Dolby 5.1 Output Problem

I received my HP Pavillion DV6T Quad edition laptop with Windows 7 last week and I'm very happy with it besides this one problem. I downloaded a movie in X264 (MKV) format. I connected my laptop to my Onkyo home theater through the HDMI and the video quality was amazing but the audio would not play in Dolby 5.1 surround sound. The audio is encoded in AC3 format. I could not play the movie in Media Center because Media Center won't play X264 files (unless there is something I don't know). I used VLC player to play the movie and set the audio in VLC to 5.1 but that would not work. I also tried setting the audio in VLC player to SPDIF but the sound was cutting in and out every second. I called HP support and the guy tried to help but was unable to find a solution and told me that other people have been having the same problem. I tried using BSplayer to play the movie but ran into the same issue and could not get 5.1 Dolby sound. I'm not too familiar with the audio settings in BSplayer so if someone has some advice I would be grateful.

Anyone know of a solution?

 

I deleted your other post as cross posting is not allowed.

 

I accept with information:The audio is encoded in AC3 format. I could not play the movie in Media Center because Media Center won't play X264 files (unless there is something I don't know).

 

i have had a dv9740us and now own a sager 8690. both have bluray and hdmi and spdif out.
like you i noticed this right away. i searched the web and found out that laptops, or even pc's as a whole, cannot out 5.1 digital audio. it will output the audio to as stereo and if you will notice, the volume will be much lower than normal. very dissapointing indeed if you have a bluray player.
i dont know however if changing your sound card to something like a creative xifi 24-bit digital processor will solve this.
hope this helps and do tell if you find a solution.

 

just an update to the above:

i seem to remember that yes, the built-in realtek gigabit card can output to digital 5.1 but iit till not pass thorugh the hdmi out as 5.1 or higher. thus you will get stereo sounding output through hdmi.
if you use the optical spdif out however you will get 5.1 digital output. but you need a tosLINK mini optical cable for this, which i cant seem to get my hands on.
this is info from a year ago, im not sure if things have changed in the laptop audio digital scene, esp for win7

 

Thank you for your help but here's the thing; If I play an xvid (non bluray xvid) that is encoded with AC3 audio through media center and connect my laptop to my home theater with HDMI I get Dolby 5.1 audio. I cannot get Dolby through VLC player so I don't think its my sound card that's the problem.

 

your 5.1 output problem might be related to your player. Does the payer you're using in fact support 5.1 output and does all the intermediate software.

Most/all audio chipsets these days supports 5.1. That's only part of the equation though. All of the intervening components, hardware, software, etc, have to support a validated 5.1 stream or everything defaults back to 2.0 stereo.

That's the way Dolby and THX certifications work. If any component in the stream isn't certified, the whole stream defaults back to 2 channel stereo.

 

hi heres the way i set up my system.
my sager laptop with bd is connected via hdmi to ,y sonia bravia 3lcd tv. the tv is then connected via cable to my home theatre box. i disable tv sound and audio passes thru to the home theatre as stereo only. the bd player that i use, dvd player 9, doesnt even seem to recognize the hdmi out audio device.
is this configuration correct? my laptop, home thatre and tv only have on hdmi each.
have any of you succesfully played dolby 5.1 or higher audio output thru bd rom via hdmi?

 

No dvi adapters on the hdmi cables? And the cables are 'known good' as in tested to work with another setup?

 

yeah no dvi adapters and i know my cables are good cause i tested them between my tv and my home theatre and they do transfer hd audio and video

 

You are very correct. This is precisely my problem. VLC player has 5.1 as an audio option but when I choose that setting nothing changes and I still get basic stereo sound. Do you know of a player that would give me dolby sound on X264 videos with my HDMI connected from my laptop to my home theater like media center does? I don't think media center can play X264 MKV files.

 

have you tried GOM player?

also you could try asking in this site:
http://www.sevenforums.com/media-center/

i read somewhere there that some guys have had success in changing the default players for dvd's and bd's and such in wmc.
there just might be a way to change the default player to vlc and use wmc's connectivity to output 5.1 audio

edit:
http://www.cccp-project.net/

the cccp codec pack will allow you to play mkv's on wmp and thus on wmc also.
maybe you should give it a try first

 

Windows should be able to play 5.1. However, I did notice you configured your laptop output through your tv. All outputs should go through your receiver (that's what it's designed for) then sent to the various ancillary components i.e. tv, recording device etc.

Only go directly to the tv when there's not connection via the receiver and then only video--if you can split it.

 

well all i have actually is a tv and an uspscaling dvd (which is what i meant by home theatre).
so should i connect the hdmi to the home theatre/dvd instead of the tv and then connect the tv to the dvd?

 

No, the receiver is the center hub of all your A/V system's components:

Everything--tv, dvd, computer output, etc.--feeds into it. Besides, even if you had an HDMI out on your TV, you'd still need someway to power the speakers. All you can get with the TV is stereo.

 

'Windows' doesn't play anything. Application software plays things. And if that application software isn't up to scratch, things won't play.

 

Wrong! I was referring to Windows Media Center which is software specifically designed to handle ALL your multi-media needs

 

MCE is a shell/skin around standard applications.

 

You're being picky. By that understanding, I could say a pilot doesn't fly the plane servo mechanisms and hydrolic actuators do?

 

CCCP codec allowed media center to recognize the movie for the first time but would still not play. When I try to play it in media center is says to make sure the movie is really in the right location (which of of course it is). It plays with VLC and Media player now but still does not play in Dolby. I thought this would do the trick but it did not

 

maybe you can post that in the cccp forums too. afaik that should work. in fact its main purpose is so that wmp and wmc will be able to play mkv files

 

Was the problem solved OP? If so, how? Maybe someone else can profit from your post.

 

The problem wasn't solved. I was able to get Media Center to recognize the movie with CCCP but not able play it in Media Center. Media player however was now able to play the movie but not in Dolby. I will try variations of Media player classic and another codec pack and update you when I find something.

 

EUREKA! After much search I have FINALLY found the answer. I removed all codecs, removed media player classic and installed this: http://haali.su/mkv/ (Haali Media Splitter) a tiny file that allows media center to recognize and play X264 files in beautiful Dolby surround sound. When Haali was installed with codec packs it did not work but this stand alone file did the trick.