NO SPDIF-tab in Realtek AC'97... i want to have DTS/DD sound. what's wrong?!

[elgy]

i've now spent a whole day trying to figure out what can be wrong with my SPDIF-port on my PC, but now i am completely stucked, so i need assistance...

the deal/point is that i want DTS/DD5.1 sound from my SPDIF-connection on my pc to show up in my receiver (Yamaha RX-V663). i've connected an opitcal-cable from my PC SPDIF-port to my receiver.

the problem is that i cannot see the SPDIF-tab in Realtek Sound Manager (soundman.exe) like it's supposed to do!

here's what i've done so far:

- i've uninstalled/deleted all old sound drivers and installed new sound drivers. ALC850_5-10-00-5865 is the latest Realtek Sound Manager that i've installed. no result there. still a Realtek Sound Manager WITHOUT a SPDIF-tab!
- i've installed new Nvidia chipset drivers too without success. i've of course restarted my computer like a dozen of times...
- i've tried switching between coax and optical cables/port without success.
- i've tried enabling SPDIF in both VLC and GOM player without success.
- i've put SPDIF in AC3 and DTS in FFDShow Audio Converter config and played DTS movie(s) without success. (it displays only "Neo 6: Cinema" on my receiver instead of DTS when i play a DTS movie)
- i've tried playing DTS movie(s) with my DVD-player AND DVD-recorder that're connected with optical to my receiver which is done with great success, so it's not the receiver who's joking with me..
- i've tried to play files with DTS sound with VLC, GOM and MPC, but it only plays "regular" sound (like with mini-jacks). no DTS is shown on my receiver, just the regular "Neo 6: Cinema".
- i've checked whether it's possible that i can get DTS/DD5.1 at all, and it says that i can get...

that's what i've done so far, but i can still not get DTS/DD5.1 sound with my SPDIF.

my SPDIF-port is within my motherboard (Asus K8N).

here's a small picture that states which motherboard i've got: http://www.elgen.net/motherboard.jpg

i am a WinXP user.

so yeah... can someone tell me HOW ON EARTH i can manage to make SPDIF-tab to appear in Realtek Sound Manager?! i've been trying and trying like ALL day long and now it's 3AM and i want to get some sleep... so, does anyone got a slightest clue what can be wrong here, huh?!

thankies a lot for the help in advance!

ps: pardon if this was posted in the wrong area. wasn't quite sure where to post this one...

[dat720]

Have you checked the bios to see if for some reason there is a option to turn off the spdif output?

And how sure are you that the current version of teh realtek sound manager even has a SPDIF tab anymore?

[elgy]

i tried to look around in the BIOS to see if i could find anything on that, but i couldn't... does it say "SPDIF" or something?

i am quite sure because a friend of mine is using the same version and he can display the SPDIF-tab, but i can't...

so yeah, i am still stucked...

[burfadel]

It might simple be called 'Digital output'. I'm using the HD audio driver 1.96, which is obviously different, but thats where it is under there. Used to have an alc850, I reckon they changed the configuration layout. Also make sure its not disabled under the control panel sound output under devices? as well. I have Vista which is different they changed it, but bottom line is you just have to make sure its not disabled somewhere!

[dat720]

Next suggestion is maybe (just maybe) the motherboard doesn't actually support spdif out, i have seen some strange occurrences where mb manufacturers would place connectors on mb's that didn't actually work ie a ethernet port on a mb that had no ethernet controller.... i once had a motherboard that had 1394 pin header's but for the life of me could not get them working, it turned out that 1394 was optional.....

That sort of thing shouldn't happen these day's but you never know.

[SeeMoreDigital]

If you have not done so already, install MediaPlayer Classic 6.4.9.1 (http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=205650). Then: -

Launch MediaPlayer Classic. Click on: View -> Options -> Internal Filters. In the "Transform Filters" section you'll see the "AC3" filter (with a tick in the box). Double click over the word "AC3" and a new "Properties" window should open up. Under the "AC3 Decoder Settings" select the "SPDIF" button -> Apply -> OK.

Re-launch MediaPlayer Classic, then drag-and-drop an AC3 file (or any other file containing .AC3 audio) into its window.

With any luck the SPDIF signal will be sent to your DSS (Digital Surround Sound) amplifier.


Cheers