Question Windows Media Center Audio Problems

ripto

Distinguished
Nov 27, 2009
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Hello everyone. I run a HTPC in my living room for streaming windows media center over my home network via a cablecard with Comcast using HD Homerun Prime. My old HTPC finally died on me and did not have my current issue. I am now using a new to me HTPC running windows 7, on a Dell Optiplex 7010 motherboard, i5-3475S, 8BG ram, radeon RX 570 graphics card, and EVGA 500W 80+ PSU. I run an HDMI cable from the computer to my TV for video and audio. The computer came with Windows 10, until I realized windows media center was not on there, so I installed Windows 7 with a legal copy I've had for years. I did not have any driver CDs, so I had to find some on another computer and transfer them over. I had the model number of the motherboard so I believe I installed the correct ones. Haven't had any problems.

My current problem is the audio in windows media center. During commercial breaks, towards the end of one commercial, maybe the last 1-2 seconds of it, audio will cut out. The next commercial will be much louder in volume. This will run for the next couple commercials up until the last commercial before the show returns. The same thing will happen, at the last 1-2 seconds of that last commercial, audio will cut out again, and then start at the original level once the show returns.

I have updated drivers for my graphics card and windows update. When I go to my sound drivers in device manager, I show "AMD High Definition Audio Driver" and two "HDHomeRun Tuner" drivers. When I right click the speaker in the system tray and go to Playback Devices, I only have one active device, "4 - LC-50LB261U". I don't recall what i used to show in this windows on my old HTPC, but I'm assuming this is my TV since that's where I'm hearing audio. When I click it and click Configure, "Stereo" is my only option. When I click it and click "Properties", I have no enhancements checked off and I have the two boxes under Advanced unchecked.

In windows media center I have set the audio to 2 speaker and 5.1 speaker and I have not noticed any difference in the problem occurring.

I recently found out about "411" for windows media center debugging and I have watched the audio screen when this volume change happens. I notice under normal circumstances, the Audio Codec is Dolby, with Number of Channels as 6. When the audio cuts out and then increases on the next commercial, I notice the Number of Channels changes to 2, and then when it returns, I see it go back to 6.

I have no idea what else to try. This is very annoying obviously, watching a show and then having commercials get really loud and then return, so I'm always playing with the volume on my remote. I haven't noticed any other audio problems. One thing to note is that apparently this computer has built in speakers and it took me awhile to get HDMI audio, but I believe to fix that I went to update the Realtek audio driver and I selected the non-AMD driver and that fixed it. I have also disabled audio in the BIOS. Still nothing has fixed this issue.
 

Lutfij

Titan
Moderator
You should ideally see if you're on the latest BIOS for your motherboard. You can source all your drivers from here if you didn't use their support site to download necessary drivers. Given how you're not using the onboard audio, you have no need to install drivers nor troubleshoot that end. Rather, see if uninstalling your GPU drivers(using DDU) and then reinstalling your GPU drivers with the latest from AMD's support site changes the issue. See if selecting the default audio device to your AMD HDMI port solves the issue.