[Windows] AudioEngine testers - Windows platform only

(2012-05-12 16:16)DDDamian Wrote:  You cannot play uncompressed audio at 5.1 over spdif - it must be AC3 to do so. If you want 5.1 pcm over spdif pls add under <audio> in as.xml <transcodeto>ac3</transcodeto> - this will transcode your pcm stuff to AC3.

According to the contents of SoftAE.cpp, routine CSoftAE::LoadSettings(), the advanced setting is no longer used. If AC3passthrough is enabled, and the source is not an enabled passthrough type or > 2 channels, then transcoding to AC3 is automatically enabled for SPDIF and HDMI (when LPCM is disabled).

The apparent downside to this logic is that volume control and any filters (e.g. night mode) would not be applied to AC3 sources as it would be flagged as passthrough instead of decoded -> filters -> transcode.

@smf007 - yes, quite right - I'd pretty much forgotten we made it automatic based on devices. That logic is going to be replaced again with the new device enumeration logic going in.

We can however apply DRC (night mode) to upmixed sources before the transcoding to AC3, if it starts as pcm.

In the new logic, will it be able to decode AC3 to PCM before Transcoding? I'm trying to produce a simple setup for the Kids where the volume control in XBMC works for all sources, with output being AC3 or 2 channel PCM.

@smf007 - not something I'd really thought of, but there's no limitation to doing so I guess. That whole logic is still being worked out. Most folks wouldn't want that number of conversions, but I can understand what you're trying to do. If possible sure, we can work it in.

(2012-05-12 20:24)DDDamian Wrote:  @loekf - yep I'm confused. By WASAPI-> analog out in 5.1, you mean with PCM? No, that won't work unless you transcode to AC3. What are you trying to output in 5.1 using WASAPI and the Creative card that doesn't work?

Ehh....

as far as I know when I play a MKV with 5.1 DTS using WASAPI (on my PC, so with Creative XFi sound card):

XBMC decodes DTS 5.1 --> 5.1 PCM --> sent to WASAPI XFi device -> D/As on XFi -> 5.1 speakers

DirectSound's mixer is bypassed, so I would assume Creative's processing on the XFi is bypassed

I would assume that in case of a WASAPI output device, the audio decoding is still done by XBMC, WASAPI is just a render
method.

@loekf - there's the issue. WASAPI is just the render method - it is effectively passing thru right to the audio driver.

When XBMC is set to decode DTS (DTS 5.1 --> PCM 5.1) that's fine, but that's where it ends. SPDIF cannot send 5.1. If your Creative has 5.1 DACs and you are then using 3 prs of analog cables from the sound card to the receiver, that's fine, but not SPDIF.

To make matters worse, your card is reporting that it's only 2ch PCM, so even the second step there won't work, the PCM 5.1 --> Creative.

Check your Creative setup software and make sure it can accept 5.1pcm because it's not reporting that to Windows. Won't be the first issue I've seen with Creative's drivers.

I'm off now to go see family for the weekend, back on Monday if I don't check in somewhere in between, but keep me posted on what you find out with the Creative setup.

(2012-05-12 17:44)DDDamian Wrote:  The second is that one of the files has AAC audio - AAC is not decoded (yet) by AE - the only way it will work is if your receiver supports AAC natively.

Ok.

@DDDamian:
what is this intialization tries all about, is it intended?

http://pastebin.com/raw.php?i=XFkLFRvd

I've disabled in the BIOS the HD Via audio. Don't understand why there is trouble now and not before...
Nevertheless, doing this miracly made audio work, on all i've been able to test, flac, ac3, ogg, with several channels (2.0, 5.1, 4.0) and even 32bit. Everything worked, except one video, wich audio was flac 2.0 (but others with flac 2.0 worked).
The log file is here.
There was no audio, and no audio (zero channels) were send to my audio device (according it's front panel).
Here the result from MonInfo :

(2012-05-12 21:32)DDDamian Wrote:  @loekf - there's the issue. WASAPI is just the render method - it is effectively passing thru right to the audio driver.

When XBMC is set to decode DTS (DTS 5.1 --> PCM 5.1) that's fine, but that's where it ends. SPDIF cannot send 5.1. If your Creative has 5.1 DACs and you are then using 3 prs of analog cables from the sound card to the receiver, that's fine, but not SPDIF.

To make matters worse, your card is reporting that it's only 2ch PCM, so even the second step there won't work, the PCM 5.1 --> Creative.

Check your Creative setup software and make sure it can accept 5.1pcm because it's not reporting that to Windows. Won't be the first issue I've seen with Creative's drivers.

I'm off now to go see family for the weekend, back on Monday if I don't check in somewhere in between, but keep me posted on what you find out with the Creative setup.

Yes I have 3 analog wires going to my speakers (FL + FR, RL + RL, C + woofer). As Creative didn't update their X-Fi drivers for more than 2 years, guess it's the Creative drivers. Of course, they have a new X-Fi card, but my next built will be either on-board audio or perhaps an Asus Xonar card.

I tried various modes (gaming, entertainment etc.. even bit-thru playback), but the WASAPI report back stays the same (2 channels). Funny thing still is that in DirectSound mode, 5.1 works, despite that XBMC reports 2 channels as well. Even when you switch off the so called 3D Crystalizer, which is upmixing to 5.1 as far as I know.