spdif or not?

[benwillcox]

Hello, sorry if this post is not much help to fix those who have problems with their SPDIF output, but just to say that I have no problem using SPDIF with VLC for both DD and DTS audio output, as long as I change the Audio output to the Win32 waveout module.

So, I wonder its a sound driver issue, maybe someone who has the problem could try with a different type of sound card?

Cheers,
Ben

[dazhoop]

Hi Ben,

Would it be possible for you to advise me: what soundcard you use, what version of VLC you are running, and whether you have any extra codecs installed?

You got me thinking: my server has SPDIF out on the motherboard and does not have an HDMI port, so I think I will give that a try too and then report back. Whilst not a clean o/s by any stretch, it might help to prove that I have some sort of conflict between VLC and my onboard sound which prevents me from getting any sound output via VLC / SPDIF.

[deadball]

Hey,

same problem for me here. Stuttering sound @ Win Vista 32bit, even with WaveOut. When i used XP, it worked, but i don't only want to use XP, because ac3 passtrough does not work.

My Setting:
Yamaha Receiver
Koaxial Digital Out from Asus P5WDH Deluxe (Realtek HD Audio)
Realtek Driver Ver. 6.0.1.5350
Codec ALC882
DirectX 10.0
VLC 0.8.6d
Problem is, i need to use VLC because most other player can't handle my VDR stream

Cheers,
db

[dazhoop]

Managed to get SPDIF audio and HDMI video today, so happy to share my settings:

Realtek Codec: ALC888
Audio Driver Version: 5.10.0.5532 (20/12/2007)
Direct X: 9.0C
VLC: 0.8.6d

Settings Inside VLC:
Enable SPDIF
Preferences / Audio / Output Modules / Audio Output Module = Win32 Waveout extension output (without this setting I got stutter)

Windows:
Control Panel / Sounds And Audio Device Properties / Audio (tab) - HDMI Device or Realtek HD Audio Output { I select Realtek }
Control Panel / Sounds And Audio Device Properties / Audio (tab) - Untick " Use Only Default Devices" {This is the setting that I didn't even spot that had been preventing me getting any sound at all over SPDIF, no matter which device I selected }

Hope this helps somebody. The only issue I have now is that it doesn't automatically revert to HDMI if the Yamaha (SPDIF) is turned off for "everyday TV viewing" - guess some kind of macro / registry update batch file is in order.

[benwillcox]

Hi Ben,

Would it be possible for you to advise me: what soundcard you use, what version of VLC you are running, and whether you have any extra codecs installed?

Hi Daz, I see you have now got it working anyway, my soundcard is integrated into the motherboard and is an AC '97 device apparently, and I'm using the 0.9.0 svn version of VLC with no additional codecs.

Cheers,
Ben

[ag107093]

This seems to be resolved in the .9 version.

With vlc 8.6 I couldn't resolve the problem with any combo of settings. I suspect the Sound Blasters are more prone to this error than the RealTeks.

I grabbed the lastest nightly build of the version 9 beta, and found it sends the DTS stream to my reciever over S/PDIF without problem.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

This seems to be resolved in the .9 version.

With vlc 8.6 I couldn't resolve the problem with any combo of settings. I suspect the Sound Blasters are more prone to this error than the RealTeks.

I grabbed the lastest nightly build of the version 9 beta, and found it sends the DTS stream to my reciever over S/PDIF without problem.

Good to know
We (especially Andre Weber) worked on that.

[atmo]

nice I like to read this.

atmo

[float]

hi,

im running vlc on windows vista x64. i use win32 waveout to get the "clear" sound over spdifout but it stutters too.

where i can get this working beta?

[atmo]

and here you go

http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/win32/?C=M;O=D

but be aware each nightly may have other bugs than the last one

--
atmo

[float]

thank you!

EDIT: spdif out works fine with win32 waveout module.

but when i close vlc while a movie is running, i get this error:

Code: Select all

This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way. Plese contact the application's support team for more information

I press "Ok" and then Vista say that vlc.exe doens't work and aks me to close the program. i think this is one of this other bugs you mention?

[t-readyroc]

I'm glad I found this thread. I'll be going through it again & trying the listed suggestions tonight. I'll also be updating to 0.86e and to the A4.04 Realtek drivers before trying. The Guru3D file repository is much faster than trying to get the drivers from Realtek.

I wanted to post my experience thus far as well, though, in case it helps someone:

Motherboard is a Leadtek NF4SK8AA-8EKRS (realtek alc850)

S/PDIF set to output digital only (optical cable)

VLC preferences; audio:

• selected use S/PDIF when available
  selected force detection of dolby surround

For an x264-encoded hd-dvd mkv:

In vlc, if audio device is set to:

• 5.1 - all speakers will play save for the center channel/dialog - receiver detects as "surround"
  a/52 over S/PDIF - all audio will come through, but sounds like a CD skipping - receiver detects as "digital" (dolby 5.1)
  2 front, 2 rear - all audio comes through just fine for everything - receiver detects as "surround"

For a ripped dvd, the audio automatically defaults to the a/52 device, & the sound is the same as the a/52 above

**UPDATE

Ok, I've updated the drivers & VLC, & neither of those worked. Changing my output module to win32 waveout extension, however, did the trick (preferences > audio > output modules > enable advanced). Thanks to those who posted the fix for me. Hope others will have some luck & maybe we can get a permanent fix with 0.9 final.

[booster69]

I've been getting the same problem with stuttering sound through vlc.
I was getting a skipping/looping sound everytime I tried to use my s/pdif connection. When set to win32 wavout I would get constant stuttering and audio dropouts.
I have tried DL'ing 0.9 and setting it to Win32 waveout, however I am still getting audio drop-outs, although nowhere near as bad as with 0.8.6f. It doesn't happen all the time, maybe once every 10 seconds or so the audio drops out/stutters 3 - 4 times in a row then everything is fine again for a while.

I am running on Vista using a M-Audio Audiophile Delta 2496 with the latest drivers/software.

Anyone else still having trouble, or know of a solution?