User’s Guide Hammerfall DSP MADI
© RME
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9.2 DVD-Playback (AC-3 / DTS / Multichannel) under MME
AC-3 / DTS
When using popular DVD software player like WinDVD and PowerDVD, their audio data stream
can be sent to any AC-3/DTS capable receiver using the HDSP MADI. For this to work, in most
cases a device of the HDSP MADI has to be selected in 'Control Panel/Sounds and
Multimedia/Audio'. Also check 'use preferred device only'.
You will notice that the DVD software's audio properties now allow to use 'SPDIF Out' or to
'activate SPDIF output'. When selecting these, the software will transfer the non-decoded
digital multichannel data stream to the Hammerfall DSP. Naturally a successful decoding also
requires a MADI to AES converter, converting the playback channels to AES or SPDIF.
Note: AC-3 sounds like chopped noise at highest level.
Multichannel
PowerDVD and WinDVD can also operate as software decoder, sending a DVD's multichannel
data stream directly to any channels of the HDSP MADI. Supported are all modes, from 2 to 8
channels, at 16 bit resolution and 48 kHz sample rate.
For this to work an output wave device of the HDSP has to be selected in 'Control
Panel/Sounds and Multimedia/Audio'. Also check 'use preferred device only'. PowerDVD's
audio properties now lists several multichannel modes. If one of these is selected, PowerDVD
plays back the decoded analog multichannel data via the HDSP MADI.
The device selected as
Preferred Playback Device
defines the first playback channel. Choosing
ADAT 3/4 and 6-channel mode, playback will happen on channels 3 to 8. Choosing MADI 3/4
and 6-channel mode, playback will happen on channels 3 to 8.
The channel assignment using PowerDVD is:
1 (first chosen playback channel) - Left
2 - Right
3 - Center
4 - LFE (Low Frequency Effects)
5 - SR (Surround Right)
6 - SL (Surround Left)
Note 1: Setting the card to be used as system playback device is against common sense, as
professional cards are not specialized to play back system sounds, and shouldn't be disturbed
by system events. To prevent this, be sure to re-assign this setting after usage, or to disable
any system sounds (tab Sounds, scheme 'No audio').
Note 2: The DVD player will be synced backwards from the HDSP card. This means when
using AutoSync and/or word clock, the playback speed and pitch follows the incoming clock
and sample rate.
Note 3: PowerDVD 5 no longer supports a starting channel other than channel 1.
Note 4: In WinDVD 5, a channel-seperated 5.1 playback using the HDSP requires a change in
the registry. Start regedit, go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER / Software / InterVideo / DVD5 /
AUDIOCHAN
, and set its value to
4
(hexadecimal). Additionally select 'Waveout' as Audio
Renderer in the Audio configuration dialog.
Warning: Changes to the registry are done at
your own risk. Danger of complete data loss!