Windows 10: 5.1 channel over SPDIF / optical not working since update(?)

I do use a media pc with windows 10 and Kodi as software player. The pc is connected to a TV via HDMI and also a 5.1 reciver (which is capable of process sc3, dts and other data streams on its own). Basically, no other software is installed on that PC.


Anyhow, this is the problem I am facing:

When starting a movie (mkv/ac3) the display of the reciver just gets a 2 channel signal. As the reciver is "oldschool" is has only one option: 5 channel upmix. I do not know since when my movies do play only that fake surround, but my best guess is that this is since I moved. I had to reconfigure my whole network and I took the chance to trigger each update on the media PC (Kodi and Windows mainly).


The connection between PC and reciver is via a SPDIF optical cable. The bandwith of that connection is limited, so an allready decoded signal has to be stereo. This is why I suspect Windows 10 and/or the audio driver. The realtec options do show only stereo output possibilities and also the realtec driver software has all the options for a stereo configuration.


So far I've found https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware/51-channel-surround-sound-not-working-in-windows/b14b932f-2fda-44e9-b22f-aeaa3f329958 and decided to post here... to use the pictures of that post: on the 4th I cannot select any 5.1 surround, only stereo and the 5th is completely different...

:)

 

Optical spdif headache

I'm in the process of trying to connect my pc to my hifi via the optical spdif on my mobo in order to avoid blowing my amp (which I already did twice). This mobo, when new, comes with a sound card that doesnt have optical spdif on it (which makes no odds because theres one on the mobo and by the time I received this board the soundcard disappeared).
Point is, which driver to use? So I put in the realtek software and it just disappears. Nothing in the startup programs and almost no sign of it in the program file. The "official" driver for this board is from "Soundmax" which won't install because there's no deicated sound card.
The existence of the optical spdif is mentioned in the user manual but nothing about how.
Please advise.
Thanks in advance.

 

Logitech Z906 and SPDIF optical

Hello! I just Ordered Z906 speakers today.

I am willing to use optical connection, with spdif , from my on board sound chip.
My mobo is ASUS P7P55D. On Board Sound Chip is VIA vt1828s 8-channel hd audio. As i looked in specs, it has Dolby Digital Live and DTS connect.. [link is here: VT1828S -

After a lot of searching today, i realised that if i want to play games through spdif with true 5.1 sound, and not through z906' 3D, i need this dolby digital live or dts connect decoding..
As for movies, i think that i must choose spdif out from my player just to have true 5.1.

at soundacrd's control panel , in spdif settings, it has a button "dts interactive" which can pushed on or off.. Will it work that way? I hope so..
i'd prefer not to spend more money for an extra sound card if i can do my job with this.

And i want to ask if finally, it is worth it to connect it with spdif? Will i have better sound quality? Or just connect it through analog cables.
With Analog i take 5.1 sounds normally?
How many hours do i have to play the z906 in low volume at first days?

 

5.1 Digital Optical not working in Windows 10

Greetings @omni_gamer

Anyway the only thing broken is the DD Live and DTS-Interactive encoding. SPDIF out works well in 2 Channel/24-bit. As for the SPDIF passthrough you must check in the "Supported Format" and also specify SPDIF passthrough in the player option. That way the
processing would be done at your amplifier