Is 5.1 Audio Possible (in ACC)?

[juanmoorethyme]

Hi all,

I have a receiver connected to computer with hdmi, running 5.1 audio out. Doing the windows test, it seems to work (I hear sound coming out of each individual speaker when it tests), however, when I start up ACC, I only hear audio coming out of the front two speakers.

I see zero options to enable 5.1 in ACC. Only thing that seems to have worked, is enabling "Spatial Sounds" in the sound settings, but then I guess I'm not getting true 5.1 audio.

Am I missing something? Or is it just not possible?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Alfonsspeed]

Bumping this thread!
I have connected an optical cable from the motherboard Asus Rog VII Hero to my 6.1 amplifier and also running ACC. I can chose the optical out in the game but the auto decoding does not work so the sound only comes from left/right and sub. I can change it manually by choosing Dolby surround on the amplifier and then it seems to work "OK". But does ACC from the game really send out the signals as 5.1/6.1/7.1, does it support it? I am not a sound technician so I am guessing a bit

 

[ColinMac]

Is the optical output set to 5.1 in windows ? Also do you have surround encoder such as dts:x installed ? This is a module you may need to purchase in the Microsoft store.

 

[Alfonsspeed]

Is the optical output set to 5.1 in windows ? Also do you have surround encoder such as dts:x installed ? This is a module you may need to purchase in the Microsoft store.

I am not sure I can change it to 5.1 in Windows, I can only chose which output connection I want to use. But it is enough I chose the optical inside ACC then the sound comes to the amplifier. Maybe I am not in the right settings if you mean I should change something in Windows too? I have no encoder installed - I just google and found something called Dolby Digital Live Pack, is that such a thing I need?

 

[blekenbleu]

should change something in Windows

Windows Settings->Sound
scroll down to Sound Control Panel <- click that
select output of interest, then click Configure
if Configure is grayed out for (SPDIF) output of interest,
then surround encoder is not installed/configured for it.
Otherwise, you should get a panel somewhat like this:

 

[stigs2cousin]

If I remember correctly an optical cable can´t transfer 5.1 from a PC, its one of these strange problems with computer sound.
I´ve researched that a lot and than solved the problem by buing an old receiver with 5.1 discrete input. (75€)
Then a cable per channel from the onboard sound outputs to the receiver and it worked for AC, can´t comment on ACC.

Later on I added another receiver for tactile , it was even cheaper than the USB soundcard.

I even conteplated to buy an USB Soundcard so i could use my more modern receiver which worked fine on HDMI for PS4, but the models with optical out are also limited to 2.1 channels.

MFG Carsten

 

[Alfonsspeed]

If I remember correctly an optical cable can´t transfer 5.1 from a PC, its one of these strange problems with computer sound.
I´ve researched that a lot and than solved the problem by buing an old receiver with 5.1 discrete input. (75€)
Then a cable per channel from the onboard sound outputs to the receiver and it worked for AC, can´t comment on ACC.

Later on I added another receiver for tactile , it was even cheaper than the USB soundcard.

I even conteplated to buy an USB Soundcard so i could use my more modern receiver which worked fine on HDMI for PS4, but the models with optical out are also limited to 2.1 channels.

MFG Carsten

My receiver is 20 years old and actually got the 5.1 inputs, but my motherboard does not have all the outputs. I will try what Blekenblue wrote later today, maybe need to download Dolby digital live.

 

[stigs2cousin]

If that doesn't work the easiest idea would be to buy an external USB soundcard and use its 5.1 channels.


MFG Carsten

 

[Emery]

Alas, yes, I can confirm trying to use SPDIF is a fool's errand.

 

[Alfonsspeed]

Alas, yes, I can confirm trying to use SPDIF is a fool's errand.

So you mean that it is better with an USB soundcard?

 

[Emery]

So you mean that it is better with an USB soundcard?

My SoundBlaster soundcard has both SPDIF and 5.1 wired outputs which I patched into a Yamaha 6.1 amp. The wired outputs worked consistently while SPDIF had incompatibilities depending on source material. Upgraded computer last year to one with 7.1 wired outputs on the motherboard and that is working consistently.

Basically, SPDIF was never updated from stereo technology to be used in the 5.1, 6.1, & 7.1 home theater environment, so, yes, any wired soundcard will work better whether its USB or not.

 

[blekenbleu]

So you mean that it is better with an USB soundcard?

Microsoft dropped SPDIF surround support (Dolby licensing) after Windows 7.
Some proprietary support reportedly still exists for Windows 10,
but TOSLINK (optical SPDIF) lacks bandwidth to support more than 2 fully separate channels.
HDMI does support discrete multichannel output,
provided that it is connected to an appropriate receiving device.

Beware that some USB devices will not report a unique serial number,
which may provoke Windows to break its association e.g. with SimHub
when rebooting or simply plugging in another USB device.

 

[Alfonsspeed]

Thanks for your answers guys! Will search a little more and maybe go for a soundcard with wired outputs.

 

[stigs2cousin]

And another thing to keep in mind:

the last frigging Windows update scrambled my sound outputs ( again )

So keep it simple and if possible save configurations for reinstallation.
In my case it was the installation for tactile, so some work to get it working again.

MFG Carsten

 

[Alfonsspeed]

And another thing to keep in mind:

the last frigging Windows update scrambled my sound outputs ( again )

So keep it simple and if possible save configurations for reinstallation.
In my case it was the installation for tactile, so some work to get it working again.

MFG Carsten

What happened?

 

[stigs2cousin]

After the update the connections you make in the sound menue are resetted.
So on my PC its onboard sound for 5.1 audio and USB soundcard for tactile, both with AV receivers with discrete 5.1 inputs.

I had do reapoint the connections, tactile still would not work, had do set all outputs again.
Learned my lesson, saved the setup in Simhub in the hope of not needing it in the near future.

MFG Carsten

 

[blekenbleu]

go for a soundcard with wired outputs

7.1 PCIE sound cards start on eBay around US$25..
5.1 PCIE sound cards start under US$15

 

[Alfonsspeed]

After the update the connections you make in the sound menue are resetted.
So on my PC its onboard sound for 5.1 audio and USB soundcard for tactile, both with AV receivers with discrete 5.1 inputs.

I had do reapoint the connections, tactile still would not work, had do set all outputs again.
Learned my lesson, saved the setup in Simhub in the hope of not needing it in the near future.

MFG Carsten

Hmm. That is not funny. I had similar problem after one windows update when I lost all my Fanatec inputs. I hade to bind everything again. After that I found something in Steam about verifying the integrity of the steam files. I dont know if that will solve any problems if it happens again.

 

[Alfonsspeed]

7.1 PCIE sound cards start on eBay around US$25..
5.1 PCIE sound cards start under US$15

So if I want to use 6.1 as my receiver has then I go for the 7.1 right

 

[blekenbleu]

go for the 7.1

One typically finds uses for all available channels,
but many so-called 6.1 receivers have a derived 6th rear center output
with only 5.1 discrete input (e.g. Sony STR-DG500, Yamaha HTR-5590,
Denon AVR-2802, Onkyo TX-SR502, Pioneer VSX-D814 )

Some (e.g. Panasonic SA HE100) have NO discrete multichannel input,
only SPDIF matrix surround input.

Harmon-Kardon had some with 6-/8-channel direct inputs,
but only 6 speaker outputs, so 2 inputs presumably get mixed down.