The VideoLAN Forums

How can I set things up so VLC outputs the source number of channels automatically?

If I go to Windows "Speaker Setup" and select Stereo, VLC (or Windows?) outputs *everything* as Stereo.

If I go to Windows "Speaker Setup" and select 7.1, VLC (or Windows?) outputs *everything* as 7.1.

My main media app is JRiver, which can automatically output the source number of channels, perhaps by bypassing Windows mixer. But I haven't figured out how to get VLC to do the same.

Sorry of this is dumb. Thanks for any help you can offer!

The audio output on Windows (mmdevice with wasapi) will always adapt to the System channel configuration, examples:

If you configure Windows for 7.1:
- Stereo content will be upmixed to 7.1 internally via some audio filters
- 7.1 content will play without any modification

If you configure Windows for Stereo
- 7.1 will be downmixed internally via some audio filters
- Stereo content will play without any modification

There is currently no way to change this behavior on Windows. I know that some systems/OS behave differently: VLC always output the original content and the system/OS is taking care of upmixing/downmixing.

VLC always proposed the source channel layout. If the OS insists on a different one, it obeys for lack of alternative.

It should work fine if you are using some kind of virtual audio output device that doesn't have a fixed layout, though I admit to never having tried. For a real physical device, well, Windows will impose the selected layout, which makes sense.

Thanks for clarifying this is a Windows issue. I find it very irritating. For stereo sources, I want my Receiver to do the upmixing or other processing as I decide, not Windows. Guess I am stuck with only JRiver for this functionality. Thanks guys!