Sound from WTV or Live TV must be set to stereo

[Phone Guy]

This is and has been an ongoing issue with wmc. I am running wmc windows 10, thanks to the great support and people who have worked on the project. I have run wmc since it was on xp. Things have changed and media and sound have changed, while wmc is stuck in the past.

I have to leave the pc sound set to stereo (left click speaker in system tray -> stereo) if its set to anything else, live tv or recorded tv (.wtv) files the audio plays for about 1 second and get stuck in a loop and repeats forever or until an error appears saying can not play file. If its set to stereo it seems to work fine. Ok, the issue is to get surround sound from my sound bar from anything with aac audio, I have to set the pc sound to 5.1/7.1. The pc is connected hdmi to the soundbar via nvidia 1030gt card and goes from the soundbar into the tv. I also use emby in wmc for my media content, movies, tv shows, etc. I use the Klite codec packs, which work great, and I get bitstreaming of atmos/dolby/truehd/dts/etc... however anything with aac sound, will not deliver surround sound only stereo.

If I set the pc sound to 5.1/7.1, the klite codec (Lav) audio filter does send the correct 5.1/7.1 aac channels to the soundbar and I get the proper surround sound, but if I then try to watch recorded tv or live tv, the audio from those sources glitch and skip out until it fails.

So, since needing the pc is stereo seems to be a requirement of wmc, is there anyway to force media center to use the codec from the klite pack to decode the audio from live tv and recorded tv, that would hopefully eliminate the audio skip repeat problem when not set to stereo and everything else would works since it does already... the problem is wmc and whatever older audio decoding engines its using.

I tried to be as detailed as possible in this description, I would hate to stop using wmc after all these years, its the system my entire family is used to, its wife approved, kids can use it, but not having aac surround is a killer (if you know, you know). Can anyone offer any assistance to this problem? or offer a suggestion?

[technodevotee]

Which version of WMC installer did you use?

If it is the MSI then I think you are stuck with the problem you describe. That's why I still use V13.

[garyan2]

Which version of WMC installer did you use?

If it is the MSI then I think you are stuck with the problem you describe. That's why I still use V13.

What is V13 adding that is not in the msi to address this? I can certainly add it in if it will work for everyone.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

[technodevotee]

@garyan2

Firstly, I'd like to apologise for the simplistic nature of my response to the OP, which may have implied that the problem only exists in the version created by you when in fact, as they pointed out, this problem has been present for a long time and certainly isn't unique to the version created by you.

Secondly, I'm not sure there is a simple answer to your question and I will have to have a look at the version I made. I know that I created Application Specific paths but there are a few other things. I fixed some errors in the registry, the installer rolls back the required system DLLs if required and reinstates the registry entries to restore the functionality of EncDec.

All in all, I'm not certain I can pinpoint one thing that makes it work and there are so many differences between the version I used (V12) to make V13 and the version (I believe it was V8.8.5) that your MSI installer is based on that I'm not sure how they could be implemented.

[Phone Guy]

Which version of WMC installer did you use?

If it is the MSI then I think you are stuck with the problem you describe. That's why I still use V13.

What is V13 adding that is not in the msi to address this? I can certainly add it in if it will work for everyone.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

I am actually re-doing one of my installs with some newer hardware, which is why this has popped up again. I was using v.8.8.5 I think, but in the newest install I was using the .MSI installer, HOWEVER I am willing to test anything or any version, or multiple versions to get this problem corrected. The TV tuner/guide/pvr/etc of wmc is what makes it, this needing to be in stereo problem has to effect other people and not just me.

I am willing to experiment with multiple installed versions, or whatever to get this to work. so @technodevotee and @garyan2 I would be willing to listen to each of you and test accordingly. So if V13 tests are needed, no problem. If .MSI tests are are needed, no problem... I already has a couple SSDs in there dual booting right now, so I can make new drives with each of your installs and test each method independently. Just guide me.

[Phone Guy]

I have the .msi installer from this link viewtopic.php?f=97&t=13826

the V13 is no longer available for download viewtopic.php?f=97&t=12255
so if you could link a new download source for V13, this way I can prepare to test whatever either of you want me to.

[technodevotee]

You are right - I find it incredibly frustrating as well and there have been a few other people on here who have highlighted the same problem.

However, I stopped making V13 available publicly some time ago due to the possibility of rolling back system DLLs introducing vulnerabilities into the whole Windows system.

It was only ever intended as a stop gap until a better solution was found and I felt that the version created by @PinPoint was more suitable for general use.

Gary's MSI version also has some very elegant solutions for more recent issues as well.

If you are willing to take the chance that using V13 might compromise your system, I can send you a PM with a link to download it from Dropbox.

[Phone Guy]

You are right - I find it incredibly frustrating as well and there have been a few other people on here who have highlighted the same problem.

However, I stopped making V13 available publicly some time ago due to the possibility of rolling back system DLLs introducing vulnerabilities into the whole Windows system.

It was only ever intended as a stop gap until a better solution was found and I felt that the version created by @PinPoint was more suitable for general use.

Gary's MSI version also has some very elegant solutions for more recent issues as well.

If you are willing to take the chance that using V13 might compromise your system, I can send you a PM with a link to download it from Dropbox.

Yes I am more than willing, I am desperate to find a solution this problem. Please send the PM

[Phone Guy]

If anyone has suggestions for making wmc use the audio codecs from klite or another pack and not use the microsoft audio codecs to eliminate the need to be in stereo, I am listening and willing to try anything.... this will benefit everyone who cares about surround sound from your media center.

[Phone Guy]

Well, upon further testing, and using klite 17.10 codec pack, I was able to disable the ms dtv audio codec, which forces wmc to load its audio codec but it does not solve the issue of the pc needing to be set to stereo mode. It does bitstream the tv audio, and in stereo mode it works fine, but if in 5.1 or 7.1, I get the 1 second of audio which repeats until it fails the playback. I can upload a video showing this if this has never happened to you and you want to see this happening. I find it hard to accept no one has had this issue except me. I am a little lost, confused and honestly frustrated at this point.

[technodevotee]

You are not alone in this problem - it has existed since the V8 installed came out. I believe there is something in the official version that didn't get replicated in the package.

As far as I can remember, the problem didn't occur when using the V12 installer and it doesn't occur with V13 because I used the original files from V12 and a V8 type installer along with a few modifications and workarounds to create it. It is rather old school / high maintenance however.

With installations of WMC that use a script (8.1 though 8.8.5), installing my App Paths might help but they will not work on installations done with the MSI version (8.9).

Hopefully Gary can figure out what the problem is and how to fix it.

As far as messing with codecs is concerned, I can't help because I don't use after market codecs or splitters unless they are installed by an application that I've put on the PC.

[technodevotee]

I thought there was a discussion on this topic over on MDL but I can't find it.

I also discovered that a lot of older stuff in the thread about getting WMC working on Windows 10 has vanished.

Maybe they have been doing housekeeping.

[garyan2]

You are not alone in this problem - it has existed since the V8 installed came out. I believe there is something in the official version that didn't get replicated in the package.

As far as I can remember, the problem didn't occur when using the V12 installer and it doesn't occur with V13 because I used the original files from V12 and a V8 type installer along with a few modifications and workarounds to create it. It is rather old school / high maintenance however.

With installations of WMC that use a script (8.1 though 8.8.5), installing my App Paths might help but they will not work on installations done with the MSI version (8.9).

Hopefully Gary can figure out what the problem is and how to fix it.

As far as messing with codecs is concerned, I can't help because I don't use after market codecs or splitters unless they are installed by an application that I've put on the PC.

Okay, so quick look at differences between v13 and 8.8.5 (8.9.0) wrt EncDec.dll, MsVidCtl.dll, and CPFilters.dll... is installing your versions all that would be required?

For 8.9.0, versions are:
CPFilters.dll 10.0.17763.134
EncDec.dll 6.6.9600.16384
MsVidCtl.dll 6.5.9600.16384

For v13, version are:
CPFilters.dll 10.0.16299.15
EncDec.dll 10.0.16299.15
MsVidCtl.dll 6.5.16299.15

Also, what does the App Paths do for us? I'm not sure why it wouldn't work since the ehome folder is a junction to the installation folder so should be transparent.

[Phone Guy]

@technodevotee Are you suggesting installing v13 over garyan2 msi version or instead of?
@garyan2 Can you or I replace those .dll in the msi installer or installed versions since two of them are newer?

I have no issue trying "something", I was kind of waiting for suggestions, I have exhausted my limited knowledge on how to fix this issue...

And if you are not using 3rd party codecs, how are you getting bitstreamed dolby/dts/atmos etc? and how about files with 6ch aac audio? Maybe I am doing it all wrong from the get-go?

[technodevotee]

@phone guy

I was suggesting uninstalling 8.9 and installing V13 instead. Unfortunately, this would involve reconfiguring all the WMC settings from scratch because there are differences in the database.

I don't have to do anything special to get surround sound in everything with V13 - I just set Windows to 5.1 so that I can play DVDs and Blu Rays outside WMC and set WMC to 5.1 then test the speakers.

I then get surround sound from everything that has it without changing anything as the A/V Amp deals with whatever it is given. I've never been able to do that with any V8 installer.

@garyan2

I haven't used 8.9 in a while so I can't remember where it puts things and I don't have a testbed machine I can do installation on ATM.

As you know, versions 12 and 13 install into Windows\ehome and use the DLLs in Windows\system, which is why they have to be rolled back to older versions. V8.8.4 and 8.8.5 install into windows\ehome and use older DLLs from the same location.

As far as I remember, V8.9 puts WMC in program files\ehome and uses DLLs from the same location.

I am surprised that V8.9 works with a 17763 CPFilters.dll but it obviously does. I don't know about the 9600 ones used by @pinpoint as I've never tried them with V13.

I chose 16299 because it was the last version of Windows 10 that V12 worked on and it seemed logical to use DLLs that I knew worked with V12 since that was where my files came from.

It is my feeling that Microsoft made a lot of changes in Windows 10 other than just the version of DISM when V12 stopped working. I think they purged a lot of stuff that Windows used to 'know about', and provided in support of, WMC. After all, it was part of Windows until they started forcibly removing it.

So I wondered if telling windows where the WMC executable were using Application Specific Paths would help. I had forgotten that you create a Junction Point so they might work 'as is'.

I thought the final part of the equation was the errors that were discovered in the registry but it seems that V8.8.5 has the same file with the errors fixed so I guess we can forget about that.

[technodevotee]

Having said all that, I suppose it is possible that some of the changes made to the files in V8 'broke' something and that is what is causing the problem.

There were issues with the audio settings in x86 V12 that were never resolved and although I managed to get some of them fixed in V13 with the assistance of MDL members, some still remain.

Unfortunately, most of the people who made the changes aren't around any more and we may never know who changed what.

[garyan2]

There are a couple more files that are different between v12/v13 and 8.8.5/8.9.0.

wow\ehuihlp.dll - same version but some minor hex differences possibly concerning mpeg2 decoding and maybe even dolby digital.

Both ehshell.dll and Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.dll were modified in 8.8.5/8.9.0 to basically disable RDP. Does v13 successfully support extenders?

Interestingly, ehskb.dll is different. Not sure what the deal is there.

mcplayer.dll is quite different between the 2. I can't even make a guess.

ehrecvr.exe, ehshell.exe, and ehvid.exe are different but I believe that is because the manifest files were removed internally and made externally to use CPFilters.dll, EncDec.dll, and MSVidCtl.dll from the local folder.

In v13, you are including the winsxs files and MUI cab files... 8.x.x does not include those. Any benefit to including the MUI cabs? I think it is fine to not include the winsxs files.

[technodevotee]

There's a few things in addition to the sound problem:

I can run WMC full screen in an RDP session in V13 but not V8. I find that really annoying as well and is another reason I still use my version.

XBox Extenders used to work in V13 but not in V8. They don't work at all on anything later than V1511 due to well documented changes made in Windows.

Certain tuners worked in V13 but not in V8.

The other thing that used to work in V13 but not in V8 was DVBLink. I think that issue was resolved though.

The SXS files are a throwback from a really early version and you are right that they aren't needed but I never got round to removing them. I retained all the MUI files because V12 used to install all of them.

You have to remember that this was created purely for my own use and was never intended to be made public. I've always told people they should use the latest version if at all possible but people were having the same issues I was and kept asking for a copy of it.