Home theater using DIRAC and PC

[sophie smith]

Greetings,

Have a question about HT set up. Not sure if this is possible, but...

Source of audio laptop PC with DIRAC live. External USB 7.1 audio card (several out there available). TV optical or HDMI out audio connected to the audio card. Audio card to the amplifier, then to speakers. Basically, I want to use DIRAC and audio card as a pre/processor.

Can this be done? Can I connect DIRAC on Win PC to have external audio card as a output for TV audio?

Since I plan to buy DIRAC for stereo music anyway, it will be a relatively cheap upgrade ($150 + $300) I believe for 7.1 audio. Any new processor with DIRAC or Anthem RC built in starts at 4k new. I already have a laptop and old multichannel amp that will be fine for the HT.

Assuming this even works, will it be any better than a new $1000 or less receiver (yamaha, denon, sony...) with their proprietary correction? I will not have access to atmos or aura3D using an external audio card, but will DIRAC room correction be worth it?

Thanks

 

[dlaloum]

With something like JRiver software, combined with Dirac, it is technically possible, the quality will be dependent on how good your output soundcard is (keeping in mind it needs to be 7.1).

What you will miss out on is object based audio decoding (DTS:X and Aura3D)

A Receiver or PrePro with built in Dirac is easier and less prone to issues whenever there is an update from Microsoft that messes with the drivers... but I too have considered this... repeatedly... (and ended up buying a receiver)

 

[tifune]

What you will miss out on is object based audio decoding (DTS:X and Aura3D)

A Receiver or PrePro with built in Dirac is easier and less prone to issues whenever there is an update from Microsoft that messes with the drivers... but I too have considered this... repeatedly... (and ended up buying a receiver)

I didn't realize Auro and DTS:X were object-based? I thought it was Atmos only

Completely agree with your sentiment. I would love to use HTPC solely, but 8 channels seems to be the limit on the DAC side and my attempts at using the Atmos/DTS plugins from the Microsoft store were total failures.

I think Auro3D is possible with something like Penteo, but again so much work and by the time you add up all the software/multichannel DAC you could have simply bought a used 4700. Really looking forward to the new Onkyo/Pioneer line w Dirac integrated.

 

[dlaloum]

I beg your pardon... quite right.. a moment of vagueness (or too much reading of ABR spec sheets and differing formats) Atmos! Although I believe Auro3d also has object based audio..... (flavour of the decade?)

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I beg your pardon... quite right.. a moment of vagueness (or too much reading of ABR spec sheets and differing formats) Atmos! Although I believe Auro3d also has object based audio..... (flavour of the decade?)

Auro 3D is channel based, but also not supported on PCs. The answer is yes, you play streaming audio and use you PC as a nework player for streaming video. Windows will support up to 7.1, but Netflix is limited to 5.1. I've been doing this very thing for years. Netflix to JRiver via WDM driver, Windows set for 5.1, all channels set to large, Jriver default audio device, set properties to 24 bit, 48khz (studio quality) and set to Wasapi Exclusive to avoid Windows mixer. Dirac becomes a plug in, then USB out to a multichannel dac, unless you are using a desktop with a sound card. It flat out works. No Atmos or Auro or DTS-X, though. Just legacy codecs.