# Help?! Only 2 channel through hdmi?



## rhino2 (Sep 27, 2006)

Hi there. I bought a umm 6 and loaded the newest version of REW and ASIO4. I have tried 2 different laptops and can only seem to get 2 channels of supported audio out of each. Is there something I am overlooking?


----------



## rhino2 (Sep 27, 2006)

I am sending the signal via hdmi to my receiver and was hoping to use the new multichannel capability of REW but for some reason I can only get two channel audio. One laptop is a gateway I believe and the one I am using now is an ASUS x401a both have windows 7.

I am not sure if it is a setting that I am missing or doing the setup in the proper order. I checked the drivers for the most current ones and they seem fine.

Now I am at a complete loss.


----------



## fusseli (May 1, 2007)

No, there isn't a way to get multichannel from REW. And with hdmi interface, it will use PCM which limits the signal to 2.0 ch unless you have a fancy soundcard what has a Dolby or DTS encoder.


----------



## rhino2 (Sep 27, 2006)

Supposedly with the new v5 of REW you can connect to your receiver and use all 8 channels (7.1) and pick and choose each individual channel to test. For instance you can test just the center channel by itself without having to undo cables etc. Then you can test your right channel just by choosing it. I know people here were doing it and that is why I ordered the usb mic but I am not able to choose which channel the signal goes to as it doesn't show 8 channels. I am just wondering what I am missing from how everyone else is doing it......
:scratch:


----------



## fusseli (May 1, 2007)

Haha! I was unaware of that added feature. I will look into it.


----------



## kirky27 (Jan 21, 2014)

I had a similar problem. I think you have to turn sound processing off in the receiver and set front speakers to large. Ensure that your receiver is not outputting stereo always.


----------



## kirky27 (Jan 21, 2014)

BTW In the HDMI configuration you have to set channel 2 to off as well.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/78476446/REW 101 v3.3.pdf


----------



## GCG (Aug 22, 2013)

rhino2 said:


> Supposedly with the new v5 of REW you can connect to your receiver and use all 8 channels (7.1) and pick and choose each individual channel to test. For instance you can test just the center channel by itself without having to undo cables etc. Then you can test your right channel just by choosing it. I know people here were doing it and that is why I ordered the usb mic but I am not able to choose which channel the signal goes to as it doesn't show 8 channels. I am just wondering what I am missing from how everyone else is doing it......
> :scratch:


MiniDSP has put up a good step-by-step. You need to pay close attention to the HDMI setup in the computer as stated in the later part of step 3.

http://www.minidsp.com/applications/acoustic-measurements/umik-1-hdmi-on-windows


----------



## rhino2 (Sep 27, 2006)

Yeah I even tried to set the receiver to direct pass through..... and there are no options when I go into the control panel on the computer. It says 2 channel supported and doesn't allow me to choose multiple other options.....


----------



## rhino2 (Sep 27, 2006)

Anyone else with similar problems or solutions?


----------



## HifiZine (Feb 7, 2013)

This is a bit of a long shot, but does the properties window of the HDMI device look any different if the TV is disconnected from the AVR?


----------



## GCG (Aug 22, 2013)

I found the User's Manual for X401a online. In it on page A8 it shows that HD Audio can be locked out in the BIOS. You may need to look there. Don't go poking around aimlessly while you're in there or you may render your laptop unusable. If in doubt it'll give you a chance to discard any changes on exit.

If you don't have the User's Manual download it here.

http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/X301A/E_eManual_X301_401_501A_VER7169.pdf


----------



## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

rhino2 said:


> Anyone else with similar problems or solutions?


Chad,

Now that you are discovering that your actual problem has little ( to nothing ) to do with how REW works , I would advise you to expand your search ( for a solution ) beyond this forum .

- Try googling ; *HDMI, no 5.1*  ( or something related like  *Configuring HDMI Audio*  ).

(i) You'll find the odd reference ( within the results ) that some HDMI cards are only capable of 2-chnl sound . Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any fire-proof way to determine that capability limit ( excepting reading the fine print about your computers graphics card and typically, "limitations" rarely get talked about ) . 

(ii) You'll also find that HDMI has an auto-configuration feature which can cause the user problems ( in certain circumstances / such as HiFiZine has just suggested ) .

Good-Luck !

:sn:


----------



## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

GCG said:


> I found the User's Manual for X401a online. In it on page A8 it shows that HD Audio can be locked out in the BIOS. You may need to look there. Don't go poking around aimlessly while you're in there or you may render your laptop unusable. If in doubt it'll give you a chance to discard any changes on exit.
> 
> If you don't have the User's Manual download it here.
> 
> http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/X301A/E_eManual_X301_401_501A_VER7169.pdf


That's good info for Chad to check-out !

:sn:


----------



## rhino2 (Sep 27, 2006)

Hmmmm something to think about Hifi. I do have a single monitor in the AV rack just for if I want to run audio if company is over but don't want to fire up the regular tv or projector. I may disconnect it and see if that has an effect.


----------



## rhino2 (Sep 27, 2006)

GCG thanks for the link to the manual I will check that out for sure. That was what I was kind of concerned about that there was a setting somewhere that I wasn't seeing. I tried 3 or 4 different laptops that I have and none of them gave more than 2 channel. At least I am not worried about buggering up the OS since I got this laptop purely for REW so I will just reinstall everything if need be.


----------



## rhino2 (Sep 27, 2006)

Thanks Earl. Yeah I have been searching other forums and websites for info besides REW and it does seem like others are having issues with laptop hdmi to receivers (on the audio side anyways) but I haven't found many solutions. Hopefully some of your guys recommendations will serve me well. Thanks!


----------

