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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 20 for Windows => Topic started by: Barbie-boy on November 24, 2016, 06:39:14 am

Title: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: Barbie-boy on November 24, 2016, 06:39:14 am

Hello, my DSD files get turned into PCMs when sent to my DAC and I don't know why.

MC 20 / Acer Aspire V3-571G / via HDMI / YAMAHA RX-A3050 DAC~AMP. But if I play the same DSD files on a USB stick directly into the Yamaha's USB input they play as fine as DSD.

So where is the conversation to PCM taking place ?

MC20 / Tools / Audio Device / Yamaha RX-A3050 (intel Display Audio Wasabi)

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated :)

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: JimH on November 24, 2016, 06:53:41 am

This should help:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DSD

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: Barbie-boy on November 24, 2016, 03:30:05 pm

Thanks Jim,
Have ran exhaustive tests trying to get my receiver to play ball. Doing those settings just turns the sound off and all the receiver gets is a low vol hash in PCM. Went to Asio4all, installed that and again no go.

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: JimH on November 24, 2016, 04:47:05 pm

You need to set MC for bitstreaming.

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: Barbie-boy on November 24, 2016, 06:11:36 pm

Yes, did try that, set to streaming DSD. The only way can get any sound out of MC is selecting NONE in Output Encoding which is PCM

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: JimH on November 24, 2016, 07:05:02 pm

Please read "Bitstreaming" on the DSD topic (http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DSD) on our wiki, and take a look at ASIO there.

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: Barbie-boy on November 25, 2016, 11:16:20 am

Hi Jim, ran through all the settings again and no luck. just low vol hash PCM when MC20 set to streaming / DSD. Tied Wasapi and Asio. Yet Yamaha claim it can handle DSD via HDMI. My Win10/64bit laptop's playback devices does not list DSD as a supported format though, just the usual Dolby / DTS

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: mojave on November 25, 2016, 12:24:20 pm

There are two ways to play audio to the Yamaha processors/receivers from JRiver.
1.  Over HDMI (DSD at 2.8 Mhz)
2.  Over the network with JRiver as a DLNA server (DSD at 2.8/5.6 Mhz)

Right now I'm testing streaming DSD via DLNA to a Yamaha WXA-50 and it works fine. I'll try testing via HDMI later today. I've got a CX-A5100 I'm doing some testing on at home and can use it. This should work identical to the RX-3050. I can test with both HDMI 1.4 and HDMI 2.0.

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: Barbie-boy on November 25, 2016, 01:42:10 pm

Excellent, look forward to your findings over HDMI at home !

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: mojave on November 27, 2016, 03:31:32 pm

It turns out that none of the current graphics cards support bitstreaming DSD over HDMI. The only thing that can is the OPPO players. The bitstreaming option is available in JRiver for use with USB output. If you want to use HDMI, you can set the Output Format to 192,000 kHz or lower and turn off bitstreaming.                 

Method #2 works fine and streams DSD directly to the Yamaha.

Note:  I only tested with MC22. I don't have MC20 on my computer.

Title: Re: DSD converts to PCM problem
Post by: Barbie-boy on November 28, 2016, 12:39:09 pm

Many thanks for sussing this out, did think I was starting to go a little mad in the end.

Just sold my USB DAC (ifi iDAC2 / USB Power3.0) and replaced with the 3050. So no DSD, ok can live with that. Have set as you say to output at 192 and sounds pretty good to my ears (2 channel / Direct).

On another note, borrowed some extra speakers off of a friend and ran some movies (Dolby Atmos / MC20) in 9.1 mode, did not think worth all the hassle and sticking with good old 5.1