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Regarding programming with the Sony Audio Control API.

I am aware that the only 2 soundFields that are selectable when using the built-in Chromecast on the Sony STR-DN1080 are '2Ch Stereo' and 'Multi Ch Stereo'. You can press the "2ch/Multi" button on the IR remote control when using this input, as per the online help.

However, when using the API to select these two soundFields using:

{
    "id":8,
    "method":"setSoundSettings",
    "params":[{
        "settings":[{
        "target":"soundField",
        "value":"2chStereo"
    }]
    }],
    "version":"1.1"
}

and:

{
    "id":9,
    "method":"setSoundSettings",
    "params":[{
        "settings":[{
        "target":"soundField",
        "value":"multiChStereo"
    }]
    }],
    "version":"1.1"
}

I received the following JSON response:

{
  "error": [
    15,
    "unsupported operation"
  ],
  "id": 8
}

This two JSON requests are able to select the soundFields on other inputs however. And the IR remote works to select these soundFields when using the built-in Chromecast (as per the online help), but I cannot access them when using API.

grolschie
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  • If you set the receiver to '2Ch Stereo' and 'Multi Ch Stereo' using the remote and the use [getSoundSettings](https://developer.sony.com/develop/audio-control-api/api-references/api-overview-2#_getsoundsettings_v1_1) what is the response? – David - Sony May 27 '19 at 02:27
  • Set to 2 Channel Stereo using the IR remote: https://pastebin.com/DJdqBHpS – grolschie May 27 '19 at 02:39
  • Set to Multi Ch Stereo using the IR remote: https://pastebin.com/jijLuRTZ – grolschie May 27 '19 at 02:42

1 Answers1

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Looking at the response it looks like the "target": "soundField" is "currentValue": "off" for both and the "target": "soundField" is set to "isAvailable": false. So my guess is that even if it looks like you are switching then using the remote in practice nothing is really happening in the receiver. Can't confirm this right now since I'm traveling this week.

Another way to test what is available is to use "Sony | Music Center" (App) and my guess is that "sound field" settings is not available in this case there also.

David - Sony
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  • When using the IR remote, the receiver definitely switches between Multi and 2ch Stereo though. I see the text on the display and the speakers activate/deactivate. – grolschie May 27 '19 at 03:15
  • Interesting, the remote and the button on the receiver is apparently changing something else, will have to ask around to see if this can be done with the API also, but I'm not very optimistic, guess it is a limitation in the implementation of the API. Just for curiosity if you change to some other input source where you can change the soundField and then start a chromcast stream is the speaker configuration kept? – David - Sony May 27 '19 at 03:47
  • Hi David. Nope, the AVR tends to remember which soundField each input has been using. The only way to get stereo on the built-in Chromecast Audio via the API (as far as I can tell) is to select Pure Direct mode, but then you lose the processing. Any chance someone can release an update to the API on the STR-DN1080 please? There are other additions I would like to see as well. :-) – grolschie May 27 '19 at 04:47
  • Yea Pure Direct is handle differently, I also have somethings I would like to improve with the API unfortunately it is not up to me and I don't know how much they can improv change for current products but I will at least be able to give input for upcoming versions and hopefully some of it will. For more general discussion about the API that is not suitable for Stack Overflow you can use the https://forum.developer.sony.com/ (use the General category for now) – David - Sony May 27 '19 at 05:30
  • Thanks David. Even though the STR-DN1080 is a couple of years old, it's still the consumer level flagship model. So hopefully they'll consider updating the API if there is a future firmware release. I'd love to know the codec and bitrate info being received by an input. Also, the API documentation really needs updating with more info as well. Many thanks. – grolschie May 27 '19 at 05:38
  • Everything about the API documentation that you are missing/unclear or thinks needs an update take that on the forum i just linked to, for the documentation I have more control over, all feedback is appreciated :-) The API is much more complicated to change. – David - Sony May 27 '19 at 05:45
  • Will do. Thank you, David. – grolschie May 27 '19 at 06:25