Getting AC3 Passthrough Working for WMC8.1

Having trouble playing all your different media types? Ask here!
Post Reply
DrWin

Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:44 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

Getting AC3 Passthrough Working for WMC8.1

#1

Post by DrWin » Tue Apr 08, 2014 12:00 am

I built a new HTPC very recently and have been pleased with its performance. Unfortunately, I've run into what seems to be a common problem with the audio. I'm using my motherboard's (H87M-PRO) onboard audio chipset to feed sound to my A/V receiver via an optical cable. (My AV receiver is older, so it doesn't have any HDMI inputs/outputs.) As you can already guess, I'm having issues with getting the proper Dolby Digital 5.1/AC3 sound from working. I recently re-ripped some of my DVDs using Handbrake with the High Profile setting, which provides both the typical stereo track and an AC3 passthrough. I've only installed AC3Filter 2.6 and the most recent Haali Media Splitter. I followed the instructions posted here, but that didn't seem to solve the problem.

This seems to be especially weird for me because I am able to get the proper DD5.1 sound (as indicated by my AV receiver's display) when watching OTA channels through my TV tuner. I've also gone through the playback device properties (Realtek Digital Output/Optical) and made sure that the "exclusive" settings and DTS, as well as Dolby Digital, formats are both selected and test successfully. Still, I am unable to get the actual DD5.1 sound to work. What is particularly annoying is that I can actually get my encoded videos to play DD5.1 sound when I use XBMC. However, I can't get these same videos to use the surround track, even after selecting that track via VLC Player's settings. I already configured the audio settings through WMC, and the appropriate DD5.1 indicator shows up on my AV receiver's display whenever I use the Test function.

I like WMC8.1 enough to want to stick with it, if possible. I know that you all probably see this sort of question too often, but I would appreciate any solutions or suggestions that you may have. I've spent a lot of time researching a solution and trying different things out, to no avail.

milli260876

Posts: 726
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:56 pm
Location: Barnsley Sth Yorks

HTPC Specs: Show details

#2

Post by milli260876 » Tue Apr 08, 2014 2:12 pm

Do you have spdif passthru enabled in ac3 filter? I use lav now but i do know a newer version of ac3 filter solved my dts-ma issues..
Other than that? I hdmi bitstream now...
Lee

DrWin

Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:44 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#3

Post by DrWin » Tue Apr 08, 2014 8:58 pm

milli260876 wrote:Do you have spdif passthru enabled in ac3 filter? I use lav now but i do know a newer version of ac3 filter solved my dts-ma issues..
Other than that? I hdmi bitstream now...
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I do. I followed the instructions in the other thread that I linked above. My budget's dry for now, so I won't be able to get a new receiver for a while. I hope that once I go that route, there won't be any problems with bitstreaming (via HDMI) at all.

Post Reply