[pszab]

Intel quietly updates the Bay Trail NUC

This thread is mentioned in the news

[User 209792]

I hope it won't be available too soon, I just received my DN2820...

[pr0xZen]

My concern is if it will be usb 3.0 friendly. Can you test that if your box has a 3.0 USB port please?

Update: it seems the optical output of that sound card dont support 5.1 channel, does this mean you can't get 5.1 audio in your receiver/sound bar?, like I have movies with 5.1 audio that I want to enjoy.

TIA

Just plugged into into the USB 3.0 port, works fine here. Note that this is under win8.1pro, your milage may vary.

The analog outputs does of course support 5.1 - optical or coaxial spidf connection doesn't "per say" support 5.1 audio. What they usually mean with this, is that you can't have 6 discrete, separat PCM channels thorough spdif. The solution to this is AC3 (Dolby Digital) 5.1 or DTS 5.1 . These are compressed and encoded multichannel (5.1) audio formats that have a small enough bitrate to go through optical/coaxial spdif. But due to this compression and encoding, the unit in the receiving end has to be able to decode AC3 and/or DTS. Please confirm this with the soundbar you have / are going to buy.

Another note is, that while it might give better "virtual surround" with some good quality soundbars - Sourround sound is designed to "surround you". Audio for one channel is designed to come out from a speaker at a specific location in your room - like on your side or behind you. Please understand, that with all the sound coming from the front - your "surround experience" will be limited. It might appear better than simple stereo with 2 speakers, but it will never come close to actually having a 5(+).1 surround system. But then again, a soundbar doesn't cause speaker wires and speakers "all over the room".

I saw that question on the Amazon site - but note that one of the answers does mention Dolby etc. As I've said previously - I cannot guarantee that this unit is the same as I have, although appearing to be. If they are, I know for a fact it will do both 5.1 analog and AC3/DTS bitstream passthrough - as this is what I've been using it for the last 2 months.

The DAC in a USB-->SPDIF device shouldn't matter if you are bitstreaming. The signal is simply passed through.
DAC = Digital Analogue Convertor
If you are keeping it as digital there is by definition no analogue conversion. Simple. The only DAC you care about is in your AVR.

While for bitstream passthrough the DAC isn't important - you might want to get a unit with decent DACs in case you'll actually USE the analog outputs. If your AVR only takes SPDIF connection(s), then analog connection and software decoding is your only go for HD audio.
And disregarding this - while the DACs might not even see use - the controller here is important. When it comes to cheap USB soundcards, there are few of them with controllers that actually do bitstream passthrough, and fewer still with overall decent driver support etc. The C-media CM106 seems to be an exception to this rule, and is the same controller as in some of the Turle Beach Audio Advantage sets, that either A; starts at minimum 2x price, or B: were discontinued long time ago.

[teki4u]

The unit in the receiving end has to be able to decode AC3 and/or DTS. Please confirm this with the soundbar you have / are going to buy.

Apparently it is compatible


Thanks for the info. Now things are clear.

[pr0xZen]

You're welcome. If this was of much help to you, please see sinature below.

[User 209792]

I have a question thet's not completely related to XBMC.
I notice that HD movies opened through XBMC are played always smooth, but If i use a player like VLC no. I really don't understand why...
For movies I frequently use XBMC, but sometimes I need to play it directly from windows without launching XBMC. What program do you use?

[nickr]

umplayer.

[tential]

I'd be more worried that VLC doesn't play smooth video....

Probably wan't to figure out why that isn't working.

Could also try MPC.

But I'd start googling and understanding why your VLC doesn't get smooth playback as that's weird. But that's just me personally, it'd bug me. But I'm the type of person who spent 2-3 hours figuring out why my WMC Live TV Streaming stopped working, and I only own 1 other PC capable of receiving the stream, which is a laptop that sits directly under my HDTV in the first place and my network can't even really reliable support streams lol.

[User 209792]

Thanks, just tested MPC and UMPlayer, with both smooth video. Maybe UMPlayer is a bit better for a tv because it has bigger button (play, pause...).

[Jetpac]

Just put in an order for one at dabs... have i made a mistake here?
I'm looking for just XBMC use to replace my ATV2.

I have been reading through the thread and now im not sure on the ease of running this box...

[two515ty]

Just put in an order for one at dabs... have i made a mistake here?
I'm looking for just XBMC use to replace my ATV2.

I have been reading through the thread and now im not sure on the ease of running this box...

Nah, it's pretty easy IMO. I set mine up long ago and have never had to mess with it since. The only major issue I ever had (No HDMI audio with Legacy Boot turned on) was fixed with a bios update, and I've been using my box with no problems ever since. I will note that I'm using Windows 8. I think some people are running into some issues with Linux, but it's been pretty smooth sailing for me using Windows 8.

[mstang1988]

For a TV/repeater/AVR etc, to do bitstream passthrough to/through anything other than another HDCP certified device and connection - is in strong breach with HDCP licence and compliance rules (HDCP Licence agreement, Exhibit C - Compliance rules, paragraph 3.3). SPDIF/toslink - optical or coaxial connectivity - cannot be HDCP verified as it does not have the bandwith for encryption, nor the tech for handshake and key verification.

AC3 and DTS can go over SPDIF. These are encoded yes, but not encrypted. The TV, however, receiving the signal over a HDCP connection like HDMI - cannot passthrough this to another device, unless this is also over a HDCP enabled and certified connection. There are some TVs out there that claim they can output AC3 over SPDIF. For this to work, it would be highly dependant on the signal source and connectivity (most likely NOT a HDMI source).

I have experimented with "forcing" a DTS signal to TV for SPDIF passthrough. 2 different results: Either it fails at the source (video playback is garbled/choppy/doesn't play/player crashes etc) - or you get a HORRIBLE and loud "static" noise out.

If you need SPDIF connectivity, you'll need to take this straigth from the NUC to the AV receiver. I am also in this boat (my AVR does not have HDMI connectivity) - and I have had large success with this USB sound card: http://dx.com/p/15746
The Cmedia CM106 is quite a decent DAC, at a very affordable price. This unit also has 5.1 analog outputs if needed (You can have XBMC do software decoding, outputting HD audio over analog). Added bonus: Its one of the few cheap usb solutions that has updated drivers, including Windows 8.1 drivers ( http://www.necacom.net/index.php/cmedia/...8-0-8-2163 )

My old school sony LCD TV takes in HDMI 5.1 (DTS/Dolby Digital) and passes it out the optical cable fantastically. I know it's a rarity but some do it. I refuse to replace my Rotel RSP-1068 to get 7.1 lossless.

[pjtpjt]

Just put in an order for one at dabs... have i made a mistake here?
I'm looking for just XBMC use to replace my ATV2.

I have been reading through the thread and now im not sure on the ease of running this box...

Nah, it's pretty easy IMO. I set mine up long ago and have never had to mess with it since. The only major issue I ever had (No HDMI audio with Legacy Boot turned on) was fixed with a bios update, and I've been using my box with no problems ever since. I will note that I'm using Windows 8. I think some people are running into some issues with Linux, but it's been pretty smooth sailing for me using Windows 8.

No more problems with Linux either. I have it to dual boot OpenELEC and Linux Mint for games. They both work perfectly.

[Jetpac]

Just put in an order for one at dabs... have i made a mistake here?
I'm looking for just XBMC use to replace my ATV2.

I have been reading through the thread and now im not sure on the ease of running this box...

Nah, it's pretty easy IMO. I set mine up long ago and have never had to mess with it since. The only major issue I ever had (No HDMI audio with Legacy Boot turned on) was fixed with a bios update, and I've been using my box with no problems ever since. I will note that I'm using Windows 8. I think some people are running into some issues with Linux, but it's been pretty smooth sailing for me using Windows 8.

No more problems with Linux either. I have it to dual boot OpenELEC and Linux Mint for games. They both work perfectly.

and everything runs smoothly including the IR?
would this box be a definite upgrade from an ATV2?

[Jaman42]

If I was going to use a 2TB internal hard drive in this NUC and I would like to run XBMCBuntu on it. Would it be a good idea to get a USB 3.0 stick to install XBMCBuntu on, would it make a big difference navigating the menus in XBMC?