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More => Old Versions => Media Center 16 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: Barbie-boy on April 18, 2011, 01:15:47 pm

Title: HTPC sound problems
Post by: Barbie-boy on April 18, 2011, 01:15:47 pm

I am outputting my music via coax into an outboard DAC then onto hifi amp. Movies are via HDMI lead into my AV amp.

The annoying thing is each time I want to change from a movie to music etc I have to go to Start / control panel / Sound / properties / test and try to reactivate the other output into life... This often leads to nothing and am forced to reboot for the pc to reactivate the said output....

Any ideas please ? thanks

Title: Re: HTPC sound problems
Post by: Barbie-boy on April 18, 2011, 01:16:37 pm

PS, running win 7 32 bit Ultimate

Title: Re: HTPC sound problems
Post by: shAf on April 18, 2011, 02:32:57 pm

Quote from: Barbie-boy on April 18, 2011, 01:15:47 pm

I am outputting my music via coax into an outboard DAC then onto hifi amp. Movies are via HDMI lead into my AV amp.

The annoying thing is each time I want to change from a movie to music etc I have to go to Start / control panel / Sound / properties / test and try to reactivate the other output into life... This often leads to nothing and am forced to reboot for the pc to reactivate the said output....

I'm surprised you're able to get either to work.  When I tried doing something similar I came to the conclusion Windows only wanted audio to go out one port ... eg, SPDIF coax/optical or HDMI.

I ended up with all audio going out HDMI, but I don't see anyway for you to connect your external DAC.  Are you sure your DAC is that much better than converting the HDMI bitsteam to stereo with your AVR?

Title: Re: HTPC sound problems
Post by: Barbie-boy on April 18, 2011, 03:04:45 pm

Quote from: shAf on April 18, 2011, 02:32:57 pm

I'm surprised you're able to get either to work.  When I tried doing something similar I came to the conclusion Windows only wanted audio to go out one port ... eg, SPDIF coax/optical or HDMI.

I ended up with all audio going out HDMI, but I don't see anyway for you to connect your external DAC.  Are you sure your DAC is that much better than converting the HDMI bitsteam to stereo with your AVR?

The AV amp on music (Onkyo 608) is really quite poor sounding regardless of what they claim, I bought it thinking this would do everything, no way. Music via the dac (Arcam rDAC) into valve amp is blissful to say the least.

So are we in need of separate PCs one for music and the other for movies perhaps..

Title: Re: HTPC sound problems
Post by: rick.ca on April 18, 2011, 08:32:04 pm

You should be able to do that by configuring separate zones. Can you not select the necessary device for each as illustrated here...?

Title: Re: HTPC sound problems
Post by: jianu on May 05, 2011, 09:37:14 pm

Hi ,

You can do it, leave the HDMI as default in windows and change the settings in your JRiver MC. Go to tools, options, audio, output, mode settings and in device section select your rDAC as your device, and than you can switch the inputs in your amplifier HDMY for movies and the one where you have your rDAC plugged in for music. If you play movies also wit JRiver MC make sure you go to the same steps but this time go to video and in device section choose  windows system default or HDMI. This is for windows 7, I didnt try with other windows versions. Work perfect for me, I only switch from one input to the other in my amp.