[mkohman]

Hey Guys,

After several hours of tweaking around in Windows 7 64BIT I managed to get lossless audio (DD, DTS, DTS HD Master and DD TRUE-HD) by tweaking a few setting in ffdshow and XBMC.. This guide is fantastic for anyone who is interested:

http://www.mediasmartserver.net/2010/06/...-dsplayer/

Please not I am using ffdshow and passing through the audio as can seen in the guide above and also I downloaded XBMC DSPlayer version as I believe this is the only way to get bitstreaming audio?

After I applied the settings and tweaked the filtersconfig.xml and mediasconfig.xml as advised in the guide. I get lossless HD sound via my Onkyo 608 Amp from my HTPC (Windows 7 64bit, Intel i3 HD Graphics, Zotac H55 mobo, 4GB Ram.. )

At first when I load up windows it says MCH PCM which is 5.1 on my AMP when I play a .mkv file or a .m2ts file in XBMC there is a clicking noise coming from the Onkyo and then I get full HD sound and DTS , DD or DTS HD MA, DD TRUE HD lights up on the Onkyo depending on what the source is..

*I have been wondering if this clicking sound is normal when it switches over to the HD sound from MCH PCM?

Now my major issue is withing XBMC and this is where I please need help. When I try to "Adjust Display Refresh Rate to Match Video" (option in XBMC video setting) the DTS or DD or whatever lights up .. sound comes from the amp and speakers and then every 5-10 secs there is a clicking sound coming from the Onkyo 608, the HDMI sign keeps blinking (like its searching for a signal) and then it works fine and after a few seconds it just happens again and repeats its self.. when I uncheck the "Adjust Display Refresh Rate to Match Video" then the video plays at 50hz and the audio is absolutely fine.. Why is this?

I really want to playback at 24p.. My TV does support this LG 60 PK590 and I used to be able to do this when I used to use an Optical Cable for the audio going into my AMP only then I was not getting the DTS HD MA or DD TRUE-HD as Optical cable doesn't support this.

So... Just to summarise:

1 - What must I do to get 24p video playback without interfearing with the audio also coming from HDMI?

2 - Is all the clicking sounds normal when switching to DTS or DD or whatever.

3 - Anyone who has similar setup or who has followed the guide as above, what do you use a your video decoder in XBMC? Do you use MPC decoder or MS Video Decoder? Which is better?

Many many thanks and look forward in hearing from you..
I hope this doesn't sound too confusing lol

[mkohman]

guys would really appreciate some support.. I am stuck and really need help! thanks..

[mkohman]

I am now wathing things at 50HZ and seem ok but I guess would like to have 24hz (24p) well everytime I select "Adjust Display Refresh Rate to Match Video" in XBMC DSPlayer the video is ok but the Audio on my AMp keeps cutting out and coming back? Can someone please advise me as to what you think the problem may be?

Also which Video decoder is better MPC decoder or MS Video Decoder? I am currently using MPC Decoder for videos with ffdshow for audio bitstreaming via HDMI into my Onkyo 608.

Thanks and look forward to some advice..

[bodhi]

The clicking sound from the Onkyo receiver is normal when switching from PCM to DD5.1 or HD audio. This is because PCM does not use all speakers like the other modes, so Onkyo receiver does a speaker reset when different audio format was detected. There is a way to prevent that: set the Onkyo listening modes for HTPC sources to ones that use all speakers. You can learn more about this in AVS forum for this receiver. It's quite simple, but to explain it here is off-topic (set up the listening modes is a little bit tedious). Here is the link.

Also, I'm not familiar with what you want to do. But I'm guessing that because the video rate was adjusted by XBMC periodically so that has caused the Onkyo to detect the change and it reset the audio mode (since HDMI sends both video and audio in the stream).

[mkohman]

The clicking sound from the Onkyo receiver is normal when switching from PCM to DD5.1 or HD audio. This is because PCM does not use all speakers like the other modes, so Onkyo receiver does a speaker reset when different audio format was detected. There is a way to prevent that: set the Onkyo listening modes for HTPC sources to ones that use all speakers. You can learn more about this in AVS forum for this receiver. It's quite simple, but to explain it here is off-topic (set up the listening modes is a little bit tedious). Here is the link.

Also, I'm not familiar with what you want to do. But I'm guessing that because the video rate was adjusted by XBMC periodically so that has caused the Onkyo to detect the change and it reset the audio mode (since HDMI sends both video and audio in the stream).

Thanks

[bodhi]

Hello friends,,,,,sneha here,,,,,,,i agree that.......I am now wathing things at 50HZ and seem ok but I guess would like to have 24hz (24p) well everytime I select "Adjust Display Refresh Rate to Match Video" in XBMC DSPlayer the video is ok but the Audio on my AMp keeps cutting out and coming back? Can someone please advise me as to what you think the problem may be?

Also which Video decoder is better MPC decoder or MS Video Decoder? I am currently using MPC Decoder for videos with ffdshow for audio bitstreaming via HDMI into my Onkyo 608.,,,,,,,,,,Thanks lot......

See my post above about the Onkyo 608. You want to try to set the listening modes to avoid the clicking. I think the Onkyo receiver resets the audio mode when the video rate changed by XBMC because of HDMI.

[steelman1991]

Pardon my ignorance, but isn't setting up in listening mode - merely applying the DSP modes and effects (PLIIz etc.) and NOT bitstreaming. Whilst it may prevent handshake issues, it certainly won't achieve bitstreaming, which is part of the equation the user wants?

As I have already told the OP on his thread in AVS Forums, the likely cause of issue is DSPlayer - the pre-compiled build is old and buggy at best, unusable to many. I would suggest an external player mpc-hc/ffdshow combination to achieve HD Audio bitstreaming in xbmc, until DSPlayer becomes more stable.

[bodhi]

Pardon my ignorance, but isn't setting up in listening mode - merely applying the DSP modes and effects (PLIIz etc.) and NOT bitstreaming. Whilst it may prevent handshake issues, it certainly won't achieve bitstreaming, which is part of the equation the user wants?

As I have already told the OP on his thread in AVS Forums, the likely cause of issue is DSPlayer - the pre-compiled build is old and buggy at best, unusable to many. I would suggest an external player mpc-hc/ffdshow combination to achieve HD Audio bitstreaming in xbmc, until DSPlayer becomes more stable.

I think the OP wants to eliminate the clicking sound. And the Onkyo receiver outputs the clicking sound whenever it resets the audio mode from one that uses less number of speakers to one that use more speakers, and vice versa. So what I suggested was setting the listening mode for each audio format from the same source (i.e. HTPC) to something that uses all speakers.

For example, if the speakers configuration is 7.1 then set PCM input to use PLIIz listening mode. This will eliminate the clicking sound whenever the last audio mode was PCM, and next audio mode is HD audio (which uses all 7.1 speakers).

In this example, if the source is PCM and the listening mode was set to Direct, then not all speakers are used. When the OP plays the next video which has HD audio bit stream, it will cause the Onkyo to reset the speakers and produce a clicking sound.

Of course, for HD audio format input, it should be set to use Direct listening mode (to let the Onkyo receive and process the bit stream as intended).

For each source, e.g. GAME or BD/DVD, there are several possible audio formats, and Onkyo let you specify which listening mode to use for each format (IIRC, there are 6 or 7 different possible audio formats for each source).

I don't know how familiar you are with Onkyo set up menu. Pardon me if you are (I want to describe this in detail to be more clear)

[steelman1991]

Not familiar with the model concerned, but i run an 807 in my set-up and I get the clicking sound, but only as part of the HDMI handshake and never where the speaker configs are different to that in the media file. Once the connection has been made between card (in my instance the ATI 5450) and my 807, that's it no more clicking until a new source is chosen. I seriously don't think this clicking issue has anything to do with the sound format/config, but a handshaking issue between devices, in this case the Onk Amp and i3. Might be worthwhile for the OP to check out the EDID thread in AVS Forum (here ya go http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1091403), see whether there is any information there regarding possible combination issues.

Choosing Listening modes is only masking the problem and providing artifically produced sound. A double edged sword perhaps, but I get both bitstreaming sound and no clicking without the need to resort to Audessy/artifically produced sound modes. I'm sure that's what the OP wants. Though how he goes about that is up to him - but I would first of all check the EDID thread I referred to earlier.

[bodhi]

Not familiar with the model concerned, but i run an 807 in my set-up and I get the clicking sound, but only as part of the HDMI handshake and never where the speaker configs are different to that in the media file. Once the connection has been made between card (in my instance the ATI 5450) and my 807, that's it no more clicking until a new source is chosen. I seriously don't think this clicking issue has anything to do with the sound format/config, but a handshaking issue between devices, in this case the Onk Amp and i3. Might be worthwhile for the OP to check out the EDID thread in AVS Forum (here ya go http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1091403), see whether there is any information there regarding possible combination issues.

Choosing Listening modes is only masking the problem and providing artifically produced sound. A double edged sword perhaps, but I get both bitstreaming sound and no clicking without the need to resort to Audessy/artifically produced sound modes. I'm sure that's what the OP wants. Though how he goes about that is up to him - but I would first of all check the EDID thread I referred to earlier.

The clicking sound is not handshake between devices. Try this: from the same source, play something that sends PCM sound and then switch to play something else that sends DD 5.1. That will produce a clicking sound if both formats were set to Direct.

This clicking sound is just the way the Onkyo receiver operates. It's an annoyance, not a real problem.

I agree that we should use what ever the source format sends. Listening modes are not desirable when you already have DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 or HD Audio. In these cases, I always set it to Direct (i.e. no listening mode), so bit stream is intact.

However, when playing a video with sound format such as PCM, or Mono, set it to other listening modes such as Surround Sensation can only improve the sound. In those cases, artificial is better!

On the other hand, when playing music I always use Direct so I can hear the sound exactly as intended.

[steelman1991]

No I don't hear any clicking noise. Unless it is something that Onkyo has introduced to its newer models I get no clicking of any kind - I could switch formats all day from the same source and never hear a thing, no clicking, clunking, or any other mechanical noise - it only happens while changing sources - hdmi handshaking.

EDIT - I take back what I said about clicking between sources - I don't even get it then

Had a quick look over at the thread you linked to earlier and several have reported these 'clicking' sounds, though there doesn't seem to be any definitive solution (other, obviously than your DSP one) - some say it happens on audio sources - others when changing video formats (ie between 720p, 1080p, 480p etc). Good luck with that seems Onkyo have dropped the ball with that one - although there isn't exactly an outcry over it - seems like the majority of users have just accepted it happens

[bodhi]

Good for you it seems older or higher end Onkyo models are much better quality than the entry level 607/608 or 707. I think people just assume that the clicking sounds are always there for all Onkyo receivers so they just accept it. It does not bother me when switching sources. But here in the US, audio sent by cable programming is pretty lousy, you can hear PCM and DD 5.1 switching and clicking in and out all day long between commercials and real programs or when surfing channels So for audio sources like that, listening modes is the cure for these Onkyo receivers clicking sounds.

[tco42]

Im using nearly the same setup (LG 60PK 250 + Onkyo 5507 + Ati HD5850) with ffdshow codecs and MPC-HC as an external Player in XBMC. MPC-HC also switches refreshrates.
I tried some options to get the same problem but there is only a single click when the movies start (using direct mode at my Onkyo). The only way to reproduce clicking all the time is to use a PVR build of XBMC and using the AC3 streams. It seems every little stuttering causes the Onkyo to switch from AC3 mode to my mediacenters standard mode (2 channel PCM) and back.

So my guess is to look at the DSPlayer thread if there are some users reporting stuttering -> this would be your problem or to try a normal Dharma build / PVR build / etc. and integrate MPC-HC.

For me this turned out to be the best build to fit my needs. Dharma final, PVR support (no crashes yet!), ffdshow for bitstreaming etc. the only downside is that you dont have the "integrated" look you get with DSPlayer