Help with Dolby Digital & DTS VIA Optical cable USB sound card

[Space monkey 12]

Hi all I have being trying to get my AVR to play DD , DTS from my Laptop it's driving me crazy.

my audio setup is as follows ask if more info needed,

When Playing a .mkv a bluray or anything with DD OR DTS audio encoded all I can receive on my AVR is PCM AUDIO NOT DD OR DTS

HP LAPTOP > USB SOUND CARD > OPTICAL CABLE >YAMAHA AVR > SPEAKERS

I have looked in computer settings and Kodi setting all I can get to play is PCM AUDIO (and that sucks better than analogue but still not surround).

any help appretiated suggestions on a new USB sound card if needed

NOTE: My AVR can decode DD and DTS my tv sends its audio to the avr as DTS VIA Optical
I assume it could be the sound card as its a old sound blaster card

 

[Space monkey 12]

Ok good news I think

I have now managed to run the DD & DTS sound check via Windows playback devices that part performed great and now new problems have arisen

1) once I load Kodi it outputs Audio via PCM (that parts fine) , once I then load a movie with a DD / DTS audio track the format lights on my AVR jump backwards and forwards between either DTS & PCM / DD & PCM it doesn't stay at the format it's supposed to and the audio is dismal. once you stop the movie and it returns PCM.

What's causing this problem ?

2) there are a few sample frequencies to choose from in Windows settings that my AVR might support.

how do you find out what my AVR does support ?

 

[Owen_12]

I would suggest checking your audio settings in Kodi and also installing the latest version of it.... in Kodi you would want to go into settings and then system>audio and put it into expert mode... make sure your config is set to 5.1 or 7.1 and that the codecs your receiver and cabling supports are checked off... if all else fails check that you have the latest drivers for your soundcard... I also find having K-Lite Codec Pack installed helps.... you could also test with VLC by playing a DTS or Dolby movie and going into the soundtrack and sending it in bitstream