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[Bill S]

Hi everyone

When I try to play any multichannel lossless WMA file I get an error message:

<---- snip ---->
Media Center encountered errors while trying to play the last several files.  Please make sure that the patch in your mdeia library points to the right location.

Error Details:
Playback could not be started on the output 'Direct Sound' using the format '96000 Hz, 24 Bits Per Sample, 6 Channels'.  This output format may not be supported by your hardware.  You can use DSP Studio to change the output to a compatible format.  Also, make sure that your system has a valid sound playback device and that it is properly configured in playback options.
<---- snip ---->


Below are more details of this issue:

- MC version is 12.0.493

- Soundcard is Creative X-Fi Elite Pro (which does support 96kHz 24bit playback)

- Same problem occurs when trying to play back a multichannel wma file that is 48kHz  (error message is same except for the sample rate)

- Creative/windows speaker is configured for 4 speaker playback  (I also tried setting them to 5.1 but got same error).

- The file path is correct.

- My OS is Vista 64bit Ultimate

- The windows media player, media player classic and graphedit all play back these multichannel wma files just fine (and the 5.1 is downmixed to 4 as expected)

- 2 channel wma lossless and lossy files play without error.

- Some relevent MC settings:
    Output Mode: Direct Sound
    Output Mode Settings:
         Device -> Primary Sound Driver / Default Channels
    DSP & output format
      Output Format (only one enabled)
          Bitdepth: Source
          Channels: Source
          Sample Rate: Source
      (I tried various other values of the above 3 settings)

- In graphedit, the file has following default chain:

    file -> wmaaudio decoder dmo -> ffdShow AudioDecoder

- In MC direct show settings, I did not see wma listed and therefore could not try directshow playback of the wma file from MC. 

- I reset/cleared the MC log, then tried playing the file.  After getting and dismissing the error message, I tried to view the log but it said it was empty.


Is there a bug with multichannel wma playback, or is something else going on?  Any help is very much appreciated, thanks!

[Matt]

It looks like a Vista issue.

Works fine on XP, not on Vista.

We're digging more now.

[Bill S]

Thanks Matt!

[Matt]

In build 507 and later:
Fixed: Multi-channel files could fail to play on some Vista sound devices when using Direct Sound playback.

The issue is whether we need to specify the speakers to route the audio to during multi-channel playback.  With XP, you can let the driver / OS make the best choice.  Vista doesn't do this, so we need to be more explicit.

[Mr ChriZ]

I had similar issues when trying to play 2 channel stuff
to 6 channels in Vista, where it worked in XP, is this likely to resolve this?

[Matt]

I had similar issues when trying to play 2 channel stuff
to 6 channels in Vista, where it worked in XP, is this likely to resolve this?

Probably.  Please let us know what you find once the build is available.

[Bill S]

In build 507 and later:
Fixed: Multi-channel files could fail to play on some Vista sound devices when using Direct Sound playback.

The issue is whether we need to specify the speakers to route the audio to during multi-channel playback.  With XP, you can let the driver / OS make the best choice.  Vista doesn't do this, so we need to be more explicit.

Wow *very* impressive, thank you Matt!!!  I don't think I would have even had my canned reply yet from other software companies