[Pau11y]

I've been messing around w/ Winamp and Windows Media player and got all the encoded sounds to go out thru my Spdif port on my onboard sound (reads I get 5.1 thru WMP playing DVDs, as well as AC3 audio thru Winamp), and into a 5.1 receiver. Tho, I still need to figure out how I can get SACDs to go... I stumbled across a suck of NIN- With Teeth in AC3 (on piratebay) and FINALLY got 'er to go out thru the 5.1 and now I'm spoil'd! I friggin' want more AC3 audio!

BTW BV, this boasts REALLY well for for the HTPC...PM me if you want some Codecs and decoders

 

[binary visions]

I have a whole lot of codecs - they're pretty widely available, even the obscure ones. There was one cool package called Ace Mega Codecs Pack that had about every codec known to man but I couldn't get over the crappy implementation. Had I needed the codecs, I'd probably have dealt with it, but I found a cleaner one with fewer codecs but all that I need.

Just find some friends with large CD collections and rip 'em to AC3. Actually, I knew a guy that did the whole Columbia House 15 CDs for the price of 1 deal, where you have to buy 3 at regular price afterwards. He just got his CDs, bought 3, cancelled his account, and signed up again. Did this 5 or 6 times. Then sold all the CDs to a used CD shop to recoupe his losses on the full price CDs.

 

[Pau11y]

Yeah, I got something similar...K-Lite Mega Codec Pack... It melted my nVidia PureVideo soft decoder (I was referring to this if you need) and hosed Windows Media Player (10). BTW that's a sweet plug-in for WMP and totally optimized to work w/ nVidia Vid cards (even tho I can't tell a diff between my Radeon and the 7800). The key thing there for me is the SPDIF out to a 5.1 receiver

 

[binary visions]

I've got K-lite and if you turn off its default of using Media Player Classic, everything works flawlessly. I actually use Real Player something (10 or 11) Gold most of the time and all the codecs integrated flawlessly. But WMP works fine too.

Wonder why it hosed your setup? What's nVidia PureVideo? Some kind of codec pack?

 

[binary visions]

Nevermind, just read about the PureVideo thing. Looks nice but I never watch DVDs on my computer. Do these routines improve normal downloaded video as well?

 

[Pau11y]

I'm not sure what the default type of file DVDs usually are, (maybe mpeg 1 or 2?). Most D/Ls I've seen are Mpeg4s (DivX or XviDs) and I don't think it does anything for these formats...but I haven't read the whitepaper on PureVideo either...
I used to use a Sigma Design Hollywood Plus to do the same thing this PureVideo thing does (except it was a coax and not TossLink digital out). It still was pretty damn good. So, I've been watching HD-esk DVD quality for a while now since the PC monitor was in the range of 1080i for forever... They do make a DivX/XviD decoder daughter card...

Edit: my current LCDs are only doing 1600x1200 so no 1080P still. That Sceptre is still looking gooooood, at 37"s

 

[binary visions]

Edit: my current LCDs are only doing 1600x1200 so no 1080P still. That Sceptre is still looking gooooood, at 37"s

Yeah... I think my next move is to a good sound system, since I'm not really much of a TV person and don't watch a whole lot of movies. A HTPC would be fun, but I think I'll invest in a decent receiver and some compact speakers first. I figure I'll need a new laptop within 2 years so I'll get a built-in wireless card and have room for a nice PCMCIA sound card.

 

[Pau11y]

Whao! Just found someone w/ the entire floyd collection ripped in 5.1! Slow up so it'll take like a week to pull it!