5.1 to 6 channels for TV

[SDC]

In case it helps…

BlueGears HDA X-Mystique 7.1 Soundcard

When it comes to sound cards, think Creative is the only game in town? Guess again. While Creative has name recognition cornered, there are other viable options. Take BlueGears HDA X-Mystique 7.1 Soundcard. This little gem can encode Dolby Digital 5.1 streams and has a slew of other...

hothardware.com

I'm looking for soundblaster z series as it is the only one available in S.K. will post if this actually works

 

[gac800]

@SDC @sarumbear let me know what you can dig up, as the would be a great option.

 

[gac800]

I am also considering swapping the Roku for a streamer like Apple TV that can export PCM 5.1 and then just use a extractor card like @voodooless mentioned.

 

[dualazmak]

Are you saying that I can stream Netflix and Disney in it and it can decode the dolby signal and export all 6 channels into EKIO?

As far as you can feed the digital audio signal(s) into EKIO within PC through ASIO4ALL or any other ASIO or WASAPI routing, you can do all the XO/EQ and feed the XO/EQ-ed multichannel digital signals into multichannel DAC using the multichannel ASIO driver of the DAC.

EKIO can be the system-wide one-stop DSP(XO/EQ) center;

 

[gac800]

As far as you can feed the digital audio signal(s) into EKIO within PC through ASIO4ALL or any other ASIO or WASAPI routing, you can do all the XO/EQ and feed the XO/EQ-ed multichannel digital signals into multichannel DAC using the multichannel ASIO driver of the DAC.

EKIO can be the system-wide one-stop DSP(XO/EQ) center;
View attachment 230289

Yes, that is very similar to what I am Currently doing except with the mot 828es, there is no need for VB Audio Cable. I will download JRiver and see how it works! thank you!

 

[ernestcarl]

Yes, I’ve been using Netflix, et al to a 2.0/2.1/5.1/7.1 speaker setup using JRiver and a multichannel DAC for a while now. I’m not 100% certain if it’s Windows itself that decodes the dolby digital stream, the native app itself or JRiver, but it can be observed in the visual analyzer that the 5.1 channel stream (if set up right) is truly 5.1 and not merely upmixed signals from stereo.

 

[SDC]

Yes, I’ve been using Netflix, et al to a 2.0/2.1/5.1/7.1 speaker setup using JRiver and a multichannel DAC for a while now. I’m not 100% certain if it’s Windows itself that decodes the dolby digital stream, the native app itself or JRiver, but it can be observed in the visual analyzer that the 5.1 channel stream (if set up right) is truly 5.1 and not merely upmixed signals from stereo.

Yes, Jriver WDM is true 5.1 for PC netflix 5.1 and 7.1 for atmos contents.
4k works too with codec.


You can also use window default setting to route optical PCM input to WDM for 2ch output

But it is not possible to decode optical DD input to feed WDM with 5.1ch... at least for now

I hope sound card has a fix for this... to use 5.1 youtube of smart tv there must be decoder between, which should be integrated in windows but can't get it to work!

 

[voodooless]

Yes, Jriver WDM is true 5.1 for PC netflix 5.1 and 7.1 for atmos contents.

As far as I can see, Jriver cannot decode Atmos, only bitstream it to an external decoder.

 

[SDC]

As far as I can see, Jriver cannot decode Atmos, only bitstream it to an external decoder.

yes Jriver cannot but I meant that netflix atmos takes full advantage of windows dd+ which makes it 7.1ch.
For true ceiling atmos we need dolby app to bypass the signal to decoder.

 

[ernestcarl]

yes Jriver cannot but I meant that netflix atmos takes full advantage of windows dd+ which makes it 7.1ch.
For true ceiling atmos we need dolby app to bypass the signal to decoder.

I don't quite understand what you mean by 7.1c here... From my own testing, I could only see 5.1 channels active from running Disney+, Netflix, and the Windows Movies & TV app titles in JRiver analyzer with a 7.1c speaker setup enabled. Do you mean with the use of HDMI and an external AVR in a HTPC with JRiver?

 

[sarumbear]

I don't quite understand what you mean by 7.1c here... From my own testing, I could only see 5.1 channels active from running Disney+, Netflix, and the Windows Movies & TV app titles in JRiver analyzer with a 7.1c speaker setup enabled. Do you mean with the use of HDMI and an external AVR in a HTPC with JRiver?

7.1 can mean either of two settings: Dolby Digital Plus (aka Enhanced AC-3) if it is encoded (compressed) and Dolby Surround 7.1 if it is discreet channels (uncompressed).

Current streaming services only stream encoded audio. If the film you are watching has the DD+ sign then you may get 7.1 through supported hardware.

However, as far as I know there are no SPDIF receiver hardware that support Enhanced AC-3 and decode 7.1.

 

[ernestcarl]

7.1 can mean either of two settings: Dolby Digital Plus (aka Enhanced AC-3) if it is encoded (compressed) and Dolby Surround 7.1 if it is discreet channels (uncompressed).

Current streaming services only stream encoded audio. If the film you are watching has the DD+ sign then you may get 7.1 through supported hardware.

However, as far as I know there are no SPDIF receiver hardware that support Enhanced AC-3 and decode 7.1.

The online streaming services mentioned label the audio as either DD+ or 6 channel AC-3 (with embedded Atmos) so basically compressed. I have not yet discovered a movie or TV show title streamed from within those Windows PC apps that label their audio stream as having 7.1 channels. If there is one or more, I would like to know so I can test it.

 

[sarumbear]

The online streaming services mentioned label the audio as either DD+ or 6 channel AC-3 (with embedded Atmos) so basically compressed.

The format you call "6 channel AC-3 (with embedded Atmos)" is 5.1.2 Atmos. In a 7.1 system, additional two speakers are added to 5.1. surround as either 'rear surround,' 'height,' or 'ceiling' depending on the format the audio is mixed. DD+, DTS, or Atmos respectively.

I have not yet discovered a movie or TV show title streamed from within those Windows PC apps that label their audio stream as having 7.1 channels. If there is one or more, I would like to know so I can test it.

I am not sure about Windows streaming apps but Windows and Mac definitely supports 7.1.

You can watch Netflix in Dolby Atmos audio on select TV shows and movies.

Dolby Atmos on Netflix

You will need a plan that supports streaming in Ultra HD, a device that supports Dolby Atmos, and stream quality set to High or Auto.

help.netflix.com

 

[ernestcarl]

I am not sure about Windows streaming apps but Windows and Mac definitely supports 7.1.

Yes, I am aware of that... my question is specific to @SDC's ff. statement:

Yes, Jriver WDM is true 5.1 for PC netflix 5.1 and 7.1 for atmos contents.

Which was in reply to my comment about the Netflix app within Windows for direct PC playback and not through any external Roku/Fire TV/Apple TV etc. device. It is not clear to me if he really means to say that the specific native Windows 10 Netflix app actually carries/provides any titles which stream 7.1 channels.

As far am I am aware, there are none.

Again, if there is any Movie or TV show title in their catalogue that contains 7.1 channels playable through a Windows PC (in the native Netflix or Disney+ app or purchasable through Microsoft's Movies & TV) I would like to know in order to test this for myself.

 

[SDC]

Yes, I am aware of that... my question is specific to @SDC's ff. statement:



Which was in reply to my comment about the Netflix app within Windows for direct PC playback and not through any external Roku/Fire TV/Apple TV etc. device. It is not clear to me if he really means to say that the specific native Windows 10 Netflix app actually carries/provides any titles which stream 7.1 channels.

As far am I am aware, there are none.

Again, if there is any Movie or TV show title in their catalogue that contains 7.1 channels playable through a Windows PC (in the native Netflix or Disney+ app or purchasable through Microsoft's Movies & TV) I would like to know in order to test this for myself.

If I am wrong I apologize. I thought there is difference with Side amplifiers on and off but I might be wrong as it is not through analyzer.

 

[ernestcarl]

If I am wrong I apologize. I thought there is difference with Side amplifiers on and off but I might be wrong as it is not through analyzer.

In a pure Windows PC environment, native applications that provide online streaming video content are currently "self limiting" themselves to 5.1 or 6 discrete channels max (not counting any Atmos embedded info/extra channels that can only be fully utilized if one were connecting through an HDMI connection and Atmos capable AVR). This is quite (frustratingly) limiting from my own testing of my laptop and a basic 7.1 MCH DAC -- I've been regularly re-testing various streaming platforms every couple of months just to make sure that I'm not missing out when they do finally enable 7.1 channels... whenever, if ever that may be.

As of today, many Windows native and web streaming content providers are still only limited to 2.0 audio e.g. Crave, Amazon Prime, Youtube etc. This makes it very tempting to use an external streaming device alternative, but as you already know it's complicated -- that is, if you want to directly feed the audio into a PC.

 

[SDC]

no decoding in sound blaster z. Just encoding and some sort of stereo mix(loopback?).