redocneXk released - Realtime 5.1 ac3 Encoder

Russ

Using SendKeys is an option but it may not always work. i.e. If the window is not in the foreground, AppActivate will just flash the window in the taskbar, in which case SendKeys will not work (I tested this previously on XP).

Russ

You can try lowering the bitrate, and priority settings, and/or the quality settings in Crysis, but this is one of the reasons why it would be better to do it in hardware (i.e. DDL) if possible. ASIO can be CPU intensive, plus whatever CPU is used by the encoding process, plus the game itself, etc.

DevilX

I use Vista 64 and the ac3 5.1 output work.
But the sound are extremly biassed
have somewone a Idea to get it work correktly?

DingleJohn

Is this redocneXk 5.1 ac3 encoding ever possible with my Creative SB live! 24bit external and Creative Audigu 2 NX in an combination with Vista Ultimate x64?

nastychinaco

I have being using kx and redocnexk for a while now, on Xp and with my old athlon cpu, and everything has been always OK. I must say these two are the best thing ever happened to my pc.
now I'm using all the latest versions and a amd X2 cpu, I cannot get 5.1 properly with mp3's. Messin'up with the drivers and redocnexk i've been able to get my receiver to say "dolby digital detected" but then just stereo sound o just sound in the back speakers or just on the center speaker depending on the default sound device I set up on Vista. Is there a known and easy fix or should I post more information; or should I upgrade to XP?

deity

hi... i have been reading the post about the realtime encoder... i have some questions and im gonna post some of this stuff,

i have the m-audio firewire 410 and i am trying to get the thing to broadcast a dolby or dts signal through the s/pdif while using nuendo/cubase... im trying to keep the latency also which is 6 to 8ms at best when using the m-audio ASIO driver...

the device supports ac-3/dts passthrough, but to my understanding it only occurs when i play a DVD... i want to use this function in realtime in nuendo/cubase 3.xx or 4.xx during a project, this is just about the closest thing i could find to do anything like that in realtime, i also want to do it in 7.1, albeit the device has 8 outs analog... can anyone help?

P.S. the device has DSP or ARM DSP (whatever that means) on it... i guess this is to make it faster... anyway... help.

Tril

I already replied to deity by email but the reply might be useful to others so I'm posting it here too.

I'll try to answer everything.

redocneXk is an AC-3 encoder only. It does not support dts.

It's a 5.1 encoder. There's a way to get 6.1 or 7.1 with a 5.1 encoding but it's not discrete channels, it's channels mixed into other channels that are extracted by the receiver. I never looked into this so the encoder does not support it or it supports it and I'm not aware of it.

redocneXk was made to take its source from a Creative soundcard ASIO inputs so it won't work with the m-audio firewire 410 because the input numbers are hardcoded to those used by the Creative ASIO drivers. It might be possible to change this to support the sound card but I don't have time to work on this anymore and I don't think it fits your needs (read above and below).

You won't be able to keep the 6 to 8 ms latency. The encoding is done on audio blocks of 32 ms of data. The latency will never be lower than 32 ms. It's usually higher than 40 to 50 ms because redocneXk outputs with directsound and because of the ASIO latency.

The latency and the performance would be better with a sound card that supports Dolby Digital Live, that's how they call the feature of soundcards that can encode to AC-3. However, I would not recommend most of those cards to record music, they are usually aimed at gamers. I'll be honest, my app can be a bit buggy. The performance is not always top notch so I would not recommend to use it in a recording environment.

redocneXk does not support well 24 bits audio. To encode, it's required to first convert to 16 bits and since I never had a card supporting 24 bits audio, I could never properly test the 24 bits to 16 bits conversion code I wrote. The conversion function never worked well.

From memory, AC-3 encoding can be done at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz but since the Creative soundcards all have a DSP that works at 48 kHz, redocneXk only supports 48 kHz input.

In the past, I thought of making an AC-3 encoder into ASIO plugin but I never did it.

In the past, someone asked me to make an AC-3 encoder into a winamp plugin. I did it and I released a test version in the Winamp forums, to see if people were interested. There was not much interest. I completed the plugin for that someone. At the end, I only released the source code in the Winamp forums for anyone to compile and play with (lost in the middle of someone else's thread to show an example of a plugin using a specific GUI library). It was working but it was lacking some useful features (like a resampler). It only accepts 48 kHz input. I wanted to add a ressampler in it but I did not do it. If you want this plugin, I can give you this compiled Winamp plugin. I think there's an ASIO plugin that exist that is used to load winamp plugins but I don't remember the name. You could do :
nuendo/cubase->ASIO plugin to load winamp plugin->winamp plugin to encode to AC-3.

The 48 kHz might be a problem to you as I know that recording is often/usually done at 44.1 kHz or 96 kHz.

Why do you need a software AC-3 or DTS encoder?
You said that the card has enough analog outputs. Why not use the analog outputs of your soundcard?

Nom

You need a Hardware Encoder.

I use a Creative Home Theater Connect DTS-610 - DTS Interactive Encoder and it works very well. You simply connect your 5.1 Analogue outputs up to it, and it converts and encodes the analogue audio to a Digital DTS signal in realtime, independent of your PC.

Maddogg6

I would think that to mix surround, its best using multiple ASIO channels (ASIO 1/2 front - ASIO 3/4 Rear, & ASIO 5/6 Sub/Front example) to monitor...
*then* at final mix - use software to encode to dolby or AC3 or what ever...
I think thats how its done for practicality (latency and $$$)

deity

well i have the onkyo txsr602 as a reciever... its from 2004/2005 era when DVD players only had 5.1 outs (analog) and no blue-ray was in existence... anyway, the reciever only has 5.1 analog ins and i have enough analog outs to do 7.1. The reciever itself can do 7.1 via digital ins and the DTS/AC-3 decoder (which is why i need the encoder)... it also has 7 speaker outs so it includes surroundback. So yes it does do 7.1 but only has 5.1 analog ins... there is one way around it thats annoying which is to use the zone2 out... but that requires rewiring and reconfiguring when i need to change it up to listen to encoded files.

deity

true but i dont have the money

deity

technically your right... but i have this weird config... i would be ok when i render the encoded file, but monitor it in the digital world would be nice.

off

I have such card (connected via USB). If I try to use redocneXk v2.05 after "Start encoding" computer resets. If I try to use redocneXk v1.10 I have error message:

redocneXk v1.10
The avcodec library is licensed under the LGPL.
See the included lgpl.txt file for a copy of the LGPL license.
ASIO Interface Technology by Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH
redocneXk is in no way affiliated, associated or connected with
Creative Technology Inc.

*** Settings ***
Driver = 0 (ASIO Sound Blaster USB Audio)
Mode = soundcard other than X-Fi with Creative drivers (auto-detection)
FL = asio 4 + asio 12
FR = asio 5 + asio 13
RL = asio 6 + asio 12 + asio 10
RR = asio 7 + asio asio 13 + asio 11
C = asio 8
LFE = asio 9
Bitrate = 640000
Renderer = 0
Output Device = 0 - SB Live! 24-bit External
Priority = Realtime priority
Latency = 1
hideConsole = CTRL + ALT + key 9
showConsole = CTRL + ALT + key 0
Volume = 100
*** Information ***
asioVersion: 0
driverVersion: 2
Name: CREATIVE ASIO USB
ErrorMessage: No ASIO Driver Error
ASIOGetChannels (inputs: 2);
ASIOGetBufferSize (min: 96, max: 2400, preferred: 192, granularity: 48);
ASIOGetSampleRate (sampleRate: 48000.000000);
ASIOOutputReady(); - Not supported
Your ASIO driver supports 2 inputs but you need at least 14.
Aborting execution.

Dear Tril, Is there any possibility to support this card?

Russ

The ASIO driver does not have enough inputs... There is nothing that Tril can do about that.

AuroEdge

Basically, if your 5.1/7.1 sound card doesn't have ASIO drivers from the manufacturer or doesn't support the kX drivers then you're most likely out of luck and need to buy the analog to DTS converter. I have one and it works really well.

__________________

"My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself
in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind." -Albert Einstein

crookshank

Why the sound hav a lag? Its normal?

Tril

Unfortunately, yes. The technique used makes the audio take this path : cpu -> sound card (not encoded) -> cpu (encoding) -> sound card (encoded).

The additional transfer from the sound card to the cpu to the sound card takes time and the encoding itself also takes time.

I'd say the delay caused by the additional transfer might be around 50 to 80 ms. The encoding mostly takes time because it encodes 32 ms of audio at a time, so it needs to wait until it has 32 ms of data before encoding.

A sound card supporting Dolby Digital Live (DDL) do not have the delay caused by the additional data transfer so it should sound more close to realtime.

Dolby Digital Live information
Dolby Technology - Dolby Digital Live for PC Audio and Video Games
Dolby Digital - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

pragmatick

>>Solved<<

Hello,

last saturday I uninstalled kxp (needed to get some USB mics to work with UltraStar) and after I reinstalled kxp redocneXk won't work anymore. I used for at least a year without any problems, on different windows setups, but right now I have no idea what else to do. When I start the encoding, the ac3 passthrough icon pops up, but my receiver won't recognize the signal. It just gets a PCM signal. When I connect my source to the SPDIF3 output (I just got an old audigy), the receiver gets the signals and plays, but just stereo. But whether I start or stop encoding, my receiver won't switch to surround mode. It's a bit hard to explain. I am absolutely sure that I have all the required settings and it worked before this way. The problem is a bit obscure and vague, but I hope you have some ideas what might be wrong. Thanks.

I made a screenshot of my settings, although the DSP setup might look a bit confusing.

Hanzales077

Hello, I am sorry if that was mentoined before... Please will that great stuff work with PAX drivers (5.25) for Audigy4 and wxp? I really want to take advantages of Z-5500 trough optical (digital) That site definitelly need some donate from me.. Never did donate anything before, because I dont have any bank account (CC) but I think now its time... Nice to meet this place... Vivat MOD comunity!!!!!!!!

Russ

I do not know much about the PAX drivers, but I do not see any reason why it shouldn't work (assuming that the Creative driver includes an ASIO driver and supports AC3 pass-through for your card model).

Hanzales077

Thank you. Allready tried and it's just excelent. You are God man ;o) btw all this site is full of gods ...My deep admiration! Hanz

Hck

It looks like the latest creative driver for Audigy series dated 27th June 2008 (http://nomoregoatsoup.wordpress.com/..._lb_2_18_0001/) have new asio input and sound channels mapping. I hope in new version of redocneXk new mapping support will be added.

CraziFuzzy

Tril,
I have been using kx for a while (though not currently.. upgraded in my studio). I am interested in a completely different use for Redocnxk though, but have a question. What determines which input ASIO and output SPDIF are used for redocnxk, and are they configurable? Here's my scenario:

I use PowerDVD for playback of HD-DVD and BluRay Movies from my HTPC. I am in the process or relocating the actual PC to another room and just extending the HDMI and a USB to the TV. USB would be for my USB-UIRT remote control reciever, and HDMI, obviously for video. I am planning on using a Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro for sound also on my extended USB. It is a very simple device, but it does have an optical SPDIF out on it, and does support passthrough. It does not, however, support any kind of PCM multichannel, or ASIO even. My thoughts were to install an Audigy that I have laying around in the PC, and have the sound rendered to there (and subsequently, to it's ASIO Inputs). Then have Redocnxk grab from the ASIO, encode the AC3, and send out the AC3 to the Audio Advantage.

The reason I can't use just SPDIF out from PowerDVD, is it doesn't support downconverting the higher quality HD audio streams to AC3 for digital output, but it will support decoding it for a 6-channel sound card output.

EDIT: Yeah, this would kick balls for video game audio as well...

CraziFuzzy

Okay, so I looked at the readme, and found out that this feature seems to be plainly in there... so.. off to try it out!

Tril

Hck, I read your post. I haven't totally dropped this project but it's no longer my priority (I got bored of doing audio programming). I don't have time right now to make the necessary changes. I'll do them when I get the time and when I feel like doing it. It could be tomorrow, it could be in 6 months. I no longer have a Creative soundcard in my pc (I bought a new pc and gave the older one). I could make the changes and not test them or borrow a soundcard to test them. While I'm at it, if I make this change I'll remove X-Fi support. I don't think it ever worked right on this soundcard and I'm not planning to buy one just to debug the program.

CraziFuzzy, this should work, with some added latency. What's your soundcard? I'm asking because it never really worked with the X-Fi while it worked close to flawlessly with the Soundblaster Live!, Audigy and Audigy 2. The encoding adds a small delay. If it's noticeable, maybe there's a way to make PowerDVD delays the video on purpose to make it sync with the audio when the audio gets delayed by the encoding.

A better solution than this (might not exist) would be to make a directshow plugin that encodes to AC3. Because it would have access to the data, it would not encode the audio out of sync and it would not need ASIO. I think that AC3filter has/had a feature like that in development. I don't know if it can take HD-DVD audio or BluRay audio as input.

If I were you, I would try to avoid decoding and encoding the audio like this, if possible. If the audio was first encoded with very good quality, you want to keep the quality as close as the original. You can still give it a try to see how it goes but you should think about other solutions.

CraziFuzzy

I have had problems with the reliability of PowerDVD's SPDIF output on HD-DVD's. It appears to lose the output if I seek too much. This does not happen when sending to 6-channel out. The SPDIF output also does not take advantage of the post-processing that Cyberlink puts into PowerDVD (mostly, I only use the compression). Using your tool has allowed me to take advantage of all of this, and it has yet to lose the output on me, not matter how quickly i jump around. (perhaps, because it is running at pri-4)

As for a directshow pluin, that already exists (AC3Filter), however, it does not work with PowerDVD, because crappy DRM requires that only the cyberlink filters be in the chain. I mean, imagine the total chaos that would arise if we were allowed to have unprotected access to the digital audio stream on a HD-DVD/BluRay? You know, that same stream that is dumped unmodified out the SPDIF port? ;-)

FlamingPumpkin

Hello. I've got trouble. Cant set up encoding. Don't have a button for digital output only. What to do? (Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro) http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7241/dirmoqq9.jpg
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/d...jpg/1/w600.png

tecnoworld

Hello all, I just discovered this great piece of software. I'm excited with it, since I never complained about not having real 5.1 audio in my games, through the SB Audigy in my PC.

One thing, though...I tried it with "Dead Space" and works great. I just have to start redocnexk after the game is running (otherwise I get a BSOD).

I wanted to use this also with Far Cry 2. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work; if I start FC2 with redoc open, I get a BSOD. If I try to start it after FC2 is running, it won't simply load up. I tried using InfoASIO when FC2 is running, and it states "failed to initialize ASIO on selected ASIO".

For some reason FC2 seems to lock ASIO driver? Is there a way to do what I'm trying to?

p.s.: I'm using SBAX_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0001EQ.exe as a driver for my soundcard. I tried Kx drivers, but I seem not to get any sound from redoc, when using those drivers! This is odd, since redoc should be perfect with them....

Hope someone can help me ASAP, thanks in advance.

Russ

tecnoworld,

This is just a guess, but, does Far Cry 2 disable hardware acceleration of audio? ASIO (at least with kX anyway), requires full hardware acceleration of audio.

tecnoworld

I don't know; is there a way to see if hw acceleration is enabled for audio? and...if disabled by a game, is there a way to force it to be used?