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: 04/10/04 

Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2004 21:33:05 GMT

Hi Derek,

Maybe this will help:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/directx9_c/directX/htm/captureandpreviewpinrequirements.asp

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:uMp6unyHEHA.348@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> I am sorry, I probably should have been a little more specific (and I am
> sure Robert will be kind enough to keep me honest here).  MCE requires
that
> the non-BDA DirectShow Filters with Stream Class Video Capture Drivers
from
> the DirectX 9 interfaces for the TV Tuner and TV Audio filters have to be
> seen as a single entity when feeding the Crossbar Filter, which then feeds
> the rest of the mux and compression components (as seen in GraphEdit) into
> the Stream Buffer Engine.  I know of no way to change the pin
configurations
> to support the routing of an "external" audio source into this chain.
>
>   =D-
>
> "Derek R. Flickinger" <DrFlick@online.InteractiveHomesInc.com> wrote in
> message news:%23d8ddkWHEHA.3476@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > That does not work.  The audio <i>must</i> go through the Stream Buffer
> > Engine along with the video to keep them in synch (or at least as close
as
> > it gets).  Even running it into the optical in on something like the
> > Audigy 2 and through the PC does not work right because that audio does
> > not follow the trick play functionality either (because it is not going
> > through the Stream Buffer Engine).  Even with all of that, we usually
> > still have to put about an 80 mS delay on the audio via the receiver
> > itself to have it synch up correctly (one of the features of something
> > like the AVR series in the Harman Kardon line or using one of the better
> > audio/video switchers).  We have found that forcing the external
receiver
> > into one of its Dolby modes works the best all around for this
> > configuration and seems to get the best all-around surround sound
> > experience across all sources.
> >
> >  =D-
> >
> > "R. J. Salvi" <rjsalvi@nospamambianceacoustics.com> wrote in message
> > news:MQ3dc.43971$Lq4.8759@twister.socal.rr.com...
> >> 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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