Complicated home/computer setup questions!

[LxMxFxD4]

Current setup:

For games/computing/music:
Chaintech AV-710 Audio 2Ch --> Boston Acoustics BA4800 2CH (really old but quality speakers)
DVI from AMD 5750 to monitors

For bluraymovies/watching divx, etc:

Video: AMD 5750 via HDMI --> TV Samsung 46" LN46C630
Audio: AMD 5750 via HDMI --> TV --> Logitech Z-5500 5.1 via TVs s/pdif audio out

For Cable TV:
Cablebox --> TV HDMI --> Logitech Z-5500 using s/pdif audio out

I recently realized that when I watch blurays i'm not getting any DTS/Dolby to my z-5500s which has a built in dolby/dts receiver.

I looked into my ATI HDMI out in windows 7 and all it sees is "2 speakers" which I presume is because the TV itself only has 2 speakers. Is there any way to get my ATI HDMI out to pass raw data to my TV which then passes the raw data to my z-5500s for decoding? The samsung tv options for s/pdif out are PCM and Dolby, of which I have PCM selected.

My motherboard also has an onboard coax connection which could in theory work to pass directly to the z-5500 reciever (which has a coax connection). But i'd PREFER to have it all done via hdmi. Is this possible?

 

[Ross Ridge]

I looked into my ATI HDMI out in windows 7 and all it sees is "2 speakers" which I presume is because the TV itself only has 2 speakers. Is there any way to get my ATI HDMI out to pass raw data to my TV which then passes the raw data to my z-5500s for decoding? The samsung tv options for s/pdif out are PCM and Dolby, of which I have PCM selected.

If doing the obvious and selecting Dolby Digital as the output doesn't the solve the problem, then forcing things is really unlikely to work.

Check also to see if you need to configure Dolby Digital as a supported output format in Windows, which is done seperately from the speaker configuration. Open the Sound control panel, select the ATI HDMI Output on the Playback tab and press the Properties button. If there's a "Supported Formats" tab, try testing Dolby Digital and enable it if you hear anything on your TV.

 

[LxMxFxD4]

Ross, there are NO supported formats in the list. I've done further research on this, and it appears that the radeon is only seeing 2 speakers (with no supported formats) because my TV only has 2 speakers. There appears to be no elegant solution to this at this point. AVSforum people found a solution but it hasn't yet worked for me. It involved using a hacked monitor INF for your TV which tells the radeon that you really have a 5.1 capable receiver instead of just a 2 speaker tv. Unfortunately the folks over at AVS scoff at my "computer speakers" (logitech z-5500) so there is no profile for them made. It is appearing that i'll either have to route an optical s/pdif cable from my onboard sound and use it as a pass through ($7 on newegg) OR somehow find a solution to this.. OR buy a pci-e x1 sound card. I think this is absurd but this is the state of the industry and drivers at this time, it seems.

 

[Fallen Kell]

It is the state of the TV and/or audio pass-thru. You need to make sure you set the blu-ray player to output DD or DTS, and you need to have the TV setup to pass that through (under the Tools - Audio menu, there is a setting for DD/DTS via the S/PDIF). You can not use DTS-HD MA or DD TrueHD. You might also be able to use 5.1 PCM, assuming your player can output 5.1 PCM via the HDMI, but I don't think you will be able to do that without a EDID override file for the TV stating that it is a 5.1 channel device (you may need to do the same for DD/DTS, adding them to the EDID override file as well saying the TV is capable).

 

[kornphlake]

I believe it's a HDCP thing, you should be able to pass 5.1 DD or PCM over optical from the television's built in tuner, but the television can't output 5.1 DD or PCM from an HDMI source because of the lame copy protection. You have to use a receiver with HDMI inputs to get 5.1 or 7.1 audio from an HDMI source, you can hack the drivers for your video card, but as far as I know you can't hack the firmware for your television.

 

[rchiu]

Maybe use one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-SW100-D...7067967&sr=1-2

Cable and Bluray goes in the switch, and out goes to your Logitech. All signal decoded in your Logitech.

 

[LxMxFxD4]

I believe it's a HDCP thing, you should be able to pass 5.1 DD or PCM over optical from the television's built in tuner, but the television can't output 5.1 DD or PCM from an HDMI source because of the lame copy protection. You have to use a receiver with HDMI inputs to get 5.1 or 7.1 audio from an HDMI source, you can hack the drivers for your video card, but as far as I know you can't hack the firmware for your television.

Ultimately this is what I figured out. Either its a copyright thing or my TV just refuses to pass 5.1/7.1 PCM to my speakers. Either way, it isn't going to work. My ultimate solution was just spending $8 on a digital coaxial cable from monoprice to pass my onboard S/PDIF signal directly to my logitechs. Sadly this means blueray quality sound (that is, DTS-HD MA and DD TrueHD) get to downmixed to "mere" DTS and DD5.1, but im okay with that. I used to have a bluegears soundcard that decoded it in analog but the POS DAC on it died a week after warranty. Newegg revealed this happened to almost everyone too. Sad state of affairs.

 

[Mysticales]

Hey was checking, I have the same issue, I use a Samsung 32' Bravia. I have my consoles hooked up to it via HDMI, my TV is set to passthrough the raw audio to my Z-5500 as well. Now the consoles get 5.1 perfectly. PS3 games that support true digital sound trigger the mode in my speakers.

Issue for me.. is the PC. ATI 5750 will only see 2 speakers Now I see its prob cause the tv only has 2 speakers, but youd think it would allow the digital passthrough somehow. Really dont wanna use a splitter unless I have to. Anyone hear anything more about this? Thanks.