Vista Install SPDIF not Working

[HelenWeathers]

I upgraded my Sage Client HTPC from XP SP3 to Vista SP1 with all MS updates current. My SPDIF (Optical) has worked with DTS and DD 5.1 fine under XP for the last two years on this machine (with SageTV and TMT) but I can't get DTS or DD 5.1 Optical to work under Vista.

This has nothing to do with SageTV because it doesn't work with Total Media Theater either. And I have selected SPDIF output in TMT.

In Vista I've gone to Control Panel, Sound and highlighted the Digital Output Device SPDIF and set it as default. I then go to properties, Supported Formats tab. I have highlighted and tested DTS Audio and Dolby Digital both at 48KHz and 96KHz. My receiver displays DTS Digital or Dolby Digital during the test. When the test completes I respond that I heard sound from the receiver. I apply changes and click ok and close to desktop.

When I play a Blu-ray movie with TMT I get Dolby Digital during the Movie Studio splash screen, then the Movie starts and the DD or DTS light on my receiver goes out and I get the movie in 2 channel only.

My mbd in this client is an Intel 975xbx2 with built in Optical and Coax outputs, as well as 1/8" phone plugs. The Vista install is Vista Home Premium. I'm sure the plugs would probably work, but that's 6 cables to my receiver instead of just one.

If anyone has ever encountered/resolved this issue themselves or has heard of a workaround, any help would be appreciated. I have been working on this for a full day now, and have tried Microsoft drivers and Intel drivers to no avail. Same behavior with either driver.

[HelenWeathers]

OK, I'll rephrase the question (and get a bump as well).

Is anyone out there using SPDIF output with Vista? If so, what sound card are you using? Does it work with SageTV, Power DVD and/or Total Media Theater?

[OldPCGUY]

Hello Helen,

Sorry I am still using XP SP3 but I thought the following info would help.
Also there are some forum posts about setting default decoders for Windows but I can't remember where they are in the Sage forum.

Audio can be a pain in the you know what. I had alot of issues with audio and the HDPVR. During the debug process I found a reference to a program called Graph Edit. The link is below.

http://www.digital-digest.com/softwa...2&ssid=0&did=1

This is a very cool program. You input your source block (your recording ie .TS for HDPVR or mpeg2 for HVR1800 etc...) and hook up any installed decoder for video and audio. The program will automatically populate these for you but you can load others and edit the graph. Then just press the play button.

You will be amazed how many different audio decoders you will have on your system and see how easy it is to get the sequence screwed up.

I hope this helps in some way.

Kind Regards,

Tony

[HelenWeathers]

Thank you for the response, OldPCGUY. A day and a half later (with the help of TMT tech support), I just got 5.1 output through Total Media Theater to work by going to the Audio tab, and setting the Audio Output Mode to S/PDIF and enabling down sample rate. So all is well with BD/DVD playback in TMT.

No luck so far with SageTV and 5.1 mpg or ts files though.

I've played a bit with ac3 filter configuration, but am having a bit of trouble understanding what all the settings do.

Is anyone here using Vista and S/PDIF to an external receiver with SageTV and getting 5.1 output? How are you doing it? What are your settings (for Sage and ac3filter)? Can you point me to a manual covering the ac3filter configuration settings and how they are used?

[jerryt]

What audio renderer are you using? Default Directsound Device? You might try the other audio renderers on your system.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by jerryt

What audio renderer are you using? Default Directsound Device? You might try the other audio renderers on your system.

I've tried a few and have had everything from mono to 2 channel noise. I'll try them all tomorrow when I'm not recording anything. The fact that TMT is working gives me hope, but I wish I could find a manual on ac3 filters to read up on what the settings are for.

[ToxMox]

I have DTS and DD working fine in Vista via SPDIF to an external receiver.
You can see general settings for AC3Filter in this post I made a while back in an old thread:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...55&postcount=4
some of the settings don't look the same in the current version but you get the idea.

If you have it set for that and it still doesn't work then I can think of 3 things that could cause it.

1)You may need to specify the Audio Renderer in Sage to a digital audio out. Mine for example is set to Realtek Digital Output (Realtek High Definition Audio)

2)I've seen the ArcSoft Audio filters sneak their way into the filter graph and prevent surround from passing through in which case you would lower their merit. This happened to me.

3)Slight chance you need different drivers but I doubt it since the audio test and TMT are working.

Open a video file in question in Graphedit and post a screencap and we can probably get things working from there.

[HelenWeathers]

First, I realy appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks.

Originally Posted by ToxMox

I have DTS and DD working fine in Vista via SPDIF to an external receiver.
You can see general settings for AC3Filter in this post I made a while back in an old thread. If you have it set for that and it still doesn't work then I can think of 3 things that could cause it.

I followed the settings you had as close as possible but havn't had success. I've decided to eleminate SageTV from the equation for now and have done the following:

Opened Graph Edit, selected File Render, picked an MPG file with ac3 audio and run the graph. The initial graph shows (I'm showing audio part only) MPGFile > MPEG-2 Demux AC3 > AC3 Filter > Default DirectSound Device.

I right click on AC3 Flter, Select Property Page, Check Use SPDIF (I now hear and receiver shows DD5.1), click apply and close property page. I listen for awhile and everything sounds good so I close graph edit and wait a minute. Then I open GraphEdit to record my settings for posterity.

I select File Render, pick the same MPG file with ac3 audio and run the graph. This time the initial graph shows (audio only) MPGFile > MPEG-2 Demux AC3 > AC3 Filter > ArcSoft Audio Decode > Default DirectSound Device. And when I run graph I hear what I think is two PCM audio streams.

If I open the AC3 filter prop page and turn off SPDIF I go back to two channel regular audio and if I turn SPDIF on again I now get DD5.1. (spdif settings on/off were done with the graph running)

You were right about the ArcSoft creeping in. I want to get this right in graph edit before I try to resolve anything in sage. Any ideas?

[ToxMox]

When that happened to me this is what I did.
First you need to get DirectShowFilterManager
http://www.softella.com/dsfm/index.en.htm
Run that and any ArcSoft audio decoder that sneaks into the graph lower the merit alot.
I had lowered on ArcSoft decoder and rebooted only to have another one sneak in there. So you may have to repeat the process until after a reboot nothing but AC3Filter is in the graph for the audio stuff. Then hopefully this will fix it. Let me know.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by ToxMox

Any ArcSoft audio decoder that sneaks into the graph lower the merit alot.....I had lowered on ArcSoft decoder and rebooted only to have another one sneak in there. So you may have to repeat the process until after a reboot nothing but AC3Filter is in the graph for the audio stuff. Then hopefully this will fix it. Let me know.

Thank You Thank You Thank You

I lowered the merit to Unlikely and that worked. Tried SageTV with the default Sage install settings and that worked perfectly as well for MPG and TS files.

Again, Thank You!

[ToxMox]

No prob