FREE software to take advantage of Purevideo + 5.1 sound

[Ptosio]

Hey

I'm looking for some good and free software for DVD (and maybe HD) playback. I tried to use ffdshow together with WMP/Media Player Classic but I failed to configure my 5.1 properly and got only stereo sound. Can someone help me to do so (I've got SB Audigy 4 together with Logitech x-530)? Also, when I turn on some improving quality features such as noise reduction or upscaling, cpu usage rises and plaback is not smooth. I have GeForce 7600GT so I thought that maybe I could use this widely advertised Purevideo feature, but I'm not willing to spend 50$ for Nvidia decoder or PowerDVD and rather go for freeware. Are there any?

[Krispy Kritter]

MPC supports 5.1 sound, you are likely having codec or configuration issues. Here are a few ideas from another post:

MPC may have enabled by default its internal AC3 audio decoder + splitter which are inferior to Haali's Media Splitter + AC3Filter junction. IMHO.
So I advise to
1. disable *all* internal filters of MPC in its options.
2. Use Haali's Media Splitter
3. if you use FFDShow then in its audio decoder properties set 'AC3' codec to disabled, thus AC3filter will do it.
4. if you use (gosh!) mega codec packages then make sure there is no AC3 decoders, splitters, whatever... except Haali's and AC3Filter.
5. (you know sure) Windows Audio Control panel configuration set to 5.1
6. AC3Filter (global) config set input to 'AS IS' + PCM Float, Output the same. I like float cause when you apply some sound processing the float values have the least accumulated math jitter (IMHO). Though 32bit will do ok. And if you apply no processing (gains, etc) then you may use 16bit of course

You can also try another player such as VLC, but it will work in MPC if you spend the time to fix it.