[PatrickVogeli]

Hi there,

I'm using an Asrock ION 330HT, with the HDMI signal to a Sony A/V receiver, 7.1, which only has 2 speakers attached (stereo, front right and left, all other channels set to disabled). The OS is ubuntu 10.10 running xbmc session.

I have xbmc configured to output audio through HDMI, with passthrough enabled for Dolby Digital (AC3) and DTS. Also, audio is configured as 7.1, since that's what my receiver accepts.

When I watch an AC3 or DTS audio movie, the receiver outputs, for example, Dolby Digital 3 / 2.1, even when the film has 5.1 Dolby Digital.

Now, my question, is XBMC outputting 5.1 and the receiver sets it to 2.1 or XBMC is only outputting 2.1 audio??

Does anybody have a clue about this one?

Thanks!

[Darby]

XBMC is still outputting up to 6.1 (highest xbmc supports currently) and your receiver in turn is mixing into 2.1.

[PatrickVogeli]

Do you know what would happen if I set the center and rears speakers to enabled even if I don't have them connected? Could I damage the receiver or anything?

That would be a good way to check it out.

Thanks

[CSB!]

Do you know what would happen if I set the center and rears speakers to enabled even if I don't have them connected? Could I damage the receiver or anything?

That would be a good way to check it out.

Thanks

There's probably something seriously wrong with the receiver if it is damaged by driving an open input.

You'll just not hear anything that is put on that channel, which probably won't be a big deal. If you enable the center channel and have a 2.1 set-up you'll lose most vocals, since they tend to be mixed on the center channel.

[PatrickVogeli]

Hi, thanks.

I've tried enabling a 5.1 setup and I still get the Dolby digital 3 / 2.1 message, even if then I loose nearly all vocals and other stuff...

So I guess the system is outputing true 5.1 but the receiver doesn't seem to get it.

Anyway, there's little to anything I can do right now... guess I'll look into the issue again once I add the subwoofer and the front speaker

If anybody has a similar setup and wants to chime in.. he's welcome!

[PatrickVogeli]

Ok problem solved. I should have started using google I think.

Most of my movies are 5.1 dolby digital and/or dts. After a bit more testing it always displays dolby digital 3/2.1, which I thought would mean Dolby Digital version 3, 2.1 setup. But then I saw it also displayed Dts 3/2.1, which seemes a little strage.

Internet has told that this is the way sony tells 5.1: 3 fronts, 2 rears and 1 subwoofer.

Thanks for helping!

[LB06]

Lol

It doesn't really matter I think whether you let XBMC do the downmixing (i.e. setting it to 2.0 and disable the DTS/DD capability) or let your receiver do it by setting the other channels to disabled.

[PatrickVogeli]

yeah of course, right now it didn't matter. I was just upset about the computer not sending audio correctly or the receiver not picking it up right..

and then you never know when you'll get a center channel