Surround sound RMD

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Saturnalian wrote:

Come on then, how much more and give us a link to what the hell it is? Genuinely interested to see what these telly remotes do.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Harmon ... B00C80JFSS

It basically does everything.

Grim... · **Posted:** Mon Nov 09, 2015 0:17

krazywookie wrote:

It's exciting all right. What else it do? Could I turn on the ps4? Can I get like an infrared on button for the pc?

Um... Maybe?

It's this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Harmon ... B000QEUTJC

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

This topic will do.

I've got a slightly embarassing and fucking irritating surround problem and I suspect I know what the answer is but I'll check with the hive mind anyway. After reading Hearthly's latest adventures and growing suspicious of my own setup I did a proper test and it turns out that I've never been getting surround sound out of my gear (at least not after moving back into my flat a while back). My setup is:

PC->HDMI->TV
PS4->HDMI->TV

then TV->optical->surround sound

Most people will be spotting the problem already which is that that last hop doesn't carry the audio for the back speakers. I tested this by doing PS4->optical->surround sound and noticed an immediate difference. Keeping that setup means the PS4 is sorted but the PC is then getting no sound out through the big speakers at all.

The only other inputs for my surround sound kit aside from the optical is "Coax" (whatever that is) and "six channel direct" i.e. three audio jacks carrying two channels each.

Looking at the ports on my PC coming from the on-baord sound there looks to be nothing suitable; it just has the generic three blue/green/pink ports which I believe are line in/stereo out/mic respectively.

Am I right in thinking that with what I've currently got, there's literally no way to get proper sound out of the PS4 and PC? And what are my potential solutions? I would really, really, really like to not have to basically chuck my entire surround kit out and buy new shit. The only other solution I can think of though is to get a dedicated sound card that has the "six channel direct" outputs, which might not be too big a wrench I suppose.

And on a related note, do we know why that last hop doesn't work? Optical is obviously capable of carrying all six channels because it works when the PS4 is wired directly to the surround sound so why does going from HDMI to optical (via the TV) lose that data?

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Your PC *may* be able to do digital audio through it's line-out port using one of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fiio-L21-3-5mm ... B019OWCID6

Not all of them can though

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

Oh, and this is the speaker set I've got in case that matters: http://support.logitech.com/en_us/produ ... ker-system

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

You can also pull the HDMI audio using something like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extractor-Coax ... MI+to+coax

Either way, it's gonna cost ya (a little bit)

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Bamba wrote:

Oh, and this is the speaker set I've got in case that matters: http://support.logitech.com/en_us/produ ... ker-system

Attachment:

Log.JPG

Cheers, Logitech!

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

DavPaz wrote:

Your PC *may* be able to do digital audio through it's line-out port using one of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fiio-L21-3-5mm ... B019OWCID6

Not all of them can though

Huh, that would be really useful. I suspect not as I'm using the on-board sound but let me dig out the details of my mobo...

Grim... · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:00

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CSL-8-channel- ... G9C3HM3MJJ

?

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Bamba wrote:

The only other inputs for my surround sound kit aside from the optical is "Coax" (whatever that is)

Alternative way of carrying the same digital sound signals as optical can carry but via electrical signalling instead of optical. You can get little adaptors to turn optical audio into electrical digital audio, should you need it.

Quote:

Looking at the ports on my PC coming from the on-baord sound there looks to be nothing suitable; it just has the generic three blue/green/pink ports which I believe are line in/stereo out/mic respectively.

First thing to do: dig around in your motherboard's manual and utilities. Often, these jacks are remappable, and can be stereo output + line in + mic in (as you say) or they can serve as 6x surround sound outputs. That's probably what you want.

Quote:

And on a related note, do we know why that last hop doesn't work? Optical is obviously capable of carrying all six channels because it works when the PS4 is wired directly to the surround sound so why does going from HDMI to optical (via the TV) lose that data?

TIL Bamba has me on ignore

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Optical SP/DIF has very narrow bandwidth by modern standards and can only carry 5.1 via some obsolete codecs. HDMI devices typically put out 5.1 or 7.1 via a modern codec or unencoded PCM. Neither can be directly re-transmitted via optical. Most TVs will downmix the HDMI carried audio to 2.0 and output that to the optical port. Some, if fed a compatible old surround codec like Dolby Pro Logic over HDMI, will output it over optical; but not many and probably no modern ones I suspect. Getting that working is a crapshoot.

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Like I said: what you want doesn't exist because it doesn't work. Most HDMI-carried audio formats need a higher bandwidth than an optical cable can carry. It doesn't matter how fancy the TV is.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Grim... wrote:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CSL-8-channel-simultaneous-recording-equipment/dp/B01HM5KP5A/ref=pd_sim_107_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7C515NYHR0G9C3HM3MJJ

?

Also good.

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

TIL Bamba has me on ignore

Heh, no, I did remember you posting something about it on the other thread but obviously missed the detailed explanation somehow.

Being able to remap the ports on my sound card would be ideal (although would then give me the issue of not being able to output to the currently attached stero speakers on my desk for the times I'm sitting here doing mousey keyboardey stuff, but I'll worry about that later). Otherwise I'll have a look at one of these external sound card dealeys.

Cheers folks, that's all a lot more hopeful of a situation that I was expecting.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Bamba wrote:

Cheers folks, that's all a lot more hopeful of a situation that I was expecting.

When asked specific direct questions, we're pretty good as collective. When asked "What should I buy to watch films?"... that's when we get silly

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Bamba wrote:

Being able to remap the ports on my sound card would be ideal (although would then give me the issue of not being able to output to the currently attached stero speakers on my desk for the times I'm sitting here doing mousey keyboardey stuff, but I'll worry about that later).

The motherboard probably has some internal headers for front-mounted jacks. You may be able to repurpose one of those with a cable, although it'll probably be a headphone out rather than a line-out. Do you know the exact make and model of your motherboard?

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:33

DavPaz wrote:

When asked specific direct questions, we're pretty good as collective. When asked "What should I buy to watch films?"... that's when we get silly

XBox 360

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Bamba wrote:

Being able to remap the ports on my sound card would be ideal (although would then give me the issue of not being able to output to the currently attached stero speakers on my desk for the times I'm sitting here doing mousey keyboardey stuff, but I'll worry about that later).

The motherboard probably has some internal headers for front-mounted jacks. You may be able to repurpose one of those with a cable, although it'll probably be a headphone out rather than a line-out. Do you know the exact make and model of your motherboard?

I'm struggling to find the exact model but it's running Realtek audio drivers and I can apparently fuck around with port assignments in the registry like this:

https://www.reaper-x.com/2012/02/13/how ... cks-ports/

It's not an ideal solution, and I'm not sure why they apparently removed the ability to do this via their UI, but it's doable so I'll buy the required cables and give it a shot.

I'd completely forgotten the front audio ports even existed so yeah, I can use the headphone socket there to drive my desktop stereo speakers and that should sort me!

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

Bamba wrote:

I'm struggling to find the exact model but it's running Realtek audio drivers and I can apparently fuck around with port assignments in the registry like this:

https://www.reaper-x.com/2012/02/13/how ... cks-ports/

Classic Realtek.

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Bamba wrote:

I'm struggling to find the exact model but it's running Realtek audio drivers and I can apparently fuck around with port assignments in the registry like this:

https://www.reaper-x.com/2012/02/13/how ... cks-ports/

Classic Realtek.

To be fair it actually Just Worked. I dug out a set of the cables I needed and plugged everything in; it must've detected the presence of the cables and then let me choose 5.1 in the GUI. Running their test signal from that utility hit all speakers plus the sub correctly! So choosing 5.1 is enough to tell it to auto remap the back ports, which is nice.

I can also plug my desktop speakers into the front port and they work as well. The only problem is that after plugging the desktop speakers in it cuts audio to the surround sound. I need to actually unplug the desktop speakers before it'll resume sending to the surround sound. I wonder if there's a nicer way of flipping between them...

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32619

That's coz it's a headphone jack, innit. Cutting sounds to the speakers when you plug headphones in is a feature, not a bug. Find your motherboard manual and see if there's another line out header on the board somewhere. Although you're still gonna have issues -- I suspect you'll get only the L and R of a 5.1 signal.

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

That's coz it's a headphone jack, innit. Cutting sounds to the speakers when you plug headphones in is a feature, not a bug. Find your motherboard manual and see if there's another line out header on the board somewhere. Although you're still gonna have issues -- I suspect you'll get only the L and R of a 5.1 signal.

Yeah, that occurred to me when I'd finished typing that. In fairness I don't use the desktop speakers all that much so it's not a massive hardship. I could maybe use the regedit remapping to change the front headphone socket to a line out. Flipping between 5.1 and stereo in the GUI would then probably change sound modes as I need.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Giphy "case closed":
https://media0.giphy.com/media/5mTNk51l5fbk4/giphy-loop.mp4

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Giphy "giphy sucks":
https://media0.giphy.com/media/9tqUBfcgiL0k0/giphy-loop.mp4

myp · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:39

Giphy 1-0 DavPaz

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

Hahaha pwned.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Lonewolves wrote:

Giphy 1-0 DavPaz

Giphy "so's your face":
https://media0.giphy.com/media/nPNkR0zTwrTBC/giphy-loop.mp4

Grim... · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:49

Cras wrote:

Hahaha pwned.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Just out of interest...

Giphy "giphy sucks":
https://media2.giphy.com/media/l0HlThAxnJiilE6S4/giphy-loop.mp4

myp · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 13:00

Giphy 2-0 DavPaz

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Going for the hat-trick...

Giphy "giphy sucks":
https://media3.giphy.com/media/66AkvRCaBWWo8/giphy-loop.mp4

Edit: I'm done. Close my account.

Kern · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 13:04

What were you hoping to see?

Giphy "giphy sucks":
https://media3.giphy.com/media/KLqqFqgN3dmRG/giphy-loop.mp4

myp · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 13:09

Kern 1-0 Giphy

Kern · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 13:13

Going back vaguely on topic, anyone know of a decent(ish) soundbar+subwoofer combo that's below £125? Preferably one with added Bluetooth connectivity so I can amuse myself with podcasts streaming from the Ipod when not watching esoteric BBC4 documentaries?

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

What make of TV are you rocking? It's often a good idea to match brands to minimise remote control hassle

Grim... · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 13:54

Soundbars are better than TV speakers, but not even half as good as surround sound, IMO.

myp · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 14:43

Grim... wrote:

Soundbars are better than TV speakers, but not even half as good as surround sound, IMO.

Surround sound for £125? I'm interested.

Of course entirely hypothetically because I don't have 2p to rub together atm.

Grim... · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 14:52

Lonewolves wrote:

Grim... wrote:

Soundbars are better than TV speakers, but not even half as good as surround sound, IMO.

Surround sound for £125? I'm interested.

Nope.

Kern · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 14:54

Guess I'll stick to looking at bars then.

Grim... · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 14:56

Hmm, this isn't so much more: https://www.whathifi.com/sony/bdv-e2100/overview

But I can't work out if it comes with an amplifier or not.

So I guess it doesn't.

myp · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2018 16:01

Grim... wrote:

Lonewolves wrote:

Grim... wrote:

Soundbars are better than TV speakers, but not even half as good as surround sound, IMO.

Surround sound for £125? I'm interested.

Nope.

Be Excellent To Each Other

Surround sound RMD
Or is it home cinema?

Who is online

Be Excellent To Each Other

Surround sound RMD Or is it home cinema?

Who is online

Surround sound RMD
Or is it home cinema?