How to stream 5.1 flac files from hard drive to digital in on receivers

[marpow]

If a 5.1 decoder has only two analog (RCA) ins, it is just that a decoder that the 5.1 sound is faux surround.
You either need six analog ins or HDMI in for the true discrete surround of a 5.1 mix.
I tried those 5.1 Chinese decoder’s when I built my surround in my car, I went through two of them, junk, not the real thing.

 

[Jack Davis]

Hi all, I've done what you all suggested and picked up a used AVR with HDMI inputs. An Integra DTR-20.2 but I can't get it to play discrete surround sound, just fake surround sound. I play a test 5.1 flac file that plays fine on my Oppo but not via my computer. I play the file with VLC, JRiver, and Foobar on my laptop with Windows 10 and send it to the AVR with HDMI. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Can anyone help with what settings I need to set on both Windows 10 and my AVR?

 

[KPdeak]

Oops. I was logged in under my old email (Jack Davis). I should just delete that account.

 

[DrKlahn]

Hi all, I've done what you all suggested and picked up a used AVR with HDMI inputs. An Integra DTR-20.2 but I can't get it to play discrete surround sound, just fake surround sound. I play a test 5.1 flac file that plays fine on my Oppo but not via my computer. I play the file with VLC, JRiver, and Foobar on my laptop with Windows 10 and send it to the AVR with HDMI. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Can anyone help with what settings I need to set on both Windows 10 and my AVR?

I haven't messed with a PC and VLC for this, but under the preferences in VLC try selecting Audio and HDMI/SPDIF audio passthrough to enabled

 

[KPdeak]

Partial success: By switching the output device in JRiver to the AVR 20.2 WASAPI, it worked . However, I was not able to do the same sort of thing in VLC or Foobar2000. Any suggestions for those two? (I am also helping out a friend who is trying to do the same thing and he does not have JRiver.)

 

[ssully]

which version of foobar2000 are you running, and what options do you see in Preferences-->Playback-->Output-->Devices?

 

[jimfisheye]

FYI, going thunderbolt from the computer with a TB to HDMI cable is a thing. It can also be an option if an HDMI port doesn't support audio (which can also be a thing). In fact this is often the better 1st choice to try.

If you have a more traditional amp or receiver with analog rca inputs, getting a USB audio interface with at least 6 outputs would be the most bang for the buck. Then it's just computer -> interface -> amps. Upgrade and replace bits as needed. Get an interface with more outputs if you plan on going past 5.1 any time soon.

Atmos is the ringer right now with a decision to look for an elusive Dolby media player app vs getting roped into an AVR with hardware decoding. There's an all or nothing factor and starting over with those AVRs if you don't plan and predict the future just right.

 

[KPdeak]

foobar 2.1.2 and

 

[mandrix]

For VLC go to tools/preferences/audio and make sure passthrough is enabled.

 

[mandrix]

BTW Foobar does not bitstream, it decodes and passes as pcm. So, 8 channels max over hdmi.

 

[atrocity]

BTW Foobar does not bitstream

It used to, then it didn't, but now it does again.

I believe it's under File->Preferences->Advanced where you can un-check "Enable additional decoding (DTS, HDCD, etc.)"

 

[mandrix]

It used to, then it didn't, but now it does again.

I believe it's under File->Preferences->Advanced where you can un-check "Enable additional decoding (DTS, HDCD, etc.)"

Did that. Does not light up the Atmos light on the AVR when I play an Atmos encoded m4a.
What kind of files are you playing, and are you sure they're being bitstreamed?

 

[ssully]

BTW Foobar does not bitstream, it decodes and passes as pcm. So, 8 channels max over hdmi.

Foober certainly can bitstream.. I use v1.6 and do it all the time. Passing raw bitstreams to the AVR requires the WASAPI plugin.

The 2.x versions with built in WASAPI have decoding on by default for Dolby and DTS bitstreams, but it can be turned off.

 

[mandrix]

Foober certainly can bitstream.. I use v1.6 and do it all the time. Passing raw bitstreams to the AVR requires the WASAPI plugin.

The 2.x versions with built in WASAPI have decoding on by default for Dolby and DTS bitstreams, but it can be turned off.

Good to know. Thanks.
So in version 2 x64, I turned off decoding but it still wasn't passing bitstream. What else needs to be done?

 

[atrocity]

Did that. Does not light up the Atmos light on the AVR when I play an Atmos encoded m4a.
What kind of files are you playing, and are you sure they're being bitstreamed?

I'm only playing AC-3 and DTS wrapped in FLAC. I'm positive they're bitstreaming because the receiver is reporting those two formats. I've never actually tried Atmos via Foobar2000, so maybe there's something unusual about it that Foobar doesn't understand.

I use a Topping D10S DAC because I need both analog and S/PDIF out. It can also work with DSD, but I've found that it reports receiving DSD when Foobar is playing a .dsf file but claims 352kHz PCM if that same DSD material is compressed via WavPack. I don't know if that's actually relevant or not, just mentioning it because clearly Foobar can do some odd things.

 

[atrocity]

The 2.x versions with built in WASAPI have decoding on by default for Dolby and DTS bitstreams, but it can be turned off.

It can now...one of the big frustrations with 2.0 was that it decoded everything and it wasn't possible to defeat that.

 

[ssully]

The latest version 2.1.5 still seems to be decoding AC3 and DTS files even when I deselect decoding in advanced settings. Dont have time to investigate right now.

 

[atrocity]

The latest version 2.1.5 still seems to be decoding AC3 and DTS files even when I deselect decoding in advanced settings. Dont have time to investigate right now.

I'm on 2.1, so I don't know if 2.1.5 broke something or if it's relevant that under Preferences->Decoding I've also got FFmpeg DTS Decoder and FFmpeg AC-3 Decoder unchecked.

I think I had originally unchecked those when I moved up to v2 and couldn't get bitstreaming to work, but Foobar was still decoding anyway until a later version added the "Advanced" option.

 

[KPdeak]

I could not get Foobar2000 to work with the latest version. After reading everyone's comments, I installed the last version 1 and it worked fine after picking the EXCLUSIVE version of my AVR.
thanks for everyones' suggestions.

 

[mandrix]

I've used all version 2 x64 up to 2.1.4 and I see no bitstreaming of Atmos.
DTS and AC3 don't interest me, which are incorporated into v2 Foo as decoders anyway.
So to say it bitstreams may or not be accurate, IDK.
When you get it to bitstream Atmos, rather than decoding to 7.1 whether it be MKV/MP4/M4A please do relate.
I've been hopeful for a long time but not been holding my breath.