Onkyo TX-NR515 and HDMI audio

[crazy about cars]

Noticed something peculiar about the HDMI audio from a computer which I have connected to the Onkyo receiver. On my computer if I configure the audio playback device to 5.1 speakers the Onkyo will only show "PCM" with not many other options for sound output. However if I set the computer's HDMI audio to 2 channels I can see all available options on the receiver such as DTS, Dolby etc. However when I set the PC to 5.1 speaker mode and run a test from the PC, there's no sound from the rear surround speakers.

Anyone here tried connecting a pc to the Onkyo receiver using HDMI? What is the recommended settings on the PC? Should I leave it to 2 channels on the PC?

edit : I have an AMD video card with HDMI out. There's not much I can set in terms of audio within Catalyst but I can do it from Windows 7 Playback Devices menu.

[dave0033]

you should set pc sound to stereo not suround let amp decode
or you will not be decoding original sound just perswado encoded suround

it if it a early grafix card hdmi may be a bit funkny

if pc card has digital out eather orange phono or opticla out id use that rather that

your video play softwear will also need to be set to SPDIF out media player or vlc player can play up and be buggy with some amps

found kmplayer very good

iv got a onkyo 818

[crazy about cars]

Thanks for the advice! I've set the video card to 5.1 channels (HDMI audio) and after faffing about in Onkyo's settings have managed to output either DTS or Dolby (red logo on Onkyo) when playing movies using XMBC. Before it was PCM I believe. I think this is called bitstreaming and I do experience better surround sound compared to before.

[dave0033]

crazy about cars said:

Thanks for the advice! I've set the video card to 5.1 channels (HDMI audio) and after faffing about in Onkyo's settings have managed to output either DTS or Dolby (red logo on Onkyo) when playing movies using XMBC. Before it was PCM I believe. I think this is called bitstreaming and I do experience better surround sound compared to before.

good
but the other thing i was trying to explain albe it badly lol is

you need to make shaw you passthrough the audio to the amplifier and let that decode the souround stream

and not set the pc to create a faulse souround sound stream from sound card

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=AudioEngine

2 Audio output
Settings.system.audio output.jpg

Audio output
Allows you to tell xbmc about the type of connection to the audio equipment. Optical/Coax and HDMI enable the passthrough of Dolby Digital and DTS to capable receivers.
Speaker Configuration
select your physical speaker layout
Boost volume level on downmix
Boosts AC3 streams that have been mixed-down to 2 channels
- Dolby Digital (AC3) capable receiver
Audio passthrough option. Select this option if your receiver is capable of decoding AC3 streams.
- DTS Capable Receiver
Audio passthrough option. Select this option if your receiver is capable of decoding DTS streams.
Audio output device
device you use to play PCM or decoded audio such as mp3's and FLAC

[dave0033]

ps

have a look at current vertion of the amplifiers firmwear and up date if needed

http://www.uk.onkyo.com/en/articles/firmware-updat...

[crazy about cars]

Thanks for the reply Dave I guess what I am doing now is using the PC to decode the sound then? Have to admit there's more "surround" when doing things this way. Is this why I'm getting the red DTS/Dolby icons on the Onkyo?

The only way to let the receiver decode is to set the channels on the PC to 2 channel. If I do this, within XMBC (my media player) the audio will not show as "streaming" but as 2 channels (i think).

I guess I got confused at the "passthrough" term. I've got the Sky Box connected to the receiver as well and I've chosen to "passthrough" the audio to telly via HDMI. This allows me to watch/listen to Sky without switching on the receiver. You can only have one source as "passthrough" audio though...

I'll probably take some time to read through what' you've pointed out carefully later today...