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**SofaKng** · 2011-06-24, 16:32

What's the difference between the "Audio output device" and "Passthrough audio device" ?

Ideally I'd like PCM audio (2.0 channel) to go through HDMI (plughw:1,9) and AC3/DTS to go out the toslink/optical jack.

Is that what these two settings are for? Would I set the Audio device to HDMI and the Passthrough device to the toslink jack?

LB06 · 2011-06-24, 16:35

Why would you want to do that? Different speakerset? Because hdmi can do everything S/PDIF can and more.

Matt Devo · 2011-06-24, 16:57

LB06 Wrote:Why would you want to do that? Different speakerset? Because hdmi can do everything S/PDIF can and more.

most likely he has HDMI going directly to his TV, and SPDIF to his receiver

darkscout · 2011-06-24, 17:09

Pass through passes the bits directly. If your sink can't decode them you'll just hear static.

Unless you want movie sound to go to a different location, just use the same setting for both (depending on where you want the sound to go)

**SofaKng** · 2011-06-24, 17:22

Matt Devo Wrote:most likely he has HDMI going directly to his TV, and SPDIF to his receiver

Right. I have the HDMI going to a TV (upstairs) that doesn't have a receiver. I need that to be stereo.

I also have an A/V receiver downstairs that only supports TOSLINK cable and it does support AC3 and DTS.

So... do I set the Audio device to HDMI and Passthrough to my TOSLINK jack? Will it correctly pass 2.0 channel stereo to HDMI and 5.1 AC3/DTS to TOSLINK?

LB06 · 2011-06-24, 21:08

sofakng Wrote:Right. I have the HDMI going to a TV (upstairs) that doesn't have a receiver. I need that to be stereo.

I also have an A/V receiver downstairs that only supports TOSLINK cable and it does support AC3 and DTS.

So... do I set the Audio device to HDMI and Passthrough to my TOSLINK jack? Will it correctly pass 2.0 channel stereo to HDMI and 5.1 AC3/DTS to TOSLINK?

I don't think you can differentiate that easily between stereo and surround. In many cases it could work, but DD2.0 for instance will also be outputted over S/PDIF. And what do you want to do with FLAC/LPCM/AAC 5.1 for instance? Those do not 'fit' over S/PDIF (actually FLAC 16/48 and AAC probably would, but they're not within specs).

Anyway, why don't you just send everything over S/PDIF? And connect your TV to the receiver.