Play 5.1 encoded files over stereo audio cables? [Archive]

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Subiklim

Mar 21, 2008, 09:49 AM

I know I won't get 5.1 from the speakers if I do this, but as it stands right now, I get NO sound.

I encoded most of my films with visualhub and 5.1 audio, but for some reason the tv doesn't work with my new TV's HDMI port (it's not the TV... xbox and cable both work on it). So I have to use the component cables, and stereo audio. I don't have any optical audio inputs, so I can't use that. How do I get some sound out of these files using this setup?

Or better yet, if someone has a reason why HDMI isn't working on the tv with this TV (and just this particular model). The picture flashes in and out when using HDMI.

cohibadad

Mar 21, 2008, 11:43 AM

Subiklim

Mar 21, 2008, 12:31 PM

turn off the surround sound option on :apple:TV to force audio through the stereo cables. HDMI sounds like you might have snapped the port in the :apple:TV and it's intermittently transmitting. Easy to do. My biggest beef with HDMI/USB connections.

I tried that, still no sound!

That's what I thought, but then I got a new tv from apple, and I had the same issue. Maybe different HDMI versions on the tv and tv?

Cave Man

Mar 21, 2008, 12:40 PM

It's not going to work.

When you do a transcode with Visual hub using the Apple TV 5.1 preset, you only get one audio track - the native AC3. Your Apple TV cannot decode this track, it can only pass it to a device that can read it, such as a Dolby Digital-capable receiver.

The reason you're not getting sound through your HDMI port is because your TV cannot decode DD from a source other than its ATSC tuner. See the first post of this thread (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=387209) for the details.

Your options are (1) buy a receiver with an optical input, (2) buy a receiver with an HDMI input, or (3) re-encode your videos with both AC3 (5.1) and AAC (analog 5-channel) audio.