multichannel LPCM question

[QueBert]

I picked up an Asus board with the 780g chipset. It doesn't do multichannel LPCM and somebody on XBMC's forums was saying if I encode video with the audio in AC3 I will only get 2 channel audio. This sounds wrong, so I thought I would ask here.

 

[Slick5150]

No, unless I'm missing something about that board, it can certainly pass Dolby Digital / DTS via digital to your receiver untouched (assuming you have a receiver capable of decoding those on the other side).

The only time multi-channel PCM would come into play would be on a Blu-Ray disc w/ DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD (since nothing can bitstream those to a capable receiver via PC yet).

 

[QueBert]

humm thanks for the info, he does have a Blu-Ray drive on it, so basically even with a Blu-Ray he has nothing to worry about? This is from the Anandtech preview of the chipset

Audio settings selected were Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, or two-channel LPCM where applicable. Unlike the 780G, the G35 and GeForce 8200 fully supports multi-channel LPCM output and we will comment on results with either LPCM 5.1 or Dolby TrueHD decoded streams (via PowerDVD) where applicable.

My lack of audio knowledge had me thinking he needed, or would benefit rather from LPCM. Dolby Digital or DTS are good enough for him. Glad you chimed up here Slick5150

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: Slick5150
The only time multi-channel PCM would come into play would be on a Blu-Ray disc w/ DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD (since nothing can bitstream those to a capable receiver via PC yet).

IIRC, the Asus Xonar HDAV 1.3 can do so.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: erwos

Originally posted by: Slick5150
The only time multi-channel PCM would come into play would be on a Blu-Ray disc w/ DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD (since nothing can bitstream those to a capable receiver via PC yet).

IIRC, the Asus Xonar HDAV 1.3 can do so.

wow impressive looking card, $240 on Newegg? I think I'll just tell the guy to run 5.1 optical, I'm assuming [again] that the optical out on the MB can support 5.1, now that I know the HDMI won't.