So, I'm pretty well familiar with the home theater codecs like Dolby Digital, DDP, Atmos, DTS, DTS HD MA, etc. And I understand what PCM is... but I came across this stuff about Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect, which I don't quite understand.
From what I've read DDL and DTS Connect can take any audio stream in a Windows machine and encodes it into DD or DTS for output via SPDIF so a home theater receiver can then decode it and play it on the requisite speakers. Is this correct? Does it work on any stream, from a game, or movie, or music? If so, what happens if the stream is already in DD or DTS, does it reconvert it? Does it turn two channel music into 5.1 music? Can either of these encode into DDP for 7.1?
But more importantly, does this require a specific sound card or sound chip? I have an MSI X79A-GD45 with a Realtek ALC892. It has both optical and coaxial digital outputs. I also have a USB Behringer U-control UCA202 which uses a TI PCM2902 and also has an optical digital output. And of course I have a Sony receiver that has both optical and coaxial digital inputs and it supports DD, DTS, etc.
So, if my above understanding is correct, can I use either my onboard ALC892 or my USB Behringer to get DDL or DTS Connect to work? The ALC892 is using driver version 10.0.19041.264. Do I need different drivers or just some software? Does it matter what method a game uses to output "surround sound"? Most games I have don't give any options for the type of output, just a toggle for "surround sound" on or off. I assume they're outputting in PCM, and if I hook up individual powered speakers to all of my motherboards outputs I get surround sound with them, but I'd greatly prefer to use my Sony receiver to power real speakers. Unfortunately the Sony does not have multi-channel analog inputs, It just has two channel analog inputs and the above mentioned optical and coaxial digital inputs.
Any help, clarification, or direction would be greatly appreciated. And if I asked a question that's been answered 1000 times already please don't abuse me too much.
From what I've read DDL and DTS Connect can take any audio stream in a Windows machine and encodes it into DD or DTS for output via SPDIF so a home theater receiver can then decode it and play it on the requisite speakers. Is this correct? Does it work on any stream, from a game, or movie, or music? If so, what happens if the stream is already in DD or DTS, does it reconvert it? Does it turn two channel music into 5.1 music? Can either of these encode into DDP for 7.1?
But more importantly, does this require a specific sound card or sound chip? I have an MSI X79A-GD45 with a Realtek ALC892. It has both optical and coaxial digital outputs. I also have a USB Behringer U-control UCA202 which uses a TI PCM2902 and also has an optical digital output. And of course I have a Sony receiver that has both optical and coaxial digital inputs and it supports DD, DTS, etc.
So, if my above understanding is correct, can I use either my onboard ALC892 or my USB Behringer to get DDL or DTS Connect to work? The ALC892 is using driver version 10.0.19041.264. Do I need different drivers or just some software? Does it matter what method a game uses to output "surround sound"? Most games I have don't give any options for the type of output, just a toggle for "surround sound" on or off. I assume they're outputting in PCM, and if I hook up individual powered speakers to all of my motherboards outputs I get surround sound with them, but I'd greatly prefer to use my Sony receiver to power real speakers. Unfortunately the Sony does not have multi-channel analog inputs, It just has two channel analog inputs and the above mentioned optical and coaxial digital inputs.
Any help, clarification, or direction would be greatly appreciated. And if I asked a question that's been answered 1000 times already please don't abuse me too much.