Operating System Can't engage pro logic when windows is set to 5.1 via hdmi (2 Viewers)

[Josh Welcher]

I just stumbled upon this by searching for a fix to the same exact issue with a Pioneer Receiver. Did you ever find a solution?

 

[allanp81]

Nope. In the end I set up autohotkey to switch to 5.1 speakers when launching steam and then switching back to 2 speakers after steam quits, works really well.

 

[mm1352000]

If the problem is that you want to enable surround processing on the amp/receiver for stereo music output by MP, I suggest to try using WASAPI to enable bitstreaming. It's similar to what you'd do with LAV for videos:
Music Configuration - MediaPortal 1 - MediaPortal Wiki

This isn't something I'd recommend because I'm personally not a fan of upmixing / virtual surround sound technologies. However I recognise people have different preferences.

 

[allanp81]

It's more a general issue for watching video as well. I'd like to leave my speakers set as 5.1 within Windows but it means then that watching TV I'm stuck with just stereo, it won't let me engage Pro Logic or Neo Cinema on my amp.

 

[mm1352000]

It's more a general issue for watching video as well.

Without log files (a bit frustrating ) I have to guess that's either because:

1. You haven't enabled bitstreaming in the audio codec settings for whichever audio codec you've chosen to use for video playback, AND/OR...
2. The audio format for the particular videos you're referring to is stereo (ie. 2 channel) and doesn't support bit-streaming, AND/OR...
   
3. The audio format for the particular videos you're referring to is surround but there is no audio in the surround channels (ie. the audio is actually stereo in surround packaging).

If the issue is (1), you can fix it by changing the audio codec's configuration or choosing to use a different audio codec.
If the issue is (2), the only ways I'm aware of to get 5.1 audio to the receiver are:

1. Set Windows speaker config to stereo and enable upmixing/virtual-surround on the receiver, OR...
2. Upmix the audio to surround on the PC.

It's the sort of problem that can be solved, but requires careful and logical thought.

 

[allanp81]

The audio format will vary. Bluray/DVD rips will generally always be Dolby Digital or DTS and these bitstream fine. TV in the UK is generally mpeg 2 I think and stereo (this is via freeview/DVB-T).

I set my speakers in Windows as 2.0, meaning TV will output in stereo but I can then enable pro logic on my amp. Blurays etc. will bitstream so I get full 5.1.

 

[mm1352000]

Everything you're describing is 100% normal and expected.

Unless you do something out of the ordinary, if you set the Windows speaker config to 5.1/surround and then try to play any video or audio that doesn't have surround audio and cannot be bitstreamed, the amp will receive surround audio where 2 channels contain audio and the other 4 (if 5.1 surround) or 6 (if 7.1 surround) contain silence. The receiver is dumb. It doesn't/can't apply pro-logic to such streams because it thinks it's already receiving surround audio and doesn't realise that it's actually stereo with 4 or 6 silent channels.

If you want to solve this expect that:

1. You'll possibly need to apply upmixing (ie. pro logic or whatever) on your PC.
2. You'll need to provide log files so we can see the full technical details of the exact scenario you're dealing with.
3. You'll need to provide screenshots of your audio codec (eg. LAV) settings.

 

[allanp81]

To be honest, my reply earlier explained how I'd got around the issue. I was merely replying Josh Welcher's question.

Thanks for your suggestions though, I'll reinvestigate at some point in the future.

 

[joecrow]

I was faced with the same issue and although I personally prefer to play stereo music in stereo, the other half thought " Multi Channel Stero"(what my AVR calls upmixed setereo) was best and I have to confess it does make stereo TV and vids sound much better. So with 5.1 set in Windows and bitstreaming selected for DTS etc (for real 5.1) I was able to get my AVR to output stereo on all 5 speakers by enabling upmixing in LAV audio settings, see attached screenshot.
From memory this works both with or without the MPAR (I'm no longer using MPAR for other reasons).

 

[allanp81]

Thanks joecrow, I'll give it a go this evening then and see what happens.