Re: Can't get 5.1 Dolby Digital out of S/PDIF

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From: R. J. Salvi (rjsalvi_at_nospamambianceacoustics.com)
Date: 04/08/04 

Date: Thu, 08 Apr 2004 03:40:28 GMT

Derek,

Assuming your A/V receiver has more than one optical input, why not just run
the STB digital out to one of the receiver's digital inputs? The video will
still be accessed through the PC and the STB controlled with the MCE remote.
It may require switching inputs on the receiver whenever you're watching TV,
but you'll be certain to have 5.1 when braodcast as such.

I know, I know...the challenge of having it work the way it's supposed to is
too overwhelming to not address. :-)

You know...one more thing crosses my mind. What sound card/on-board chip do
you have? Does it have its own control panel? You might check and see if its
control panel has a menu for digital I/O and set it to lock on the input
signal. hth. 

-- 
Robert J. Salvi, Ambiance Acoustics
http://www.ambianceacoustics.com
San Diego, CA  USA
(858) 485-7514
"Derek R. Flickinger" <DrFlick@online.InteractiveHomesInc.com> wrote in
message news:eoJqTOMHEHA.3776@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Robert,
>
> Good point.  Since we rarely actually use the internal tuners and
front-end
> the machines with a set top box into the S-Video in, I neglected to define
> the environment (I forgot that most installations discussed here are using
> the PC-based tuners).  We actually run the audio from the set top into the
> audio in on the tuner card (you can't put it into the audio card in the
> machine directly or the trick play features have no control over the audio
> signal).  Since the set top does "transmit" the audio with Dolby
> capabilities, MCE <i>appears to</i> pass this thru in this configuration.
> The problem seems to exhibit itself, as you say, when the external
> amp/receiver tries to "latch onto" the audio signals from certain channels
> and it seems to get really confused on how to encode it with it's own
> DSP-based surround audio.
>
> The way I read it, his DVD played did work correctly, so it seems like it
is
> more a problem with MCE and the internal tuner than it is with the DVD
> player itself.  Either way, sorry for the confusion - I need to be a
little
> more cognizant of the specific configuration and define that before
> replying.  As a side note, we would love to be able to use the optical
audio
> out from the STB into the "tuner" instead of the analog signal.  Hopefully
> this will be taken into consideration as MCE moves to supporting a more
> versatile set of inputs from a wider variety of digital sources.
>
>   =D-
>
> "R. J. Salvi" <rjsalvi@nospamambianceacoustics.com> wrote in message
> news:whTcc.43813$Lq4.39294@twister.socal.rr.com...
> > Hi Derek,
> >
> > Correct me if I'm wrong, but when listening to TV, I believe all analog
TV
> > tuners are only capable of 2-channel stereo. It would explain why "they
> > seem
> > to play in some weird left/right/front/back unbalanced audio mode"...the
> > receiver is trying to decode a stereo only input for a surround mode.
> >
> > In response to the original posters query...I don't know, but it sounds
> > like
> > a software problem. He might consider uninstalling and subsequently
> > reinstalling his DVD program.
> >
> > -- 
> > Robert J. Salvi, Ambiance Acoustics
> > http://www.ambianceacoustics.com
> > San Diego, CA  USA
> > (858) 485-7514
> >
> > "Derek R. Flickinger" <DrFlick@online.InteractiveHomesInc.com> wrote in
> > message news:u3XSL5$GEHA.2664@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> >> We are curious just how you define "can't get."  Are you saying that
your
> >> indicators on your preamp/amp/receiver are not showing it via its audio
> > auto
> >> detection features or that you simply cannot hear it (it only comes out
> >> of
> >> the front speakers)?  We have noticed on a few installations that
certain
> >> receivers do not seem to detect it properly, but you definitely can
hear
> > it
> >> in true surround sound.  We also have noticed that certain MCE sources
> > seem
> >> to get detected okay but do not play in "surround sound mode" properly
> >> (especially with certain TV channels).  In fact, they seem to play in
> >> some
> >> weird left/right/front/back unbalanced audio mode.  I believe all of
our
> >> setups are using one of the versions of Creative's Audigy 2 interfaces.
> > It
> >> is almost as if we need to put a "digital audio stream" analyzer on the
> > link
> >> to see if the "audio type" information is being stripped out by MCE for
> > some
> >> reason so the amp does see it.  In the situations where we have
> > experienced
> >> problems, always forcing the receiver to one of its Dolby settings
seems
> > to
> >> allow it to play well across all of MCE's sources and you can't tell it
> >> isn't playing it "properly" unless you actually look at the indicators
on
> >> the face of the receiver (the machines only use the MCE interface).  As
> > for
> >> a more technical solution, we still are investigating....
> >>
> >> Regards.
> >>
> >>   =D-
> >>
> >> Derek R. Flickinger
> >> Interactive Homes, Inc.
> >>
> >> "Larry Li" <lli@austin.rr.com> wrote in message
> >> news:MuGbc.36923$o_.6041@fe1.texas.rr.com...
> >> >I can't get 5.1 Dolby Digital out of my new FMC-901 under Media
Center.
> > I
> >> > tried to run InterVideo DVD player application standalone, and it put
> > out
> >> > 5.1 Dolby Digital just fine.  Anyone know what could be wrong?
> >> >
> >> > I am using S/PDIF out.
> >> >
> >> > -Larry
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

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