How do I play 5.1 PCM tracks in surround sound with MPC-HC?

[Warm Gun]

I used to be able to do this before reinstalling MPC about a year ago. Now all PCM 5.1 tracks play in 2.0. Doesn't matter if I set my receiver to Direct or Dolby Surround. I use bitstreaming, but it just doesn't work for PCM surround for some reason.

[Canada]

Try switching the player to PCM when your playing PCM.

[Warm Gun]

Originally Posted by Canada

Try switching the player to PCM when your playing PCM.

MPC? Not sure what you mean. I've tried enabling some Source Filters and Transform Filters (though I don't really understand these Internal Filters), including the ones for PCM, which doesn't make a difference. It also doesn't matter if I switch Windows from stereo to 5.1. (It's almost always on stereo, since I bitstream.) My receiver has no option for PCM. I'm assuming that's what Direct does anyway.

FLAC surround tracks don't play in surround either. Anime subbers love using FLAC for everything.

[Warm Gun]

It's working now with Windows set to Stereo and the receiver set to Dolby Surround. I installed ffdshow an hour ago, but I don't even see it in the MPC options or in the deskbands area when I play a video. I guess it's working, because I can't think of what else might have fixed it.

[DVD Phreak]

Originally Posted by Warm Gun

It's working now with Windows set to Stereo and the receiver set to Dolby Surround. I installed ffdshow an hour ago, but I don't even see it in the MPC options or in the deskbands area when I play a video. I guess it's working, because I can't think of what else might have fixed it.

If you are bitstreaming, Windows audio settings should not matter, because Windows doesn't touch the audio; your receiver does. Windows merely passes through the bitstream to your receiver. Most likely you are using S/PDIF, which can only carry 2-channel, not 5.1. Common mistake. Try HDMI instead.

[Warm Gun]

Originally Posted by DVD Phreak

If you are bitstreaming, Windows audio settings should not matter, because Windows doesn't touch the audio; your receiver does.

Except matrixed surround (like Dolby Stereo) doesn't work on PCM 2.0 tracks if Windows is set to 5.1, which made me think it does matter for this codec.

Windows merely passes through the bitstream to your receiver. Most likely you are using S/PDIF, which can only carry 2-channel, not 5.1. Common mistake. Try HDMI instead.

No, I'm using HDMI and can bitstream everything up to Atmos/DTS:X. Only 5.1 FLAC and 5.1 PCM give me issues. Direct (my receiver) used to automatically set the correct speaker configuration for those tracks, but now I have to use the Dolby Surround upmixer. Annoying.

[Warm Gun]

PCM isn't even in the bitstreaming options.

[DVD Phreak]

The picture below is my setup when I send audio from PC to my receiver. In Windows sound settings, my default audio device is the receiver (Onkyo TX-SR605). Click "Configure," and the configuration should be 5.1 (you were right that this matters). I use this sample PCM 5.1 file as a test. I downloaded and installed MPC-HC 1.7.13 without modifying any settings. I set my receiver to "direct," played the file with MPC-HD, and was able to hear all channels correctly from all 6 speakers. My receiver's LED showed "PCM Multich HDMI" as expected. I played the file with VLC and got the same result. Is your file really 5.1? Have you checked it with MediaInfo? Try my test file above.

[Warm Gun]

Yeah, the sample and my two PCM movies now play in surround with Windows set to 5.1. It didn't used to work even when I set Windows to 5.1, so I'm not sure what I changed. I remember trying that again and again in my troubleshooting. Oh well. These movies definitely are PCM 5.1, the 2007 UK version of Apocalypto and Closer (2004).