Hi folks, I have just purchased the new Beatles Love Album. I chose the DVD-Audio version because i thought it would be cool to experience it in high resolution 5.1 Surround. Problem is, I just don't know if what i'm listening to is just that! To my mind it is unclear if I am listening to it as intended. I'm playing it on my computer using a Plextor PX740-A DVD+- DVD player I have a Creative X-Fi Pro soundcard that that outputs to 5 satellites and a sub (M-Audio 5.1 LX4s). I'm using Cyberlink Power DVD 7 Deluxe with the extra Audio upgrade thing. On my X-FI control panel I have turned off the cmss-3D function, (This effectively gets any stereo source like a standard mp3 file and spreads it round the entire 5.1 spectrum), seeing as i am playing a fully fledged 5.1 source file. I'm not sure if powerdvd is playing the disc like it should be. In the options panel i have selected 6 channel audio, and the output mode as CLMEI-2 (not sure what this is). When played the sound is coming out of all the satellites and sub, but i am not sure whether this is genuine surround sound or the equivalent of the cmss-3d function that i high lighted before (ie just a stereo file being multiplied across the surround spectrum). WHen played it says the sound output is LPCM 2.0 at 1411 kbps. IS this correct? IT sounds great, but just want to be 100% that its what im meant to be hearing. To me powerdvd seems slightly ropey when it comes to options and flexibilty, could anyone suggest and alternative program? Any help would be much appreciated ALex
I don't have the answer to your question but just for the hell of it, I put a link to it in the "What music are you listening to" Thread: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/128/222855#2571217
From Cyberlink site: I would say if CLMEI-2 is output you are listening to simulated surround...have you tried playing a stereo only disc with these settings to see if it's simulated to all channels?
Hi there thanks for your input. Yeah, playing stereo mp3s on it and turning CLMEI-2 on results in simulated surround. When i turn CLMEI-2 off with the Love album, it only plays through 2 channels. NOt quite sure what to do Thanks Alex
Hi there anyon eelse got anymore suggestions, the dvd simply refuses to play in 5.1. WHat is also odd is that in my computer windows calls it an audio cd rather than a dvd. Is it supposed to do that? Alex
@aj_keast, I bought the cd/dvd but it won't be opened until Christmas. Sorry. It is intended to be played on our Home Theatre setup and not a computer. So, all I'll be able to tell you is if it does indeed play in 5.1 or DTS. Have you updated your drivers? Perhaps Creative support would be able to help you? http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=209&subcategory=669&product=14064
I can't help with the settings but from the bitrate it looks like you're only getting CD quality audio (ie 16 bit/44.1kHz). This page has a table towards the bottom that tells you the bitrate of various combinations of sampling frequency and resolution combinations. Since your computer is telling you kbps and that site uses Mbps just multiply their numbers by a factor of 1,000 to compare them. AFAIK the only other program that can play DVD-A discs is WinDVD Platinum (not sure if you need a special add-on like you had to get for PowerDVD). I have no idea if it's any easier to configure, but I can say that I've preferred PowerDVD's interface to WinDVD for the past few versions I've used.
You're certainly not getting the MLP Lossless (PPCM Advanced Resolution) stream, or the DTS, or the Dolby Digital. You are indeed hearing the stereo stream in fake surround. As far as WinDVD goes, the best version is WinDVD 6 Platinum. WinDVD 7 Platinum worked okay up to build 27, then from then onwards DVD-Audio support is so hobbled as to be useless. This is entirely because of the morons who thought it was cool to hack the decoders for illegally copying discs, and as was to be expected, all compromised MKB keys were then revoked, meaning that commercial titles will no longer play either. This is why Sony never allowed a software SACD player to happen, as this was always going to be the inevitable result. PowerDVD is equally hobbled, for exactly the same reasons. Thank the thieves for this.
I too just purchased the Beatles Love DVD version. Several things to note: I have the Creative Labs external 24-bit. Windows Media Player (and a few other players like Media Player classic) would not play back the other 5.1 content that also comes on the DVD ... not at all (neither Dolby Digial 5.1 Surround nor DTS 5.1 Surround). PowerDVD V4 was able to play the Dolby Digital 5.1 but not the DTS. None, of course, knew how to play the DVD-Audio AOBs. I then downloaded the trial version of PowerDVD V7 and it works great. I did have to clear the output mode to "no effect". The other option is to use CLMEI-2. I'm somewhat certain the default install has the CLMEI-2 turned on for DVD Audio. (I might be wrong, but I'm fairly certain). This simulated 5.1 made it sound like a totally different mix coming out of the studio...worth a sonic listen I suppose. I also copied the DVD to my hard drive listen to them from there.(The AUDIO_TS contains the DVD-Audio AOBs, the VIDEO_TS contains the files for DTS and Dolby 5.1s) NewEgg is selling PowerDVD V7 (cd and box or download) for $35.00, not so bad. While running, the attributes show up as: Audio Attributes: Audio Coding mode: Packed PCM Sampling Rate: 96kHz Number of Audio channels: 6 Bitrate: 7549 Kbps
Did a dvd-a player not come with your Creative software? I have the Audigy 2 ZS Platinum sound card, and the Creative Media Source software, which included a dvd-a player. When I play a dvd-a disc, a small window opens for a few seconds, that says "DVD-Audio". I hope you get it figured out.........
