Topic: Enable WMA 5.1 Via S/PDIF? (Read 13733 times)

cncb · « **on:** December 18, 2005, 11:43:16 pm »

Is there any way to enable WMA Pro 5.1 output via s/pdif in MC? I don't know if this is even possible outside of WMP but I sure would prefer to use MC for these files. Thanks.

Alex B · « **Reply #1 on:** December 19, 2005, 09:03:31 am »

You could have continued the previous thread: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=27655.0

Do you have an external WMA Pro decoder now?

If you have, you could first try Windows Media Player 10. If your soundcard is compatible you should have an available tick box in the WMP speaker setup for the S/PDIF pass through. After you have verified that WMP works you can try the same with MC. No one has reported yet if it is possible. I am afraid MC can't do it if the S/PDIF option doesn't change the routing at the OS level.

cncb · « **Reply #2 on:** December 19, 2005, 11:27:51 am »

Yes I do have a Pioneer receiver with this working via S/PDIF and Windows Media Player. I just would like to be able to do this in MC.

I thought a new thread titled specifically would have a better chance of getting answered.

Matt · « **Reply #3 on:** December 19, 2005, 11:48:20 am »

Could you send a sample file to matt @ jriver.com?

Thanks.

cncb · « **Reply #4 on:** December 19, 2005, 12:53:42 pm »

Just sent you a sample file. Thanks.

Matt · « **Reply #5 on:** December 19, 2005, 02:31:09 pm »

Next build:
NEW: Added the ability to play WM Professional content as a bitstream (for S/PDIF or ASIO output). (Plugin Manager > Input > WMA > Configure...)

Thanks for the help.

cncb · « **Reply #6 on:** December 19, 2005, 02:32:41 pm »

Very cool. I can't wait to try it out. Thanks!

Alex B · « **Reply #7 on:** December 19, 2005, 02:40:44 pm »

Great support. I hope it works fine. (Can't try it here unless Santa brings me a Pioneer Elite.

)

cncb · « **Reply #8 on:** December 19, 2005, 02:47:14 pm »

Santa only has to bring you one of their base models (e.g. VSX-515) for you to try it (although I would understand if you want to hold out for the Elite

).

cncb · « **Reply #9 on:** December 20, 2005, 08:18:03 am »

Wow, you seem to have managed to enable WM Pro passthrough for any cards supporting ASIO (compared to the very short list of cards that support this in WMP). Well done! Thanks for adding this.

The ironic thing is that I can't get this to work in MC with the Audigy 2 I just bought (mainly because it was one of the few that support this in WMP). There must be something funky with Creative's ASIO driver. I can get it to work fine with my cheap Chaintech card and ASIO4All drivers, though.

Matt · « **Reply #10 on:** December 20, 2005, 08:43:57 am »

Quote from: cncb on December 20, 2005, 08:18:03 am

Wow, you seem to have managed to enable WM Pro passthrough for any cards supporting ASIO (compared to the very short list of cards that support this in WMP). Well done! Thanks for adding this.

Thanks for letting us know, and glad to hear it's working

(I'm not sure what the deal with the Creative card is -- historically, Creative drivers have a lot of sound mangling (DSP, etc.) that you may be able to turn off if you dig around enough)

water1 · « **Reply #11 on:** December 20, 2005, 03:11:40 pm »

I posted this in the beta bug thread before I saw this thread but I'll add it here also:
WM Pro playback does not work for me. Using an ASUS motherboard A8N-VM CSM with SoundMAX ADI AD1986A 5.1 channel CODEC with a Pioneer VSX-59txi receiver. Clicked checkbox under plugins. Receiver outputs a buzzing noise and does not indicate WMA Pro audio as it does when I use Windows Media Player 10.

Matt · « **Reply #12 on:** December 20, 2005, 03:28:35 pm »

It will only work if you have a bit-perfect pipeline from your soundcard to the amp.

Disable DSP, etc. that the soundcard driver might be using.

Also, ASIO generally has less mangling so may be a better choice if your system supports it.

water1 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 20, 2005, 04:40:13 pm »

Quote from: Matt on December 20, 2005, 03:28:35 pm

It will only work if you have a bit-perfect pipeline from your soundcard to the amp.

Disable DSP, etc. that the soundcard driver might be using.

Also, ASIO generally has less mangling so may be a better choice if your system supports it.

I am not using any DSP that I am aware of. Checked Soundmax driver and Media Center settings. Neither has anything relating to DSP checked. I am not familiar with ASIO and have never used it.
I am trying a simple comparison and the music plays in WMP 10 and Just a pulsing buzz using Media Center v 11.1.84. Receiver indicates indicates WMA Pro9 using WMP 10 and does not using Media Center.

cncb · « **Reply #14 on:** December 20, 2005, 05:28:49 pm »

Quote from: water1 on December 20, 2005, 04:40:13 pm

I am not using any DSP that I am aware of. Checked Soundmax driver and Media Center settings. Neither has anything relating to DSP checked. I am not familiar with ASIO and have never used it.
I am trying a simple comparison and the music plays in WMP 10 and Just a pulsing buzz using Media Center v 11.1.84. Receiver indicates indicates WMA Pro9 using WMP 10 and does not using Media Center.

You need to use ASIO for this to work. Do a search on ASIO4ALL which is a program that allows you to use ASIO with any soundcard. Install it and then select ASIO output in MC and it should work.

water1 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 08, 2006, 04:43:59 pm »

Quote from: cncb on December 20, 2005, 05:28:49 pm

You need to use ASIO for this to work. Do a search on ASIO4ALL which is a program that allows you to use ASIO with any soundcard. Install it and then select ASIO output in MC and it should work.

Tried ASIO, still doesn't work. I'm up to MC v 11.10.95.
Playback works fine in Windows Media Player so I'm assuming the problem is in Media Center.

cncb · « **Reply #16 on:** January 08, 2006, 10:31:24 pm »

Quote from: water1 on January 08, 2006, 04:43:59 pm

Tried ASIO, still doesn't work. I'm up to MC v 11.10.95.
Playback works fine in Windows Media Player so I'm assuming the problem is in Media Center.

Make sure you turn off Replay Gain and are using the "Internal Volume" at 100%.

water1 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2006, 05:31:32 pm »

Quote from: cncb on January 08, 2006, 10:31:24 pm

Make sure you turn off Replay Gain and are using the "Internal Volume" at 100%.

I checked these settings and they are as you suggest. Still just a buzzing noise from speakers.

cncb · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2006, 02:56:24 pm »

The only other thing I can suggest is that you try the older version of ASIO4ALL which is what I have to do for my ChainTech card. Also make sure you are not converting sample rates in ASIO4ALL and try to play with other settings in there.

Alex B · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2006, 03:50:03 pm »

Quote from: water1 on January 09, 2006, 05:31:32 pm

I checked these settings and they are as you suggest. Still just a buzzing noise from speakers.

Can you play DTS or DD wave files with MC so that your receiver decodes them? Some sample files are available here: http://www.sr.se/multikanal/english/e_index.stm.

These samples will also sound like static if the audio chain (MC > ASIO Driver > sound card) cannot send them unaltered and consequently your receiver cannot detect and decode them. Though, they are all 44.1 kHz. It is possible that your system can still pass through bit perfect 48 kHz signal even the 44.1 kHz files don't work. What is the sample rate of your WMA 5.1 files?

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Author Topic: Enable WMA 5.1 Via S/PDIF? (Read 13733 times)