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[leoric]

What is the right settings for playing AC3/DTS? Is it required to have AC3File/AC3Filter or some other 3rd parties installed?

[JimH]

What is the right settings for playing AC3/DTS? Is it required to have AC3File/AC3Filter or some other 3rd parties installed?

Our Wiki has information that should help:
http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/Surround_Sound

[leoric]

According to it,

Surround sound requires a digital connection between the computer and stereo. There are several ways to do this:
S/PDIF over coaxial cable
S/PDIF over optical cable
HDMI audio

So there is no way to play multichannel out of the box using analog connection. Ok. Could you recommend some 3rd party AC3/DTS codec that works with MC? Previously I was able to use AC3Filter, but since some time (not sure what changed) MC hangs when I try to play .DTS.

[JimH]

I don't think you need a filter now.  Did you follow the instructions for setting up MC?

Can you not use a digital connection to your receiver? 

I don't understand exactly what you're trying to do.

[leoric]

I don't have receiver with digital input. I have 5.1 system with analog input, sound card with 5.1 analog output and I want to play 5.1 files using MC. I was able to do this earlier but not now.

[Yaobing]

I don't have receiver with digital input. I have 5.1 system with analog input, sound card with 5.1 analog output and I want to play 5.1 files using MC. I was able to do this earlier but not now.

Yes, you will need third-party filters.  AC3Filter and AC3File filters probably are sufficient.

[leoric]

Yes, you will need third-party filters.  AC3Filter and AC3File filters probably are sufficient.

I have both but it doesn't helps - AC3Filter loads (shows icon in tray) but MC stops responding. I have tried ffdshow, it plays 1,5 tracks and then hangs. It worked earlier (probably with MC14) but doesn't work now.

[leoric]

Ok, I've bought receiver and connected it to PC via S/PDIF.  And now I'm going mad after trying to get .dts files playback from MC.
I've configured MC to play DTS Audio using JR audio engine, Source F.=Automatic, Other F.=DTS. If I just launch MC and play .dts, it works fine - music plays, receiver shows DTS icon. But if I play any .mp3 and then again .dts - I hear only noise from speakers. This can be solved by pressing Stop and then starting playing .dts again - everything fine again after this. DSP Studio turned off. When trying to use ffdshow, configured to pass-through dts, nothing heard at all.

[JimH]

Are you using WASAPI?

[leoric]

No, Direct Sound

[JimH]

Could you try WASAPI?

[leoric]

WASAPI works fine. But only with AC3Filter, still no success with ffdshow - only silence when using ffdshow Audio Decoder.

[leoric]

One more trouble with this (using WASAPI).
- turn on DSP Studio (it was Room Correction in my case)
- play two-channel audio
- after MC switches to dts (as to next track) - only noise plays
- even after stop & play - no audio until dsp is turned off
If it is impossible to apply DSP to DTS - why not turn it off automatically? Seems like now it's impossible to have 2-channel with DSP applied and dts tracks in single playlist and seat aside of PC.

[leoric]

Also with WASAPI I'm unable to change volume using my keyboard keys. Could you advice?

[Bill S]

Hi leoric,

On my bedroom computer I'm not using a receiver/preamp, so I need to decode in software and send audio out via my analogs.  For me the following works:

Recent stable versions of AC3File and ffdshow installed.
I'm not sure if this changes anything, but I happen to be using the directshow audio in JRiver (due to some other software).

Now in MC (I'm using 15), Options > File Types:
AC3 Audio (ac3), DTS Audio (dts)
  Playback Method: JRiver audio engine (using DirectShow filter)
  Source Filter: AC3File
  Other Filters: ffdshow Audio Decoder; JRiver Bitrate Monitor filter

In the ffdshow audio properties/configuration Codecs, I happen to be using "liba52" for AC3 and "libdts" for DTS.  I'm not saying these decoders are the ones to use (in ffdshow), but they seem to be working fine for me.

If you are using S/PDIF and sending the ac3/dts audio out to your receiver for decoding, then make sure that in ffdshow's "Output" you have AC3 and DTS checked in the "Pass-through (S/PDIF,HDMI) section.  Since the decoding is external, after setting the passthrough double check your AC3 and DTS decoding settings in the codec section above since now you want the audio sent out without any decoding on the computer.

I realize your setup and configuration is different and that you are using WASAPI but thought maybe seeing above may help in some small way.  Good luck!

[leoric]

I realize your setup and configuration is different and that you are using WASAPI but thought maybe seeing above may help in some small way.  Good luck!

Thanks for trying but I had performed all configuration that you describe prior to starting this topic/after acquiring receiver.

[rick.ca]

I suggest reading AC3Filter & SPDIF. It's a good explanation of how SPDIF works. I found it a necessary background for understanding how to properly configure and use AC3Filter. After reading this, you should understand why the volume of signal being passed through cannot be adjusted, and what you need to do if it's really necessary to do this (AC3 encode before transmitting via SPDIF).

[leoric]

the volume of signal being passed through cannot be adjusted, and what you need to do if it's really necessary to do this (AC3 encode before transmitting via SPDIF).

Ok, I was not clear about last issue. I know about limitations of SPDIF & multichannel sound but I want to be able to change volume for ordinary stereo using my keyboard. This can be achieved by hooking keyboard switcher by MC and activating it's Internal Volume control that is able to change volume of WASAPI.
One more wonder - why really do not disable other volume controls in MC when activating WASAPI to not confuse users?

[rick.ca]

Maybe I still don't understand how this works, but I'm under the impression MC's ability to control volume depends on the how SPDIF is being used. If it's disabled, the volume is controllable. If it's being used to passthrough a compressed stream, then only the receiver can adjust the volume (after decoding the stream). If AC3Filter is used to AC3 encode the stream, then volume (and other options) are controllable—but by AC3Filter, not MC.