This is a technical question relating to surround sound and optical outputs.

 

I have mentioned in a previous thread that I am running my sounds from my sound card via the optical output into the optical input of my home theatre sound system. I'd really like to see the benefit of the new surround sound packages for the 777 but I'm slightly puzzled by something, as I'm not technically knowledgeable enough to solve this... :rolleyes:

 

When I play a sound file which is in the Dolby Digital 5.1 format, my sound receiver annunciates that it is receiving a digital signal and plays it via all of the appropriate channels - front L/R, Centre, rear L/R and sub. This means I know that my sound card will transmit the 5.1 digital information across the optical cable and that the receiver decodes it properly.

 

However, when FSX with the 777 is running, the receiver annunciates that it is receiving a PCM stereo signal only - this is with the optional surround package installed. Therefore, I do not hear the surround sound, just a stereo mix.

 

My home theatre receiver only has optical and HDMI inputs, so I can not feed it the separate analogue inputs from the analogue 3.5mm jacks on the sound card.

 

So... I have a number of questions:

 

1. Are the surround sound package files Dolby Digital 5.1 encoded, or are they basic PCM encoded files?

2. Can I expect to get a 5.1 output from FSX/PMDG across the SPDIF/optical output or is it not possible?

3. Will it only work via the analogue output jacks?

4. Is anyone able to explain the difference to me?!

5. Could this be a limitation of my sound card and could I buy a sound card which will give me the proper 5.1 from FSX/PMDG across the optical link?

 

Sorry it's a bit of an involved lot of questions but I'm desperate to understand what's going on! :huh:

 

Thanks and best wishes,

 

Luke

 

Hi Luke,

Hi Staff,

Glad to post here.

There is something odd about the "* \ SimObjects \ Airplanes \ PMDG 777-300ER \ folder \sound.surround

The sounds are in MONO. Why are they in MONO?
There is probably a reason ...
 
What does the PMDG Staff think ?

... I  will try something (I love tinkering ;-)
I have modified with "Audacity" and I have registered sounds in STEREO.

We'll see what it will give ...

I had a similar problem with my 5.1 sound card which read
not WAV files that were recorded in MONO.

A later here sure,

I learning with the "alien" T777-300   ;-))))

Regards,
-
Pierre-Jean