Wits end with DD5.1/DTS and SageTV

[jmxp]

First off, I'm pretty much a newbie at audio codecs/htpc, but I know my way around Windows and hardware.

I've got an Abit nf-m2 with Realtek spdif (optical) out to a Sony DTS/DD 5.1 Receiver. My test dvd is MI-II.

I play the disc with PowerDVD and get the blue DD5.1 light on my receiver. When I try to play the same disc with Sage, no blue light. So, I started reading and fiddling with dvd/audio options and codecs. I installed the 30 day trial of Nvidia's Purevideo Platinum, and they do show up under Detailed Setup/Audio and DVD. I've selected Nvidia everywhere I saw it for audio: Video/Audio tab under MPEG2 Audio decode filter and DVD under DVD Audio decode filter, and still *all I see* on my receiver is PCM 48, no blue light

I tried using the Cyberlink decoders, I get PCM48, no blue light.

I've set the default renderer to every option: Default Directsound, Default Waveout, Directsound: Realtek HD Out.

I also tried using AC3Filter and that was a train wreck. Everytime I selected SPDIF (disable) WMP sent the CPU utilization sky high. I read through the AC3Filter docs, and I had everything set the way they said to set it.


So: known working toslink, known working receiver, known working DVD, known working PC, known working software -> receiver via PowerDVD.

I need to take this last step and I don't know what else to do.
DD5.1 and DTS for DVD discs and Ripped DVD's must work before I make the final commitment and buy my Sage licenses.

Someone please help........

Thanks,

John

[Polypro]

So in the nVIDIA Audio Codec you have "Connected To" > 'A Receiver' > 'Via S/PDIF', and you've set AC3 Filter to "Prefer Other Decoder" ?

P

[jmxp]

Originally Posted by Polypro

So in the nVIDIA Audio Codec you have "Connected To" > 'A Receiver' > 'Via S/PDIF', and you've set AC3 Filter to "Prefer Other Decoder" ?

P

That's a good question. I looked around in the start menu and control panel for some mention of nVidia codecs and found nothing. Where would I find 'via spdif' wrt the nVidia codec install?

I did set AC3 to "Prefer other decoder"

I also downloaded filtermanager. When I get home, I'm going to fire that up to make sure the nVidia codec is the highest priority.

[jmxp]

Ok, Interesting. I just installed the purevideo trial on my work laptop and I found the NVIDIA SPDIF settings in the WMP DVD/Advanced Tab. Is there a faster way to get to that w/o launching WMP?

This is a new find for me, the NVIDIA option DID NOT exist on the HTPC. I'll have to reinstall or ??? when I get home to see if I can sort that out.

BTW: If this works, that's great, but it kind of sucks to have to purchase a $50 codec to get DD5.1/DTS on top of the fee for Sage. Why is that necessary? Why can't Sage bundle a DD5.1/DTS decoder within Sage?

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by jmxp

Is there a faster way to get to that w/o launching WMP?

The Nvidia Decoder controls are accessible from a system tray icon when a video is playing. Unfortunately there seems to be a bug such that the icon appears only if the Nvidia Decoder is the default decoder, and you set SageTV to use the default. If you set SageTV to use Nvidia explicitly, the icon doesn't appear.

Originally Posted by jmxp

Why can't Sage bundle a DD5.1/DTS decoder within Sage?

They bundle AC3Filter with Sage. The version they bundle is quite old, but you can get newer versions for free from ac3filter.net. That's what I use for AC3 SPDIF output, and it works fine for me.

If you're asking why they don't bundle a better one, I imagine it's because the better ones aren't free.

[jmxp]

Ok, Interesting. I just installed the purevideo trial on my work laptop and I found the NVIDIA SPDIF settings in the WMP DVD/Advanced Tab. Is there a faster way to get to that w/o launching WMP?

This is a new find for me, the NVIDIA option DID NOT exist on the HTPC. I'll have to reinstall or ??? when I get home to see if I can sort that out.

BTW: If this works, that's great, but it kind of sucks to have to purchase a $50 codec to get DD5.1/DTS on top of the fee for Sage. Why is that necessary? Why can't Sage bundle a DD5.1/DTS decoder within Sage?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by jmxp

Ok, Interesting. I just installed the purevideo trial on my work laptop and I found the NVIDIA SPDIF settings in the WMP DVD/Advanced Tab. Is there a faster way to get to that w/o launching WMP?

This is a new find for me, the NVIDIA option DID NOT exist on the HTPC. I'll have to reinstall or ??? when I get home to see if I can sort that out.

BTW: If this works, that's great, but it kind of sucks to have to purchase a $50 codec to get DD5.1/DTS on top of the fee for Sage. Why is that necessary? Why can't Sage bundle a DD5.1/DTS decoder within Sage?

Answered above. They include AC3 filter which can be set to use SPDIF.

Gerry

[camus]

If you doing SPDIF pass through you only need nvidia's bronze for DD and DTS.

Sometimes the Audio Portion of purevideo won't present itself even WMP unless AC3 set to pass through all formats.

Edit: Yes Bronze.

[Polypro]

^ You mean Bronze?

Once you set "Via S/PDIF", you never have to touch it again. WMP>DVD>Advanced, Radlight, DSFM, or double click the icon...whatever works for you.

P