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[4BYE]

Hello,

I managed to work out sound and video in MC16's options for a stereo receiver with my main PC with XP.

So the next step I took is install MC16 on my VISTA PC that we use for our home entertainment center in our livingroom.
Were I had to experiment for the VIDEO part on the XP machine to have settings that would work, I had right away VIDEO on my VISTA system with RED OCTOBER.

However the SOUND is not working the way I want. With MC14 it works like a charm, movies with just stereo are stereo played, DTS is played DTS, Dolby Digital is played Dolby Digital etc.
My VISTA computer has HDMI out and goes directly to my ONKYO receiver.
I would imagine that the receiver picks up the signal as it comes and uses it accordingly. I tried several settings but it seems that I get stereo all the time. I also tried Red October with additional filters and FFDShow Audio filter, thinking that's the one that works great with MC14. But it didn't work with MC16. I don't know what to set for "Channels" in audio options. My receiver should take care of that I guess. So I figured "Source number of channels" (no mixing). But that doesn't work. When setting different options it goes to 2 channels (stereo) when I play a DD 5.1 movie.

I choose "output mode" WASAPI because that worked in the MC14 setup. But I changed to some other settings too without any luck. I also want MC16 to play my DTS music, but that's plan B. First I want to make it work with my different movies. The only setting that made my receiver change to Dolby Digital was when setting the options to 5.1 channels and marking "Output Surround Sound as Dolby Digital". But then mono and stereo movies are still in DD 5.1 where it shouldn't.
I'm a bit stuck here and finally after hours of experimenting I gave up to ask here.

Hopefully somebody has the same setup and knows how to do it...

Regards,

Theo

[CountryBumkin]

You don't say which model Onkyo you have. I have the TX-SR705. I set JRiver MC to Bitstream. I use WASPI exclusive. On the Onkyo, I have HDMI Audio Out set to OFF (this means audio from HTPC does not go to TV, only to Receiver). Then in "Listening Modes" I set everything to "Direct". This does it for my setup.

[steelman1991]

Yeah make sure you have Bitstream set to Yes - Tools\Options\Video\Bitstream. You seem to have spent most of your time in the Audio section and might have missed the Bitstream setting. I have an Onkyo 805 and like CountryBumkin it works flawlessly

[4BYE]

Thanks, that fixed it. I have an ONKYO 876.

I didn't look at that option indeed. Propably because it said recommended at the original setting. Let's say it's a little confusing working with MC14 going to MC16 for me. I'll test DTS audio quickly before I go to bed. (It's 23:57 now)

Please explain "CountryBumkin".

I also have set the ONKYO to "direct", or sometimes THX Cinema.

Thanks very much for your quick responses.

Regards,

Theo

[4BYE]

The DTS audio did work too, but when going from a DTS track to a "regular" CD track, the ONKYO stays in DTS and I have to switch the ONKYO to another input and back again to the computer input to hear sound. It did that too with the MC14 setup. I guess it's in the ONKYO?

[mbagge]

You need to use zones in MC16, one for audio and one for video. Then you can optimize settings for hifi stereo listening and watching video in full surround sound.

[4BYE]

I'm (not yet) familiar with zones. Searching the forum didn't help me much. What would be my benefit exactly? I mean now that I have everything the way I want, audio and video are playing exactly the way I want.

[JimH]

Did you try the wiki?

[4BYE]

I just did. But I still don't get the point MBAGGE is making.

I understand the physical part of zones, splitting your soundcart to different zones.
So DD 5.1 could be 3 stereo zones. But the rest is not all clear to me yet.

I have a setup with a Belkin Home Base that has several Hard Discs and a printer attached to it with USB. (I think it goes up to 15 USB devices)
This way every PC in our house can use the music, images and movies from those HD's. I just let every PC/MC16 have it's own library that they import from those HD's. The only thing that has to be on is the Belkin Home Base and the disc(s).

I do use GIZMO as a remote to choose music and set the volume for my (car)speakers in the bathroom ceiling. (these speakers are on the same receiver as on of my computers and can be set A and/or B. The same I can do in the kitchen since I have an ONKYO receiver with 2 extra zones. With GIZMO I can also choose music and set the volume, without going to another room.

I was thinking about the JRiver ID but people in hifi stores advised to use wired speakers since I have 2 zones free on the ONKYO. The say people complaint about wireless audio, mainly bad reception. I can not judge this since I never used anything like it.
I can see some use though were wiring wouldn't be an option.

[mbagge]

Actually the concept is quiet simple, if you want to maintain different settings in ex. the audio setup - use zones.
You simply add a zone (you already got a default one 'zone 1'. You can see it under Playing now in the navigation)

I have made two zones - Audio and Video. Then I select the zone I want to configure by clicking it in the navigation. You can see the active zone in the top portion of the screen where all the info of what is playing right now and the progress bar are.
Then I can configure the audio settings optimized for hifi.
When I then select the Video zone, I can make other settings optimized for surround sound listening.

This way MC16 will open the audio channel (your Onkyo) in Stereo mode or DTS mode or what you may choose simply by selecting  a zone and what to play.

[4BYE]

OK, now I understand better what you mean. For now it seems that my setting works for both. I simply want the original channels to be used. Maybe in the future I can set extra options to tweak my sounds.

So this is another way of using zones...

I did encounter one problem for my use in the livingroom and kitchen with GIZMO. The volume isn't working on MC16. It doesn't matter how high or low it is, the volume is only affected by the volume control of the receiver. I guess it has to do with bitstream or HDMI(?)
I will look into that and experiment a little. Maybe here's a good chance of making a zone that I use for the kitchen in order to use the volume buttons of my phone with GIZMO.

Thanks for explaining.

Regards,

Theo

[mbagge]

I do not think you want to have your receiver power on with volume set at 0dB or any other relatively high setting, just to be able to control sound level in the digital domain in MC16.

Maybe you can redirect some infrared signals from MC16 to the receiver. If you have an MCE remote with an Ir receiver, the one with 'the green button'. It sometimes comes with Ir diodes capabable of emitting Ir signals to control other devices.

Or if your Onkyo has a LAN connection and is DLNA compliant, then you can easily control volume setting from the Gizmo app selecting the automatically created zone in MC16. (My favorite, because it eliminates audio distortion related to jitter in the s/pdif connection)

[4BYE]

No , please not! I use it around -30dB. I would like to be able to have MC16 go from 0 to 100% while the receiver is in -30dB.
I'll find a solution I'm sure. I have to experiment with the ONKYO's extra zones anyway. I never used it before. This ONKYO has no DLNA.

I don't want to use other remotes just my phone. (GIZMO)


Thanks

[Matt]

I do not think you want to have your receiver power on with volume set at 0dB or any other relatively high setting, just to be able to control sound level in the digital domain in MC16.

A lot of us use power amplifiers with no volume, so in effect the volume is always 100%.  And at 100%, it may be insanely loud to the point that it'd destroy speakers.

Media Center 16 does really well in these applications.  I would recommend using the new 'Volume Protection' option that was added to v16.

Also, it's best to make sure Windows uses a different sound card for system sounds so you don't get loud dings, etc.

[4BYE]

Hello Matt,

I was looking for "Volume Protection" in options and WIKI but nothing comes up.

I thought when switching/experimenting with some options I could use MC16's volume to adjust it with GIZMO.
It didn't affect the volume. Is that because of the way those receivers work? Maybe because of the HDMI connection?
Or should there be a way to handle the volume through GIZMO (I mean setting the receiver to a certain volume and have MC16 use volumes between 0-100 %).

Thanks,

Theo

[Matt]

Hello Matt,

I was looking for "Volume Protection" in options and WIKI but nothing comes up.

I thought when switching/experimenting with some options I could use MC16's volume to adjust it with GIZMO.
It didn't affect the volume. Is that because of the way those receivers work? Maybe because of the HDMI connection?
Or should there be a way to handle the volume through GIZMO (I mean setting the receiver to a certain volume and have MC16 use volumes between 0-100 %).

Thanks,

Theo

You'll have to disable bitstreaming to use volume or any other audio feature.  Your computer is the best audio engine and decoder possible, so this is a good change.

[4BYE]

I believe you but the problem is that I didn't found the right setting to play my movies, music etc until I choose BITSTREAM (HDMI).

I would like to experiment but first of all my music and movies have to play the way they should.
I couldn't get them to play more than 2 channel stereo.
I was advised by another forum member to put on bitstream and it let me play the movies and music right.
My ONKYO is working perfect too.

I would like to do it your way but it doesn't let me play the channels the way it should.

Since I'm not an expert I have to go by the people on the forum or read and experiment untill it works.

I will be experimenting more to see how it turns out without BITSTREAM.

[BryanC]

To set up PCM output, you'll need to do two things:

In Audio->DSP->Output, you'll want to change the number of speakers to the number of speakers you use.
You'll also need to do the same thing (usually) in the Windows soundcard playback options.

Also in your soundcard playback settings, choose the highest available sample rate and bitdepth.

And then of course, turn bitstreaming off in the video settings.

For the highest quality output, you'll want to use WASAPI mode. I've found that Onkyo receivers are very finicky in WASAPI mode: You'll want to select WASAPI - Event Style, use a low buffer and in some cases you'll be limited to 48Khz sample rate (also found in the Audio->DSP->Output settings).

[steelman1991]

You'll have to disable bitstreaming to use volume or any other audio feature.  Your computer is the best audio engine and decoder possible, so this is a good change.

Matt that's quite a suggestion - I was always under the impression that it was best to bitstream and allow the avr to do the work. Your comment would suggest otherwise. Always happy to tweak, gonna give this a try and see if my ears hear a difference. 

[Matt]

Matt that's quite a suggestion - I was always under the impression that it was best to bitstream and allow the avr to do the work. Your comment would suggest otherwise. Always happy to tweak, gonna give this a try and see if my ears hear a difference. 

One of the strengths of playing video with Media Center is that you can leverage the audio engine.  This has lots and lots of advantages like VideoClock, Room Correction, internal volume, normalization, soft volume on seek, tuning of mixing based on the input type, etc.  You disable all of this when you bitstream.

You can read a little more here:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Connection_Type

[steelman1991]

Thanks Matt will have a look.

[4BYE]

I did found an option for my volume problem when playing sound to my kitchen on GIZMO. I didn't know until now there's an option for volume control in PLAYER --> VOLUME --> INTERNAL VOLUME

It works for my audio, except DTS so I'm fine now.