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[maid]

I am currently using spdif passthrough but have been informed that is not the best.

I would like to know in simple terms how to get the best from my system.

I have a Kenwood KRF-V5100D which does not have HDMI

I have on my theatre computer dvi to hdmi and dvd / 6ch input which i can use to the theatre.

Please help.

[jmone]

S/PDIF ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S/PDIF ) has been around for a decade and was designed to digitally carry:
1) Compressed Digital Audio such as 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS Surround Sound as found on a DVD (these are Lossy formats)
2) Uncompressed Digital Audio such as 2.0 PCM from a CD player (this is a Lossless "High Def" format, just 2 Channel)

As a result of it's design it is unable to support the following High Def formats:
1) Compressed Digital Audio such as DD+ (lossy), TrueHD (lossless) or DTS-HD MA (lossless) has found on many Blu-ray discs
2) Uncompressed Digital Audio such as 5.1 PCM (lossless) also found on some Blu-ray discs (or.... Upmixing in MC 2ch PCM from a CD to say 5.1ch in the DSP studio)

Changing from S/PDIF is only worth considering if you want to playback either of the above types of Audio.  If you do what to do this there are two main options:

1) HDMI:  You will need to change your Kenwood to a newer model that has HDMI and these days ones that support decoding TrueHD and DTS-HD (look for the logos such as on this similar Kenwood model http://www.kenwood.eu/products/home/separates/avcc/RV-7000/).  I understand that you have HDMI on your TV so we are all good there.  You don't mention what type of Graphics Card you have but you may need to upgrade to a minimum of something like the ATI5450.

2) Analoge:  Matt loves this solution (I'm not a fan)....but on the back of your PC you will probably have a bunch of 3.5mm Analoge outputs.  You could use 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect these outputs to the "6-Channel Input" on the Kenwood.  You will then need to set your PC to output to all audio to "5.1 Speakers" and away you go.  Your PC will then act like a preamp.  The downside is that at present there are no filters that can decode all of the DTS-HD MA info (just the core), so this will currently add TrueHD, DD+, and 5.1PCM output at full resolution and bitdebth.  I'll let others chip in on this one ... Esp Matt!

[maid]

Graphics card is NVidia GForce 9500GT

[jmone]

Graphics card is NVidia GForce 9500GT

No good - only lets you mux in SPDIF.  You would need a new gen NVidia or ATI HDMI Cards (note even the low end ATI 5450 works and is cheap as chips if you don't need a gaming card).

[maid]

Changed to 5.1 inputs sounds good

[rick.ca]

I use AC3Filter to pass AC3 and DTS via SPDIF to a receiver with no HDMI. I've yet to try a BD, but I understand DTS-HD includes a DTS "core." I assume (and hope) this would be passed through like normal DTS. If so, would this not be the best solution for the existing hardware?

Changed to 5.1 inputs sounds good

Maybe this is what maid has discovered. 

[jmone]

Nope - if Maid is using the Analoge outs then she is both decoding and performing the DAC process on the PC with the receiver now being just an amplifier.  This means that with the exception of DTS-HD MA she will get full lossless output (pending on the SW Config) from both MLPCM and TrueHD.  The FFDSHOW will just pull and decode the core from the DTS-HD MA track so it will be just like a lossy DVD quality DTS track.  IMHO this is still better than S/PDIF if you have HD Audio Content - if you don't then use S/PDIF.

Matt will be excited there is another convert to the PC being the Pre-amp!

[fitbrit]

Nope - if Maid is using the Analoge outs then she is both decoding and performing the DAC process on the PC with the receiver now being just an amplifier.  This means that with the exception of DTS-HD MA she will get full lossless output (pending on the SW Config) from both MLPCM and TrueHD.  The FFDSHOW will just pull and decode the core from the DTS-HD MA track so it will be just like a lossy DVD quality DTS track.  IMHO this is still better than S/PDIF if you have HD Audio Content - if you don't then use S/PDIF.

Matt will be excited there is another convert to the PC being the Pre-amp!

Doesn't this assume that the onboard audio is capable of high sampling rates and bit-depths for HD sound? I thought that only newer onboard sound cards were able to do this, e.g. Realtek 8889 etc.?

[maid]

I do have realtek not sure about the number

[fitbrit]

Google your motherboard to find out what you have. I'd really recommend an upgrade, when/if you can afford one to a cheap 5.1 Bitstream capable HDMI receiver (from $250 new) and a new HDMI video card - as little as $50.

[maid]

It is a Gigabyte EP35C-DS3R
with Onboard Audio
Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC889A
Audio Channels
8 Channel

[fitbrit]

It is a Gigabyte EP35C-DS3R
with Onboard Audio
Audio Chipset
Realtek ALC889A
Audio Channels
8 Channel

Great! That's more or less the best onboard sound right now. our cheapest option is to learn how to configure ffdshow for audio; you need decoding of all the formats and sending to your receiver. You could even get it to continue to use spdif for DTS and DD. You'll also need to avoid Haali for now as a splitter.

[maid]

I know its a big ask but could you help?

eg what to play avi mkv etc


How can I use spdif for dts if i am using analogue connections.

much appreciated

[fitbrit]

I try to help when I can. Right now is bedtime (2 am). Keep the analogue and spdif connections at the same time. In ffdshow output check pass-through for dolby digital and DTS. For the rest do not check, which should cause decoding to analogue. You may have to switch the audio device in MC15 when you do this, so it may be worth unchecking all options and let ffdhsow decode everything.

[cncb]

I would consider multi-channel analog output to an amp but there seems to be no affordable equivalent of auto-setup/eq (like Audyssey) for the PC.  I found an Audyssey MultEQ VST but this is $600 by itself which is more than most decent AVRs with this built in.  There also doesn't seem to be anything like Dynamic EQ or Dolby Volume for the PC.  Is there something out there that I am missing?

[jmone]

I try to help when I can. Right now is bedtime (2 am). Keep the analogue and spdif connections at the same time. In ffdshow output check pass-through for dolby digital and DTS. For the rest do not check, which should cause decoding to analogue. You may have to switch the audio device in MC15 when you do this, so it may be worth unchecking all options and let ffdhsow decode everything.

I'd suggest just using one connection (so you don't have to keep change the "source" on the Receiver), so if you like analogue then decode everthing on the PC and send it that way.  I'm not sure there is any benefit to using pass through for DD/DTS over S/PDIF if this senario.

[jmone]

I would consider multi-channel analog output to an amp but there seems to be no affordable equivalent of auto-setup/eq (like Audyssey) for the PC.  I found an Audyssey MultEQ VST but this is $600 by itself which is more than most decent AVRs with this built in.  There also doesn't seem to be anything like Dynamic EQ or Dolby Volume for the PC.  Is there something out there that I am missing?

I'm surprised Matt has not chipped in with his plans in the DSP studio for such things 

[maid]

Me too I would really appreciate his help.

We have switched back to Spdif now as we did not like the sound on one of our movies.

[fitbrit]

Maid, I can't help noticing that you frequently have codec/filter related issues and questions. I'd really suggest  a couple of things to do:

1) Read up as much as you can about these subjects. Look at glynor's guide to filters in the wiki; although it may be a bit outdated now, it has some great basic info. In fact that was where I began to get a clearer picture about these issues several years ago. Also look at some threads in which jmone (and maybe I, too, have contributed) about playing mkv files etc.

2) Seriously consider backing up your data and reformatting your PC. Then, come and ask for help, and we will know you have a clean slate without older generations of CCCP and Haali  installs etc. Depending on your hardware, we could then suggest all the filters, codecs and settings to use to get the smoothest picture and best sound given your current hardware.

P.S. Did you get to play the Avatar rip? If so, how did it look?