Hi Everyone, been scouring the forums for a solution to this problem but everyone else seems to have different issues than me...
Im using Camelot, Most of my media (75% +) is encoded with AAC 5.1 this runs fine through my TV connected via DVI to HDMI and a standard 3.5mm Audio Cable, but the occasional video i have encoded with dolby digital all i get is background sound, i don't want to turn downmixing on because it makes my AAC files sound rubbish with low levels on voice etc.
My Settings
Audio Output - Digital
-Dolby Digital -(AC3) Capable Reciever - Off
-DTS Capable Reciever - Off
Audio Output Device - Built in Output
Downmix Multichannel Audio to Stereo - Off
is there a way of only downmixing AC3 and leaving my AAC files as they are??
Thankyou in advance
P.S. i have this problem on both my macs
iMac 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo
Mac Mini 1.8GHz Core Duo
You do not seem to be aware that there is no device on the market that is capable of decoding a multi channel AAC so when you play your AAC encoded files they are actually being downmixed to two channels in any case
If you just have a stereo TV you should set downmixing on all times and output to ANALOG this will process all your files fine no matter what they are
interceptor121 Wrote:You do not seem to be aware that there is no device on the market that is capable of decoding a multi channel AAC so when you play your AAC encoded files they are actually being downmixed to two channels in any case
Untrue. I have exactly the same problem as the OP, yet when I play the very same files through the very same home theatre system, while using Quicktime or VLC. The 5.1 audio works perfectly well.
When will people start admitting these problems are with XBMC and stop continuously blaming "the other guy"
Your set up is different from his as you have a home theatre whilst he does not
He has an audio jack which is an analogue output so XBMC should be set accordingly
For the record VLC and quicktime through perian can decode an AC3 so the output you get is analogue already which resolves the problem. XBMC does the same if you set the output to analogue.
If you set XBMC to digital you can't connect a jack or an RCA as those are obviously analogue unless you downmix to two PCM channels. But there is not point setting it on digital if you do not have a digital port (SPDIF or optical) connected to a DIGITAL receiver
Besides I am not part of XBMC Team
interceptor121 Wrote:But there is not point setting it on digital if you do not have a digital port (SPDIF or optical) connected to a DIGITAL receiver
Again, untrue. I may not have the same set up, but I do have the same problem. When on digital (through XMBC) I have no sound. When I turn it to analog downmixing, all I hear is the background music, no center speaker.
I'm connected to the home theatre system through optical, and I put your statement to the test (using Quicktime). I played a 5.1 movie and disconnected the center speaker, guess what, no more voices, only background music. Now correct me if I'm wrong, however analog would not do that.
My statement is correct. You may have a dolby pro logic decoder that rebuilds the multichannes audio from two stereo channels, this is the standard way quicktime and apple tv operate
Using the proper settings is obviously fundamental and understanding the logic of decoding helps too.
The OP does not have a digital receiver and he has set his XBMC to digital. That is clearly incorrect as in that case XBMC has to be set to analogue to reflect his real configuration
Going back to the problem you might have, which truly is unclear because other than trying to having rants at me, you do not provide information on your set up or settings
To understand what problem you have you should describe your home theater capabilities (does it support Dolby Digital or not, has it got Dolby Pro Logic or not) and state how you connect to it (toslink or audio jack) then maybe you can start solving your issues otherwise you will just be unhappy on your own
nnel
interceptor121 Wrote:To understand what problem you have you should describe your home theater capabilities (does it support Dolby Digital or not, has it got Dolby Pro Logic or not) and state how you connect to it (toslink or audio jack) then maybe you can start solving your issues otherwise you will just be unhappy on your own
nnel
Oh I have tried, and got the same type of egotistical responses as yours, which is why I use this forum very little. It's always "oh this couldn't possibly be XBMC's fault", but in answer to your quip, I use a Sony Dreamsystem which decodes in both Dolby Pro Logic and DTS, I usually leave it on AFD. I use Digital audio (toslink) from the computer to the home theatre and the speaker connections are built into the Dreamsystem so there is no separate amp as an intermediary.
The same problem exists on both AAC and AC3. While XMBC is on Digital audio, I have no sound. While its on Analog mixdown, I have backgound music only. And as stated, both Quicktime and VLC play these files without difficulties.
AAC cannot be passed through tos link VLC and quicktime downmix it to two channels too as toslink cannot handle 6 discrete channels
XBMC has a problem with AAC with SBR or PR to make it work you need to set downmixing on prior to playing the file in the settings
XBMC should pass AC3 fine if you set pass through on
You do not tell how you have set your XBMC so I do not know if that is the case or not but looking at your decoder you should set AC3 and DTS capable receiver to ON in the settings and that should do the job
You really have a poor attitude by the way I should just let you fry in your soup as my XBMC plays fine all those files, guess what I have a MAC and an AppleTv and works with both
So long
interceptor121 Wrote:You really have a poor attitude by the way I should just let you fry in your soup as my XBMC plays fine all those files, guess what I have a MAC and an AppleTv and works with both
So long
Yes, people often develop a poor attitude when spoken to in a condescending manner, by those with elitist attitudes. And there's plenty to go around on this site.
And thank you for the redundant "Well it works for me, so it can't possibly be XBMC". I expected nothing more.
So long.
Guys, thanks for your replies, i set my Audio Output to Analog and it makes no nevermind,
I guess the real issue is whether on analog or digital, AAC 5.1 plays fine from any of my macs but once i turn dowmixing on the levels are screwed voices get really quiet and explosions etc. really load
On the other hand whether on analog or digital, AC3 5.1 only gives me background sounds from any of my macs but once i turn dowmixing on the levels are fine and it plays correctly
is there a way of only downmixing only AC3 and leaving my AAC files as they are??
Do you have a dolby digital receiver or not?
nope only connected by a standard 3.5mm Audio Cable, i was wondering if there was a way of using the advancedsettings.xml (or another method) to tell XBMC which codecs to downmix and which to "ignore"
You only have two channels whichever multichannel audio you will play will need to be downmixed
the mac should not even give you the option of choosing a digital output if you have an analogue jack
what happens when you select analogue in the settings?
AAC 5.1 plays fine un-downmixed
thats not the issue it makes no difference whether its set on analog or digital it sounds the same
when downmixing is on the levels are are terrible on AAC 5.1 films you can hardly hear whats being said but sounds effects are too loud, but its the only way i can watch AC3 films
what im really after is a way of selectively telling XBMC which codecs to downmix so it doesn't downmix all 5.1 sources
Yo do not seem to understand. You only have two channels whatever you play will be downmixed anyway otherwise you would only hear two out of 6 channels and definitely miss the dialogs that are in the center channel.
I have exactly the same set up on a Macbook connected with a 3.5 Jack to an LCD monitor and with video through mini DVI. It is set to analogue and play everything fine.
You do not have 6 speakers so you have to mix the 6 channels into 2 that is what XBMC does. However there could be problems in the downmixing routine within XBMC because it applies weights to the various channels when downmixing.
For example if the weight applied to the center channels is too low you will not hear it properly. This was a known issue with XBMC prior to build 27856 with AAC content
What XBMC version are you using? It is likely that the issue in XBMC is with AAC not with AC3 and you are looking for a solution in the wrong place