H.264 SPDIF sound only works on 2 speakers

[dwalton22]

I have two sources for h.264 content, a HD-PVR and a bunch of DVDs I ripped and re-encoded with Handbrake, but I can't get files from either of them to play in 5.1 surround sound. No matter what codec/filter combination I use I only get 2-channel sound via the main left and right speaker. This happens with SageTV, VLC, and Windows Media Player.

I'm running windows XP, sage 6.5.18RC, I have ac3filter installed configured and set as my audio filter, I have the latest HD-PVR firmware and drivers installed. I'm currently using CyberLink PDVD8 for my mpeg2 and h.264 filters and for the audio decoder. I've tried the arcsoft decoders but it doesn't make any difference.

Graphedit shows the audio and video for a HD-PVR recording being split by a cyberlink splitter and the audio graph then reads:

Arcsoft Audio HD -> AC3Filter -> Arsoft Audio HD 001 -> Default DirectSound

Why is the Arcsoft decoder in the path twice?

If I right-click on one of the "Arcsoft Audio HD" decoder boxes in the graph and pull up the properties I can see that it is in "2-channel" mode. I changed this to SPDIF but the setting doesn't stick...as soon as I exit graphedit and reload the file the arcsoft decoder is back to 2-channel mode. I launched the arcsoft player (total media extreme or something like that) and set the audio to SPDIF but I still have the same issue. Any idea how to set this and make it stick? I think if I can fix this then I would get surround sound via VLC and/or Windows Media Player.

What should I look at next in Sage to figure out why I'm not getting surround sound there?

Thanks

[PiX64]

Are you using a reciever? If so do you have it set to PCM bitstream?

[dwalton22]

My receiver has an AFD (Auto Format Detect) mode that I'm using. That part works fine though, when I play a DVD in sage I get 5.1 surround sound.

[dwalton22]

Update on this:

- I've downgraded to 6.5.9
- I'm using the latest MpegDeMux.ax and myasyncflt.ax from the beta
- I verified that Handbrake was set for AAC/Dolby Pro Logic II for all of the DVDs that I ripped

I can still only get 2-channel audio for all HD-PVR recordings and handbrake ripped DVDs. I'm grasping at straws on this one so any help is greatly appreciated.

[dwalton22]

I found a solution for this problem....I bought a HD200

[babgvant]

There's a cheaper solution:

- change the merit for the ArcSoft Audio decoders (guide)
- use ac3config.exe (in the sagetv install dir) to disable PCM on the system tab and to passthrough ac3/dts on spdif
- select ac3filter as your default audio decoder

[dwalton22]

Originally Posted by babgvant

There's a cheaper solution:

- change the merit for the ArcSoft Audio decoders (guide)
- use ac3config.exe (in the sagetv install dir) to disable PCM on the system tab and to passthrough ac3/dts on spdif
- select ac3filter as your default audio decoder

Believe me I tried every permutation of audio decoder/filter under the sun including using ac3filter.

[babgvant]

Did you try unregistering the ArcSoft filters? If you're not using TMT that's a pretty good option as well.

There's no reason why you can't get SPDIF passthrough on a properly configured PC.

[dwalton22]

yep, tried that.

I agree that it should work but after fighting with this for about 10+ hours I decided my time was worth the cost of the HD200.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by dwalton22

Update on this:

- I've downgraded to 6.5.9
- I'm using the latest MpegDeMux.ax and myasyncflt.ax from the beta
- I verified that Handbrake was set for AAC/Dolby Pro Logic II for all of the DVDs that I ripped

I can still only get 2-channel audio for all HD-PVR recordings and handbrake ripped DVDs. I'm grasping at straws on this one so any help is greatly appreciated.

Isn't Dolby Pro Logic II a stereo format? Are you sure your vids even HAD multichannel sound in them?

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Isn't Dolby Pro Logic II a stereo format? Are you sure your vids even HAD multichannel sound in them?

Good catch. OP also mentioned AAC, which does support multichannel, but won't bitstream.

[dwalton22]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Isn't Dolby Pro Logic II a stereo format? Are you sure your vids even HAD multichannel sound in them?

yes, I had a HD100 that I moved down to the living room to test with. I played several recordings with it and was able to get surround sound to work correctly. So I know the videos, my stereo and speakers are all working.