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[Trdat]

Hey,

I am finding it difficult to figure out how to use UDIO-8 with JRiver.

I just want to route it so I get two left and right channels out of two SPDIF's for now just to get going.

I have scoured the forums and I can't find anything, plus minidsp tech is a little hopeless.

In future of course I would like to learn how to use it for surround or active speakers but if I can just get two of my DAC's to play normal stereo sound I'll be happy.

[JimH]

Someone else will need to help, but just to start ...

Both sound devices would need to show up in MC and each would need to be set up.

Then these may help:

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Setuphttps://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Setup

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DSP

A Google search can be helpful, adding jriver to your question.

[EnglishTiger]

According to the Manual - https://www.minidsp.com/images/documents/U-DIO8%20User%20Manual.pdf - you can only connect the UDIO-8 to a single DAC!

[mwillems]

So if you see the UDIO-8 as an output option in MC, you should be able to go into DSP studio and set output channels to "stereo in a 7.1 container".  That will give you a stereo mixing target (i.e. JRiver will downmix multichannel to stereo) but will give you six additional blank channels.  Then in parametric EQ, you want to choose the "mix channels" filter option.  In the options on the bottom, choose "copy" and copy the left channel to another available channel (like SL).  Then make another filter and copy the "right" channel" to another channel (like SR).  Once those filters are enabled, if you start playing audio, you should have two left channels and two right channels coming out of the UDIO. 

You'll still need to figure out which channels map to which physical outputs on the UDIO (i.e. is SL the fifth output or the seventh?), but that's something we can't answer and that you should be able to figure out with a few minutes experiment plugging and unplugging.

When you're ready to do active speakers or multichannel, the same basic techniques will work.  Just choose an output format based on your mixing target and the number of channels your device has available.  For example, if you want a 5.1 system where the mains will be actively bi-amped, you'd choose "5.1 in a 7.1 channel container" and then use the empty RL and RR channels as the extra outputs for your bi-amped mains.

According to the Manual - https://www.minidsp.com/images/documents/U-DIO8%20User%20Manual.pdf - you can only connect the UDIO-8 to a single DAC!

It might be possible to do more than one DAC given that SPDIF/EBU outputs bring their own timing information with them (unlike, say, usb outputs).  Only one way to find out!

[Trdat]

So if you see the UDIO-8 as an output option in MC, you should be able to go into DSP studio and set output channels to "stereo in a 7.1 container".  That will give you a stereo mixing target (i.e. JRiver will downmix multichannel to stereo) but will give you six additional blank channels.  Then in parametric EQ, you want to choose the "mix channels" filter option.  In the options on the bottom, choose "copy" and copy the left channel to another available channel (like SL).  Then make another filter and copy the "right" channel" to another channel (like SR).  Once those filters are enabled, if you start playing audio, you should have two left channels and two right channels coming out of the UDIO. 

Hey this really helps but still can't get it. I did what you said and copied left to SL and right to SR which essentially brought a left right(1/2 output) to the 5/6 output(presuming its the surround output) output of the UDIO-8 channel mapping. But then the 1/2 output did not produce any sound. I also tried adding another filter to copy left to RL and Right to RR but again no sound from 7/8(presuming the rear surround output) output.

I need another output to play stereo or even better all 3 outputs to play a left right. What am I doing wrong? On top of that I tried to copy center to RL and centre to RR that also didn't produce any results.

I have been guaranteed that it can handle 4 DAC's in parallel so each SPDIF should handle a DAC each.

Can you just confirm what you mean by "output channels to "stereo in a 7.1 container" do I just choose 7.1 in the options?

[EnglishTiger]

Try this - In MC set DSP Output to "Source number of channels" and instead of doing the "channel mapping" in MC do it in the UDIO-8.

[mwillems]

Can you just confirm what you mean by "output channels to "stereo in a 7.1 container" do I just choose 7.1 in the options?

No that's not what I meant.  Don't choose 7.1, instead choose the option labelled "2 channels (inside 7.1 channel container)".  It's towards the bottom.     If you choose 7.1 instead it will upmix stereo material to 7.1, and use all eight channels, which I suspect is not what you want (since it sounds like you want a bunch of stereo pairs).

If you copy the channels (instead of using move or swap), it should definitely play on both sets of channels once you get your mixing target set up.

Try this - In MC set DSP Output to "Source number of channels" and instead of doing the "channel mapping" in MC do it in the UDIO-8.

That may lead to problems when he tries to play multichannel material.  He wants multiple stereo pairs (I think?), so he needs to downmix to stereo in JRiver.

[Trdat]

Try this - In MC set DSP Output to "Source number of channels" and instead of doing the "channel mapping" in MC do it in the UDIO-8.

I am not sure I can, I have not seen any software that allows me to do that. Plus, minidsp tech didn't mention anything like that.

[Trdat]

No that's not what I meant.  Don't choose 7.1, instead choose the option labelled "2 channels (inside 7.1 channel container)".  It's towards the bottom.     If you choose 7.1 instead it will upmix stereo material to 7.1, and use all eight channels, which I suspect is not what you want (since it sounds like you want a bunch of stereo pairs).

If you copy the channels (instead of using move or swap), it should definitely play on both sets of channels once you get your mixing target set up.

That may lead to problems when he tries to play multichannel material.  He wants multiple stereo pairs (I think?), so he needs to downmix to stereo in JRiver.

Yes for now, I want two stereo pairs. So I will try it now and let you know. Just trying to find the 2 channels in a 7.1 container is that in the output format in DSP options?

Essentially the spdif going into a DAC which will play stereo into the power amp.

Potentially, this will teach me how to do biamping and surround. But with stereo pairs i can biamp anyway.

[Trdat]

Yes for now, I want two stereo pairs. So I will try it now and let you know. Just trying to find the 2 channels in a 7.1 container is that in the output format in DSP options?

Essentially the spdif going into a DAC which will play stereo into the power amp.

Potentially, this will teach me how to do biamping and surround. But with stereo pairs i can biamp anyway.

Mwillems mate I got it. Greatly appreciated. I have had, without a word of exaggeration about 30 emails back to back to minidsp to no avail.

I still can't get the 3/4 out to play stereo I tried copying center to right and center to left as well as right to center and left to center and no sound.

I will also try surround, possibly keep my questions here for future to keep all related question under this thread.

[mwillems]

Mwillems mate I got it. Greatly appreciated. I have had, without a word of exaggeration about 30 emails back to back to minidsp to no avail.

I still can't get the 3/4 out to play stereo I tried copying center to right and center to left as well as right to center and left to center and no sound.

I will also try surround, possibly keep my questions here for future to keep all related question under this thread.

So if you're using 2 channels inside a 7.1 container, the "center" channel will start with no content in it.  The only channels that will start with audio content will be Left and Right.  You need to copy from Left and Right to the other channels you want to use.

The normal 7.1 channel ordering is 1. Left; 2. Right; 3. Center; 4. Sub; 5. RL; 6.RR; 7.SL; 8. SR.  Some devices have the rears and surrounds reversed though.

So if you want Left and Right coming out of 1/2 and 3/4, my first guess would be to try copying Left to Center and Right to Sub.  The fastest way to troubleshoot is to copy Left to Center, SL, *and* RL, and then copy Right to Sub, SR *and* RR.  You should then have the same stereo pairs coming out of all the MiniDSP's outputs and should get sound from all channels.  Then you can use the "mute" PEQ option to selectively mute channels in real time to find out what output is paired to what channel.

[kr4]

Quote from: EnglishTiger on Today at 07:50:36 am
According to the Manual - https://www.minidsp.com/images/documents/U-DIO8%20User%20Manual.pdf - you can only connect the UDIO-8 to a single DAC!

Where did you see that?  It is not true:  https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-93-minidsp-ripping-sacds

No that's not what I meant.  Don't choose 7.1, instead choose the option labelled "2 channels (inside 7.1 channel container)".  It's towards the bottom.     If you choose 7.1 instead it will upmix stereo material to 7.1, and use all eight channels, which I suspect is not what you want (since it sounds like you want a bunch of stereo pairs).

That is not true.  I use either 5.1 channel or 7.1 channel output all the time and stereo is mapped to the first two channels.  It will upmix the stereo only if you invoke that option specifically.

So if you're using 2 channels inside a 7.1 container, the "center" channel will start with no content in it.  The only channels that will start with audio content will be Left and Right.  You need to copy from Left and Right to the other channels you want to use.

The normal 7.1 channel ordering is 1. Left; 2. Right; 3. Center; 4. Sub; 5. RL; 6.RR; 7.SL; 8. SR.  Some devices have the rears and surrounds reversed though.

So if you want Left and Right coming out of 1/2 and 3/4, my first guess would be to try copying Left to Center and Right to Sub.  The fastest way to troubleshoot is to copy Left to Center, SL, *and* RL, and then copy Right to Sub, SR *and* RR.  You should then have the same stereo pairs coming out of all the MiniDSP's outputs and should get sound from all channels.  Then you can use the "mute" PEQ option to selectively mute channels in real time to find out what output is paired to what channel.

That's it!

[Trdat]

So if you're using 2 channels inside a 7.1 container, the "center" channel will start with no content in it.  The only channels that will start with audio content will be Left and Right.  You need to copy from Left and Right to the other channels you want to use.

The normal 7.1 channel ordering is 1. Left; 2. Right; 3. Center; 4. Sub; 5. RL; 6.RR; 7.SL; 8. SR.  Some devices have the rears and surrounds reversed though.

So if you want Left and Right coming out of 1/2 and 3/4, my first guess would be to try copying Left to Center and Right to Sub.  The fastest way to troubleshoot is to copy Left to Center, SL, *and* RL, and then copy Right to Sub, SR *and* RR.  You should then have the same stereo pairs coming out of all the MiniDSP's outputs and should get sound from all channels.  Then you can use the "mute" PEQ option to selectively mute channels in real time to find out what output is paired to what channel.

Just a general thanks to everyone who posted in this thread. It was hard to come by this information and I can say I figured it out.

Anyway, really appreciate it!