Secure Audio Path wont let me get high quality surround even on .mkv &.mp4

[spiroth10]

it might be direct audio path -- I dont know if thats what it is called -- but its something to that extent

OK -- so I just realized when I was streaming content thats DTS HD MA and Dolby HD -- or even just High quality AC3 dolby...
everything is downmixed to 16/48Khz -- it wont let me play it as recorded. and its NOT just blu-rays, its ANY HIGH DEF VIDEO FILE -- MKV, XVID, DIVX, MP4 --ANY AUDIO ENCODED VIDEO.

So i dont really know what to do about it! what about linux? if I get a liveCD (and idk if my sound card is supported), can I bypass this by using linux to play my videos so I dont lose playback quality? my sound card def supports higher sample rates if this crap doesnt get involved.

it isnt even just Blu-ray, and thats the problem!!!! Why can I not play back my High Def .mkv and .mp4 with 24/96k????
this limitation was only supposed to stop people from bootlegging blu rays ---

BUT THATS ANOTHER ISSUE!!! My home theater + analog sound card are my ONLY source of video entertainment and home theatre -- I cannot afford a receiver and put EVERYTHING I had into an external soundcard and SUPER POWERFUL gaming laptop -- great video output and sound -- I even have a 5.1 audio output -- which sounds GREAT...

but since I Have no receiver, I can't optical out and decode, even though can output DD Live -- so when I play a blu ray disk -- or in fact ANY video with DTS, AC3, or Dolby HD -- all of it gets downmixed to 16/48 -- and ABSOLUTELY RUINS IT. My internal soundcard has support for secure media path -- but I DONT HAVE THE ABILITY to connect it to surround -- since I Have no HDMI receiver setup. I have an external 5.1 sound card, thats it, and there is no way to capture the output and stream through my other sound card.

I shouldn't have to buy either a whole new audio setup, or a new PC with a VERY specific, limited amount of internal sound cards that may not even be in production anymore in order to watch Videos I have legally obtained -- whether they are on disks I BOUGHT or video files i legitamately paid for?

why can't I use DTS at the right bit rate for .mkv files and .mp4???

I should, at the very least, be able to watch DTS video from Non-blu-ray sources without downsampling -- on videos I download -- how come this secure media path thing is so all-encompassing that everything but pure-audio files is restricted from running at a higher bit rate??
then at least I could rip blu-rays, or buy exclusively digital content, so that way it would work with my system -- I mean this sound card and 5.1 system DID cost money.

there is also the linux solution -- although it is uncomfortable because on this device, I can't dual boot due to technical reasons... but I can find a way if I have to...

all I know is, I HAVE to be able to get full-quality playback of surround sound files on this PC -- I either need a way to break the secure audio path system, or some way around it. I'm not going to give in because these *******s want me to buy all their specific shit just because they are afraid I might "copy" something.

hell, if I have to code something to get around it myself, I WILL release it, and court orders WILL NOT STOP ME. jail time be damned -- we paid for this stuff, it is our right, NOT their "contract agreement". they can shove it.

[Krispy Kritter]

Where are you playing the files/discs? On a computer? If so, you need a digital connection to an AVR which supports the formats and then you bitstream the audio to that device. For an HD audio format, you are limited to HDMI only. For DD51 or DTS, you could use coaxial or optical.