• Anyone have any luck doing this?  Is there a program that would allow me to decode TrueHD and output it via 7.1 analogue without downsampling? Does the new version of PowerDVD ultra still downsample audio if it's not over hdmi? Here are the details of my soundcard: auzentech xplosion 7.1:  Full-duplex 8CH 24bit/96kHz DAC / 2CH 16bit/48kHz ADC Wikipedia:  TrueHD is capable of: sample depths up to 24 bits/sample and audio sample rates up to 192 kHz are supported. What I would like to do is let TrueHD get decoded via software straight to analogue, but I don't want to lose significant quality... HDDVD and bluray specs from wikipedia: For both HD DVD and Blu-ray, TrueHD's capabilities are the same: the program may carry up to 8 discrete audio channels, at a sample depth and rate of 24-bit/96 kHz (Blu-Ray Disc format specification allows also for encoding up to 6 channels at 192 kHz). A few online state PowerDVD 8 ultra will output the analog channels to the soundcard without downsampling....   so does this mean I am getting the same as trueHD quality, but with a little added white noise from analog cabeling and the soundcard (atleast for HD DVDs that are limtied to 96kHz)?  Is this what everyone else is doing until HDMI 1.3 soundcards are out?

Arcsoft will do it as well. Analog is decoded by the software player & processed by your sound card, and then output through the analog channels. And yes, going analog 7.1 channels is technically identical in quality as using HDMI to get TrueHD or DTS Master Audio...the only difference there is that your RECEIVER does the decoding, instead of the soundcard & software.

If you're using good quality cables with a quality amplifier, the quality should be great.

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Mike Garcen
TGB Moderator | MissingRemote Editor/Reviewer| Microsoft MVP - Media Center
My MCE Setup

Thanks for the reply :-)  It does sound great except that my current reciever only has 6 channel analog inputs right now and I'm not sure if powerdvd is sending the full analog signal as I have an OEM version that says 2 channel...  I wish there was a test hd dvd or blu ray disc for checking sound quality, any thoughts?

Do most hd dvd's and blu ray discs use TrueHD with 7.1?  I don't think any of the HD DVD movies I have say TrueHD on the back...  only dolby digital?

Check out this site for Movie Information: http://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php

Without a receiver that will display the kHz, i have no idea how you can tell...but i have heard that the OEM version of PowerDVD is crippled (Matt over at MissingRemote.com knows a TON more about it)...so maybe the OEM does?

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Mike Garcen
TGB Moderator | MissingRemote Editor/Reviewer| Microsoft MVP - Media Center
My MCE Setup

Hi shadymg,

I would bet any good reciever taking in a digital signal could display the sample rate as you state.  However, this is an analog signal that has been made from a digital representation (ie using a process called digital to analog conversion aka DAC).

What you would theoretically see if you could view the signal would be a sample of an analog single taken at 192kHz (1/192000 of a second) that is dividend into 2^24 pieces, making a new stepped (total of 2^24 possible steps) version of the original analog waveform.  If this waveform is only an 8 bit and sampled at 44.1kHz, I think you have a chance at seeing these steps as this leaves only 256 possible steps horizontally.  However with 2^24 even if you could view it on the best digital oscilloscope, I'm not sure if you could see the little steps.

More practically, I am thinking there would be a program that acts as a virtual soundcard that would allow you to view the waveforms that powerdvd sends it or atleast view the sample rate (192kHz) and number of steps (ie 24 bits = 2^24 possible steps) per channel by analyzing the decoded output from powerdvd.  Anyone have any thoughts on this?  I think such a virtual soundcard would be fun to play around with...

etc6849:

Thanks for the reply :-)  It does sound great except that my current reciever only has 6 channel analog inputs right now and I'm not sure if powerdvd is sending the full analog signal as I have an OEM version that says 2 channel... 

The OEM version will only output 2 channel analog.  It will output digital via S/PDIF for discs that have a DD or DTS track, but none of that is HD Audio.  I have both S/PDIF and 6-channel analog hooked up to my receiver and uncompressed HD audio is pretty amazing even on my low-end audio at 5.1.

PowerDVD 7 & 8 and Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre (and WinDVD 9) will display the playback information - video format and bitrate, audio format and bitrate (though not the sampling rate).  So, at least you know which Audio format is being used.  (come to think of it, there's a lot of info in the "settings" or "configuration" menus, but I've never noticed if it has any specific audio information...)

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Ok, I want to know too if its possible for a PC soundcard to connect to an old but good receiver with 5.1 discrete analogue audio. I tried to look at the pictures of the rear of PC soundcards to determine if they have 6 discrete analogue audio outputs, which NONE have, in the lower price range. They all seem to have 3 instead of 6: fronts combined and rears combined etc. So I can not imagine that this is going to work...unless a spit cable from 2.5" jack to 2 3.5" jacks makes it possible to send out audio signals separately... Anyone tried out yet? I did not try with my simple on-board HD-audio codecs (Dell Dimension E520)

Hi DingieM,

Yes, you will need a simple stereo headphone to stereo RCA cable.  You only see 3 jacks because each jack has two independent channels (just like stereo headphones do).

So far, I have tried the OEM PDVD, Nero Showtime and ArcSoft Total Media Theatre.  My favorite is Arcsoft TMT as PDVD licensing seems expensive.  Nero didn't seem to support most of the pop up menus on some HD DVD's even after I updated it.

 

DingieM:

Ok, I want to know too if its possible for a PC soundcard to connect to an old but good receiver with 5.1 discrete analogue audio. I tried to look at the pictures of the rear of PC soundcards to determine if they have 6 discrete analogue audio outputs, which NONE have, in the lower price range. They all seem to have 3 instead of 6: fronts combined and rears combined etc. So I can not imagine that this is going to work...unless a spit cable from 2.5" jack to 2 3.5" jacks makes it possible to send out audio signals separately... Anyone tried out yet? I did not try with my simple on-board HD-audio codecs (Dell Dimension E520)

Wow thanks etc6849! Guess first thing is going to try out with MCE 2005 and normal DD or DTS tracks... I do not have any of those DVD software players you mention...

Do I need this adapter (its Dutch, but look at the picture of the adapter): http://shop.conrad.nl/Audio,044_TV,044_video_,038_satelliet_apparatuur/Audio_apparatuur/Audio,044_video_kabels/Jack_plug_adapters/300000.html

Or better these? http://shop.conrad.nl/Audio,044_TV,044_video_,038_satelliet_apparatuur/Audio_apparatuur/Audio,044_video_kabels/Cinch_jack_plug_kabels/330092.html

Yes, this is exactly what I use in the US.

DingieM:

Or better these? http://shop.conrad.nl/Audio,044_TV,044_video_,038_satelliet_apparatuur/Audio_apparatuur/Audio,044_video_kabels/Cinch_jack_plug_kabels/330092.html

Yesterday I did a quick test. Connected one of 3 combined analogue outputs on my Dell Dimension E520 (running MCE 2005 service pack 3) to the Front R+L discrete input on my SA-AX7 receiver. It appears that current drivers in the Dell put mixed signal through all 3 analogue outputs, no clearly separated audio paths. Demo version of latest Arcsoft TMT did try to separate the audio signals but it sounded scrambled/broken and audio paths were not correctly separated... I tested with Behind enemy Lines DTS audio. Now can I expect from a separate expensive PC audio card that this audio channeling will work correctlly?

Did you download the latest drivers from dell?  I'm not sure what "mixed" signal means.  On mine, it is very clear that the voice dialogue is coming from the center (on most tracks) and rear speakers have effects, however I had some problems initially too.

When I first hooked my system up, I had to swap the center and subwoofer outputs going into the receiver.  Before I did this, it sounded pretty messed up.  This is a common problem and your soundcard settings should also enable you to swap the center and sub outputs.

I ended up swapping mine at the back of the reciever though since there is a driver issue with my card that messes up this swapping capability through the driver (I have the auzentech xplosion). 

I am betting your problem is settings.  Remember to also set media center's audio settings, in addition to your soundcards to 5.1 analog.

DingieM:

Yesterday I did a quick test. Connected one of 3 combined analogue outputs on my Dell Dimension E520 (running MCE 2005 service pack 3) to the Front R+L discrete input on my SA-AX7 receiver. It appears that current drivers in the Dell put mixed signal through all 3 analogue outputs, no clearly separated audio paths. Demo version of latest Arcsoft TMT did try to separate the audio signals but it sounded scrambled/broken and audio paths were not correctly separated... I tested with Behind enemy Lines DTS audio. Now can I expect from a separate expensive PC audio card that this audio channeling will work correctlly?

The latest driver Dell showed me originated from 2006 and I had already installed it. Current driver is Sigmatel 5.10.0.4991 A07

I suspect now I also miss more advanced audio settings panel because I can not tell the system which audio goes through which output channel.

Are there separate audio settings panels to be downloaded?
I did not check MCE audio settings, but if they just use the drivers as they should than it is a driver problem...

Should I get this driver for my Dell Dimension E520? http://sigmatel-audio.software.informer.com/