Default to 5.1 audio track?

New to Media Portal, long time WMC user. I've been converting all my DVDs to m4v using basically Handbrake's AppleTV 2 preset. This creates an AAC Dolby ProLogic II track as #1, and AC3 passthrough as #2. (So they play on the iPad as well as HDTV)

When I play these video files from within MP 1.2.2, they (perhaps, understandably) play the first audio track (PL2 stereo). I can switch the audio "Language" within MP each time to #2 and it plays surround sound as expected. However, this is not something I want to teach my wife.

Is there a way to configure it to play AC3 surround sound by default if it exists?

I've messed with codecs, LAV, SAF, all sorts of things without much change in behavior, but I'm only vaguely familiar with these settings.

My HTPC uses SPDIF out to an older Sony 5.1 reciever. And like I said, I can get it to play surround, it just doesn't default to it.

Thanks for any advice!

Did you figure out a solution for this? I have the same issue. . .

This can be set in MP Config: go to the Audio Settings tab of the TV Client and activate "Prefer AC3-Sound"

However, this setting also forces AC3 when better sound is available. For example DVD's will also play as AC3 instead of DTS and you will nedd to activate the latter manually.

Regards, HTPC_Sourcer