[PROBLEM] Dolby Digital/DTS/PCM to SPDIF?

[JetFn1]

I have been trying to extract the Dolby Digital and DTS signal to play 5.1 channels on my home audio receiver. My receiver is capable of both Dolby and DTS but I am unable to extract the Dobly Digital or DTS signal to send over SPDIF optical. I bought this on Amazon, HDMI to SPDIF I get the audio to play Dolby Pro Logic but I cannot get true Dolby Digital or DTS To play in 5.1! The box is just a pass through and does not change the audio format from the HDMI source. I have Dolby Digital and DTS checked in XBMC settings. Any ideas on why I cannot get the 5.1 channels to send through?

Thank you for your time,
Best Regards

[rikardo1979]

and you have 5.1 as audio out in XBMC audio settings ?
if yes than I'm afraid the adapter is messing the sound an passing only stereo 2.0 out to SPDIF

and what AV Receiver u have ?

[JetFn1]

Yeah. 5.1 is set and Dolby Digital/DTS are checked. It's an old Onkyo receiver. It has DTS/Dolby logo on the front. Plays DTS and Dolby fine out of PS3 and Satellite box. Must be the extractor box. It's unfortunate because I would like to some how get 5.1 sound from the PI to my receiver.

[rikardo1979]

looks that you hit a dead end here,I'm sorry ...
the problem with this converters is that they are not 100% reliable
the best way would be to search online for some confirmed device which works 100% with RPi,and I mean confirmed by users of RPi

[martinrevert]

(12th Jan, 2013 07:46 AM)JetFn1 Wrote:  I have been trying to extract the Dolby Digital and DTS signal to play 5.1 channels on my home audio receiver. My receiver is capable of both Dolby and DTS but I am unable to extract the Dobly Digital or DTS signal to send over SPDIF optical. I bought this on Amazon, HDMI to SPDIF I get the audio to play Dolby Pro Logic but I cannot get true Dolby Digital or DTS To play in 5.1! The box is just a pass through and does not change the audio format from the HDMI source. I have Dolby Digital and DTS checked in XBMC settings. Any ideas on why I cannot get the 5.1 channels to send through?

Thank you for your time,
Best Regards

Hi JetFn1!

Please add the following line to your config.txt:

hdmi_force_edid_audio=1

I'm quite shure that your HDMI to SPDIF adapter is not returning 5.1 edid data so HDMI audio output on RPi is beeing forced to PCM stereo 2 channels. Remember Keep your 5.1 xbmc settings, HDMI output (not optical or coaxial!) and keep enabled Dolby and DTS capable receivers.

Please, inform here what happens after that change.

[rikardo1979]

@martinrevert good point, it may do the trick actually
lets see what OP come back with

[martinrevert]

(13th Jan, 2013 04:56 AM)rikardo1979 Wrote:  @martinrevert good point, it may do the trick actually
lets see what OP come back with

Well, worked for me using this very similar adapter:

http://dx.com/p/5-port-1080p-hdmi-v1-3-switcher-w-3-5mm-jack-spdif-4-in-1-out-137645

Cross fingers for the OP, maybe it is only that RPi cannot recognize automagically this kind of adapters as full 5.1 passthrough compliance. I connected also the board to modern receiver with HDMI inputs and no forcing was needed, full 5.1 out of the box. Maybe this could be also a feature on Xbian settings in a near future. It is a very common problem also on Raspbmc and Openelec

PS: Hope the OP reboots after the change, I forgot to mention that silly but important detail.

[JetFn1]

It worked for the most part Martinrevert! I was able to get a Dolby Digital signal through the extractor box in Dolby Digital 5.1! The only drawback is if it is not true Dolby Digital it will not send the 5.1 channels through. E.G. If I play DTS it does not work or if I play an AAC 5.1 channel audio track all I get is Pro Logic (2CH). I am not sure if this is something that can be fixed on the Raspberry Pi itself or if it is the receiver. I'm ruling out that it is the extractor box because it is just a pass through as it is sending Dolby Digital. And being I have played DTS through this receiver before I feel it has to do with the way the Raspberry Pi is sending the signals through the HDMI. I am not sure... but I am certainly happy that I can now at least get Dolby Digital. Thanks mate. Really appreciate it!

[rikardo1979]

nice1
not sure about DTS,why is not passing as it is works on RPi fine
but AAC 5.1 is not supported on RPi yet,only downmix to stereo

[martinrevert]

(14th Jan, 2013 11:56 AM)JetFn1 Wrote:  The only drawback is if it is not true Dolby Digital it will not send the 5.1 channels through. E.G. If I play DTS it does not work or if I play an AAC 5.1 channel audio track all I get is Pro Logic (2CH).

AAC encoding (ISO/IEC 13818-7 standard) was public available since year 2006. I will found very difficult to believe that your receiver can support AAC decoding being so old that it don't has HDMI inputs. In this scenario, even if some day Xbian includes AudioEngine/PulseAudio with AAC digital passtrough capabilities, your receiver will receive the same as today: PCM stereo.

DTS is a different scenario. As an older standard than AAC your receiver obviosly has to support it. So I cannot figure why your adapter is no letting pass digital streams of that kind. Could do you log via SSH and paste here the results of the following command? All your setup (RPi, adapter box, receiver, tv) must be connected and on.

/opt/vc/bin/tvservice -a

Thanks

[JetFn1]

I am at work now but I will post that either tonight or later in the week for you. It is weird what occurs. It will go to play the movie that has DTS and the video will work but audio will not. On my amp when it receives a signal it will display the name of the signal weather it is dolby, dts, pro logic. When it successfully plays the audio type the description of dolby digital will have a box around it indicating it can read the audio format. When I play DTS the Dolby digital indicator comes on but never gets the box, indicating it is having trouble reading the format. This is strange because the DTS logo never goes on therefore it is not even seeing the DTS signal. That's the best I can put it lol.

[martinrevert]

Maybe the adapter isn't DTS audio streams passtrough compliant.
Please try the command I posted before with and without the suggested configuration changes in in config.txt.
The difference of capabilities observed there will bring some light to us on what your adapter is capable to do.

[U9LTD]

(16th Jan, 2013 10:04 PM)martinrevert Wrote:  Maybe the adapter isn't DTS audio streams passtrough compliant.
Please try the command I posted before with and without the suggested configuration changes in in config.txt.
The difference of capabilities observed there will bring some light to us on what your adapter is capable to do.

The VHD-H2HSA unit will extra the digital audio signal from the HDMI input. Whatever the format it is, as long as the SPDIF bandwidth can support it. If your HDMI source unit can send it, it will be available at the SPDIF output. Then you need to make sure that your receiver can understand the incoming audio format.

You may be able to validate this by using a Blu-ray player to play a DISC, using the audio button on the remote to select the various audio tracks, from stereo to 5.1CH either DTS or DD, and check the audio coming out of the SPDIF output using a surround receiver to verify.

On the book, SPDIF / TOSLink doesn't have enough bandwidth for DTS master HD audio and DD TrueHD, but it may be case by case.

[JetFn1]

(22nd Feb, 2013 04:51 PM)U9LTD Wrote:  

(16th Jan, 2013 10:04 PM)martinrevert Wrote:  Maybe the adapter isn't DTS audio streams passtrough compliant.
Please try the command I posted before with and without the suggested configuration changes in in config.txt.
The difference of capabilities observed there will bring some light to us on what your adapter is capable to do.

The VHD-H2HSA unit will extra the digital audio signal from the HDMI input. Whatever the format it is, as long as the SPDIF bandwidth can support it. If your HDMI source unit can send it, it will be available at the SPDIF output. Then you need to make sure that your receiver can understand the incoming audio format.

You may be able to validate this by using a Blu-ray player to play a DISC, using the audio button on the remote to select the various audio tracks, from stereo to 5.1CH either DTS or DD, and check the audio coming out of the SPDIF output using a surround receiver to verify.

On the book, SPDIF / TOSLink doesn't have enough bandwidth for DTS master HD audio and DD TrueHD, but it may be case by case.

It's been like a year, I know. I've been away for work and am now back home. It's like time travel, I remember this as if it were yesterday. I got home a few days ago and everything I had to do before I had to pack up and go is back on the table to get accomplished! This being one. So still no DTS. Just tried to watch a new movie with DTS on the Pi, downgrades the audio to pcm pro logic. However Dolby Digital still works. Here is the post I made on Amazon as well as other places, hope U9LTD can help! Or someone, ANYONE! Thank you in advance for any help to get this resolved.

Using the latest version of Xbian and the earlier version of the box mentioned above WITH NO EDID switch. I used hdmi_force_edid_audio=1. Sends Dolby Digital fine to the receiver. However DTS is downgraded to PCM Dolby Pro Logic. I tried different files and ensured the right audio stream was sending through XBIAN. I do know for a fact my receiver accepts DTS.. It is a top of the line Sony Receiver that I have had for years, plays DTS, Dobly, PCM, and all the formats have been used on this box via toslink/optical. I have used DTS before with a blueray player, computer, etc... Is there something else I need to edit in config to get DTS to work? The box in XBIAN next to receiver plays DTS and DOLBY are checked. There has got to be a way to resolve this. Thanks again in advance for your help.

Best Regards,
M.