Thread: AC3 5.1 SP/DIF passthrough

in recent versions of ubuntu, have been unable digital output on m-audio revolution 7.1 soundcard pass through ac3/dts signals decoder. recently, have read because pulse audio driver comes recent versions of ubnutu not support passthrough. 1 tutorial found recommended uninstalling pulse , replacing alsa, tried, last step of process (installing various esound packages) failed without meaningful error message, , system entirely devoid of sound until uninstalled packages had installed , re-installed pulse audio.

has had success in getting ac/3 passthrough work in ubuntu 11.10?

it works me, not when using pulseaudio...
passthrough mplayer, start this:

code:

mplayer -ao alsa -afm hwac3 filename

where filename actual name (including path) of file want play.
make mplayer use alsa , try ac3 passthrough, put in ~/.mplayer/config (the folder .mplayer hidden in home directory, press ctrl+h show it):

code:

[default] afm=hwac3 ao=alsa

for gnome-mplayer, add same file:

code:

[gnome-mplayer] ao=alsa afm=hwac3

note works when nothing else using alsa (including pulseaudio), close other applications play sound before start mplayer (sometimes pulseaudio ties alsa few seconds, may need wait while before start mplayer).

other applications give varying results. vlc works time time, totem never works (it use pulse no way set use alsa directly).
version of pulseaudio in 11.10 supposed have passthrough support, i've never figured out how working (maybe works on sound cards).

Forum The Ubuntu Forum Community Ubuntu Official Flavours Support Multimedia Software [ubuntu] AC3 5.1 SP/DIF passthrough

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