AC3 decode on CD_SPDIF In?

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 05:42 AM

Does this work with kX?
I do not have a DVD drive, and CD_SPDIF is the only digital input on my card. I thought I would try connecting my external DVD player (using the coaxial out) to CD_SPDIF In to see if it would work, and got only noise when sending Dolby Digital (my DVD player has 3 options for digital output: PCM only (works fine), Dolby Digital/PCM, and Stream/PCM, and the second 2 options both result in only noise). I do see a kX popup indicating that it is decoding AC3 from the SPDIF input, but I only get noise. I was wondering if it was an issue with my card, or if this does not currently work with kX.

**dj_stick** · Feb 7, 2006, 05:58 AM

ac3 decode only works on the ADU_EXT inputs, not CD_SPDIF according to Eugene

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 06:06 AM

Bummer, as that is my only digital input. Thanks for the info.

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 06:56 AM

too bad you cant test it... Im only getting output on 1 FX buss (FXBUSS4 with default in A2) FXBUSS 5 is silent. - but I only have stereo material to test - so, Im not gonna make a bug report thread until I get a DVD to test with further.

Your question prompted my test.

It also seems to be intermittantly stuttering.

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

too bad you cant test it...

What do you mean? I did test it and got only noise.
BTW: It does not output to any FxBus, only CD_SPDIF In (i.e. prolog).

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 08:04 AM

Look at the KX router - AC3 decoded signals are sent to FXBuss as the individual channels.

For my card default is:

FrntL - FXBuss 4
FrntR - FXBuss 5

RearL - FXBuss 6
RearR - FXBuss 7

C - FXBuss 8

and is same on my live card also.

In AC3 decode mode (for me) - SPDIF becomes silent - but only the LEFT comes out.

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 08:06 AM

btw - IM using FP (coax optical) SPDIF in...

thus why I said 'too bad you cant test'

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 08:13 AM

Also - I just had the realization that AC3 decode IS NOT part of any DSP plug in as I originally thought.

I now see that PCM is stereo only - before I thought it was surrounder or prologica doing the AC3 decoding - this IS NOT the case - its something internal to the driver.

But I gotta say - both (surrounder & prologica) do an excelent job of up converting as stereo signal to 5.1 (tho, I prefer porlogica personally)

its amazing how much ther eis to know about these cards...

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 08:30 AM

Right, AC3 decoded signals use FxBus 4/5/6/7/8/9 (under the default settings) as those are the individual channels (i.e. Surrounder in direct path mode just passes the signals straight through to the same outputs), and yes I cannot test any other SPDIF inputs as I do not have any.

But AC3 decode does work for me from software sources without any problems.

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 08:46 AM

I have doubts that KX does the decoding of AC3 when software generated - I suspect its just using the multiple wave device outputs for that.

Actually im certain KX doesnt - because the signals are on FXBuss 2-7 and not 4-9.

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

I have doubts that KX does the decoding of AC3 when software generated - I suspect its just using the multiple wave device outputs for that.

Actually im certain KX doesnt - because the signals are on FXBuss 2-6 and not 4-8.

That would still be considered AC3 decoding, I mean it still has to extract the channels and output them to the correct wave devices.

I think maybe something is wrong with your setup, as they are on the correct FxBuses for me.

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 08:55 AM

to expand - if I watch a DVD (internal) and its device propertied by default use the IDE buss and NOT the SPDIF. - and I use FFDSHOW - those ouputs are NOT on FXBuss 4-9.

Also - I notice with redocnexk - because I cant use the CD SPDIF (my only open SPDIF port btw), I had routed redocnexk's output to a WAVE device. So, while KX may detect an AC3 signal - it wasnt bein decoded and sent to the FX Buss like I would expect - a bug maybe ..??

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 08:58 AM

I wonder if the A2D engine I installed affected things for me then..??

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 09:06 AM

In that case the DVD software is doing the decoding and not kX. If you used SPDIF output (with a Dolby Digital source) in the DVD software, kX would have decoded it.

As for redocnexk, it just sends it to whichever kX_Wave device you chose, and kX then handles it (decodes it and redirects it to the various FxBuses, etc). Are you saying that kX is not decoding it with redocnexk?

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

I wonder if the A2D engine I installed affected things for me then..??

Hmm, I do not know, I did not install that. (actually I did install it from the kX install, but did not run the executable that the installer left in the kX directory).

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 09:10 AM

You should try VLC again with the file (the .AC3 file) I mentioned in the redocnexk thread. It should work with your A2 (set the default Windows device to kX_Wave (0/1) for the A2), and test it that way.

BTW: Make sure AC3 passthru is not enabled in kxmixer, or it will not decode it.

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

As for redocnexk, it just sends it to whichever kX_Wave device you chose, and kX then handles it (decodes it and redirects it to the various FxBuses, etc). Are you saying that kX is not decoding it with redocnexk?

Yes - I must have been mistake - I don't remember them on FXBuss 4-9 before - I must not have saved the DSP config I made for it.

But something is strange - when I de-activate AC3 decode - it still decodes.

I DID un-install my premiere (that installed the Adobe ASIO driver) as it expired - since last playing with redocne last..

So I also had to change the CLP's for redocne - which eliminated all traces of how I had it configed last.

Its also getting late. and my eyelids are getting heavier too.. LOL

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

You should try VLC again with the file (the .AC3 file) I mentioned in the redocnexk thread. It should work with your A2 (set the default Windows device to kX_Wave (0/1) for the A2), and test it that way.

BTW: Make sure AC3 passthru is not enabled in kxmixer, or it will not decode it.

I couldn't VLC it to send to SPDIF..

Also - Im sitting here listening to 6 channels of (seeing in level meters also) stereo and AC3 pass thru is set to SPDIF 0 - (which routes to my front I2S output... and is still working.)

It also still works with AC3 pass thru set to all settings.

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 09:35 AM

No problem, it is late here as well (I am probably gonna go to sleep after this message).

As far as changes not taking place immediatley goes. It is the same way for a lot of things in kX. Some changes do not take place until you stop playback, and then re-play.

Maddogg6 · Feb 7, 2006, 09:37 AM

ahh - theres quite the delay for changes to take without stop/starting playback...

Ill look more tomarrow...

C-YA...

Russ · Feb 7, 2006, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maddogg6

I couldn't VLC it to send to SPDIF..

Also - Im sitting here listening to 6 channels of (seeing in level meters also) stereo and AC3 pass thru is set to SPDIF 0 - (which routes to my front I2S output... and is still working.)

It also still works with AC3 pass thru set to all settings.

Hmm, I not sure why VLC doesn't work for you, that is strange. As for the AC3 passthru thing, that does not disable anything, it just bypasses the DSP for the AC3 signal, everything else still works normally.

Anyway, I am off to bed.
cya l8r

Maddogg6 · Feb 8, 2006, 06:51 AM

Doh - I dunno why I even wanted to output to SPDIF - I dont have an external decoder..

But, the AC3 decode doesnt pop up all the time

Actually - it did one time - then not again.

Has anyone else seen this behaviour?? - or am I gonna need to do a whole OS re-install? (NOT looking forward to this) - as I just re-installed KX just the other day..

Russ · Feb 8, 2006, 01:19 PM

The AC3 decode popup has been consistant for me thus far, but I am not sure if it is that way for everyone, and I do not think I would reinstall (the OS) just for that.

Feb 7, 2006, 05:42 AM	#1
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	AC3 decode on CD_SPDIF In? Does this work with kX? I do not have a DVD drive, and CD_SPDIF is the only digital input on my card. I thought I would try connecting my external DVD player (using the coaxial out) to CD_SPDIF In to see if it would work, and got only noise when sending Dolby Digital (my DVD player has 3 options for digital output: PCM only (works fine), Dolby Digital/PCM, and Stream/PCM, and the second 2 options both result in only noise). I do see a kX popup indicating that it is decoding AC3 from the SPDIF input, but I only get noise. I was wondering if it was an issue with my card, or if this does not currently work with kX.

Feb 7, 2006, 08:13 AM	#8
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	Also - I just had the realization that AC3 decode IS NOT part of any DSP plug in as I originally thought. I now see that PCM is stereo only - before I thought it was surrounder or prologica doing the AC3 decoding - this IS NOT the case - its something internal to the driver. But I gotta say - both (surrounder & prologica) do an excelent job of up converting as stereo signal to 5.1 (tho, I prefer porlogica personally) its amazing how much ther eis to know about these cards... Last edited by Maddogg6; Feb 7, 2006 at 08:21 AM.

Feb 8, 2006, 06:51 AM	#22
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	Doh - I dunno why I even wanted to output to SPDIF - I dont have an external decoder.. But, the AC3 decode doesnt pop up all the time Actually - it did one time - then not again. Has anyone else seen this behaviour?? - or am I gonna need to do a whole OS re-install? (NOT looking forward to this) - as I just re-installed KX just the other day.. Last edited by Maddogg6; Feb 8, 2006 at 07:05 AM.

Feb 7, 2006, 06:06 AM	Thread Starter #3
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	Bummer, as that is my only digital input. Thanks for the info.

Feb 7, 2006, 06:56 AM	#4
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	too bad you cant test it... Im only getting output on 1 FX buss (FXBUSS4 with default in A2) FXBUSS 5 is silent. - but I only have stereo material to test - so, Im not gonna make a bug report thread until I get a DVD to test with further. Your question prompted my test. It also seems to be intermittantly stuttering.

Feb 7, 2006, 08:04 AM	#6
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	Look at the KX router - AC3 decoded signals are sent to FXBuss as the individual channels. For my card default is: FrntL - FXBuss 4 FrntR - FXBuss 5 RearL - FXBuss 6 RearR - FXBuss 7 C - FXBuss 8 and is same on my live card also. In AC3 decode mode (for me) - SPDIF becomes silent - but only the LEFT comes out.

Feb 7, 2006, 08:06 AM	#7
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	btw - IM using FP (coax optical) SPDIF in... thus why I said 'too bad you cant test'

Feb 7, 2006, 08:30 AM	Thread Starter #9
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	Right, AC3 decoded signals use FxBus 4/5/6/7/8/9 (under the default settings) as those are the individual channels (i.e. Surrounder in direct path mode just passes the signals straight through to the same outputs), and yes I cannot test any other SPDIF inputs as I do not have any. But AC3 decode does work for me from software sources without any problems.

Feb 7, 2006, 08:46 AM	#10
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	I have doubts that KX does the decoding of AC3 when software generated - I suspect its just using the multiple wave device outputs for that. Actually im certain KX doesnt - because the signals are on FXBuss 2-7 and not 4-9.

Feb 7, 2006, 08:55 AM	#12
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	to expand - if I watch a DVD (internal) and its device propertied by default use the IDE buss and NOT the SPDIF. - and I use FFDSHOW - those ouputs are NOT on FXBuss 4-9. Also - I notice with redocnexk - because I cant use the CD SPDIF (my only open SPDIF port btw), I had routed redocnexk's output to a WAVE device. So, while KX may detect an AC3 signal - it wasnt bein decoded and sent to the FX Buss like I would expect - a bug maybe ..??

Feb 7, 2006, 08:58 AM	#13
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	I wonder if the A2D engine I installed affected things for me then..??

Feb 7, 2006, 09:06 AM	Thread Starter #14
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	In that case the DVD software is doing the decoding and not kX. If you used SPDIF output (with a Dolby Digital source) in the DVD software, kX would have decoded it. As for redocnexk, it just sends it to whichever kX_Wave device you chose, and kX then handles it (decodes it and redirects it to the various FxBuses, etc). Are you saying that kX is not decoding it with redocnexk?

Feb 7, 2006, 09:10 AM	Thread Starter #16
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	You should try VLC again with the file (the .AC3 file) I mentioned in the redocnexk thread. It should work with your A2 (set the default Windows device to kX_Wave (0/1) for the A2), and test it that way. BTW: Make sure AC3 passthru is not enabled in kxmixer, or it will not decode it.

Feb 7, 2006, 09:35 AM	Thread Starter #19
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	No problem, it is late here as well (I am probably gonna go to sleep after this message). As far as changes not taking place immediatley goes. It is the same way for a lot of things in kX. Some changes do not take place until you stop playback, and then re-play.

Feb 7, 2006, 09:37 AM	#20
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	ahh - theres quite the delay for changes to take without stop/starting playback... Ill look more tomarrow... C-YA...

Feb 8, 2006, 01:19 PM	Thread Starter #23
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	The AC3 decode popup has been consistant for me thus far, but I am not sure if it is that way for everyone, and I do not think I would reinstall (the OS) just for that.