Force HDMI to carry 5.1 Dolby or whatever

Cranching · 29 May 2021

Replying in case it means I can see more attachments!

Using swirle13's post as reference, things that slowed me down:

1. The fatguy zip Swirle13 references is a hyperlink toward the end of a post, the underlined word "here".

2. Both Swirle13's Imgur links require removing the trailing "]".

3. It works for me 80%. Using the Fraunhofer test, my front right speaker is very attenuated. I will try and figure this out.

nu1mlock · 08 Aug 2021

swirle13 said:

So thanks to fatguy posting earlier about a different forum post, as that allowed me to install everything without a modded audio driver. He linked to a forum but it landed on a random page, so I had to search around the time he posted here, April 2020, and found the creator of the APO utility saying to install the FX Configurator and Dolby DS1 7.6.5.1 (as of this posting). I didn't need to install anything mentioning PCEE. Just set the device you want with the FX Configurator the way that fatguy showed with that imgur link (https://imgur.com/AK0MMko]) and then run the Dolby Install from his zipped file. It took me way too long to get everything together that he did, so save yourself 30-60 min and download that from page 1 on this thread and get this up and running right away.

TL;DR:

Download the zip file from Fatguy
Unzip and install APO driver, selecting "FX Configurator" and "Dolby DS1 7.6.5.1"
Use FX Configurator to set the device you want to using Dolby Home Theater v4 (HDMI/SPDIF), illustrated here: https://imgur.com/AK0MMko]
Install DolbyHomeTheater.msi from Fatguy's zip file
Go to your device in sound window (looks like old control panel, not modern settings page), click properties, and if successful, you should have a "Dolby" tab and in Advanced > Default Format, a "Dolby Digital" format. Pictures of my APO driver install selection and sound settings page: https://imgur.com/a/W5Yatdj]
Test surround sound via the 5.1 surround sound file Fatguy listed earlier via Windows Photos app (direct link here: https://www2.iis.fraunhofer.de/AAC/ChID-BLITS-EBU.mp4)

I have a my TV (Samsung Q95T) connected with HDMI, then Toslink (spdif, optical cable) to my Logitech Z906. I cannot get this to work.

My Logitech Z906 never shows the audio as "decode" on its control panel. It always shows "decode" when I play anything with DTS or Dolby Digital from Kodi (Nvidia Shield).

I have followed your instructions, and "Dolby Digital" is now in my list for the TV, but if I choose it I get an error message saying "Format not supported by this device".

Any ideas?

fatguy666 · 10 Aug 2021

nu1mlock said:

I have a my TV (Samsung Q95T) connected with HDMI, then Toslink (spdif, optical cable) to my Logitech Z906. I cannot get this to work.

My Logitech Z906 never shows the audio as "decode" on its control panel. It always shows "decode" when I play anything with DTS or Dolby Digital from Kodi (Nvidia Shield).

I have followed your instructions, and "Dolby Digital" is now in my list for the TV, but if I choose it I get an error message saying "Format not supported by this device".

Any ideas?

Dunno if this will make a difference but in the Expert Settings for Sound on your TV what is the format set to? Mine is PCM, if set to Bitstream it doesn't work.

Also, this isn't totally relevant but will you be gaming on your PC? Just I'd expect a sound delay going from PC > TV > Z906 if you have Dolby enabled. My set up is PC > Soundbar > TV because my TV and Soundbar doesn't support eARC (your TV probably does but not over toslink).

nu1mlock · 10 Aug 2021

fatguy666 said:

Dunno if this will make a difference but in the Expert Settings for Sound on your TV what is the format set to? Mine is PCM, if set to Bitstream it doesn't work.

Also, this isn't totally relevant but will you be gaming on your PC? Just I'd expect a sound delay going from PC > TV > Z906 if you have Dolby enabled. My set up is PC > Soundbar > TV because my TV and Soundbar doesn't support eARC (your TV probably does but not over toslink).

Hi and thanks for replying!

The two options in my sound settings on my TV is either "Auto" or "PCM". I have tried both without difference. "Bitstream" is greyed out and cannot be picked.

The purpose is gaming. I have a 20m fiberoptic HDMI-cable and have 4K 120Hz with VRR and 10Bit HDR working. I just need the audio to be surround instead of stereo with my 5.1 speakers.

This is a longshot, but I'm guessing 20m analog 3.5mm cables won't work either for surround? I feel like if an optical cable can't do it, analog cables shouldn't either?

The Logitech Z906 are PC speakers, but I'm using them with my TV because - why not. They have 2x Toslink inputs, 1x RCA SPDIF, 1x RCA (red/white) and also 3.5mm analog inputs that are Green, Black and Orange. Those would be front, rear and sub. Maybe that would work if it can work over 20m.

*sigh* I don't understand why this is hard. Microsoft already have Dolby Digital working with Toslink on their Xbox's, even Xbox Series. Why is it so hard for them to have support in Windows?

sandyt · 10 Aug 2021

nu1mlock said:

*sigh* I don't understand why this is hard. Microsoft already have Dolby Digital working with Toslink on their Xbox's, even Xbox Series. Why is it so hard for them to have support in Windows?

Microsoft has to pay Dolby money to license Dolby Digital. This is the reason why Google/Youtube created their own video and audio codecs for youtube.

Microsoft paid Dolby for X-Box, they didn't pay Dolby for Windows.

OEM computer manufacturers pay Dolby for Dolby Digital --- so one Acer computer model would have Dolby Digital included and a second Acer computer model would not.

fatguy666 · 10 Aug 2021

nu1mlock said:

Hi and thanks for replying!

The two options in my sound settings on my TV is either "Auto" or "PCM". I have tried both without difference. "Bitstream" is greyed out and cannot be picked.

The purpose is gaming. I have a 20m fiberoptic HDMI-cable and have 4K 120Hz with VRR and 10Bit HDR working. I just need the audio to be surround instead of stereo with my 5.1 speakers.

This is a longshot, but I'm guessing 20m analog 3.5mm cables won't work either for surround? I feel like if an optical cable can't do it, analog cables shouldn't either?

The Logitech Z906 are PC speakers, but I'm using them with my TV because - why not. They have 2x Toslink inputs, 1x RCA SPDIF, 1x RCA (red/white) and also 3.5mm analog inputs that are Green, Black and Orange. Those would be front, rear and sub. Maybe that would work if it can work over 20m.

*sigh* I don't understand why this is hard. Microsoft already have Dolby Digital working with Toslink on their Xbox's, even Xbox Series. Why is it so hard for them to have support in Windows?

My mum has a Z906 that she uses for her TV as well - mostly watched cable - and it's the Toslink she uses for that. Audio goes straight from the cable box to the Z906.

Do you notice any audio delay on your Shield? I know in my situation the audio delay from my PC > TV > soundbar was unbearable. Really annoying because Netflix on the TV going to the soundbar is fine. Something to do with the extra processing the TV does on the input. I've got a Firestick connected to my TV - which I only use for IPTV - and the audio from that was so OOS when the Firestick was outputting Dolby I just set it to stereo and don't bother anymore.

I used to have HDMI from my PC going into the TV with Toslink from my soundcard going into the soundbar just to get around the audio lag. You can get three 20m 3.5mm cables off Amazon for less than £20 - I'd definitely go that route if you're planning on gaming.

nu1mlock · 10 Aug 2021

fatguy666 said:

My mum has a Z906 that she uses for her TV as well - mostly watched cable - and it's the Toslink she uses for that. Audio goes straight from the cable box to the Z906.

Do you notice any audio delay on your Shield? I know in my situation the audio delay from my PC > TV > soundbar was unbearable. Really annoying because Netflix on the TV going to the soundbar is fine. Something to do with the extra processing the TV does on the input. I've got a Firestick connected to my TV - which I only use for IPTV - and the audio from that was so OOS when the Firestick was outputting Dolby I just set it to stereo and don't bother anymore.

I used to have HDMI from my PC going into the TV with Toslink from my soundcard going into the soundbar just to get around the audio lag. You can get three 20m 3.5mm cables off Amazon for less than £20 - I'd definitely go that route if you're planning on gaming.

There's no audio lag/desync when I use my Shield. Shield is connected with HDMI to TV, then Toslink from TV to Z906. I get surround for content on Netflix and Kodi. Can't speak for anything else as those are the apps I use for movies and shows.

Yeah, 3.5mm cables are cheap, but would they do the trick? I was under the impression that maybe since Toslink can't handle high bandwidth, the 3.5mm cables would even less.

Edit: Wait, wait, wait... Obviously HDMI for sound isn't an option for me if I want surround. Which is better: 20m Toslink to the Z906 or 20m 3.5mm cables to the Z906?

Soundcard on PC (with Toslink) is some Realtek on my motherboard.

20m Toslink is cheaper than 3x 20m 3.5mm cables. Maybe 3x 3.5mm cables are better since I will only be gaming? Any TV/movies will be done via Nvidia Shield.

Edit 2: Maybe using Toslink is bad for Windows gaming? If games aren't outputting Dolby Digital (are they?) then Toslink from my motherboard to Z906 is a bad idea and would result in stereo?

If I use 3x 3.5mm, I assume every game with Surround support will be decoded natively on my motherboard/soundcard and sent to Z906 only to output, not decode.

sandyt · 10 Aug 2021

3.5mm has no "bandwidth", it is analog.

The only way your Z906 can see digital signal for gaming is for you to buy a sound card that comes with Dolby Digital Live and encode all gaming audio to DDL and send it to spdif --- which is not worth the expense and trouble. You may as well buy a Dolby Atmos receiver for under $400.

fatguy666 · 11 Aug 2021

sandyt said:

3.5mm has no "bandwidth", it is analog.

The only way your Z906 can see digital signal for gaming is for you to buy a sound card that comes with Dolby Digital Live and encode all gaming audio to DDL and send it to spdif --- which is not worth the expense and trouble. You may as well buy a Dolby Atmos receiver for under $400.

The APO driver I shared way back converts to DDL.

Never tried it on SPDIF but I remember seeing the option in there.

xjames7 · 13 Aug 2021

swirle13 said:

So thanks to fatguy posting earlier about a different forum post, as that allowed me to install everything without a modded audio driver. He linked to a forum but it landed on a random page, so I had to search around the time he posted here, April 2020, and found the creator of the APO utility saying to install the FX Configurator and Dolby DS1 7.6.5.1 (as of this posting). I didn't need to install anything mentioning PCEE. Just set the device you want with the FX Configurator the way that fatguy showed with that imgur link (https://imgur.com/AK0MMko]) and then run the Dolby Install from his zipped file. It took me way too long to get everything together that he did, so save yourself 30-60 min and download that from page 1 on this thread and get this up and running right away.

TL;DR:

Download the zip file from Fatguy
Unzip and install APO driver, selecting "FX Configurator" and "Dolby DS1 7.6.5.1"
Use FX Configurator to set the device you want to using Dolby Home Theater v4 (HDMI/SPDIF), illustrated here: https://imgur.com/AK0MMko]
Install DolbyHomeTheater.msi from Fatguy's zip file
Go to your device in sound window (looks like old control panel, not modern settings page), click properties, and if successful, you should have a "Dolby" tab and in Advanced > Default Format, a "Dolby Digital" format. Pictures of my APO driver install selection and sound settings page: https://imgur.com/a/W5Yatdj]
Test surround sound via the 5.1 surround sound file Fatguy listed earlier via Windows Photos app (direct link here: https://www2.iis.fraunhofer.de/AAC/ChID-BLITS-EBU.mp4)

This worked for me. thank you and @Fatguy