How do I get Dolby Digital 5.1 audio over SPDIF?

[timg11]

I thought there would be a FAQ on this but I don't find anything.

I have an SPDIF output on my computer, connected to my receiver. Audio has been playing, but upon closer examination of the LEDs on my receiver, it is only receiving stereo, not 5.1.

System is SageTV 6.5.3, XP Pro, Gigabyte GA-P35-DSL motherboard with integrated Realtek sound. Sound drivers are 5.10.0.5565. SPDIF output is enabled in the sound card control program.

How do I configure SageTV to pass through the Dolby Digital 5.1 bitstream to my receiver? I tried all the options for the audio decoder and renderer, but it didn't change anything.

I did manage to get it into a strange mode where I was only hearing the surround channels (music and special effects) on a CBS OTA program, but there was no dialog. The surround signal was coming out of the front center speaker also. The LED on the receiver did not indicate it was receiving a 5.1 signal but only stereo. Somehow SageTV was sending only the rear channels as Left and Right?

[John@TunerUK]

Set your audio decoder to ac3filter. Then go to Program files>Sage TV>Sage TV>ac3config.exe

Then click on the spdif tab. There you'll find a section for spdif passthrough. Highlight DTS and AC3.

Hopefully that should help

[timg11]

John - thanks for the tip. That did the trick.

I recommend this for the FAQ, since it is not clear from inspecting the SageTV Setup menus.

[Zetavu]

I know this is an old thread but I had a question. I am used to being able to switch between spdif and regular audio on my system (Beyondtv), is there a way to do this with Sage or is it irrelevant? If I record sd from satellite, I don't bother running through my receiver, but if the source has dolby then I go sdpif.

[timg11]

I think you have to use AC3config.exe. You could maybe change the audio codec to something other than AC3Filter in the SageTV setup when you wanted just stereo, but it is not a "quick and easy" change from the playback interface.

I just leave it on AC3filter all the time. Stereo source material can be carried over SPDIF just the same as DD 5.1. But I always use the receiver, and have the tinny speakers on the TV turned off.

Are you saying you want to use a completely different audio path (maybe the TV speakers rather than the receiver) when watching SD from satellite?

[Zetavu]

Well, I tried ac3config (told it to use spdif) and switched to ac3decoder, only got an electronic static on my tv and receiver. The only thing I changed on ac3config was to turn on spdif, is there something else I need to do?

My MB lets me send out audio through spdif and analog simultaneously. My analog goes to the tv set, spdif to my receiver. I'm used to beyondtv, which lets me change my audi from 2 channel, to 5.1 or spdif pass through. Spdif passthrough turns off most audio on my tv set (some shows I still get audio), and if there is no dolby then I get no audio, and have to change back to 2 channel. From what I can tell I'll need to go through setup to switch form ac3filter to another to do this, is this correct? Any way to make a shortcut to automatically do something like this?

Edit: noticed this line, not sure if I tried that "Highlight DTS and AC3." any other suggestions please share.

[HelenWeathers]

Not sure if this will help in your particular situation but:

http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ad.php?t=37076

Start at about post #6. (the first posts are more TMT related)

I was getting noise with SPDIF (among other issues) and ToxMox put me on the right track with Windows Vista.

It turned out that an arcsoft filter was inserting itself into the audio chain and messing things up.

EDIT: By the way, WELCOME! Recognize your name from BTV (one of my old haunts).

[Zetavu]

Thanks, nice to see some familiar faces. Can't say whether I'm commiting or not, but I am giving it as thorough a workout as I can.

[Zetavu]

Well, tried the other settings, no joy. I'm on XP so I don't know if I should have issues with the arcsoft decoders, either way that should interfere but not wipe them out.

[QueOnda]

Zetavu, Try downloading the AC3filter. I used that for the BTV days and still used it for SageTv (before I got the extender). Also, check your audio settings are correct.

[Zetavu]

Isn't that installed with Sage? I thought that is what I was using?

[QueOnda]

I think so, but look at the version number they have vs the version number which is out. If there is a newer version out could fix some bug issues. I never ran the one which came with sagetv (because I didn't know about it) the AC3filter within Sagetv.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

Not sure if this will help in your particular situation but:

http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ad.php?t=37076

Start at about post #6. (the first posts are more TMT related)

I was getting noise with SPDIF (among other issues) and ToxMox put me on the right track with Windows Vista.

It turned out that an arcsoft filter was inserting itself into the audio chain and messing things up.

EDIT: By the way, WELCOME! Recognize your name from BTV (one of my old haunts).

FWIW, there's another solution to the ArcSoft Audio won't play over spdif problem that also fixes HD audio not playing right.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by babgvant

FWIW, there's another solution to the ArcSoft Audio won't play over spdif problem that also fixes HD audio not playing right.

Thanks, babgvant. Good info to have/keep.