Can only get 2 channel sound with AnydvdHD and powerdvd 7.3 ultra

[mprubin]

I'm sure this issue has been beat to death, but have reviewed lots of forum posts, and I can't solve it.

Finally decided to make use of AnydvdHD I've had for a while, so got the original LG blu-ray drive, which came with powerDVD 7.3 and a 1.5 T second hard drive. Knew that version wouldn't play blu, so went to their web site and did the no cost upgrade that turned it into Ultra, did't say version number, but info screen says 7.3 build 515.0. Playing direct from original disk in drive, or ripped file structure, PowerDVD only allows 2 channel input and doesn't provide option to even use digital outputs. Using Ht Omega stricker sound card,has 8 channel analog, plus digital. Tried turning all analog channels on or digital in sound card, but PowerDVD still won't give me multi channel options. The disk info screen on playing showed 7 channel DTS-MA. I have the user guide associated with the ultra upgrade the site gave me, and it doesn't list any restrictions for just 2 channel, I'm supposed to be able to bring up an A/V options pad, but it only allows me to select 2 channel stereo, dolby downmix and a virtual selection, all seem processed 2 channel. And I only get sound with the virtual setting, 2 channel gives a buzz and the downmix doesn't seem to give anything. I know some OEM versions of PowerDVD are locked to two channel, but the ultra version documentations doesn't show any restrictions, and many people here and other forums report getting both multi channel analog and legacy digital outputs from ver 7.3.

I can't find any switch to set. Anyone have an idea if there is some setup I've missed or maybe a patch to run. I really don't want to upgrade to DVD9 with all the problems reported, but what's the point in a HD server that won't provide the audio?

Any suggestions gratefully accepted. I did mount the files using virtual clone drive from sly site, which was very current date. If it is an unsolveable 2 channel lockout, suggestions on whether upgrade to PowerDVD 9, Total Media Theatre or something else. As best I can tell from TMT documentation, it doesn't decode trudolby or DTS-MA and pass thru on analog outputs, only gives core dolby downmix on digital, or perhaps also on analog. Since I'm still using analog inputs for lossless audio, I need the analog decoding.

Sorry again is this was dealt with before, but I couldn't find a solution, just that many folks have 7.3 working properly, though with earlier builds, which I don't have access to.

best
mr

 

[Webslinger]

Anydvd does not affect sound at all.

Moving thread to the "High Definition Software" forum . . .

 

[Adbear]

The OEM version that come with the LG drives is only 2 channel. Try taking it back to build 4407 as I think that OEM version was full channel. To get the full channel you'd need the full 7.3 Ultra or a full updater that will accidently install over the OEM like the 5105 one does

 

[mprubin]

Thanks Adbear, I was afraid that was the problem. Since I just installed PowerDVD and did the only site upgrade identified, I have no previous version to roll back to. Would there we a source for an installer with the earlier built? Or any unlisted URL for the PowerDVD site that would run a full installer with a full channel version of 7.3 ultra or the 7.3 blu-ray enabled version that some OEM people got? What burns me is the build upgrade documentation does not list any 2 channel restriction, so I had some hope it would work. In fact it identifies full channel capability, trudolby and DTS-MA. Pretty poor to document features that are not provided in the upgrade. In my view, by upgrading me to ultra with these specific documented features, and not providing them, it's the company that violated the license agreement, certainly not me. If can't get 7.3 to work, would it be better to try to find a copy of 8 ultra somewhere, go to 9 or rather to Total Media Theature.

mr

 

[Adbear]

4407 is available from the PDVD website, you have to look in the PDVD ultra update section not the PDVD section

 

[mprubin]

Many thanks, I finally found the full installer, first I had the build patch, but that wouldn't run.

It did "downgrade/upgrade" to 4407 and identified it as LG OEM. I now see it has capability for six channel input. So at least its functional. Still kind of strange however.

No options to select digital output, even when I select it in the sound card, the PowerDVD info screen shows digital output not active, still says 6 or 8 channel analog is active. Before I start a BD disk I believe there was a digital selection, but it disappeared once disk started. I don't know if sound card is passing digital, need monoprice to send me the 20 foot optical cable tomorrow.

Also, when playing a BD disk, info screen shows codeing to be DTS at 48 KHz, so looks like PowerDVD is only decoding core DTS, and maybe putting it out on analog channels. Since the PowerDVD software has dolby and dts synthesized multi channel out, I haven't figured yet if I'm getting discrete channels or not.

Considering that they have the lossless audio logos plastered all over the splash screen, kind of bold not to decode them, and the disk info confirmed it was playing 7.1 DTS-MA. Though I only saw plain DTS for the player info on decode. I guess this is as close as I will get with 7.3, but a lot better than before. Core DTS not bad, but I can't figure why the sample rate is so low. If I force the sample rate to 96, on sound card I believe, I get processed two channel, and the card is very clear about that.

As soon as I get the long optical cable, I'll run a test disk to see if I'm really getting discrete channels and then do the same with the analog outputs, need some really long RCA runs.

Thanks again for the help. I was really stuck. That company really doesn't make it easy to setup their software. If there is a way to activate the HD audio formats in this build, would appreciate being clued in.

regards
mr

 

[Adbear]

If the card doesn't have HDMI then the highest you can go thru digital is DTS core, it's a limitation of the digital connection you're using. Also I think that PDVD always downsamples to 48KHZ, especially the 7.3 version.
To be honest I gave up on PDVD once I managed to get TMT3 working on my system. I was always in favour of PDVD but eventually ust gave up on it due to the many problems it has. TMT isn't great, but it seems to work better than PDVD

 

[mprubin]

Hi Adbear

Thanks for the additional insight. You really got me setup for 7.3. I thought that since my BD player could decode lossless formats and send over analog (done by firmware) no digital external to box, that PowerDVD should be able to do so also, using cpu. Didn't see why lack of HDMI port on sound card should lock that out. I don't have any digital connection in sound path, except movie codec to powerdvd software, which seems same as set top player. Oh well. I did find digital output on powerdvd could be set before starting movie so maybe can use optical out, but still have to test signal. Guess I could go to the Asus sound card that is supposed to do lossless decoding, but it is $$$ and has had lots of problems reported.

On TMT, do you happen to know if it decodes lossless codecs and puts over analog sound card outputs? Their documentation is hazy there, and no tech support before you register their product.

regards
mr

 

[Nick Villaruz.]

7.3 is weird.

 

[mmdavis]

7.3 is weird.

You do realize that thread was 9 years old.

 

[whatever_gong82]

You do realize that thread was 9 years old.

All 3 replies from this person's account (the one above your reply) is for 3 threads that are way out of date.

The mod Ch3vr0n has already politely asked him twice already not to resurrect old threads.

 

[James]

All 3 replies from this person's account (the one above your reply) is for 3 threads that are way out of date.

Maybe a spam bot?

 

[Ch3vr0n]

Sent a pm and gave a 30d ban after ignoring it and bumping another 10y old topic. We'll see in a month if/when he comes back

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