AC3Filter Codec

[TomXP411]

Hi all, I wanted to share my experiencce with getting my digital output working.

First, my config: I'm using an inexpensive 7.1 sound card with an optical output. My receiver doesn't have a discrete 5.1 input, so I'm forced to either go stereo or digital.

The problem is that BTV can't seem to get MPEG layer 2 audio to the sound card properly. It does fine with AC3, but MPEG2 audio is either going out as bitstream data or not at all (I'm not sure which, to be honest.)

My solution was to install AC3Filter. AC3Filter can take the raw MPEG layer 2 audio from an analog recording and convert it to AC3. By turning on the AC3 encoder and sending the audio that way, I can leave the receiver on its digital inputs for DVD or BTV playback.

The key to getting this to work was to edit the CustomSettings.xml file in your BTV configuration directory. On my system, that's in:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SnapStream\Beyond TV

First, shut down BTV completely.

The first block of the file is named DecoderAudio. Below that line is a line that says <type>. Insert the following text after the <type> line:

PHP Code:

<Item>
  <PropertyCollection>
    <Property>
      <Name>Guid</Name>
      <Value>A753A1EC-973E-4718-AF8E-A3F554D45C44</Value>
    </Property>
    <Property>
      <Name>Filter Name</Name>
      <Value>AC3 Filter</Value>
    </Property>
    <Property>
      <Name>DMO</Name>
      <Value>False</Value>
    </Property>
  </PropertyCollection>
</Item> 


After restarting BTV, you can now select AC3Filter as one of the MPEG2 audio decoders in the playback setings.

After that, I had to open the AC3Filter config dialog and turn on the "Use AC3 Encoder" and turn off "Do not encode stereo PCM" check boxes in the SPDIF tab. After that, my receiver started getting sound from BTV.

Now the only problem I have is that I have to completely close BTV and restart any other apps that want to play audio if I want them to use the digital out.

One thing is definite: we still have a long way to go before SP-DIF output on PC's is reliable.

[opus44]

Thank you so much for this post. You really saved my tail.

[enigma9o7]

Most receivers (I woulda thought all) take bitstream, no need to do convert to AC3. Never had a problem with BTV... just set to SPDIF and forget.

I think your blanket statement about SPDIF being unreliable is unjust. Usually it's as simple as hooking it up. I did that years ago and it's always worked.

[opus44]

The problem was with my hardware. I installed a new Intel motherboard. The sound is too low with every player, etc, but especially my AVI TV Wonder Elite. I could not find a way to boost the Elite's volume, so, I had to get the motherboard or the codec to do it. I couldn't fix the motherboard, so, that left the codec. Since Windows won't allow access to the codec settings, I had to get an external codec with a setup utility like ac3filter. The ac3filter codec allows you to boost the volume in the codec and I needed to get BTV to use it. I've been reading for hours to find a way to do that; and, here it was all along.

Everything's beautiful now.

[TomXP411]

Originally Posted by enigma9o7

Most receivers (I woulda thought all) take bitstream, no need to do convert to AC3. Never had a problem with BTV... just set to SPDIF and forget.

I think your blanket statement about SPDIF being unreliable is unjust. Usually it's as simple as hooking it up. I did that years ago and it's always worked.

I'll bet when you see someone parked by the side of the road with their hood up, you pull over, say "Heylookitthat! My car is working fine!"

Hijacking a thread to say "I don't have that problem" doesn't help anyone and simply annoys the people who DO have a problem.

[enigma9o7]

Originally Posted by TomXP411

I'll bet when you see someone parked by the side of the road with their hood up, you pull over, say "Heylookitthat! My car is working fine!"

Hijacking a thread to say "I don't have that problem" doesn't help anyone and simply annoys the people who DO have a problem.

Dick. I was being polite. I see someone with their hood up, I pull over and offer to help. If your DVD player doesn't work and you say there's definately a long way to go before dvd's are reliable, I'd say that is unjust too.

You said "One thing is definite: we still have a long way to go before SP-DIF output on PC's is reliable." That is not definite. That's your opinion and you cannot justify a blanket statement like that cuz you have a very rare unique problem. Just cuz you have a problem doesn't mean that there's something wrong for the rest of the world. I even said usually. Because usually it does work. I've never read something on here that pissed me off as much as your asinine reply to me.

[TomXP411]

I'm sorry if I did not see your initial post as polite, but it sure didn't seem to me that your intent was to be nice. Rather, you essentially said "I don't have the problem, so it doesn't exist."

Your system works, and that's great. But the fact that you did not have any problems does not mean that others are not having trouble.

However, I don't see any purpose in continuing this discussion. My original post was intended to be informative and to collect information I found elsewhere. Thanks for your input, and I hope that everyone else has as trouble-free an experience as you have.

As to your attitude, I'm glad that rudeness is the execption and not the rule on this forum.