SPDIF and analog stereo at the same time (1 Viewer)

[Horscht1985]

Hello,

I found a program that solves the problem. It's called "Virtual Audio Cable".
It creates an additional audio device called virtual cable. You set that one as default playback device. Then you can use the program Reapeter and forward the signal two both real audio-devices by starting the program twice. You have to set the buffer to 50 or 100ms to get video and audio in sync. Give it a try.

If it works you can start both instances of repeater by commandline and call a script when the system boots. Worked in my case here, only sad that you have to buy it but still good to know there's a solution.

Greetings
Horscht1985

 

[putkonen]

With my previous setup, mobo with SoundMax chip and XP, any PCM sound sent to analog outputs was automatically sent also to SPDIF.

However, my new setup has Realtek chip and Vista, and now I have to explicitly select on MP Config which audio output I want to use. Has somebody found already a simple solution how to "route" the sound simultaneously to both output devices? I installed virtual audio cable but it seemed very complex and quite expensive solution.

 

[solstars]

This was also an issue for me. My Yamaha receiver has no audio chain between analog and digital. Since it is a great amp (and would be pretty expensive to replace) I really didn't want to replace it. I know that someday I will, and that receiver will certainly have downmix capability for AC3. It didn't help that my 65" TV has no digital audio input! I looked all over for DAC units ($$$) and couldn't figure out a way to fix this.

This left me with no audio from my MP PC to feed my TV (big problem), and the amplifier had to be turned up to hear anything from the media server. Here's how I solved the problem.

I found an old Sony amplifier that I had lying around the house. Anything with a 5.1 decoder will work, and you can pick up used receivers for $50.00 or less at the pawn shop and Ebay. Quality is unimportant since we're going to analog anyways. I simply ran my passthrough from my SPDIF output on my MP PC to my input on my Yamaha (main amplifier). Then patched another digital connection from the Yamaha digital output to the Sony (secondary receiver). I then connected my TV audio input to the headphone jack on the Sony and slowly brought up the volume on the Sony until it was the correct level. Now the Sony is a FREE DAC with outstanding quality, certainly much more than necessary for simple analog conversion. Since I'm only feeding the TV speakers, the quality was really a non-issue.

The Sony now sits behind my equipment cabinet and runs on a switehc outloet from my main amplifier. I realize that this is not the optimal configuration, but this is just to get me by until I replace my receiver at a later date. So far, it has worked perfectly. I hope that this tip may help others on this forum.

 

[rtv]

This was also an issue for me. My Yamaha receiver has no audio chain between analog and digital. Since it is a great amp (and would be pretty expensive to replace) I really didn't want to replace it. I know that someday I will, and that receiver will certainly have downmix capability for AC3. It didn't help that my 65" TV has no digital audio input! I looked all over for DAC units ($$$) and couldn't figure out a way to fix this.

This left me with no audio from my MP PC to feed my TV (big problem), and the amplifier had to be turned up to hear anything from the media server. Here's how I solved the problem.

I found an old Sony amplifier that I had lying around the house. Anything with a 5.1 decoder will work, and you can pick up used receivers for $50.00 or less at the pawn shop and Ebay. Quality is unimportant since we're going to analog anyways. I simply ran my passthrough from my SPDIF output on my MP PC to my input on my Yamaha (main amplifier). Then patched another digital connection from the Yamaha digital output to the Sony (secondary receiver). I then connected my TV audio input to the headphone jack on the Sony and slowly brought up the volume on the Sony until it was the correct level. Now the Sony is a FREE DAC with outstanding quality, certainly much more than necessary for simple analog conversion. Since I'm only feeding the TV speakers, the quality was really a non-issue.

The Sony now sits behind my equipment cabinet and runs on a switehc outloet from my main amplifier. I realize that this is not the optimal configuration, but this is just to get me by until I replace my receiver at a later date. So far, it has worked perfectly. I hope that this tip may help others on this forum.

So you're running 2 AVRs with an idle power consumption of at least 60 Watts just because your Realtek driver misses the checkmark not to disable the output if headphones are plugged in (which would provide your analog signal)?
I guess this is something you wouldn't do "over here"

 

[solstars]

The Sony now sits behind my equipment cabinet and runs on a switehc outloet from my main amplifier. I realize that this is not the optimal configuration, but this is just to get me by until I replace my receiver at a later date. So far, it has worked perfectly. I hope that this tip may help others on this forum.

So you're running 2 AVRs with an idle power consumption of at least 60 Watts just because your Realtek driver misses the checkmark not to disable the output if headphones are plugged in (which would provide your analog signal)?
I guess this is something you wouldn't do "over here"

Actually, I'm running one AVR while watching the media server (the Sony), and two (Sony and Yamaha) only when playing movies with AC3. My main amplifier is powered off by my Harmony when I switch to TV mode, and since my passthrough works on this amp while it's off, it works peachy. My primary amp is running on a switched output of the secondary, so when I hit the "Power" button on the Harmony, it only has to turn off that secondary to power down all of my equipment. This way everything is off if my TV is off (except my server - which hopefully is in standby).

I don't understand your second comment. A checkbox in the driver is not going to make the sound card capable of decoding AC3 passthrough off of the SPDIF port. If your audio card is outputting both AC3 on SPDIF and the headphone jack at the same time, many here would beg you to tell how. After all, that's the whole point of this thread! If there is a card that will do it, I'm all ears. Mine will only do that if the encoder is running PCM audio.

In the end, this is just my temporary way of solving it. It certainly won't be a good solution for everyone and is by no means long-term. I posted it here just as an idea for others who may be in a similar situation. I certainly would not recommend this to anyone who is concerned by the power usage. My ultimate solution will be to replace my amp with one that has integrated downmixing.

 

[putkonen]

I found a program that solves the problem. It's called "Virtual Audio Cable".
It creates an additional audio device called virtual cable. You set that one as default playback device. Then you can use the program Reapeter and forward the signal two both real audio-devices by starting the program twice. You have to set the buffer to 50 or 100ms to get video and audio in sync. Give it a try.

If it works you can start both instances of repeater by commandline and call a script when the system boots. Worked in my case here, only sad that you have to buy it but still good to know there's a solution.

I gave it a try. Sound was replicated to both SPDIF and analog outputs, but terrible tearing appeared on the video.

I installed also kernel streaming version of repeater, but it gave three error dialogs when I started it.

Are you still using VAC happily?

 

[Cruzer]

Just want to try and keep this thread alive. Seems like it should be doable. Like others have stated, I get PCM audio out both spdif and analog, but dts and AC3 only on spdif.

 

[netexplorer]

Hello,
i have created a small script, witch switch between passthrough and downmix with AC3Filter. I start it with my remote as explained there. It's only in german, but i can translate it for you later.
Netexplorer.

 

[netexplorer]

Hello again,
now i want to explain how Soundswitch works:
I use AC3Filter for audio decoding so the example is for AC3Filter, but you can use every codec which store the settings in the registry. The script import the decoder settings into the registry. So i export two different settings and the script toggle between them.
In the first setting AC3Filter is configured for AC3 passthrough, so you can use your AVR for surround stuff.
In the second setting AC3Filter is configured to downmix the audio channel, so the analog output is already used with PCM audio.
To start the script i have configured a link in Windows with a shortcut to execute it. Mayby STRG+Shift+J.
In the iMon configuration i can define a command for sending to windows and assign it to a button on my remote. So i can switch the audio settings with my remote. Switching the settings is only possible when no video file is active.

It's also possible to switch between two audio devices, like HDMI and onboard sound.
Netexplorer.

 

[Cruzer]

This sounds like the best work-around I've seen so far. I'll give it a test run soon. Thanks Netexplorer!