[brotherdu]

Hi All,

I'm not very clued up on the whole AV side of things, and am only new to XBMC having ditched my PS3, so I'm hoping someone will be able to help me.

My current HTPC setup -

Server 2008 R2 running on an old C2D box
2GB Ram
Gigabyte HD6450
XBMC

Samsung 40" Series 5
Kenwood Receiver (no HDMI in/out)

I have this setup in the following configuration -

HTPC --> HDMI --> TV --> Optical --> Receiver

I have the HTPC connecting straight to the TV as my receiver is old and has no HDMI inputs.

Now, my issue is when I try and play a file using the GPU to process the audio through the TV to the Receiver, I get a message along the lines of "Audio failed to initialise, check settings'. I have tried turning off the DTS and Dolby settings in XBMC to no avail.

My receiver says it can handle DTS and Dolby (There are even lights on the front of it with those names), however, nothing I have done seems to have any effect. Only by changing the audio settings to analogue (in XBMC) have I been able to get any sound through using the HDMI out on the GPU, and that sound is very poor as the voices are so low and music so loud, basically un-watchable.

I can get decent 2.1 out by using the on board mic out straight to the receiver.

Now, with my limited AV and XBMC understanding, I can only assume that if the HD 6450 can handle the audio out via HDMI, and my receiver says it can handle DTS/Dolby signal, then it must be either my TV that isn't passing the audio through to the receiver properly or I have screwed up the server or XBMC configuration?

The only options I can see on my tv for sound configuration is to swap between internal and external (receiver) speakers. I've tried both without any luck.

The XBMC settings seem pretty straight forward, so I don't know what I may have done wrong, I'm leaning towards my TV being the weakest link.

Is that assumption correct?

My next question is, if it is my TV that is the cause of my problems, is my best (cheapest) option to get 5.1 sound out of my current setup, to buy a LP sound card for the HTPC with optical out and play it straight to the receiver bypassing the TV? Or have I missed something and there is another better solution/configuration that I should have used?


TL;DR
1) Will a Samsung Series 5 TV pass through DTS/DOLBY audio to a non HDMI receiver via optical?

2) If 1) = NO, is my best option to buy an Optical soundcard for the HTPC and send audio straight to the receiver?

3) If 1) = YES, WTH am I doing wrong?

Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated, I'm tearing my hair out here.

Thanks.

Brotherdu.

[nordberg]

I have a Sammy 5520. I have a HDMI from my HTPC plugged in the TV and an optical out from the TV connected to my Sony amp. I get DTS audio on the amp....

My issue is that I don't want to have my TV on to listen to music from the HTPC. My options are to either upgrade to a HDMI amp or put a USB soundcard on the HTPC that has optical out and use the dual audio patch found on this forum.....

[brotherdu]

Hi guys, a brief update

If I turn off the "DTS capable receiver" option in XBMC, then I don't get the "Failed to Initialise Audio" error and I have sound from all speakers. However the Dolby light on the receiver is off........I'm unsure what that means exactly.

So I guess, either the card does not support DTS even though AMD says it does, OR, I have something wrong with my settings or drivers.

Can anyone else confirm whether or not their HD 6450 can play DTS?

Any ideas?

[Nimo]

the easiest way is a toslink cable and i think a regual pc have optical out onboard sound. the expensive but fine solution is a new receiver with hdmi out and arc. so you can get more than 5.1 in future

[nordberg]

brotherdu, I have a HD6450 card as well.

I will double check my config when I get a minute and let you know.

[DDDamian]

ATI HD6450 supports right up to DTS-MA/TrueHD over HDMI. Your TV is the issue. If you really want to improve things upgrade the receiver to an HDMI model. If that's not audio feasible then a dedicated card with digital out is the ticket.

[nordberg]

OK - I am clearly going mad as I checked my setup and I'm having the same issue... I am convinced that when I first set it all up, my DTS/DD light lit up on my amp when I played Bourne on the HTPC....but now I'm getting the same message as you.

Having looked in Windows, I can only select stereo in the sound properties. Surround is greyed out. Is this because my HDMI is plugged into the TV which will only support 2.0 sound? Does the HDMI talk back to the HD6450 and advertise what it has available to it?

I plan to upgrade to an Onkyo 608 funds permitting, but I want to make sure that having done that, I can get DTS/DD audio out of the HTPC.....

[brotherdu]

ATI HD6450 supports right up to DTS-MA/TrueHD over HDMI. Your TV is the issue. If you really want to improve things upgrade the receiver to an HDMI model. If that's not audio feasible then a dedicated card with digital out is the ticket.

Thanks DDDamian. The thing that has me confused is that, I would have through that IF the card could handle the DTS and Dolby, then it would attempt to pass the sound through the TV. SO, if the TV couldnt handle it, then there would just be no sound at all? The "Failed to initialise sound" error makes me think that there is something in XBMC or the PC stopping the card from initialising.

Having said that, I can't see anything wrong, so who knows. It could be the TV telling the card that it can't handle DTS and stopping the card initialising maybe??

OK - I am clearly going mad as I checked my setup and I'm having the same issue... I am convinced that when I first set it all up, my DTS/DD light lit up on my amp when I played Bourne on the HTPC....but now I'm getting the same message as you.

OH NO, I've jinxed you Nordberg!!

Having looked in Windows, I can only select stereo in the sound properties. Surround is greyed out. Is this because my HDMI is plugged into the TV which will only support 2.0 sound? Does the HDMI talk back to the HD6450 and advertise what it has available to it?

I plan to upgrade to an Onkyo 608 funds permitting, but I want to make sure that having done that, I can get DTS/DD audio out of the HTPC.....

I have this same issue with the card only showing stereo in the sound properties. However, by turning off the DTS/Dolby capable receiver settings in XBMC, I'm getting sound to all speakers through the receiver, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't get any "Surround Sound" lights showing on my receiver. Maybe you can try that if you are only getting stereo out.

And yes, we'd would want to make sure its not the card being silly before we spend money upgrading the receiver!

It certainly has me stumped.

[DDDamian]

Thanks DDDamian. The thing that has me confused is that, I would have through that IF the card could handle the DTS and Dolby, then it would attempt to pass the sound through the TV. SO, if the TV couldnt handle it, then there would just be no sound at all? The "Failed to initialise sound" error makes me think that there is something in XBMC or the PC stopping the card from initialising.

Having said that, I can't see anything wrong, so who knows. It could be the TV telling the card that it can't handle DTS and stopping the card initialising maybe??

That's exactly what's happening - the TV reports what it supports back to the card, and if XBMC/Windows is asking for a format the TV doesn't support it will fail to initialize the audio output.

However, by turning off the DTS/Dolby capable receiver settings in XBMC, I'm getting sound to all speakers through the receiver, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't get any "Surround Sound" lights showing on my receiver. Maybe you can try that if you are only getting stereo out.

When you disable DD/DTS passthrough XBMC converts them to PCM, just like a .wav file, the general audio standard. Only two channels are going to the TV as it reports stereo-capable. It is likely that your receiver sees this two-channel source and applies Dolby logic to upmix it back to 5.1.

Google a small, free program called MonInfo - it will tell you exactly what the TV reports as it's compatible audio formats. Be aware though that just because the TV accepts it does not necessarily mean it passes it on. Most TV's accept DD but don't always pass that on, DTS even less so.

[brotherdu]

That's exactly what's happening - the TV reports what it supports back to the card, and if XBMC/Windows is asking for a format the TV doesn't support it will fail to initialize the audio output.

When you disable DD/DTS passthrough XBMC converts them to PCM, just like a .wav file, the general audio standard. Only two channels are going to the TV as it reports stereo-capable. It is likely that your receiver sees this two-channel source and applies Dolby logic to upmix it back to 5.1.

Google a small, free program called MonInfo - it will tell you exactly what the TV reports as it's compatible audio formats. Be aware though that just because the TV accepts it does not necessarily mean it passes it on. Most TV's accept DD but don't always pass that on, DTS even less so.

Thanks for that info, I will check MonInfo out.

Following on from this, are you suggesting, that the sound card properties are are only showing stereo out because it is connected to the TV (That we think can only handle stereo)?

Meaning I should be able to connect the card to a receiver or TV that can handle DTS/Dolby and the sound card will automatically show a 5.1 speaker setup?

[DDDamian]

Thanks for that info, I will check MonInfo out.

Following on from this, are you suggesting, that the sound card properties are are only showing stereo out because it is connected to the TV (That we think can only handle stereo)?

Meaning I should be able to connect the card to a receiver or TV that can handle DTS/Dolby and the sound card will automatically show a 5.1 speaker setup?

Exactly - that card will handle most everything you throw at it, using up-to-date drivers (Catalyst 12.1 I believe). When connected to a DD/DTS or better receiver the new options for passthrough and speaker layout will become available in your Windows options.

[brotherdu]

Exactly - that card will handle most everything you throw at it, using up-to-date drivers (Catalyst 12.1 I believe). When connected to a DD/DTS or better receiver the new options for passthrough and speaker layout will become available in your Windows options.

Thanks matey, you've been a great help. I will see if I can track down a HDMI DTS/DD receiver to test.

[DDDamian]

Best of luck and let us know how you make out!

[nordberg]

OK....I'll race you to Richer Sounds

Onkyo are about to launch their new models so there should be some good deals on the 609. There's still a few 608s hiding in stores and I'd be happy one if I can find one at the right price....

[nordberg]

One other thing. In XBMC, I can choose WASAPI or Direct Sound from HDMI. Which should I choose?