VirtualAudioStreaming

[Guest]

I wonder if you might have a little time to provide me with some guidance. I have been attempting to use Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound in Windows 8 Pro.
I have spent many hours in chat sessions and on the telephone with Microsoft. They have been superb in their technical support for Windows 8 and continue to work on this open issue. They even arranged to get a hot fix for me from Cyberlink for their product PowerDVD12, but it does not correct the problem. I am hoping that your product can be of use in at least finding one path that works correctly.

Virtual Audio Streaming (VAS) works perfectly in stereo. However, I can see no way to configure it for a pass through to S/PDIF to convey the compressed sound stream for surround sound. VAS only seems to find two speakers and uses only stereo in PCM transmission.

I know that Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound will work in my Windows 8 Pro installation. There is a test button in the Playback properties for supported formats of my Realtek Digital Output (Optical) device that generates a separate tone on each of my 6 speakers!. Also, my surround sound receiver displays that it is receiving and playing Dolby Digital or DTS test signal. The problem is that there is absolutely no application that will play anything but stereo - neither PowerDVD, Zoom Max, VLC, nor Nero Blu-ray Player. To make matters more frustrating, I have used the AC3Filter codec with a DirectSound test for SPDIF 64-bit; it reports that there is no bit rate used by the S/PDIF output that is supported.

I know that surround sound will work on my computer HARDWARE because I have a dual boot environment and can boot into Windows 7 Enterprise on identically the same hardware. No problem! Surround sound works everywhere. And as expected, the AC3Filter codec reports success for all bit rates in the DirectSound test for SPDIF. (Just for the record Window 8 Pro is 64-bit and Windows 7 Enterprise is 32-bit).

Might you have any technical information that would help me analyze why the media players cannot utilize S/PDIF?

I know this may be outside of normal requests for help, so I will understand if you are unable to help me.

Thanks for reading all this "stuff".

[admin]

I'm sorry for maybe I am not able to give you useful helps on this topic. Only a few guess below:

1) Since it works on Windows 7 32bits, did you correctly find and install the 64bits driver of your sound card on your 64bit Win8? Maybe the difference is 32bit and 64bit instead of Win7 and Win8?

2) Can our VAS output audio to SPDIF/6 speaks on your Win7?

[Guest]

Thanks for your suggestions about testing. I have learned some interesting and important information about how the various sound components interact. First of all, it is now clear to me that very few people understand the complexities of surround sound setup (and I am just beginning to understand). Settings for the receiver, the device drivers, the Playback/Record/Volume Mixer, and the applications must all be properly configured to play surround sound.

Specifically to answer your questions.

I have used the correct drivers for the 32-bit Windows 7 and the 64-bit Windows 8. This was an appropriate question to ask.

My renewed testing does point to a cause for the problem! This test conditions depend upon using VLC from VideoLan with an AC3 file as a testing tool. In certain modes I have been successful in using VLC for surround sound now in both Windows 7 and Windows 8. My success varies with the device settings that an application will permit. Details follow.

There is a way to configure VLC that will actually produce the desired surround sound in both Windows 7 and in Windows 8. VLC will fail to produce surround sound when using the SPDIF option and the DirectX output module with the default setting of "Primary Sound. However when using the SPDIF option and configuring output specifically to the DirectX output module when it is bound to the physical audio circuit "Realtek Digital Output (Optical)", VLC will play DTS and Dolby Digital correctly!

I have also re-examined the application PowerDVD 12. Similarly, it has a default setting for audio of "Only primary audio". As VLC, this setting does not produce surround sound even though the application is configured for a pass through to SPDIF. PowerDVD 12 does not give me any other option for an output device, so I am unable to force output directly to the physical device.

It seems clear that the problem is related to the meaning and use of "primary". I am suspicious that this points to some specific pin in the hardware configuration and creates a problem for me when I cannot change the connection.

Do you have a clue about what is taking place?

[admin]

Glad to hear you have the Spdif/6 worked. Thanks for sharing the information. We may make our VAS to be more compatible with Spdif/6 in future version.