AC3 Filter in Windows 7

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Glazza

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#33216 3-May-2009 20:39

Guys

Does anyone know how to get something like this working in Windows 7?

The issue im trying to resolve:

I have an optical output from the HTPC to the Amp, and there is a huge volume difference when switching between TV3 and other channels - TV3 is passing through everything, where the others use the volume settings within the PC.

Previous versions of Windows I have used AC3 Filter... however if I set the audio codec to AC3filter now, I get a decoder error within Media Center.

Help please!

Cheers
David

RustyGonad

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#211926 3-May-2009 20:46

As you have found out the volume control in Media Center doesn't effect AC3 sources.

The way to work around it is to set the internal volume with Media Center to 50 ie max, and use your amp volume as the overall system volume control.

This should get the output levels to similar sound levels. At least it does on my system.

Glazza

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#211930 3-May-2009 20:54

Thanks Rusty...

It pretty much does the trick for me as well... just wondering if I was doing something stupid.

From reading, you are also the man for Sky how to's.... have you managed to get sky working etc (with NDScam etc) on Windows 7?

Cheers
David

Regs

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Snowflake

#212319 4-May-2009 23:36

i'm not in the win7 MCE now but i remember seeing some dolby menu items under the DVD menu which specifically talked about volume levelling between dolby and regular soundtracks. it had the 'late night' etc options listed. have you tried playing with these?

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rhysb

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#212403 5-May-2009 10:06

Regs: i'm not in the win7 MCE now but i remember seeing some dolby menu items under the DVD menu which specifically talked about volume levelling between dolby and regular soundtracks. it had the 'late night' etc options listed. have you tried playing with these?

When you enable the volume leveling in MC the AC3 stream gets decoded on the PC and then passed over spdif as PCM stereo. It works well if you are using your soundcards analogue outs, but is not recommended if you are using spdif to an external amp.

The best method is, as Rusty suggested, to adjust the volume on your amp.

Regs

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Snowflake

#212527 5-May-2009 14:39

yeah, i suppose that makes sense. wouldnt acfilter have done that too though?

i just got used to the different volume levels for different outputs and then programmed my onkyo to automatically adjust them to suit depending on the signal type - seems to work identically for win7 and XP MCE

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