Dolby Digital Live not working on Realtek HDA (ALC662)

[Espionage724]

I have a Biostar A880G+ Motherboard, and Realtek High Definition Audio (ALC662). According to Realtek, the ALC662 has the ability to use Dolby Digital Live, and according to an email from Biostar, that motherboard has the ability to do Dolby Digital Live.

The problem is, I cannot do anything more then 2 channel (Stereo) audio at all from any game.

Windows Audio Settings

Realtek Audio Settings

The Dolby Digital test from Windows works fine with all my speakers. Games and VLC Media Player (with music) only output to Stereo.

If I set the Speakers to default instead of Digital, I hear no audio at all (when nothing is plugged in to analog), or it will only output to whatever analog device is in.

My question is, how do I set Windows to see all speakers in my 5.1 setup over Digital?

 

[popatim]

Have you looked in your games setup to see if they have a 5.1 Dolby Digital Live option? What games are you referring to?

 

[Espionage724]

Have you looked in your games setup to see if they have a 5.1 Dolby Digital Live option? What games are you referring to?

Diablo III (a debug file shows that Windows is only reporting 2 channel audio from S/PDIF), and Medal of Honor (I set 5.1 audio, but only had 2 channel stereo output).

Diablo III only outputs to however many Speakers Windows reports also, and Windows will always report 2 channel audio from S/PDIF from my understanding?

 

[gamerk316]

First off: Is there an explict Dolby Digital Live setting anywhere? If not, its doubtful its enabled.

Secondly, you have to set the output to 5.1 for DDL to work properly.

Thirdly, check to see if there is an explicit option to output via SPDIF. If there is, set the default output to "speakers" instead of the digital output. Some soundcards have problems with the way Windows handles the default digital output, which results in it only being able to pass through 2.0. That *might* be whats happening to you.

Finally, music encoded as 2.0 will play back as 2.0, regardless if DDL is enabled.

 

[Espionage724]

First off: Is there an explict Dolby Digital Live setting anywhere? If not, its doubtful its enabled.

Secondly, you have to set the output to 5.1 for DDL to work properly.

Thirdly, check to see if there is an explicit option to output via SPDIF. If there is, set the default output to "speakers" instead of the digital output. Some soundcards have problems with the way Windows handles the default digital output, which results in it only being able to pass through 2.0. That *might* be whats happening to you.

Finally, music encoded as 2.0 will play back as 2.0, regardless if DDL is enabled.

1. There is no setting anywhere (in Windows or Realtek's CP) that mentions Dolby Digital Live. I figured it to just exist as a silent feature
2. The Speaker output is not available unless I go into Realtek's CP and set it to disable Front Jack Detection (which is really weird). After setting Speakers as default in this case, no sound is heard at all, unless I plug something into an analog port (nothing comes from S/PDIF)
3. Same as #2 pretty much (Speakers doesn't exist without Front Jack Detection being off; and even after that, no output is heard from S/PDIF)
4. Yep I realize this.

 

[gamerk316]

My best guess is you were given incorrect information. It appears the ALC 662, like all realtek chipsets, offers *optional* DDL support. If there isn't an explicit option somewhere, then it probably isn't enabled for that motherboard.

http://uk.hardware.info/productinfo/105158/biostar-a880g+#tab:specifications

Indicates DDL is NOT supported on this mobo.

 

[popatim]

he must not have that board, it doesnt even have a spdif port.

 

[Espionage724]

he must not have that board, it doesnt even have a spdif port.

No I have that board. It has a S/PDIF header port on the board, and you must buy the S/PDIF Bracket plate separately from somewhere (I got mine for $12 from biostarusa's ebay)

 

[Espionage724]

So anyone else have any suggestions? Maybe the reason I can't use DDL is because I don't have a S/PDIF Passthrough device?

My Xonar DG card, although lacking in DDL, has a S/PDIF Passthrough

But I'm not entirely sure why I wouldn't be seeing this on Realtek's.