XPS 1530 - No Surround Sound Via HDMI Using VLC

Hello All,

I've searched but cant find answer to this.

I've got the lappy connected to my AV Receiver via HDMI (Receiver then to Plasma TV via HDMI).

Using various x264 hi def samples via VLC player I am only getting at 2.1 sound, not 5.1.

VLC is configured to output at 5.1 surround and using the Sigmatel control panel and I have DTS and Dolby Digital Enabled and all sample rates (which work in 'test')

Does anyone know why I am not getting 5.1 surround? Is their something else I need to configure either on the lappy or VLC?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
B

 

Did you try another program( I dunno what else plays mkvs tho) or could be a setting on your reciever. I have and onkyo and I have surround, but its through modes that product virtual surround, but I think thats due to the receiver!

 

@Joepro -Thanks also. Deffo not an issue with the receiver. It's a Sony (model escapes me at the mo - too much wine) but when set to AFD mode it auto detects various surround modes (as it does on Satellite, PS3, 360 etc)

 

it comes with that codec pack, I just got it for the heck of it! Mine also has auto detect,but sometime I do have to manually set it to PCM, I dunno why!

 

Thanks matey. I'll pull the manual out tomorrow and check that un all.

Cheers
B

 

here is the latest, I was watching the ac3 filter, and even with a 5.1 dvd(transformers) ac3 filter reports on a 2.0 stereo input. ac3 filter decodes it to 5.1, but why does it only input 2.0 from a 5.1 dvd? is it a sigmatel thing? just some food for thought!

 

Problem solved

Downloaded MPC and the Klite codec pack.

Then downloaded the AC3 filter.

Disabled all internal filters etc in MPC. Enabled External Filter AC3. Then changed speaker config under AC3 filter to 5.1. Was expecting the magic click in of glorious 5.1..............nothing!

So clicked the s/pdif pass through and bingo, blue light with glorious 5.1.

Also gives me same result via Windows Media Player. Just need to work out now how to get my harmony remote to work with the XPS!

Hope that helps others.

 

I have no idea what you are talking about because I don't know what VLC, MKVS, AFD, and MPC are but I as I mentioned in the TWO current threads about sound format output via HDMI I got both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 output using Dell MediaDirect 4 and I didn't have to download and other codec packs or anything.

 

Hello matey.

Yep, neither addressed my issue as this relates to a very specific file format (x264 / MKV [Matroska]).

Not something that will be being used by the masses at the moment or is playable in mainstream applications. Invariably will become increasingly more popular. Hopefully, the solution I've posted will be helpful for others in the future.

If the Dell application can deal with the issue then I'll be amazed (it would frankly make an excellent machine become out of this world). TBH, I never even considered the Dell application given the specificity of the file type but I'm gonna check out whether it can handle the file type. I'll report back tomorrow.

 

I've always found vlc sorta flaky with spdif output.

i personally use media player classic home cinema which has most codecs intergrated so no need for silly coded packs .. and for spdif output I can't rave enough about AC3filter. And like you did .. Disabled all internal filters etc in MPC. Enabled External Filter AC3 ...

and boom glorious 5.1 works.

btw .. I'd really always suggest mpc home cinema (just like the regular one but enhanced)

 

I forgot to do this, one of the filters was screwing up the input to the ac3 filter, now it show all channels for the input!

 

VLC on spdif just doesn't work for me. Just outputs horrible noises!

I'll check out MPC Home Cinema too.

Sounds like a result matey!

 

Oh OK that is actually pretty funny because I had never heard of Matroska but just about a month ago I d/l a large HD Matroska video on my desktop (guess I forgot the extension was MKV) and was trying to stream it to my PS3 with TVersity and it wasn't working and I had to do the whole codec thing and I tried CCCP and some other stuff and couldn't get it to work and I finally had to remove all codecs from my computer and clean my registry and I installed the Vista codec package because I read it was one of the most up to date and complete ones and everything worked fine after that and I can play them in windows media player 11 fine and stream them to my PS3 with TVersity.

 

I've just given Dell Media Direct a whirl and unfortunately it doesn't show up as a recognised file type. However the file does now show up in Windows Media Center.

 

Were you able to figure out to get the harmony remote to work with the XPS?

 

Hello mate.

Got it working. I had to use the learning function by mapping the various functions between the 2. Works a dream now.