5.1 flac problem (1 Viewer)

[lsf3og]

After having searched and read quite a bit and not having found a definitive answer i t hought it would be time to ask my question:

Is it possible to play 5.1 flacs with bass engine and output them via optical cable and get more than stereo in the Receiver?I have a Pioneer VSX-922 and it only plays these files in stereo. I tried messing with some of the settings but didn't get it to work. The strange thing is that normally i cannot control the volume of video with more than stereo output because it is bitstreamed (volume changes are only possible on the receiver). In audio files, doesn't matter whether stereo or 5.1 and videos with stereo sound i can change the volume in Mediaportal.

I hope you get the problem. Thanks for help in advance.

 

[synthdood]

I use the Pure Audio plugin for that. (Bit perfect pass through to the receiver). Only thing to remember is that you do need and audio card (preferably with ASIO support) that allows for real pass through. Unfortunately many consumer sound cards internally re-sample everything to 48KHz and this breaks DTS or hi-res streams. You want the card to pass everything untouched to the receiver.

I have had lots of problems with on-board audiochips. I managed to get a working situation with MP1.2.3 and Asio4All on Windows XP but never on Windows-7. In the end I bought an M-Audio Audiophile 24/192 and that works like a dream. I can now play anything that the receiver can decode: 5.1 DTS, 16bit, 24 bit, 44.1/48/88.2/96/176/192KHz. HiFi bliss!

 

[lsf3og]

Thanks for your very detailed answer.
I had the same card once for music production. I'll try without it and perhaps i'll get a new one.

 

[hwahrmann]

TRy to use the build with the BASS Player rework available from Area51:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/music-player-rework.112530/

this should solve your issue

 

[jameson_uk]

The only things you can output over S/PDIF (optical) are stereo or a DD/DTS bitstream.
Your only option here is to either downmix to stereo or convert to a DD/DTS bitstream and output that way (which I do not believe you can achieve using BASS)

 

[lsf3og]

Thanks for your tips. Quite a bunch of opinions here. I'm a little confused about who might be right.

 

[jameson_uk]

Thanks for your tips. Quite a bunch of opinions here. I'm a little confused about who might be right.

I think others have missed the fact you are using s/pdif and assumed you were using HDMI or analogue.

 

[Scythe42]

With SPDIF it is not possible to output 5.1 uncompressed channels. It can only handle up two two uncompressed channels (read stereo).

When decoding FLAC you get 5.1 (or more). uncompressed channels. You cannot send this to a receiver over SPDIF.

Option here is to encode it to AC3 (read DD) and then bitstream it to your receiver OR downmix it to stereo.

All that is one of the major reasons why most people use HDMI and not SPDIF anymore. It is not only for convenience of just one cable but to decode 5.1 (or more) channels on the HTPC and/or bitsteam HD audio codecs, which are also lossless (that's actually the HD in them).

Not going into bitperfect playback here... As mentioned depends a bit on your sound chip/sound card in your machine.

 

[lsf3og]

Thanks for the explanation. Hdmi isn't really an option due to the problems with Win7 and the unnerving Hdmi pin 19 (or is it 17). Does what I want work with coaxial out (it seems so, regarding the synthdood's reply)?

 

[jameson_uk]

Does what I want work with coaxial out (it seems so, regarding the synthdood's reply)?

Coax and optical are both the same connection (s/pdif) so no difference