the env variable PIPEWIRE_DEBUG=5 and post the output?

Arguments at top of log.

With the arguments: pw-debug.log.gz

Without the arguments: pw-no-extra-args-debug.log.gz

What happens without --audio-channels=5.1,stereo '--audio-device=pipewire/alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-surround-extra1' --audio-exclusive=yes ?

Because I've set the HDMI device to default, basically the same thing.

[t-8ch]

Can you also enable logs from wireplumber? wp-ctl set-log-level D?
The logs will show up in journalctl --user --unit wireplumber

[Tatsh]

I realised that PulseAudio Volume Control (pavucontrol-qt) really likes to grab all of the devices so I killed it, and I killed easyeffects just in case. With those not running, mpv stops on the first frame.

 $ mpv --audio-spdif=ac3 file.mkv
● Video  --vid=1  (hevc 1920x1080 29.97 fps) [default]
● Audio  --aid=1  (ac3 6ch 48000 Hz) [default]
File tags:
Failed to parse codec profile.
Using hardware decoding (nvdec).
AO: [pipewire] 48000Hz stereo 2ch spdif-ac3
VO: [gpu] 1920x1080 cuda[nv12]
[auto_profiles] Applying auto profile: fhd30
AV: 00:00:00.033 / 01:58:17.664 (0%) A-V:  0.000

I checked to make sure it wasn't my config and the same thing happens with --config=no. Adding --ao=alsa works (and I do not have to kill Pipewire).

The 'Failed to parse codec profile' message is from ad_spdif.c.

Here is the Wireplumber log: wireplumber.log.gz

[t-8ch]

This looks better.

Could you provide pipewire/mpv/wireplumber logs without pavucontrol/easyeffects running for the command mpv --config=no --msg-level=ao/pipewire=trace --audio-spdif=ac3 file.mkv.
I'd like to look at a consistent set of logs.

[t-8ch]

And for journalctl use --output=short-iso-precise for high-res timestamps.

[Tatsh]

Just for consistency in testing I am using the following commands:

To set up and run mpv (after receiver is turned on):

clear; wpctl set-log-level D; export PIPEWIRE_DEBUG=5; pw-cli s alsa_card.pci-0000_01_00.1 Profile '{ name = "output:hdmi-surround71" }' && sleep 1 && pw-cli s alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-surround71 Props '{ iec958Codecs : [ PCM DTS AC3 EAC3 TrueHD DTS-HD ] }' && systemd-cat -p info -t mpvtesting <<< 'mpv starts here' && mpv --config=no --msg-level=ao/pipewire=trace --audio-spdif=ac3 ~/Downloads/file.mkv &> ~/Downloads/mpv.log; systemd-cat -p info -t mpvtesting <<< 'mpv stops here'

mpv.log

To get the journal output:

journalctl --output=short-iso-precise -f --user _SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT=wireplumber.service + SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER=mpvtesting > ~/Downloads/wireplumber.log

wireplumber.log

In the journal log above, look for 'mpv starts here' and 'mpv stops here' text to see when mpv starts and stops.