# WMC Audio Issue Please help!



## Monty (Apr 23, 2011)

Hello all
About a week a go I took on a challenge (from myself) to build my own DVR and not pay Comcast for it anymore. I have an older PC and figured out what I need (did tons of reading) and had all the parts by last weekend and spent the weekend building the DVR.

Ok so here is my current issue and I can not figure it out. So I have a Ceton Infinitv 6 and a XFX Radeon 5450 with HDMI output. So the systems works very well, I had some minor WMC issues with the guide and so on, but was able to get it working after a WMC re-install. The system is running Windows 7/64bit fully patched and updated with Catalyst Control Center (do not remember what version)

So I take the HDMI out from the Radeon 5450 to my Onkyo TX-NR609 (all my outputs/inputs are HDMI) then I have one HDMI connected to my TV, the Onkyo works perfectly for every source but the DVR. In Windows I choose that I have a 5.1 system test the source, save it and the Onkyo switches to Multi Channel right away and works perfectly. The moment I run Windows Media Center I loose surround sound even though the Onkyo still thinks it is in Multi Channel. When I run the test in WMC I get left test right test and all the other audio signal tests continue to come from the right speaker, I never get any audio from the center chanel or the rear's

I have read tons of suggestions of setting both Windows and Microsoft Media Center to 2 channel stereo and this should force the Onky to process the Audio stream in what ever format it see's. This does not work!

All I want to do is fix the surround sound issue but I am stumped! If I could figure out the way to send the Onkyo just raw PCM or Bitstream audio and let it do the decoding I think this would be ideal. Does anyone have any ideas because though I am bald I am still trying to pull my hair out figuring this problem out.

I have seen lots of info on very similar issues from others but none of the solutions have worked for me.

Thank you in advance for any input
Monty


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## robbo266317 (Sep 22, 2008)

There are several forums with the same issue you report and the solution they gave was to go to Media Center Settings, then DVD, Audio, and unselect Automatic Audio.
I don't have a setup to try this out on but hopefully it will help you out.

This is the microsoft win 7 forum: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...ver-hdmi/dfc278d4-9c79-445e-a062-f9607e966524


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

Congrats on getting through the setup of the Ceton product alive - It is FAR and above the worst PC product I have ever tried to install....addle:

That being said (as my blood pressure rises) See if you can install JRIVER or XBMC and get it to work with your Ceton (pronounced Satan:devil product ... If you do the research its just a given that there will be lots of issues on both sides of that product - meaning Windows MC and the Ceton drivers....

My install of the Ceton drivers corrupted my perfectly working install of Windows Ultimate 7.....:hissyfit:

Good luck and I hope you have more patience than Jobe. :help: 

Alternative to Ceton would be the HDHomerun which has many good reviews .....


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## Monty (Apr 23, 2011)

RTS100x5;
Thanks for you input. I actually had no issues with the Ceton product at all. It worked perfectly!
I have already installed XBMC and it works perfectly as well.

I will say after my Ceton was delivered they email me letting me know if I had any issues to contact them, they wanted me to be completely satisfied and so far I am. However every now and them Windows Media Center does see the Ceton card as "new" and wants to install and configure it. I just cancel that and it continues to work just fine. 

I still have the issue with the Audio, I want my Onkyo TX-NR609 to do the decoding and not the Video card. I have yet to figure that out. Sometimes it works but most of the time the card does the decode and it ends up playing PLII (I think thats what it is) So its actually simulating surround sound. I would ideally like to get it to bitstream, but I doubt I will be able to get that to work since I cant even get PCM to work.

I am still looking for any help if anyone has any suggestions. I was (for a short time) able to get PCM to work by setting the Windows 7 audio settings to only 2 speaker stereo and WMC to 2 speaker stereo and magically the Onkyo showed PCM and surround worked. Then with no changes from me it stopped working and back to PLII.

I got frustrated and gave up, Im hoping someone smarter than me can point me in the right direction. Ive done some much reading and research about this issue my mind is left spinning.


Anyone have any ideas on hoe to get this set to bitstream?? (PCM would be ok if its consistent) 

Thanks 
Monty


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## prerich (Mar 26, 2008)

The HDHomeRun 3 Prime runs perfect with my system!!!!


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## prerich (Mar 26, 2008)

I forgot to quote....look at my next post


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## prerich (Mar 26, 2008)

Monty said:


> RTS100x5;
> Thanks for you input. I actually had no issues with the Ceton product at all. It worked perfectly!
> I have already installed XBMC and it works perfectly as well.
> 
> ...


Which version of XBMC are you running? If you are running the latest version - set your audio to bitstream. That should allow your receiver to do everything.lddude:


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## Monty (Apr 23, 2011)

Prerich
Thanks for the advice, however it seems the Radeon 5450 might be causing the issue. If I set the Windows 7 (base OS) to 5.1 my Onkyo see's it and sets it to Multichannel. Once I get into Windows Media Center regardless of what audio settings I choose Multichannel gets turned off and then I am left selecting a simulated surround mode. 
I have the same type of issue with XBMC I ave been through all the audio options. I still cant get surround sound, at best simulated surround. I have seen many posts and done a lot of reading that this is a common problem, but not one of the posts has really nailed down the answer. I have uninstalled the video card and reinstalled with the latest version of the Radeon drivers. I use a single HDMI cable to connect the HTPC to my Onkyo, all my other components works as expected. My PS4, PS3 all work as designed with either Bitstream or PCM.
:help:


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

Its most likely the type of file being played by WMC that determines how your video card >Onkyo decodes that file.... do you have any Bluray files with DTS sound ??
The reason I say this is because you said "sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't"


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## Monty (Apr 23, 2011)

RTS100x5
It does not appear to be related to the type of file I am using. For example when I watch a Boston Bruins game in Windows Media Center Dolby Digital is not an option I can choose, but when I watch it on Normal TV my Onkyo automatically selects Dolby Digital. When I play a blueray through my PS4 and or PS3 the Onkyo works perfectly my PS3 is PCM and my PS4 is bitstream. 

I think I am going to try the realtek drivers because I have seen that quite a few times in multiple posts. I really appreciate the input from ya'll :rofl:


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