Playing DVD-A files from a PC.

[Lensflair]

I had another post asking how to make DVDs from ripped DVD-A files, but all roads let to dead ends. The last option was to play the files directly through a PC. I am a Mac person, but was given an old PC laptop from one of my coworkers so that I can experiment with this. Again, ALL of this is new to me, so please excuse my ignorance. I've never used Windows in my life.

First of all, is the computer hooked into the receiver or the DVD player? I have the Sony UBP-X800M2.

Secondly, lots of posters mentioned to play these files through Foobar, but you needed other plug ins? What might they be?

Can Foobar also play ripped DTS, flac, and SACD files? Do you need separate plug ins for those. I was having some issues playing flac files, and I am hoping this might be a solution.

I need all the help I can get. Instructions for dummies, please.

Thanks.

 

[ubertrout]

You connect the laptop via HDMI directly to the receiver.

Use foobar in WASAPI output mode to get clean output.

There's a plugin for pretty much everything, including DVD-Audio, SACD, and DTS (although direct DTS output should also work if your receiver can auto detect it.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

VLC Player and MediaPlayerClassic BE are able to play stereo and multi-channel (lpcm).mpl files and pass the audio via HDMI to an AVR...

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

Okay, let's get crackalackin'!

I'm assuming the OP wants to play already decrypted DVD-Audio files. Here we go. We're not gonna delve into FLAC conversions here, unless you want me to. Make sure your sound settings are set to 5.1 surround and your desired resolution in Windows!

First thing you want to do is download foobar2000.

Proceed through the standard software setup, adjusting anything you see fit.

Once foobar is installed, download this. Make sure to extract the zip file.

Let's open up foobar2000 now.

What you want to do now is click file, and then preferences.

Navigate to the components tab inside preferences and click the install button on the bottom right. Navigate to where you extracted the zip file we downloaded earlier and select the "foo_input_dvda.fb2k-component" file. Once the plugin is installed, foobar will prompt you to restart the application. Do so.

Now, to actual playback!

First, find your desired DVD-A folder or ISO. For this example, I will use a certain special album.

All you have to do is drag the folder or ISO into the foobar window. The DVD-Audio should show up like this.

I don't think the foobar plugin supports extracting metadata, so you'll have to know what song/album is what. You can convert to FLAC and tag the files, but that's a bit more complicated and we can get into that later. This should be all you need to enjoy playback!

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

After rereading the post, I noticed OP asked about FLAC, DTS, and SACD too.

FLAC is supported out of the box. Let those IAA files sing!

DTS and SACD both require plugins. Just install, drag, and drop, as shown in the DVD-A guide.

 

[furui_suterioo]

El Cheapo solution if you are using foobar on pc is CM6206 USB 5.1 interface to the amp, got one for less than $10.

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

Ah, yes, if your amp has an HDMI input, just plug in your laptop into the amp using HDMI.

 

[mandrix]

We need to set up a permanent sticky or link or something about this. I've written tutorials, pictorials, pm's, links etc about Foobar, as have many others I'm sure.
It's like the Swiss Army Knife of software players.

 

[Lensflair]

Okay, let's get crackalackin'!

I'm assuming the OP wants to play already decrypted DVD-Audio files. Here we go. We're not gonna delve into FLAC conversions here, unless you want me to. Make sure your sound settings are set to 5.1 surround and your desired resolution in Windows!

View attachment 85768
View attachment 85769

First thing you want to do is download foobar2000.

Proceed through the standard software setup, adjusting anything you see fit.

Once foobar is installed, download this. Make sure to extract the zip file.

Let's open up foobar2000 now.

View attachment 85762

What you want to do now is click file, and then preferences.


View attachment 85763

View attachment 85765

Navigate to the components tab inside preferences and click the install button on the bottom right. Navigate to where you extracted the zip file we downloaded earlier and select the "foo_input_dvda.fb2k-component" file. Once the plugin is installed, foobar will prompt you to restart the application. Do so.

Now, to actual playback!

First, find your desired DVD-A folder or ISO. For this example, I will use a certain special album.
View attachment 85766
All you have to do is drag the folder or ISO into the foobar window. The DVD-Audio should show up like this.
View attachment 85767

I don't think the foobar plugin supports extracting metadata, so you'll have to know what song/album is what. You can convert to FLAC and tag the files, but that's a bit more complicated and we can get into that later. This should be all you need to enjoy playback!

This is SO helpful!

Thank you!

This is my weekend project. I'll let you know how it works!

 

[mandrix]

I forgot to add, good job by Mr. A.

 

[mandrix]

This is SO helpful!

Thank you!

This is my weekend project. I'll let you know how it works!

If you decide you want to play in Foobar some of the Matroska formats, M4A, etc I can pm you an easy 3 pic pictorial on how to do that.

 

[Lensflair]

Okay, let's get crackalackin'!

I'm assuming the OP wants to play already decrypted DVD-Audio files. Here we go. We're not gonna delve into FLAC conversions here, unless you want me to. Make sure your sound settings are set to 5.1 surround and your desired resolution in Windows!

View attachment 85768
View attachment 85769

First thing you want to do is download foobar2000.

Proceed through the standard software setup, adjusting anything you see fit.

Once foobar is installed, download this. Make sure to extract the zip file.

Let's open up foobar2000 now.

View attachment 85762

What you want to do now is click file, and then preferences.


View attachment 85763

View attachment 85765

Navigate to the components tab inside preferences and click the install button on the bottom right. Navigate to where you extracted the zip file we downloaded earlier and select the "foo_input_dvda.fb2k-component" file. Once the plugin is installed, foobar will prompt you to restart the application. Do so.

Now, to actual playback!

First, find your desired DVD-A folder or ISO. For this example, I will use a certain special album.
View attachment 85766
All you have to do is drag the folder or ISO into the foobar window. The DVD-Audio should show up like this.
View attachment 85767

I don't think the foobar plugin supports extracting metadata, so you'll have to know what song/album is what. You can convert to FLAC and tag the files, but that's a bit more complicated and we can get into that later. This should be all you need to enjoy playback!

Once again. Thank you so much for the help. With all of the holiday festivities, I didn't get around to playing with this until this weekend. I was able to everything that you said. I got the files to play, but on;y in stereo. I couldn't find anywhere where to set the speaker settings to 5.1. I am using windows 11. I have the HDMI cable connected to my Yamaha receiver, yet it only sees the TV. I couldn't find this setting at all, nor could find it when googling the subject. Any thoughts?

 

[Lensflair]

Mr. Afternoon gave awesome advice, and I thank him immensely, but I still have a problem outputting from the PC a 5.1 surround file. I am only getting stereo. Once again, I have never used a PC in my life until now. A friend suggested that I might "need a better sound card". I don't even know what that is. Macs don't have sound cards. (grin). The speaker outputs only see my TV even though the PC and the TV are connected to my 7.2 receiver. Does anyone have any advice? I am using windows 11 on laptop. My google searches have come up frustrating and empty. Thanks.

 

[mandrix]

Windows settings/system/sound. Hopefully there it says AV Receiver.
Start with that.

If you using HDMI from the motherboard, make sure the Intel Display Driver is installed and up to date.

 

[mandrix]

@Lensflair are you with me?

 

[mandrix]

OK you're on a laptop with Windows 11.
You are connected to your AVR from the laptop with an HDMI cable.
Perfect.
Right click on the windows icon in the lower left corner and a menu will come up.
Select Device Manager
Then select Sound, Video and Game Controllers
See if Intel Display Audio is listed.
If it is, great. If not , will have to be installed (should be installed, but you never know)

Assuming the Intel Display Audio Driver is installed, close all that out and return to the desktop.

Now left click on the same Windows icon, in the search bar type control panel. It should show the app off to the right. Click on it. When Control Panel comes up click on Sound.,
Make sure your AVR is on!! Else Windows will not be able to detect it!!
Now look for your AV Receiver and set it as the default sound device. It could be listed under the name of the Intel driver instead!
Next click on the option that says Configure. Here you will set it for 7.1 sound and test it to make sure it works. Then continue through the options, finish and close it out.
Hopefully now it will work. If not , we have more work to do.

 

[mandrix]

OK. Well there are a few things in Windows 11 that can trip you up playing multichannel files. I use my Win 11 machine every day as my media player.
If you need help, give me a shout.

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

Once again. Thank you so much for the help. With all of the holiday festivities, I didn't get around to playing with this until this weekend. I was able to everything that you said. I got the files to play, but on;y in stereo. I couldn't find anywhere where to set the speaker settings to 5.1. I am using windows 11. I have the HDMI cable connected to my Yamaha receiver, yet it only sees the TV. I couldn't find this setting at all, nor could find it when googling the subject. Any thoughts?

Yamaha receiver? HDMI? Try flicking between HDMI processing and HDMI passthrough in the receiver settings. On passthrough mode, unless your TV tells the computer it supports 5.1 input, the computer won't have that option available. The Yamaha receiver will also be invisible to the PC.

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

A friend suggested that I might "need a better sound card".

Sound cards are not applicable to modern Windows devices, really. Anyway, you're routing through HDMI, it won't matter.
HDMI has this thing where devices can tell other devices what it supports, and Windows relies on that info.

(This is an example screenshot, definitely NOT what my setup supports.)

(Another example screenshot that doesn't reflect my playback capabilities...I don't have 7.1, but the device is telling the computer it supports it.)

(Wow, look at all the supported formats! Most Yamaha receivers will cap this at 24/192.)

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

Once you get this working, you're equipped for IAA Downloads too! Well, Atmos may need additional setup...