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Author Topic: SPDIF output  (Read 2553 times)

raym

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SPDIF output
« on: September 16, 2004, 10:31:30 pm »

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm using the optical SPDIF output on my USB external Soundblaster. This goes direct to an external DD DTS decoder. When I watch DVDs with WinDVD, I get the proper DD or DTS multichannel audio stream. When I try watching the same DVD using MC (ie, with the same WinDVD installation), I only get a stereo audio stream. When I look at the WinDVD config as shown by MC, there's no option for selecting digital (SPDIF) out but this is definately set properly when I look at the same setting in WinDVD.

Can anyone help me undertsand how I can get DD or DTS audio with MC alone? >:(
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skeeterfood

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Re:Help PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2004, 09:18:51 am »

WinDVD may not actually be using the audio/video CODECs it installed.  When MC uses the CODECs there may be some features missing, like SPDIF support...

-John
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raym

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Re:Help PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2004, 05:28:31 pm »

Thanks John for your reply. So is there no way of getting MC to output DD/DTS audio? The SPDIF connection is working apart from this and I agree with you that MC isn't using the same codecs as installed by WinDVD. Surely others have got this going?
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JimH

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Re:SPDIF output
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2004, 06:20:57 pm »

raym,
It helps if you can use a subject that describes the problem.  It makes it possible for others to find helpful threads on the problems they have.

I changed the subject of this thread.

Thanks,

Jim

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raym

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MC AC3 Problem
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2004, 09:32:51 am »

I've played with this a little more and I think either I'm totally missing something or there's a fundamental bug here with MC!!! No matter what AC3 filters I install, MC will not pass-through AC3 streams to my external decoder. If I use an external DVD player like winDVD or PowerDVD - no problem. As I said, I've tried downloading and installing other 3rd party AC3 filters and on their own they're doing the job. Use them with MC and all I get in an analog audio stream.

Now there's no way I'm the first to have tried to get this working. Looking to the JRiver Gods for some words of advice PLEASE!  >:(
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raym

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Re:SPDIF output
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2004, 05:54:00 pm »

So essentially my question is:- if the AC3 filters that come with something like WinDVD won't work with MC for AC3 pass-through via a standard SPDIF output, what filters should I be using please? How do others get AC3 or DTS audio from MC?

I love Media Center and don't want to have to launch an external DVD player for this basic feature.
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JohnT

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Re:SPDIF output
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2004, 09:51:47 am »

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm using the optical SPDIF output on my USB external Soundblaster. This goes direct to an external DD DTS decoder. When I watch DVDs with WinDVD, I get the proper DD or DTS multichannel audio stream. When I try watching the same DVD using MC (ie, with the same WinDVD installation), I only get a stereo audio stream. When I look at the WinDVD config as shown by MC, there's no option for selecting digital (SPDIF) out but this is definately set properly when I look at the same setting in WinDVD.

Can anyone help me undertsand how I can get DD or DTS audio with MC alone? >:(
I tested playing a DVD with MC using the WinDVD "XPack" decoder set. When I select DVD Properties from the menu and then click "Decoder Properties" in the Audio section of the dialog, I get an iviaudio ("InterVideo") properties dialog where the choices are "2 speaker mode" and "Enable s/pdif output". I can select the s/pdif output.
What do you see when you bring up the DVD audio properties dialog?
I purchased the XPack module for $15.00 but I would think the full WinDVD package would install the same filters (maybe not?).

Also, what list of filters do you see when you click the "DVD Filter Listing" button on the same DVD properties page? On my system, besides some other filters I see "Intervideo Audio Decoder" and "Intervideo Video Decoder".
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loraan

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Re:SPDIF output
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2004, 06:24:56 pm »

I use PowerDVD's decoders and it works fine. I have to select "S/PDIF Passthrough" in the decoder.
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raym

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Re:SPDIF output
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2004, 11:43:31 pm »

Hi John, thanks for your reply. I see the same Intervideo Filters listed in MC as you've described. The only difference is that in the decoder properties, when viewed in MC, the spdif passthrough checkbox is greyed out (it's not when I look in WinDVD though. It's almost like these filters aren't designed to work in anything other than WinDVD. I'm not sure if I have the XPack module or not though. Maybe this is the problem. I think I'll need to look into this and possibly try to update my soundcard drivers.

Thanks again.
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raym

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Re:SPDIF output
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2004, 04:34:00 am »

I found this post on another site which fixed my problem:

http://forums.divx.com/viewtopic.php?topic=61046&forum=1

Hopefully this will help anyone else who experiences similar issues. Graphedit was invaluable in determining the root cause (which happened to be a combination of out-dated sound card drivers and a miss-mash of codecs installed on my system).

Thanks to all those who assisted me. MC rocks!  
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