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Can someone give me a clear explanation on how to play DTS and/or Dolby files on VLC (currently using VLC 3.0.
I've been looking all over the place, but I can't find a simple answer.
This is my "equipment" :
- PC Win7 64 (AMD 8-core)
- Realtek HD audio driver 6.0.1.6433 x64
- Yamaha RX-V496RDS (DTS + Dolby)
- Optical connection.

I would like to play files like this : https://paulvdbo.stackstorage.com/s/GBkcdzrlXhotgiDH or https://paulvdbo.stackstorage.com/s/jK6Yvj6vwwBxpYaT
When I play these kinda files, I only get stereo, the DTS light on my amp does not come on...

Any info will be greatly appreciated. Please don't hesitate to ask me for more info if necessary.
Thanks in advance !

Launch vlc and hit CTRL + P to open Preferences. Click Audio at the top and in the Output menu / "HDMI / SPDIF audio passthrough" change it to "Enabled (AC3/DTS only)" via the dropdown menu.

Click Save, exit and restart vlc.

Hey Hitchhiker !
First of all : THANKS for your reply and sorry for this late reply, I must have missed your answer last August...
Anyhow ... I checked your solution, but I can't find what you pointed out. When I go to Preferences->Audio and look at the Output window (too bad I can't add screenshots ...) I see :
Output Module where I can choose from the dropdown menu
- Automatic
- Windows Multimedia Device Output
- DirectX audio output <-- the one I use
- WaveOut audio output
- Audio Memory output
- File audio output
- Dummy audio output
- Disable

I checked Use S/PDIF when available

Then for Device I can choose from
- Default
- Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High Definition Audio Device) <-- the one I use
- Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High Definition Audio Device) ... yes : two times the same)
- Speakers

So there is NO "HDMI / SPDIF audio passthrough" nor "Enabled (AC3/DTS only)" to find...?
Am I looking at the wrong menu ? I am using the 3.0.8 Vetinari...
Again : thanks for your help and friendly greentings !

So there is NO "HDMI / SPDIF audio passthrough" nor "Enabled (AC3/DTS only)" to find...?
Am I looking at the wrong menu ? I am using the 3.0.8 Vetinari...
Again : thanks for your help and friendly greentings !

Here's a screenshot to help you find the respective setting.


(click to enlarge)

By the way, you should update to the current version which is 3.0.12 since there's a security vulnerability in previous versions which could put your system at risk. https://www.videolan.org/

Oh OK !
At least I found the setting you mentioned. Million thanks for that. I did a few tries, but no result (yet)... with e.g. this file : https://filesamples.com/samples/audio/dts/sample2.dts
Tomorrow I'll do some more testing and I'll keep you informed !
Again : tanx tanx tanx !

I downloaded your Zappa file and Dolby seems to kick in automatically on my system which is Windows 8.1 using vlc 3.0.12


(click to enlarge)

Do you have the Yamaha RX-V496RDS manual? If not, you can download it from here

Hey Hitchhiker
Again thanks for your (super) fast reply ! (I think I got your answer even before I released the "send" button !
also thanks for the link for the manual. But I do have it. Because I'm electronic engineer I even have the diagrams for that receiver ! (https://www.jottacloud.com/s/244172d7a2 ... d37032c8ad) but never had to use 'em (knock on wood ...)
Anyhow... When I go to the properties of my Digital Audio and do the test of the Encoded formats, I see the lights for DTS and Dolby Audio light up automatically . So my sound card is able to process DTS and Dolby appropriately and the receiver accepts... (https://i.postimg.cc/m2Z0nmdj/Paul-2021 ... ENSHOT.jpg) This never happens when I play those kinda files through VLC, whatever settings I tried. Is there a miscommunication between VLC and my sound card ? I'm still puzzled ... The thing that I noticed is that my receiver only seems to be able to work with 32, 44.1 and 48Khz sample rates. And yes, if I use the receiver's "effects" it simulates 5.1 . It sounds nice and "spacy", but of course it's not the "real" thing.
BTW, the picture you shared is not from the VLC player, is it ? I've seen it before, but can't remember what program it is.
I don't think that Win7 + VLC 3.08 make a difference in playing (5.1) audio, right ?
It seems we're getting closer to the solution, but we're not there yet ...
And again : I'm so grateful for your willingness to help !

PS. if you liked the Zappa song, lemme know : I have much more of this guy !

The image I posted was taken from Dolby Home Theater which came preinstalled on my Acer machine and superimposed on vlc. You can see the Zappa title on the title bar at the top of the picture. Zappa music is not to my taste though

The sample rate taken from the Codec info appears to be 96000 hz. If your receiver can't work with sample rates higher than 48 hz maybe that's where the problem lies (?).


(click to enlarge)

Hmm... (Before you read further, I want to assure you that I DO NOT blame you at all : I blame myself !)
OK. I downloaded and installed the Dolby Home Theater. Went without any problems. But still I couldn't play (non-96KHz!) files. Not ANY sound came out of my speakers ! Not any mp3, wav etc ... So OK :uninstall (with Revo Uninstaller). I found it a lil bit weird that Revo found +2,000 left-over files after the initial uninstall... I didn't check WHICH files would get deleted, so I said : OK delete ALL. I use and trust REVO for yeaaaars. Result : ALL my sound programs (which resided in my MUSIC folder where GONE !!! (yes completely GONE... ) No more VLC, no more Winamp, no more any other music program. Even the whole (main) "music prog" folder was gone... OK. Luckily I made a restore point right before I installed Dolby. So no worries (I thought...) Everything will be as it was before after I restore. Nope : still no music folder. Then I looked in my trashcan and saw that the whole folder with everything in it was there. I set it back. YES ! Everything was there again ! Woot woot !!! BUT.... (too bad there's a but...) Dolby had nested itself in all of my music progs. I understood that thAt was the reason why REVO uninstalled everything where there it found "Dolby" remnants. Now non of my progs plays music anymore I deleted the DOLBY driver, restarted the PC, set every setting like it was before, but still no sound ... Maybe I have to dig into the realtec driver, but I'm a lil affraid to do that and go from bad to worse... So if you have another suggestion other than reinstall all those music progs : please let me know
But again : please DO NOT FEEL GUILTY ! You have set me on the right path, but somehow me, myself and I messed it up... So still a big Thank You !!! *s*

Oh ! Ik zie nu juist dat je in Nederland bent en dat je dus waarschijnlijk dezelfde moedertaal spreekt dan ikzelf. Maar laat ons de conversatie in het Engels houden zodat anderen ook misschien een boodschap hebben aan dit onderwerp
Oh I just saw that you're from the Netherlands and probably speak the same language than I do. But let's keep this conversation in English so that others could benefit from this thread

OK. back in business... I uninstalled the Dolby driver in the device manager and I hear music again !!! woohoooooo !!! I can sleep again (maybe the neighbors NOT ... *LOL*) All my music progs seem to produce sounds in my speakers...
So we're back to square one ...
You understand that I'm a little worried about the Dolby driver so I'm gonna look for some other Dolby/dts player. But not today ... Had more than enough installing, removing, panicking, restoring for a day... If you or someone might have a good tip/suggestion : please lemme know !
Again : thanks x 1000. I'll keep you informed !

The thought occurs to me that your Zappa file doesn't have a .dts extension which is probably why it doesn't trigger the light on your receiver.

The sample.dts file (which I forgot to try - sorry) plays in that format on vlc according to the Codec info.


(click to enlarge)

You might try switching the output to DirectX audio output since that's the official 5.1 surround sound format. You'll lose the option to select AC3/DTS if you do though.

As for Revo, I've never used it. If I run into trouble and can't remove an installation I use Microsoft's tool which has never failed me (yet). But each to his own.

But it's always wise to create a manual system restore point prior to installing any new application so that you can immediately wind back the clock if things go pear-shaped. Anyway I'm glad to hear you fixed the missing music problem.

I speak Dutch, but this is an English language forum so have to stick to the rules.

I just stumbled onto this thread. I just finished posting a solution to basically the same thing with some differences. I had some of the same issues using an optical connection. I also have some VLC settings that might help to get better sound.

See this thread. https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=156069