AC 3 Codec Problem

[Axonn]

Hi Video Help : ). This is my first post on your forum. I have a rather simple question, but this has been puzzling me for the past two weeks. I recently bought a Creative Audigy Player 2 Value Sound Blaster. I got a 5.1 Sony Receiver and a set of 5.1 Panasonic spearkers. When I listen to DVD music or when I watch DVD movies, everything works ok (I mean the 5.1 works - I use the SPDIF).

But I have one movie (2 CDs) encoded with AC3. At least that's what Crystal Player and GSpot say. AC3. But when I play the movie, I can't feel any 5.1. I went to Control Panel and try to configure the AC3 codec but there isn't very much to configure. And the AC3 "INPUT CHANNELS" setting is always stuck on "1+1 - Dual mono", even when I`m playing that movie with Crystal Player. I set the Output to 5.1 spearkers with PCM 32 bit. But when I play the movie, those "LEVELS" and "OUTPUT LEVELS" indicators are dead. Nothing jumping up and down there : (. CPU usage 0% and so on. Like the codec's dead... not used. Any advice? : ).

Thanks a lot for reading my post, have a nice day : )

[yoda313]

Hello,

Ok just because it says AC3 doesn't mean its encoded in 5.1. AC3 can have UP to 5.1. So ac3 can be just stereo or stereo with pro logic surround sound embedded in it.

Next up have you tried using ac3filter??? It helps with digital output on a pc.

Kevin

[Axonn]

Hi Kevin, thank you for your answer : ). I have that AC3 codec installed : ). Version 0.69b (latest is 0.70b so... I`m close : ) ). Perhaps you're right about that movie not being encoded with AC 3 5.1, but here's what GSpot says:

Audio Codec name: ac3 (0x2000) Dolby Laboratories, Inc
Bitrate: 448 kb/s (5 ch) CBR
Fs: 48000 Hz

5ch ... that means 5.1 I think. So probably it has at least a stereo wrapped in a 5.1 or somethn'.

And even if it's only stereo, that doesn't explain why I don't see any activity in the AC3 setting pannel when I play that movie. For example, I got an AC3 plugin for Winamp, and when I play ac3 music, I see those levels (the bars that indicate decibels on the speakers) going up and down : ). But when I play a movie, the AC3 setting window from Control Panel is still dead... those levels ain't movin' : ).

[Axonn]

Anybody? ::- (