# Digital (spdif) output port activation for any Realtek and maybe other Chip.



## mycop (Mar 25, 2021)

Hello. On some motherboards the digital output is not soldered. But the board has seats for the missing "legs". But if we solder them, we are already faced with a software problem. The driver does not activate digital port. My question is the following. How do I activate a digital output? Ideally through a driver. Is Realtek Test Utility capable of this? If this is not enough and you need to solder the missing elements (resistors, capacitors), I'm ready.


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## Ferather (Mar 26, 2021)

I think the codec on chip also needs to support it? Example, drivers wont do it, not unless the chip is correctly using the circuit.


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## mycop (Mar 26, 2021)

Of course, provided that the chip is support it, and the port is active on another motherboard. (although I can’t remember an HDA chip without SPDIF)


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## mycop (Apr 2, 2021)

If I understood everything correctly, then there are 3 ways.

1. Hardware. (Straps.)
2. Editing BIOS
3. Software. For example Linux can ignore the BIOS configuration

Maybe there is someone who has already done it? Similar.
It concerns not only the digital port but also the inclusion of other audio connectors in a laptop for example.
I repeat. Realtek Test utility can do it? Im trying but maybe i do something wrong.


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## Ferather (Apr 2, 2021)

I would be interested if you succeed, becuase I wonder how it would work if you upgraded a module from 15MBps to 125MBps.


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## Ferrum Master (Apr 2, 2021)

You should try Linux first. Ie ALSA mixer, it should reveal all configurations. For hooking up a SPDIF optical transmitter you need only one additional cap near the transmitter supply pins. Other than that, directly from the HDA IC. There are some ICs that had two SPDIF outputs, remembering the time we had to hook one in the GPU, like GTX280 etc.

There are configurator tools in the wild to alter the device driver config bins with the right set. You need to look the SPDIF config address and bins in the Realtek datasheet for each specific IC. 

Plan B is to alter HW id, if you know the same config board and working device ID you desire and alter it. It incorporates hex editing the binary blobs in BIOS. I don't know if any Windows based hacks are currently working, it is not worth the effort to screw with that even just for science.


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## GnatGoSplat (Apr 5, 2021)

I'm trying to figure out the same thing with a Realtek ALC887.  I tried a USB CM6631A SPDIF card and it turned out the SPDIF out from ALC887 on my old motherboard worked so much better with DD5.1 AC3.  New motherboard (Gigabyte H310M-A) has the same ALC887, but no SPDIF header.

I first tried hardware, connecting "Sense C" pin 33 "Jack Detect Pin 3" with 10K resistor to GND.  Nothing.
I think pin configurations are initialized by BIOS.  Found this in a Google search: https://www.win-raid.com/t3723f16-How-to-remap-audio-jack-in-BIOS-1.html#msg54898
Looks like they may be set up by BIOS in modules PlatformInit and/or PlatformInitPreMem.  I found "EC 10 87 08" corresponding to ven_10EC dev_0887.  Other than that, I'm totally lost.
I'd like to get ahold of the Realtek HDA Driver Test Utility to play around, but can't find a working link for it.


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## mycop (Apr 5, 2021)

GnatGoSplat said:


> I'd like to get ahold of the Realtek HDA Driver Test Utility to play around, but can't find a working link for it.


I found a modified BIOS for Asus EEPC 701 with SPDIF activated, so the fact that this can be done through BIOS is unequivocally confirmed. But it will be sad if this is possible only through the BIOS. then it is more difficult for each motherboard to do this.
as for the realtek utility. What does not suit you with the one that is here? https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...k-hda-driver-test-utility-help-needed.263482/
If you succeed please write here.


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## GnatGoSplat (Apr 5, 2021)

Thanks, I had not tried that one yet, but that Realtek Utility does work.
However, I'm not able to figure out how the Node IDs and Configs in the utility correspond to the parameters in the datasheet, nor do I see how they correspond to any of what I believe to be the verb tables in BIOS.
The utility has a list of IDs and what looks like 32-bit DWORD as values, but the datasheet says ALC887 takes 40-bit commands, 8-bits of which are reserved, so the commands could be sent as a DWORD with Node ID being a part of that DWORD.  I don't know how that corresponds to a Node ID and separate DWORD Config.


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## Ferather (Apr 5, 2021)

I'm taking notes. I've read this, and found it interesting.


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## mycop (May 15, 2021)

What does nintendo64 have to do with it?


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## mycop (Feb 9, 2022)

Its time to bump.


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