5.1 audio through SPDIF

danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
edited July 2005 in Hardware
Ok, how do I get 5.1 audio through the SPDIF? I connected my computer to my JVC surround system, sound will only come through the front left/right and center + bass, but no sound from the rears.

This is the KD7-RAID with onboard AC97 sound.

I have the speakers in windows set as 5.1 surround, and the VIA sound control panel as well.

Comments

  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited July 2005
    --bump--

    Anyone know how to do this?
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    what are you trying to play? If the codec doesn't (up?) mix from 2.1 to 5.1, you'll only hear 2.1 when you play music or some such. Try playing a dvd or something, but remember, there shouldn't ALWAYS be sound coming from the surrounds.
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited July 2005
    Well, MatrixMixer and AC3 Control Panel also have it set to 5.1 audio.

    I am playing general stereo videos.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    If you've got it set up via SPDIF then the only time you will get anything other than basic stereo is if you are playing a DVD or something and the DVD software is set to "SPDIF-Passthrough".

    It isn't possible to get anything other than Stereo in games or anything else, only things that use SPDIF Passthrough. Doesn't matter what you have anything set to.

    The ONLY time it is possible to get more than 1 channels through SPDIF (excluding passthrough mode) is on an nForce Soundstorm or XBox which take the computers internal audio channels in things such as games or whatever, encode them then send them out through the SPDIF connection (so basically they make it work the same way as passthrough would work).
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited July 2005
    Well, I thought it was a good idea to do to begin with. However, the sound is nice and clear compared to the Cambridge stereo speakers that I have.
  • entropyentropy Yah-Der-Hey (Wisconsin)
    edited July 2005
    Yeah. You can't get more than the normal channels through the coax unless it's meant for it.

    However, with my Z-5500s and M-Audio Revo 5.1, I can set it to duplicate L/R to rear L/R via analog cables. Works b-e-a-utifully.

    I'm having trouble playing some DTS Pink Floyd through the coax, though. Movies are fine, but this is being a wench.
    Enverex wrote:
    The ONLY time it is possible to get more than 1 channels through SPDIF (excluding passthrough mode) is on an nForce Soundstorm or XBox which take the computers internal audio channels in things such as games or whatever, encode them then send them out through the SPDIF connection (so basically they make it work the same way as passthrough would work).
    I don't know why more audio manufacturers never followed this amazing idea. I'd love it, and would use it all the time :(

    [on a completely unrelated note... I love this storm. HUGE bolts of lightning, and bone-rattling thunder. Think I may lose power soon...:D]
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    Yeah, I agree. Only my previous system it was 5.1 but didn't have more than stereo analog inputs, so I could never get more than 2.0 on anything other than DVDs. Luckily I'm using the Gigaworks 750 now and that has Analogue inputs too.
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited July 2005
    Well, it seems audio is now playing through all the channels. Just played a music CD and a stereo DVD, and all channels have sound.

    Now what I mainly want to know is why that on the HRTF Demo and the speaker test in the AC97 Control panel no sound comes out the Center, Left and Right Rear surrounds. SPDIF Digital+Analog is enabled.
  • entropyentropy Yah-Der-Hey (Wisconsin)
    edited July 2005
    How'd you manage to pull sound through all speakers using the coax? I can only do it if it's DD or DTS for DVDs, or DTS audio CDs.
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited July 2005
    It isn't coax. It is a fiber optic cable. Also, I was using a digital coax cable (Monster Cable) from my JVC DVD player to my JVC surround system, and got all channels of audio. A good question is why don't you guys seem to know that SPDIF is fiber optic?

    Oh, and my JVC surround system automatically switches between Linear PCM, Dolby Digital and DTS, and displays which speakers are active which is detected from the incoming audio stream. I also have it set to all channel stereo, initially no audio had been coming through the rear speakers, but it is now.
  • entropyentropy Yah-Der-Hey (Wisconsin)
    edited July 2005
    S/PDIF refers to a digital stream, which can be either coaxial OR optical. I think. I just assumed coax.

    Actually, I think S/PDIF is the communication system is uses. I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with which kind of cable.
    mixguides.com wrote:
    Acronym for Sony/Philips Digital Interface, a "consumer" digital interface using either fiber-optic or coaxial (RCA) connections that allow the transfer of digital audio data from one device to another.
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