HDMI Multi Channel Audio
#1
Hi,

Im running XBMC Nightly on a Lenovo Thinkcentre.

I have the builtin audio card that supports multichannel, and I have a PCIe nVidia G210 with HDMI card.

All is working great except for the fact I only get 2 Channel sound.

I have looked in the playback devices on windows, and the HDMI port is stating it has 2ch Max support.

I am also running the nVidia drivers (not the microsoft ones).

I simply just want to get audio passthrough on my HDMI lead so it can hand of to my AVR.

If there is no real easy solution, what do I have to buy to fix it? Is it the audio card that determines what my HDMI can do or is the video card itself? I don't mind having to buy something, but I just want to make sure it solves my problem.
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#2
Hi,

There's not much to go on in your post, but here's a quick check list,

*- Ensure that your AVR is DTS/AC3 compatible.

*- Ensure that your nvidia hdmi is connected directly to your AVR via the hdmi cable, then another hdmi cable from your AVR to your TV.

*- Ensure you have the latest nvidia drivers installed.

*- Ensure you have selected nvidia hdmi as your default device.

*- Check that nvidia hdmi audio is configured to a stereo (2ch) setup in the Windows 7 audio/speaker settings.

*- Configure the nvidia audio device to "disable all enhancements" and enable "exclusive mode" and "priority". (in the windows sound settings)

*- Ensure you have selected HDMI as your output in the video/audio settings in xbmcs menu.

*- Ensure in xbmc video/audio settings you have checked "DTS/AC3 capable receiver"

*- Ensure you have set default sound device to WASAPI Nvidia HDMI audio.

*- Play a DTS enabled movie

If you can try those options first, and then let us know how it goes, at least we have been able to rule of the basics and can then delve deeper into what the issue may be.

Hope that helps,
Talk soon,
Pat~
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#3
All those have been checked and double checked.

Just so everyone knows, I am a computer technician so all the normal running thru settings and hooking up correctly everything, has all been checked.

As I stated before, the issues is that the HDMI Sound settings in Windows is not allowing Multichannel. It states it has only 2 channels supported and therefore no option to setup multi.

The onboard sound thou has got multi but I don't have the option nor the connections to run an individual cable for each speaker.

What I am wondering is what would be the cause of it?

Is it a limitation of the G210 card and buying a newer one would fix it?
Does the HDMI get its settings from the Sound card and therefore buying a decent soundcard would fix it?
Could it be a driver of some sort? i.e I have all default windows drivers except for the sound card which I used the onese from lenovo and the video card uses the nvidia drivers. Does things like chipset drivers etc affect this in anyway?

I am more than willing to spend some money on it if need be, but of course unless I know the cause of the problem I would be only shooting in the dark when buying parts to fix it.
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#4
If your AVR can playback DTS-HD and TrueHD, I'm suggesting this $29 GPU "XFX HD-645X-ZQH2 Radeon HD 6450 1GB 64-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card". You'll enjoy all the latest BD technologies (3D, DTS-HD, TrueHD, etc) with this low cost GPU. Here is more information on it- AMD Radeon™ HD 6450 Graphics. With HD6450, you can simply connect your system this way"HTPC>AVR>HDTV via two HDMI cables". You'll have the best audio and video.
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
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#5
So are you saying it is a limitation of the card?

And is the card you reccomend, a) Low Profile b) backward compatible with DTS and Standard 5.1?

Reason for b is that my AVR is an older unit and doesn't have all the new Bluray features, but am planning on upgrading it in time.
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#6
If you still want to give your 210 one last try, you can try these:

1. Make sure that your connect your system this way- HTPC>AVR>HDTV via two HDMI cables.
2. Make sure that your 210 driver is updated from here: NVIDIA Driver Downloads
3. Install audio codecs from here: High Definition Audio Codecs
4. Select HDMI output in both w7 control panel and XBMC, configure the proper channel for your surround sound system.
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#7
eangulus2 Wrote:So are you saying it is a limitation of the card?

And is the card you reccomend, a) Low Profile b) backward compatible with DTS and Standard 5.1?

Reason for b is that my AVR is an older unit and doesn't have all the new Bluray features, but am planning on upgrading it in time.
Yes, HD6450 is low profile and it supports all type of audio codecs. But you can give your 210 as I suggested in post #6 one last try.
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#8
OK tried out the Realtek HD stuff and no go.

Incase (but I doubt) it might mean something:

Set HDMI and 5.1 in XBMC navigation sounds work.
Video only Anologe (over HDMI) works in stereo but no sound from HDMI or Optical settings.

If I set XBMC to 2ch then I get 2ch video sound when set to HDMI.

It seams to me from the combinations that work and the ones that error out, are that I am not getting digital sound over the HDMI. I am getting an anologe channel only (hence no digital means no multichannel).

In regards to the suggested card, does it handle its own sound (independent of a sound card)? Reason is I don't want to buy one and then find out it makes no difference.
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#9
eangulus2 Wrote:OK tried out the Realtek HD stuff and no go.

Incase (but I doubt) it might mean something:

Set HDMI and 5.1 in XBMC navigation sounds work.
Video only Anologe (over HDMI) works in stereo but no sound from HDMI or Optical settings.

If I set XBMC to 2ch then I get 2ch video sound when set to HDMI.

It seams to me from the combinations that work and the ones that error out, are that I am not getting digital sound over the HDMI. I am getting an anologe channel only (hence no digital means no multichannel).

In regards to the suggested card, does it handle its own sound (independent of a sound card)? Reason is I don't want to buy one and then find out it makes no difference.
Yes, HD6450 GPU supports all audio codecs in your list and it'll pass-through to a capable AVR to decode.

Please make sure that you configured your 210 as shown below:

In Windows 7 control panel (in your HTPC, it'll be Nvidia HDMI)-
Image

In XBMC-
Image

If it still doesn't work, you might want to order HD6450. Good Luck!
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#10
Thats what I am trying to say here.

What you have in your screens is what I don't have and am trying to get.

Yours says Supported Channels: 8

Mine is 2

No DTS options or the like.

Seeing I am in Australia: this here is the closest to that card I can find with my suppliers (disregard price its wnot what I pay for it).

http://www.altech.com.au/productinfo.aspx?id=35169

The other one I am looking at is: http://www.msi.com/product/vga/N210-MD1G...v=Overview

because it specifically states it has 7.1 audio over HDMI.

What do you guys think?

Also if anyone wants to I can give someone VNC access to the pc as it isn't setup yet (not till I get it 100% working).
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#11
Is your system connected this way- HTPC to AVR via HDMI cable and AVR to HDTV via another HDMI cable?
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#12
If anyone want to take a look and check my settings and drivers please go right ahead. Will leave VNC running for the rest of today.

VNC

Address: eangulus.homeip.net
Port: 6000
Pass: xbmc
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#13
No.

It is HTPC to Samsung TV which then hands over audio on Optical to AVR.

I have no HDMI on my AVR (it is getting old).

I have had a bluray player connected and various other devices in the same setup and all have passed thru the audio.
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#14
eangulus2 Wrote:No.

It is HTPC to Samsung TV which then hands over audio on Optical to AVR.
That is the problem, because some HDTV allow only 2ch output over optical. I thought all along you connected your HTPC directly to AVR via HDMI cable. It's not going to make any different with HD6450 then.

You might want to consider updating AVR instead. The 2.1 system in my signature below will decode all the latest hd audio and everything else.
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#15
How can that be the problem?

I have a Samsung 55" Series 7 Smart TV

I have had DVD and Bluray Players and other computers, hooked up in the same way.

That is HDMI to TV and Optical to AVR.

There is a setting in the tv to send all sound to the optical which is what it has set for everything.

And everything else can play and passthru multichannel.
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