[jjd-uk]

I'm pretty sure that streamsilence settings doesn't work under windows 8 and/or intel hdmi drivers... can anyone confirm/look into this? thanks

As far as I'm aware to should work on any Windows OS and any hardware. If stream is being dropped with that streamsilence set to one, there maybe something else at play, maybe EDID issue Does your receiver have a HDMI control or CEC setting, if so try disabling.

[Bkam]

I tried to play MKV files encoded with both DTS-MA and Dolby True-HD, and the stuttered and did not play any audio.

my log http://pastebin.com/1WDtVUkq

Any tips Welcome tried a lot of different settings without any luck. Had the same problem in windows 7 but solved it by disable all sound but the hdmi but no luck with that in windows 8

[jjd-uk]

I tried to play MKV files encoded with both DTS-MA and Dolby True-HD, and the stuttered and did not play any audio.

my log http://pastebin.com/1WDtVUkq

The log shows that your Windows audio driver is not reporting it can do the HD Audio formats.

Use this page to check your Windows settings http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Win...udioEngine

The important part is what is being reported in Supported Formats.

Also I see you're using Intel graphics, in order to support the HD Audio formats the Intel Management Engine Interface driver must be installed.

[pletopia]

I just upgraded from Eden to Frodo today. I was able to setup to use WASAPI but I'm getting crackling/static intermittently during playback. Has anyone else noticed this?

So far I've tested it with DTS muxed in an mkv file. Will test more this afternoon with DD.

Audio system is connected via HDMI (from an intel Sandy Bridge setup). Will try to use the optical out via realtek thats on-board too later.

[Bkam]

jjd-uk thx for you help.

Any one using a intel H55 (i3) and windows 8 and get HD sounds? i cant find any drivers to get it working for me

[jjd-uk]

That's clarkdale isn't it? think I remember now something about clarkdale not being supported by Intel on Win 8 I will try and find some confirmation. If so you could try Win 7 drivers on Win 8 or the only other option would be to downgrade to Win 7.

[jjd-uk]

Confirmed, Intel are not supplying Win 8 drivers for Clarkdale 1st gen Intel HD Graphics, see http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb...=windows+8

[R...]

Tell me, please, bitstreaming support works in PAPlayer?
How to output music(FLAC) without decoding through Passthrough output device?
Because my receiver decodes flac much better than XBMC.
Can I use XBMC only as a source of sound\video and decoding makes external receiver or DAC?

Thanks

[jjd-uk]

How can you have better decoding of a digital format? It's either decoded or not

Not sure if flac can be bitstreamed at the moment, it might be covered by the Multiplechannel PCM capable receiver setting so try with that on.

[Bkam]

jjd-uk thx mate for your help, i found out that to last night so i installed win 7 . It sucks that intel would remove support for it

[R...]

How can you have better decoding of a digital format? It's either decoded or not

Not sure if flac can be bitstreamed at the moment, it might be covered by the Multiplechannel PCM capable receiver setting so try with that on.

My A\V receiver can decode the HD audio in movies, and flac format.
When I turn HD movie with sound, video is decoded by XBMC, and the sound goes directly(bitstream) to the receiver that decodes and converts it to analog.
How can I do that when you run music(flac) xbmc not decode it, and sent directly(bitstream) to the receiver(with built-in DAC) so that it decodes it and converts it into an analog sound?

I think that right now, the music(flac) XBMC decodes and sends the digital signal to the receiver, and the receiver simply converts the digital signal to analog for the speakers. That is, the sound quality is lost(built-in sound card is always worse than the receiver). Or is it not so?

P.S. For example. Who is using the mediaplayer Dune(as well as users of other sound sources), says that there is a significant difference in sound reproduction at different connections:
1) Decoding media player -> PCM -> decoding receiver\DAC.
2) Mediaplayer(without decoding) -> bitstream -> decoding receiver\DAC.
Option #2 - sounds a lot better.
I think that if the developers were able to make the bitstream HD audio in film, it is possible to make a bitstream for the usual music.

[jjd-uk]

The audio chains would be:

1. xbmc decode

flac -> xbmc decode -> pcm -> digital out -> digital in -> pcm -> receiver d/a conversion -> analog -> speakers out

2. xbmc bit streaming (if it does flag bitstreaming)

flac -> xbmc -> flac -> digital out -> digital in -> flac -> receiver decode -> pcm -> receiver d/a conversion -> analog -> speakers out

On both chains signal remains in digital domain all the way thorough to the d/a converter, and in both cases it's pcm which feeds the d/a converter. There should be no difference in quality between the two different signal chains.

Have you got the Multichannel PCM Capable Receiver setting on?

[R...]

jjd-uk,
Thanks for the reply.
You have correctly drawn both schemes. Digital signal is in both cases. In theory it is.

But if you listen to both of these options you will hear the difference in sound. I do not know why. But it's true. In the second version will sound better.
Perhaps on the built-in TV speakers is not heard. But on separate speakers(normal quality) to any external DAC hear the difference.
I have a lot of music in the format Flac, I would like to listen to it in the best possible quality.

Is it possible to implement it?

P.S. Multichannel PCM - Yes.

As evidence, I think the producers of media players have made a feature pass-through for audio output. This proves that in reality there is a difference, who decodes the audio, media player or Receiver\DAC. (example specification Dune HD Max )

[miketja]

EDIT: Sorry, I can't delete this post for some reason, but I think my theory is wrong. I don't believe I need the Intel driver after all, as it seems my Mac Mini is using an nVidia driver for audio. I need to try and find an updated nVidia driver instead, I guess. Sorry for posting before I was sure of what I needed. MODS: feel free to delete.

Has anyone found the Intel Management Engine Interface for Apple Macs running Windows 7? My understanding is that it's needed for HD Audio support in Windows, but I can't find that driver anywhere for my Mac Mini. If OSX doesn't support HD audio passthrough to the A/V amp over HDMI, and I can't get a suitable driver for Windows 7 to do the same, what are my options? Stick Linux on my Mac Mini?

Thanks,

- Mike

[DDDamian]

@R.... - FLAC is Free Lossless Audio Codec. Note the lossless. That applies to compression and decompression, but lossless either way. And whether its a software decompressor or hardware decompressor you will get the same 0's and 1's.