I am trying to configure my system so that I can play back multichanel and AC3-DivX-Movies and DVDs (VCDs & SVCDs) properly. I am using Windows XP with Media Player 9.0. But I have the following problem:

Windows Media Player offers me the possibility to activate the SPDIF-Out of my soundcard (Hoontech Yamaha Digital XG with Driver 5244), which I want to use with my digital sourround-receiver. But the SPDIF-Out only stays activated as long as there is no AC3-Sound in the DVD (e.g. during the DVD-Menu). As soon as AC3-Sound begins, Media Player does automatically switch back to "Stereo". When I then manually select "SPDIF-Out" I get no sound anymore until I switch back again to "stereo".

After I now installed WinDVD 5 and activated SPDIF-Out in this Software, I was able to activate the SPDIF-Out in Windows Media Player 9 so that it would remain activated during AC3-Playback. The Sound-Option-Dialog in Windows Media Player now shows the "Intervideo"-Logo so it seems it somehow was modified by the installation of WinDVD. I still have to activate the SPDIF-Out in Windows Media Player each time I start a DVD, but anyway it works right now. So far so good.

The only problem is, that since the Installation of WinDVD, which seemed to solve the SPDIF-Problem, I do get "distorted sound" when I now try to play multichanel or AC3-DivX-Movies with Windows Media Player or WinDVD itself. The sound is full of "digital effects" then (like playing a data-cd in a cd-player) and Media Player or WinDVD crash after a few seconds of playing.

So it seems the intervideo audio-codec (?) that was installed with WinDVD and that solved my SPDIF-Problem is not compatible with multichanel or AC3-DivX-Movies.

Is there no way I can play back both: multichanel DivX and AC3-DVDs with SPDIF-Out ? Anyone who knows a solution ?

Thanx in advance!

Fantastic