Another realtek/ gigabyte problem

[340Duster]

Ok, I need to know if this is a software problem somewhere or a failure by the hardware to detect other components. I am running the optical out of my gigabyte GA-K8VNXP to a set of Klipsch GMX 5.1 Promedia speakers. All audio works... poping from interference included:mad: The one thing that won't work is when I try to play a DVD with PowerDVD I cannot get true 5.1 Dolby Digital. The speakers don't detect a signal to decode. I have every setting on SPDIF and then there is just no sound.

[stan03]

did you buy the Power DVD, cause if its the bundled version i don't think you can use digital out or anything greater than 2 chaneel sound.... thats what mine does anyway :(

[340Duster]

Originally posted by stan03
did you buy the Power DVD, cause if its the bundled version i don't think you can use digital out or anything greater than 2 chaneel sound.... thats what mine does anyway :(

No it did come with my DVD player, but it allows me to select SPDIF in the audio setup.:confused:

[340Duster]

edit... For PowerDVD to give a digital audio signal, do I have to have the digital cable from the DVD drive to the board as well as the IDE cable? I also hooked my speakers up to a standard DVD player and they detected the DD5.1 signal.

[stan03]

yes the digital cable is only for audio, you still need the ide hooked up.

[340Duster]

Originally posted by stan03
yes the digital cable is only for audio, you still need the ide hooked up.

Noo, I don't have the digital audio cable, or the analog for that matter, In most programs they tranfer audio data through the IDE, shouldn't PowerDVD be the same way.

[PatrickBateman]

I don't think either of the audio (D or A) are required or of any advantage. There is some other problem.

I wish I could say what that is, but ....
However, I'm confident that the audio cables are not the issue. It's not like you're not getting any sound: the data is being transfered. There's just a problem with the processing of that data.

[340Duster]

I notice that when the audio is set to SDPIF pass through mode there is no light at the end of the optical cable, therefore, there is no output from the onboard sound.

[PatrickBateman]

"pass through", eh?
What's it passing through. Maybe this setting is for using the digital source from the DVD player and requiring the digital audio cable in this mode?

I'm grabbing for possibilities here. I still think the sound data is best through the IDE chain, but, again, I'm speculating to some degree.

[stan03]

hmm does the sound work in non spdif mode?

[340Duster]

pass through means the data is not decoded by the onboard sound system, it is sent straight from the source to the speakers to be decoded into Dolby Digital 5.1, which is what I am looking for with my DVD playback.

Yes the sound works in non SPDIF mode.

[gregs45s]

Well after my experience with the realtek chip, Id vote for going with a soundcard. I did so the beginning of the week and am pleased so far, but I need to get surround speakers to really work it. I could never get the drivers to stay put it seems. I ran the extra cables from the optic drives to the card directly, but I havent attempted to do what your doing yet.

[340Duster]

Originally posted by gregs45s
Well after my experience with the realtek chip, Id vote for going with a soundcard. I did so the beginning of the week and am pleased so far, but I need to get surround speakers to really work it. I could never get the drivers to stay put it seems. I ran the extra cables from the optic drives to the card directly, but I havent attempted to do what your doing yet.

I will try the latest drivers from gigabyte first to see if I can get a functioning SPDIF out. If not I will look into an add on card (dang this money pit) I have heard of people with promedia GMX 5.1 speakers having issues with Creative Audigy cards though.

[340Duster]

Update... I downloaded the newest drivers tonite only to find that the problem remains. :mad: Gigabyte better respond to my tech question tomorrow

[stan03]

it takes them a while to respond, but they usulaly do a good job, although thier english isn't too good. i wonder why it doesn't work...