The future of MPC-HC

[clsid]

Only if he cuts up his changes in small chunks and adds new custom renderers instead of replacing current ones. Otherwise the risk of things breaking are too high. He doesn´t seems to want to do it this way, so chance is probably zero.

[ShadyCrab]

Is there a chance that the sanear WASAPI audio renderer could support Windows Sonic/Dolby Atmos for headphones? It doesn't need to use the new API's, but as its designed the renderer won't actually output 5.1 or 7.1 to Windows if Sonic is enabled.

The reason for it is that sanear uses the GetMixFormat API, which will only output 2.0 if Sonic is selected. If it uses the IsFormatSupported API, Windows should report 7.1 if Sonic is enabled and output surround sound for Sonic to mix.

Here's an explanation from a MSFT employee

The output format will be stereo because Windows Sonic for Headphones and Dolby Atmos for headphones virtualize 7.1 speakers using an HRTF which outputs stereo. An HRTF positions sounds in a similar way as you would sound in the real world.
There are 2 WSASAPI APIs that a developer can use to determine what formats could be supported: IAudioClient::IsFormatSupported IAudioClient::GetMixFormat
IAudioClient::IsFormatSupported is the recommended API to determin what format to render. When Dolby Atmos for Headphones and Windows Sonic for headphones are enabled, most formats are supported.
IAudioClient::GetMixFormat returns what the device format is and will return stereo even when Dolby Atmos for Headphones or Windows Sonic for headphones is supported. So if a PC game/app uses this API, instead of the recommended one, it will unfortunately just send down stereo. We are looking at a clever way to better support these apps as well without eroding the true purpose and meaning of the IAudioClient::GetMixFormat API.
Windows Sonic for Headphones doesn't put stereo in the front. When the Windows Creators Update launched, Dolby Atmos for Headphones did out stereo in the FL and FR. That's also why FL and FR are not as pronounced there. We have an update for that in the pipeline.

[chros]

Originally Posted by ShadyCrab

Is there a chance that the sanear WASAPI audio renderer ...

@clsid: the built-in internal audio renderer needs to be updated ASAP to the current master branch of sanear. That's the biggest bug that MPC-HC has for more than a year!
(You tried to compile it with it couple of months ago, and as I recall it it went fine. I use it as an external filter for more than a year and it's flawless.)

[clsid]

Sanear integration requires additional changes to get it to work properly with newer version. The current devs are all super busy, so help is needed/welcome.

[chros]

Originally Posted by clsid

Sanear integration requires additional changes to get it to work properly with newer version. The current devs are all super busy, so help is needed/welcome.

No worries, I just wanted to put it in the log

[holnap32]

I just wanted to give a supportive comment. I really appreaciate that you are picking up the development of MPC-HC. This is by far my favourite player. I tried a lot VLC, MPC-BE, and many others, but in the end I always come back to MHC-HC.

Some features that I use a lot:
- Download subtitles from subtitle sites from the playing movie in the app itself (can this be done on VLC? I don't think so, I always have to go a web browser download, and load manually.)
- Easy to change subtitle and audio tracks (in MPC-BE it is still akward)
- Unified Remote Full on my Android phone to act as a remote control (doesn't exist for MPC-BE, it exists for VLC)

As for what features/bugs you develop: maybe make a wide table with scores on different criteria. Development time needed, complexity, urgency, usefullness, number of requests, etc. And from that table go for the low effort, high benefit development possibilities.

All in all, the feature I love the most in MPC-HC is how it handles subtitles. It's so convenient to press D, and select the subtitles file from the list, it's incredible.
My vote is to develop any features regarding subtitles, more sites, even more easier.

Then, if we could have a dedicated button for changing audio and subtitle tracks in Unified Remote on Android, that would be great, but probably for this I have to ask them directly.

Keep up the good work, and I'm looking forward to the next release! And a big thank you for keeping up the development!

[clsid]

Adding more subtitle sites is not possible because most sites do not provide an API for searching and downloading subtitles.

For remote control features you need to ask elsewhere.

[ShadyCrab]

I went ahead and made a pull request that allows sanear to support Windows Sonic/Dolby Atmos. Allows me to finally ditch the DirectSound/WaveOut renderers, and with the master branch it even supports enabling/disabling spatial sound during playback with live feedback.

https://github.com/alexmarsev/sanear/pull/19

I made a pull request here as well for MPC-HC's fork.

It works for my stereo 24bit 44.1khz device, with surround sound output for surround content when Dolby Atmos is enabled, and stereo output when Dolby Atmos is disabled, stereo content is playing or if 'Exclusive mode' is enabled. The only thing I haven't tested is 'Exclusive mode' native surround output (such as a HDMI 7.1 output). Easy to test, just need to enable 'Exclusive mode' on a 5.1/7.1 native device and test that sanear plays and outputs 5.1/7.1

Also quick note, 'ignoreSystemChannelMixer' option should be set to false, else it will not output surround sound with Windows Sonic/Dolby Atmos.

[chros]

Originally Posted by holnap32

I just wanted to give a supportive comment. I really appreaciate that you are picking up the development of MPC-HC. This is by far my favourite player. I tried a lot VLC, MPC-BE, and many others, but in the end I always come back to MHC-HC.

...

- Easy to change subtitle and audio tracks (in MPC-BE it is still akward)
- Unified Remote Full on my Android phone to act as a remote control (doesn't exist for MPC-BE, it exists for VLC)

I just switched to MPC-BE.
For Android remote, the best is Remoti-co (I use it for about 4-5 years), I mentioned the modified version in mpc-hc main thread, search fort it. It also works with MPC-BE.

[clsid]

Originally Posted by ShadyCrab

I went ahead and made a pull request that allows sanear to support Windows Sonic/Dolby Atmos. Allows me to finally ditch the DirectSound/WaveOut renderers, and with the master branch it even supports enabling/disabling spatial sound during playback with live feedback.

https://github.com/alexmarsev/sanear/pull/19

I made a pull request here as well for MPC-HC's fork.

It works for my stereo 24bit 44.1khz device, with surround sound output for surround content when Dolby Atmos is enabled, and stereo output when Dolby Atmos is disabled, stereo content is playing or if 'Exclusive mode' is enabled. The only thing I haven't tested is 'Exclusive mode' native surround output (such as a HDMI 7.1 output). Easy to test, just need to enable 'Exclusive mode' on a 5.1/7.1 native device and test that sanear plays and outputs 5.1/7.1

Also quick note, 'ignoreSystemChannelMixer' option should be set to false, else it will not output surround sound with Windows Sonic/Dolby Atmos.

I don't know if any of the developers has Atmos compatible hardware to test his. So perhaps you could make a test build and post it in the general MPC-HC discussion topic. That could speed up approval.
The integrated Sanear in MPC-HC is currently missing some options compared to standalone version. Maybe you are interested in adding those to settings window in MPC-HC?

[chros]

Originally Posted by clsid

The integrated Sanear in MPC-HC is currently missing some options compared to standalone version. Maybe you are interested in adding those to settings window in MPC-HC?

I just realized that Sanear got updated in recent nightly (v1.7.13.112), thank you all!
I created an issue half a year ago, I hope somebody (@kasper93) likes the idea.
Thanks!

[khanmein]

@chros v1.7.13.112 or .122?

[chros]

Originally Posted by khanmein

@chros v1.7.13.112 or .122?

Oops, 112, thanks.

[khanmein]

Originally Posted by chros

Oops, 112, thanks.

I thought they really released & I'm waiting for the next upcoming updates.

[chros]

Originally Posted by khanmein

I thought they really released & I'm waiting for the next upcoming updates.

I don't think that will be any major update soon, probably only including newer LAVfilters, but we can do this manually if we want.

[YxP]

khanmein, The "nightly" is rock solid. No reason to wait if you want to update.

[khanmein]

Originally Posted by YxP

khanmein, The "nightly" is rock solid. No reason to wait if you want to update.

I always use nightly & never use the stable version at all.

[flaviowolff]

Hey all, sorry for bumping an old thread. Is there a fix or workaround to get MPC-HC to output surround sound for Spatial Audio API's (sonic, dts headphone x and atmos for headphones) to virtualize? Currently it only outputs stereo if any spatial audio is enabled. LAV Audio codec is set not to mix anything, of course.
Thanks