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ennogs · (This post was last modified: 2014-03-18, 04:44 by ennogs.)

Could it be my Windows settings? Due to being a newbie with receivers I did have hard time setting the receiver up in Windows. During the receiver calibration all 5 speakers and subwoofer worked. After that I got the receiver set up in windows. I then downloaded a surround sound test MP3. It is just a woman who says front right, front left, centre, real left, and rear right. As she says say front right I do only hear her in my front right speaker, as she says front left I do only hear her in the front left speaker etc. I then played some films and music. I could hear all 5 speakers and the subwoofer. I then just assumed I had set everything up correctly but I may be wrong.

This my current Windows sound settings and shows other options I have to choose from.

If I remember right although I connect from the sound card to the receiver using S/PDIF in Windows sound options I had to choose speakers rather than any of the S/PDIF options. I am sure that was the only way I could get sound but I will check that now.

ennogs · (This post was last modified: 2014-03-18, 04:46 by ennogs.)

ok now I am really confused lol.

In Windows sound options only 2 choices will give me sound.

One is the speaker option that I have been using

The other is S/PDIF Pass-Through-Device

When choosing the speaker option in Windows sound options if I play the surround test MP3 I have

When the woman says front right I only hear her in the front right speaker
When she says front left I only hear here in the front left speaker
When she says centre I only hear her in the centre speaker
When she says rear left I only hear her in the rear left speaker
When she says rear right I only hear her in the rear right speaker

If I change the windows sound option to S/PDIF if I play the surround test MP3

When the woman says front right I only hear her in the front right speaker
When she says front left I only hear here in the front left speaker
When she says centre I only hear her in the centre speaker
When she says rear left I hear her in the front left not the rear left
When she says rear right I only hear her in the front right not the rear right speaker

It appears choosing the speaker option in Windows sound options I am getting 5.1 sound and if I choose the S/PDIF Pass-Through-Device option I am not getting 5.1 sound (am I wrong?).

Edit

Using VLC player I have just played a documentary and some music. If I choose the speaker option in Windows sound options I heard the documentary and music in all 5 speakers (subwoofer is off as it is 2:38 AM here). If I choose the S/PDIF option no sound was coming out of the rear speakers only front right, front left and centre.

I now have a feeling something is wrong with my windows sound settings but I cannot work out what.

**jjd-uk** · 2014-03-18, 13:56

I've just looked at the manual for that card and I'm not sure if it does unalterated SPDIF out which is what you need to make use of transcoding in xbmc, however it has it's own transcoding options but using those will likely make everything 5.1 even 2.0 sources.

I'm not really sure how that card should be setup as it seems unnecessarily complicated so you may have to ask elsewhere, however there's a couple of things I can suggest.

You can try to see if you can get the raw signal as sent by xbmc as follows (I'm not sure if this will work not being familiar with your card)

In Windows:

S/PDIF Pass-Through-Device set as default device.

In Xonar:

Audio channel: 2 channels
SPDIF out: enabled - PCM

In xbmc:

Audio output: Coax/Optical
Speaker configuration: 2.0
Dolby Digital AC3 capable receiver: enabled
DTS capable receiver: enabled
All other capable receiver: disabled
Audio output device: SPDIF - S/PDIF Pass-through Device (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)
Passthrough output device: SPDIF - S/PDIF Pass-through Device (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)

If that doesn't work then you'll need to utilise the Xonar transcode feature, then downside of that however is I think everything will get sent as DD5.1 even music.

In Windows:

Speakers Xonar D2X as default device

In Xonar:

Audio channel: 6 channels
SPDIF out: enabled - Dolby Digital Live

In xbmc:

Audio output: Analog
Speaker configuration: 5.1
Audio output device: Speakers - Speakers (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)

I notice you have another SPDIF device named "5- High Definition Audio Device", what is that? is that a motherboard SPDIF out? if so you might be better off using that as it'll be far simpler to config and gets things working right.

ennogs · (This post was last modified: 2014-03-18, 20:16 by ennogs.)

Thanks I will try what you suggested.

I am not sure what the 5- High Definition Audio Device relates to. As I have a sound card installed I disabled the onboard sound in the bios. So windows should not be seeing my onboard sound. For that reason I assume the 5- High Definition Audio Device relates to my Asus sound card? I do know if I choose the 5- High Definition Audio Device I don't get any sound.

I just tried to watch the fifth element using ice films. XBMC did show it should be in 5.1 sound. Using XBMC I got stereo and no subwoofer. I then downloaded it using jdownloader. Playing it through VLC I got all 5 speakers and subwoofer.

I will try those settings you suggested now.

ProsjektX · 2014-03-18, 21:19

For reference if someone else stumbles upon this:
Had serious video chopping issues after going from 12.3 to latest Gotham nightly. After trying out lots of settings I found that turning on true fullscreen instead of windowed mode fixed it. Although e.g. live streams played fine.

Setup: Win7x64, AMD phenom, AMD HD6550 gfx. Both s/pdif and hdmi audio output would cause chopping and both with directsound and wasapi.

ennogs · 2014-03-19, 00:31

(2014-03-18, 13:56)jjd-uk Wrote: I've just looked at the manual for that card and I'm not sure if it does unalterated SPDIF out which is what you need to make use of transcoding in xbmc, however it has it's own transcoding options but using those will likely make everything 5.1 even 2.0 sources.

I'm not really sure how that card should be setup as it seems unnecessarily complicated so you may have to ask elsewhere, however there's a couple of things I can suggest.

You can try to see if you can get the raw signal as sent by xbmc as follows (I'm not sure if this will work not being familiar with your card)

In Windows:

S/PDIF Pass-Through-Device set as default device.

In Xonar:

Audio channel: 2 channels
SPDIF out: enabled - PCM

In xbmc:

Audio output: Coax/Optical
Speaker configuration: 2.0
Dolby Digital AC3 capable receiver: enabled
DTS capable receiver: enabled
All other capable receiver: disabled
Audio output device: SPDIF - S/PDIF Pass-through Device (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)
Passthrough output device: SPDIF - S/PDIF Pass-through Device (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)

If that doesn't work then you'll need to utilise the Xonar transcode feature, then downside of that however is I think everything will get sent as DD5.1 even music.

In Windows:

Speakers Xonar D2X as default device

In Xonar:

Audio channel: 6 channels
SPDIF out: enabled - Dolby Digital Live

In xbmc:

Audio output: Analog
Speaker configuration: 5.1
Audio output device: Speakers - Speakers (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)

I notice you have another SPDIF device named "5- High Definition Audio Device", what is that? is that a motherboard SPDIF out? if so you might be better off using that as it'll be far simpler to config and gets things working right.

Sadly those settings did not work. This is the results I got.

Using the first settings you suggested with VLC player, you tube etc I only get sound in front left and right speakers and no subwoofer sound. I get the same in XBMC.

This is the log file

http://www.xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=152341

Using the second settings you suggested with VLC player, you tube etc I get all 5 speakers and sub. In XBMC I get no sound and the video plays real slowly (4 FPS). I tried both directsound and wasapi Speakers - Speakers (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)

This is the log file

http://www.xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=152346

I don't know if this will help you. For the SPDIF Out in the Xonar settings I have

PCM
Dolby Digital Live
DTS Interactive
S/PDIF In Loopback

**jjd-uk** · 2014-03-19, 13:23

(2014-03-19, 00:31)ennogs Wrote: Using the second settings you suggested with VLC player, you tube etc I get all 5 speakers and sub. In XBMC I get no sound and the video plays real slowly (4 FPS). I tried both directsound and wasapi Speakers - Speakers (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)

This is the log file

http://www.xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=152346

I don't know if this will help you. For the SPDIF Out in the Xonar settings I have

PCM
Dolby Digital Live
DTS Interactive
S/PDIF In Loopback

With the 2nd config you choose the wrong device as you selected:

Speakers - Speakers (ASUS Xonar D2X Converter)

what you need to select is:

Speakers - Speakers (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)

ennogs · (This post was last modified: 2014-03-20, 00:27 by ennogs.)

(2014-03-19, 13:23)jjd-uk Wrote:
(2014-03-19, 00:31)ennogs Wrote: Using the second settings you suggested with VLC player, you tube etc I get all 5 speakers and sub. In XBMC I get no sound and the video plays real slowly (4 FPS). I tried both directsound and wasapi Speakers - Speakers (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)

This is the log file

http://www.xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=152346

I don't know if this will help you. For the SPDIF Out in the Xonar settings I have

PCM
Dolby Digital Live
DTS Interactive
S/PDIF In Loopback

With the 2nd config you choose the wrong device as you selected:

Speakers - Speakers (ASUS Xonar D2X Converter)

what you need to select is:

Speakers - Speakers (ASUS Xonar D2X Audio Device)

Ok thanks. I will try that now.

I have tried that. It is still the same. I will just have to put with only having stereo sound in XBMC.

Edit

Thank you for all the help you gave me jjd-uk.

**jjd-uk** · 2014-03-20, 18:43

(2014-03-19, 20:47)ennogs Wrote: Ok thanks. I will try that now.

I have tried that. It is still the same. I will just have to put with only having stereo sound in XBMC.

Edit

Thank you for all the help you gave me jjd-uk.

If you head over to AVSForum they maybe able to help you.

You should be able to do it I think, however it's a matter of finding the right combination of driver settings and xbmc settings. Unfortunately I can only go by the manual for this soundcard and it's not terrible clear and how it should be set for for audio passthrough from media applications or even if it's possible.

ennogs · 2014-03-20, 19:27

(2014-03-20, 18:43)jjd-uk Wrote:
(2014-03-19, 20:47)ennogs Wrote: Ok thanks. I will try that now.

I have tried that. It is still the same. I will just have to put with only having stereo sound in XBMC.

Edit

Thank you for all the help you gave me jjd-uk.

If you head over to AVSForum they maybe able to help you.

You should be able to do it I think, however it's a matter of finding the right combination of driver settings and xbmc settings. Unfortunately I can only go by the manual for this soundcard and it's not terrible clear and how it should be set for for audio passthrough from media applications or even if it's possible.

Thanks.

mookieman · (This post was last modified: 2014-04-09, 17:15 by mookieman.)

Apologies if this question has been asked / answered before. I have a 7.1 capable receiver but even though I have configured my XBMC Audio settings correctly I'm only getting 5.1 output on DTS-HD (haven't checked TrueHD files yet) Is this a known issue? Weird thing is that 6.1 files play correctly (Lord of the Rings)

Edit: Found a TrueHD film, Brave and that plays 7.1 correctly so it seems to be a DTS-HD issue. Anybody have any ideas?

**jjd-uk** · 2014-04-09, 18:22

Are you sending the DTS-HD stream to the AVR for decoding? or are you decoding in xbmc and sending as LPCM?

Could you provide a debug log of you playing a DTS-HD file, see log_file (wiki) for how to do this.

mookieman · (This post was last modified: 2014-04-09, 19:07 by mookieman.)

(2014-04-09, 18:22)jjd-uk Wrote: Are you sending the DTS-HD stream to the AVR for decoding? or are you decoding in xbmc and sending as LPCM?

Could you provide a debug log of you playing a DTS-HD file, see log_file (wiki) for how to do this.

Thanks for your quick reply jjd-uk. Logfile as requested. http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=170116
Should be 7.1 from Man of Steel

(2014-04-09, 18:57)mookieman Wrote:
(2014-04-09, 18:22)jjd-uk Wrote: Are you sending the DTS-HD stream to the AVR for decoding? or are you decoding in xbmc and sending as LPCM?

Could you provide a debug log of you playing a DTS-HD file, see log_file (wiki) for how to do this.

Thanks for your quick reply jjd-uk. Logfile as requested. http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=170116
Should be 7.1 from Man of Steel

Sorry should have included more information. Audio directly to an AVR 7.1 capable.
All passthrough formats enabled including DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD. Can grab screenshots of settings if necessary

**jjd-uk** · 2014-04-10, 13:52

What does your AVR show when you play Man of Steel?

It looks to me like the DTS-HD is being decoded to LPCM which would likely show as Multichannel on the AVR.

Can you post a screenshot showing all your audio settings please.

mookieman · 2014-04-10, 14:42

(2014-04-10, 13:52)jjd-uk Wrote: What does your AVR show when you play Man of Steel?

It looks to me like the DTS-HD is being decoded to LPCM which would likely show as Multichannel on the AVR.

Can you post a screenshot showing all your audio settings please.

AVR Settings

[/img]

XBMC Settings

Playing Man of Steel 7.1

Playing Brave 7.1

MediaInfo Man of Steel Audio Section
Audio
ID : 4352 (0x1100)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : DTS
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Format profile : MA / Core
Mode : 16
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Muxing mode : Stream extension
Codec ID : 134
Duration : 2h 23mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : Unknown / 1 509 Kbps
Channel(s) : 8 channels / 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, Back: L R, LFE / Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Compression mode : Lossless / Lossy
Language : English / English
Source : 00000.m2ts

MediaInfo Brave Audio Section
Audio #2
ID : 4353 (0x1101)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : TrueHD / AC-3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness : Big
Muxing mode : Stream extension
Codec ID : 131
Duration : 1h 34mn
Bit rate mode : Variable / Constant
Bit rate : 640 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 5 877 Kbps
Channel(s) : 8 channels / 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, Back: L R, LFE / Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossless
Stream size : 431 MiB (2%)
Language : English / English
bsid : 6
dialnorm : -31
dialnorm/String : -31 dB
compr : 2.36
compr/String : 2.36 dB
dynrng : 2.36
dynrng/String : 2.36 dB
acmod : 7
lfeon : 1
dialnorm_Average : -31
dialnorm_Average/String : -31 dB
dialnorm_Minimum : -31
dialnorm_Minimum/String : -31 dB
dialnorm_Maximum : -31
dialnorm_Maximum/String : -31 dB
dialnorm_Count : 548
compr_Average : 1.87
compr_Average/String : 1.87 dB
compr_Minimum : -3.66
compr_Minimum/String : -3.66 dB
compr_Maximum : 5.46
compr_Maximum/String : 5.46 dB
compr_Count : 548
dynrng_Average : 2.02
dynrng_Average/String : 2.02 dB
dynrng_Minimum : -1.97
dynrng_Minimum/String : -1.97 dB
dynrng_Maximum : 5.60
dynrng_Maximum/String : 5.60 dB
dynrng_Count : 548
format_identifier : AC-3
Source : 00000.m2ts

Playing Man of Steel the DTSHD lights up on the AVR so I don't think the stream's being decoded, I think the passthrough is working OK.
Maybe the OSD playing Man of Steel (pressing the O button) is not displaying the correct number of channels?