How do I get Dolby Digital pass through using AC3?

Socio · Apr 2, 2004, 12:33 AM

I just downloaded and installed the latest KX drivers so far they are awesome, I have run it to only one glitch and that is I can not get Dolby Digital passthrough to work using AC3 when playing DVD movies.

I have something called Zoomplayer and was able to use AC3 driver and get the Dolby Digital 5.1 passthrough via the Digital Coax out on my Audigy2 when I run Creative drivers but have not been able to get it to work with the KX drivers.

I also noticed under the Help/Master controls that there is a "Digital Output Only" button but for some reason I do not have that button in the mixer, do I need that button to get the pass through?

Thanks for any help

Oh, I am running WinXP Pro if it matters

**dj_stick** · Apr 2, 2004, 12:35 AM

ac-3 passthrough does not work for the live (10k1) cards yet… what card and model are you using ie soundblaster live - sb0060

Socio · Apr 2, 2004, 12:43 AM

I have an Audigy2, and passthrough worked with Creative drivers

**dj_stick** · Apr 2, 2004, 12:45 AM

passthrought should work then, btw the DOO button is a pic of speakers and 0s and 1s

Socio · Apr 2, 2004, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dj_stick
passthrought should work then, btw the DOO button is a pic of speakers and 0s and 1s

Maybe I need to re-install the drivers because the that DOO button is a pic of speakers and 0s and 1s is not there. It appears that there is an empty space between the swap speakers button and the headphone button and I bet it should be there.

**dj_stick** · Apr 2, 2004, 12:56 AM

hmm strange but i think it is possible to route it through the DSP
using the passthrough plugin
in the prolog plugin find the s/pdif that the ac-3 is coming through, load and translate the ac3-passthrough plugin and the connect s/pdif to that, and then connect the ac3-passthrough to the s/pdif output you want.
I believe that should work - sorry i can;t provide pics to show you what i mean but i am using a school computer

but s/pdif in (prolog)*-----*ac-3 passthrough(in one of the menus)*-----*spdif out(epilog)

Socio · Apr 2, 2004, 01:27 AM

Ok I will try that and see if it works

Socio · Apr 2, 2004, 02:49 AM

Well I tried going from the digital coax l&r on prolog to AC3 plug in and from plugin to epilog generic spdif l&r and a little AC3 popup starts when I try to watch a DVD but still get no sound.

Next I tried going from prolog spdif l&r to AC3 plugin to epilog generic spdif and still no sound.

If I am trying to get AC3 pasthrough from the Digital Coax out on the card, should there not be a Digital Coax L&R on the Epilog?

**dj_stick** · Apr 2, 2004, 04:32 AM

try using ALL s/pdif outs there will be no digital coax listed

BMQ · Apr 2, 2004, 06:05 AM

I have the same soundcard (Audigy 2) but I could only get AC3 pass through running through WinDVD and PowerDVD. For some reason, I can't get it to work with Media Player Classic or BS Player, using AC3filter, it's built-in filters or even the WinDVD/PowerDVD filters.

To get AC3 working with WinDVD or PowerDVD, I had to set the AC3 Passthru mode to SPDIF #1. If you put this to off, I think the KX drivers will try to decode the AC3 on its own. You might want to try to download PowerDVD trial version to test to see if it works. I know it works fine for me.

Also, I don't have the DOO switch either.

Good luck!

**dj_stick** · Apr 2, 2004, 06:17 AM

the DOO switch must only be for 10k1/audigy users then

Socio · Apr 2, 2004, 01:39 PM

BMQ,

Could you post a pic of your DSP layout with AC3 passthough so I can see how you did it?

BMQ · Apr 2, 2004, 08:15 PM

Socio:

I am using the default with reverb and stereo chorus unloaded. I think the reverb was causing my soundcard to make really high sounds so I unloaded it.

BTW have you tried PowerDVD or WinDVD?

HunterZ · Apr 3, 2004, 05:27 PM

When changing settings in AC3Filter, make sure you open the config menu via whatever media player it's being called from and not from the Windows control panel (unless you don't have any players open). Otherwise, the settings on the AC3Filter menu you get won't affect the copy of AC3Filter that's currently being used.

BMQ · Apr 3, 2004, 08:05 PM

I've spent a bit of time fiddling around with AC3filter but still can't get it working w/ passthrough. I think it does work because I've gotten it to use KX drivers to decode AC3 sound (says "AC3 decode" or something like that in tray). At that time, I had AC3 Passthru mode set to off so I assume the passthru would have worked if it was on SPDIF #1. But now I can't it to work anymore w/ Mediaplayer Classic. It would just reject it or load up another filter (even though AC3 is set as preferred).

Hunterz:

Have you had any success with AC3 passthru with any players other than WinDVD or PowerDVD?

Socio · Apr 4, 2004, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BMQ
Socio:

BTW have you tried PowerDVD or WinDVD?

Not yet but am going to get WinDVD, from what I have read it's the better of the two, and then I will try AC3 passthrough with it.

HunterZ · Apr 7, 2004, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BMQ
I've spent a bit of time fiddling around with AC3filter but still can't get it working w/ passthrough. I think it does work because I've gotten it to use KX drivers to decode AC3 sound (says "AC3 decode" or something like that in tray). At that time, I had AC3 Passthru mode set to off so I assume the passthru would have worked if it was on SPDIF #1. But now I can't it to work anymore w/ Mediaplayer Classic. It would just reject it or load up another filter (even though AC3 is set as preferred).

Hunterz:

Have you had any success with AC3 passthru with any players other than WinDVD or PowerDVD?

Actually, I'm the wrong person to ask because:
- I only use Media Player Classic to play DVDs
- I don't have an external AC3 decoder, so I use AC3Filter to decode to DirectSound3D 5.1

In my opinion (did I already say this?) it just isn't worth it to have an external AC3 decoder if you have a sound card that can't output AC3 (i.e. all Creative cards) because you'll only be able to use the AC3 for DVDs, and only if you can get this AC3 passthru stuff working correctly. Plus, AC3Filter seems to do a fine job of decoding in software. Just my two cents though

**dj_stick** · Apr 8, 2004, 02:32 AM

im not sure if anyone has tried… but in the main kx window there is an ac-3 pass through menu with the options off,spdif1,spdif2,spdif3 - changing this may help

BMQ · Apr 9, 2004, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dj_stick
im not sure if anyone has tried… but in the main kx window there is an ac-3 pass through menu with the options off,spdif1,spdif2,spdif3 - changing this may help

Yes, changing it to spdif1 allowed passthru in WinDVD and PowerDVD. I believe leaving it on off made the KX drivers decode the ac3 stream.

Socio · Apr 9, 2004, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BMQ
Yes, changing it to spdif1 allowed passthru in WinDVD and PowerDVD. I believe leaving it on off made the KX drivers decode the ac3 stream.

I already tried all the spdif settings with the AC3 and it did not work, so perhaps the KX driver just does not recognize the third party AC3 drivers only the commercial ones for some reason. If true hope it gets fixed because there is a new version of that AC3 driver coming soon which will include DTS among other stuff.

Apr 2, 2004, 12:43 AM	Thread Starter #3
Socio DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 82 Rep Power: 0	Not using SBlive I have an Audigy2, and passthrough worked with Creative drivers

Apr 3, 2004, 05:27 PM	#14
HunterZ DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Seattle, USA Posts: 257 Rep Power: 0	When changing settings in AC3Filter, make sure you open the config menu via whatever media player it's being called from and not from the Windows control panel (unless you don't have any players open). Otherwise, the settings on the AC3Filter menu you get won't affect the copy of AC3Filter that's currently being used. __________________ Athlon XP 3200+, Gigabyte GA7N-400Pro2 Rev 2.0 (nVidia nForce2 chipset), 1 GB DDR400 (CAS 2.0, dual-channel), ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 256MB AGP 8x, WinXP Pro SP2, DX9.0c., Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speakers

Apr 2, 2004, 12:33 AM	#1
Socio DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 82 Rep Power: 0	How do I get Dolby Digital pass through using AC3? I just downloaded and installed the latest KX drivers so far they are awesome, I have run it to only one glitch and that is I can not get Dolby Digital passthrough to work using AC3 when playing DVD movies. I have something called Zoomplayer and was able to use AC3 driver and get the Dolby Digital 5.1 passthrough via the Digital Coax out on my Audigy2 when I run Creative drivers but have not been able to get it to work with the KX drivers. I also noticed under the Help/Master controls that there is a "Digital Output Only" button but for some reason I do not have that button in the mixer, do I need that button to get the pass through? Thanks for any help Oh, I am running WinXP Pro if it matters

Apr 2, 2004, 01:27 AM	Thread Starter #7
Socio DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 82 Rep Power: 0	Ok I will try that and see if it works

Apr 2, 2004, 02:49 AM	Thread Starter #8
Socio DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 82 Rep Power: 0	Well I tried going from the digital coax l&r on prolog to AC3 plug in and from plugin to epilog generic spdif l&r and a little AC3 popup starts when I try to watch a DVD but still get no sound. Next I tried going from prolog spdif l&r to AC3 plugin to epilog generic spdif and still no sound. If I am trying to get AC3 pasthrough from the Digital Coax out on the card, should there not be a Digital Coax L&R on the Epilog?

Apr 2, 2004, 06:05 AM	#10
BMQ DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	I have the same soundcard (Audigy 2) but I could only get AC3 pass through running through WinDVD and PowerDVD. For some reason, I can't get it to work with Media Player Classic or BS Player, using AC3filter, it's built-in filters or even the WinDVD/PowerDVD filters. To get AC3 working with WinDVD or PowerDVD, I had to set the AC3 Passthru mode to SPDIF #1. If you put this to off, I think the KX drivers will try to decode the AC3 on its own. You might want to try to download PowerDVD trial version to test to see if it works. I know it works fine for me. Also, I don't have the DOO switch either. Good luck!

Apr 2, 2004, 01:39 PM	Thread Starter #12
Socio DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 82 Rep Power: 0	BMQ, Could you post a pic of your DSP layout with AC3 passthough so I can see how you did it?

Apr 2, 2004, 08:15 PM	#13
BMQ DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	Socio: I am using the default with reverb and stereo chorus unloaded. I think the reverb was causing my soundcard to make really high sounds so I unloaded it. BTW have you tried PowerDVD or WinDVD?

Apr 3, 2004, 08:05 PM	#15
BMQ DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	I've spent a bit of time fiddling around with AC3filter but still can't get it working w/ passthrough. I think it does work because I've gotten it to use KX drivers to decode AC3 sound (says "AC3 decode" or something like that in tray). At that time, I had AC3 Passthru mode set to off so I assume the passthru would have worked if it was on SPDIF #1. But now I can't it to work anymore w/ Mediaplayer Classic. It would just reject it or load up another filter (even though AC3 is set as preferred). Hunterz: Have you had any success with AC3 passthru with any players other than WinDVD or PowerDVD?