DTS DCH Driver for Realtek HDA [DTS:X APO4 + DTS Interactive]

[bottlefedc83]

Noted. Still an upmixer but that's news. Does it work on games where EAPO does not?
Why does MS SFX upmix? If speaker fill is not enabled, I do not know.

I use Audacity to see what Optical is doing in channels, and if its upmixed stereo.

I do not know why it upmixes despite no speaker fill. This is new, I have never seen windows do so well with channel conversion, its used to be a nightmare of stereo on all speakers or just blank channels. Windows would change your endpoint according to your speaker config but that was it, you had to have something else upmix. Lately, since I have started messing with sound again, this behavior has been present. Its the opposite of previously where you had to have a upmixer like DTS:Neo, DPLII, SS3, etc to fill the channels made by the endpoint. usually wanted no part of the Microsoft stuff. Now I can't find anything better than EAPO using MS SFX as pre-mix child.

Noted. Still an upmixer but that's news. Does it work on games where EAPO does not?

That's harder for me to test and document. I was using EAPO + MS SFX child as premix so I didn't have much experience with just EAPO upmix without the child MS apo. Now I am using DSU from Dolby access because I use DAHT I fear editing the stream by adding EAPO will disturb that. I am so pleased with how DSU is working atm I don't want to venture.

 

[Ferather]

Maybe Microsoft read some of my posts and did something about it, who knows. There's been a few changes I made that are present in certain official presets and inf files.

I suppose its good news there is support for speaker fill with MS APO's and SPDIF, considering no added driver means MS driver + MS APO's.
You should not see 'speaker fill' unless optical is in multichannel mode, which means the MS APO supports it (or partly).

It should also mean its reading the registry keys I mentioned previously to get 6 x 48k 24b.

----

If Microsoft decide to go for the full current consumer standard SPDIF, all formats and channels will be available if the OEM uses the correct SPDIF transmitter.
The newer transmitters are programmable, which means speaker config (or rather channel config) is a variable (user selectable).

 

[bottlefedc83]

Maybe Microsoft read some of my posts and did something about it, who knows. There's been a few changes I made that are present in certain official presets and inf files.

I suppose its good news there is support for speaker fill with MS APO's and SPDIF, considering no added driver means MS driver + MS APO's.
You should not see 'speaker fill' unless optical is in multichannel mode, which means the MS APO supports it (or partly).

It should also mean its reading the registry keys I mentioned previously to get 6 x 48k 24b.

----

If Microsoft decide to go for the full current consumer standard SPDIF, all formats and channels will be available if the OEM uses the correct SPDIF transmitter.

These are the EAPO settings I was using with your driver, loved them.

[LFX]
[GFX]
[UI]
[SFX]
{EACD2258-FCAC-4FF4-B36D-419E924A6D79}
[MFX]
[EFX]
[KDSFX]
[KDMFX]
[KDEFX]
[OSFX]
[OMFX]
[CompositeSFX]
{07531B73-E4CA-4B94-9D0E-D3C9A7825FE5}
{DA2C9ECE-7418-4906-B4FA-0A00B3EB88AA}
[CompositeMFX]
{FCDD3010-BB3F-4B24-8074-A18FC7D558F7}
{A296D363-EE83-4AF9-9BE7-729C1296150A}
[CompositeEFX]
{1AAB27FA-5B3E-4CB1-9312-C66BD74FE739}
{A515262A-68B3-441A-A310-0D145362EE87}
[CompositeKDSFX]
[CompositeKDMFX]
[CompositeKDEFX]
[CompositeOSFX]
[CompositeOMFX]
[ProcessingLFX]
[ProcessingGFX]
[ProcessingSFx]
{C18E2F7E-933D-4965-B7D1-1EEF228D2AF3}
{B26FEB0D-EC94-477C-9494-D1AB8E753F6E}
{4780004E-7133-41D8-8C74-660DADD2C0EE}
[ProcessingMFX]
{C18E2F7E-933D-4965-B7D1-1EEF228D2AF3}
{B26FEB0D-EC94-477C-9494-D1AB8E753F6E}
{4780004E-7133-41D8-8C74-660DADD2C0EE}
[ProcessingEFX]
{C18E2F7E-933D-4965-B7D1-1EEF228D2AF3}
{B26FEB0D-EC94-477C-9494-D1AB8E753F6E}
{4780004E-7133-41D8-8C74-660DADD2C0EE}
[ProcessingKDSFx]
[ProcessingKDMFX]
[ProcessingKDEFX]
[ProcessingOSFX]
[ProcessingOMFX]
[Notes]

 

[Ferather]

Noted, thanks.

 

[bottlefedc83]

Why does MS SFX upmix? If speaker fill is not enabled, I do not know.

Most music is produced with only two channels and is, therefore, not optimized for the multichannel audio equipment of the typical audio or video enthusiast. So having music emanate from only the front-left and front-right loudspeakers is a less-than-ideal audio experience. Speaker fill simulates a multichannel loudspeaker setup. It allows music that would otherwise be heard on only two speakers to be played on all of the loudspeakers in the room, enhancing the spatial sensation.

Speaker fill is used when there are more playback channels or loudspeakers than there are source channels. The effect is generated by a combination of channel manipulation and inserted delays. Speaker fill accepts stereo or multichannel input. Speaker fill is sometimes used when there are equal numbers of source and playback channels. This situation occurs when content is authored for a channel mask with a smaller number of channels than the physical configuration's channel mask. One example would be content with a quadraphonic channel mask that is played on a surround sound system. Source

This seems to be auto now instead of on user setting. This explains the behavior I am seeing.

 

[Ferather]

Might have something to do with the fact I enabled third party SFX support in DTS Interactive, not sure why it would turn on MS upmix, but still.

----

SFX - [Pre] - per app instance (available): Upmix + downmix (channel creation-removal), all channel gain-attenuation, specific channel gain-attenuation, crossover.
MFX - [Post] - per app instance (reserved): Spatial enhancing, Equalizer, Bass enhancing, other (most enhancers).
EFX - [Post] - single instance (reserved): Encoding, speaker protection, miscellaneous.

 

[Laurijan]

Any tip on how to download the file in post 1? Always tries to sell my bulk download and doenst let me download one by one.

 

[Ferather]

Are you able to right click each file and select download? A new tab will open with download top right.

 

[Laurijan]

Are you able to right click each file and select download? A new tab will open with download top right.

Nothing works, even making an account it only wants money from me

Edit: Copying to my mediafire account files and downloading from there worked.

 

[Ferather]

Very odd, I don't get asked for money, not sure what that is about.

====

Optional:

So I found something that's due to Realtek, and in part due to the way they have done the ALC hardware. The driver files (not the inf) clone the registry data for speakers to certain capture points.
On paper that sounds fine, given the way the ALC is fitted to work, however, a render APO and a capture APO can be very different, and the codes used different.

I looked into the inf file to see if I am able to separate the data used on the capture points, away from the data used for speakers-headphones (including apos), but I can not.
It seems to be setup outside of the inf file, and as written above, it uses the data entries for speakers-headphones as the data for the capture points.

I personally removed the render APO's and DTS processing key (intended for render devices) from each capture point in the registry (9 in total, 10 including 'Stereo Mix' - personal).
Note that 'Microphone(s)', 'Line in' and 'Stereo Mix' are setup with capture APO's and do not need editing (except 'Stereo Mix', I prefer raw: DAC > no change).


I have attached a registry file with 10 entries (you need to fill out DEVICE-ID), right click the entry key in Regedit, rename, copy text, replace DEVICE-ID.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices\Audio\Capture


The endpoints will works as normal, essentially in raw mode (which they should be given its after the DAC), only MS hidden APO's.

====

Anyone who wants to know the best ALC for SPDIF, 1st place would be 1220 VB, as it has form factor 'Speakers' (DTS APO4), and FR-RR instead of 1-6 in the mixer.

====

If you are using the DTS EQ, or bass boost, if you take it to a certain level, and hear distortion, its because the amplitude is too much for 24 bit (~144.5dB).
It seems the DTS APO4, APO's, are using 24 bit processing, opposed to 32 bit float, where it can amplify then attenuate without any loss.

One benefit to using 24 bit over 32 bit float is lower overall load, but its not worth factoring in, not even with a mobile CPU.

--

Note: If you are building an APO, use 32 bit float processing, making clipping-distortion impossible, simply attenuate or fix a maximum amplitude.
A fixed amplitude would mean I am able to raise an EQ bar further, but no additional amplification occurs due to the final bit depth.

====

 

[Laurijan]

Is there a way to enable 5.1 DTS or 5.1 Dolby over analog 3,5mm cable connection with this driver? With optical cable I sometimes get a crackling sound thru my speakers that I kinda loud. The crackling sound was with previos driver and that was the reason I installed this driver. Have to test if problem persists

 

[Ferather]

DTS or Dolby encoding is for Optical or HDMI only. Have you tried the 'Stereo Mix' always on?

 

[Laurijan]

DTS or Dolby encoding is for Optical or HDMI only. Have you tried the 'Stereo Mix' always on?

I am a bit confused about the stereo mix part of the installation instruction. What does it do?

 

[Ferather]

It keeps the endpoint always on, I use it with digital to keep the stream always on, this prevents stream start-stop popping, and other noises due to stream on-off.
If you use it on analogue make sure its muted, else you will hear an echo. No sure it will fix your crackling, that is possibly hardware.

You can also try the MSI Utility (Message-Signalled Interrupts) in 'Utility and Settings', to see if speeding it up helps.

 

[Laurijan]

It keeps the endpoint always on, I use it with digital to keep the stream always on, this prevents stream start-stop popping, and other noises due to stream on-off.
If you use it on analogue make sure its muted, else you will hear an echo. No sure it will fix your crackling, that is possibly hardware.

You can also try the MSI Utility (Message-Signalled Interrupts) in 'Utility and Settings', to see if speeding it up helps.

yeah without using stereo mix I got crackling when started to watch a youtube video and with it set up like in instruction that is not the case anymore. That crackling at the start of stream reminds me alot of the problem i had with DTS and Dolby crackling (maybe it was just that)

 

[Ferather]

With analogue, that is indeed very odd. You had this issue with official drivers previously?

 

[Laurijan]

With analogue, that is indeed very odd. You had this issue with official drivers previously?

With analoge I had no problems but couldnt get 5.1 DTS and 5.1 Dolby to work. All problems with crackling were exclusive to optical cable usage with DTS or Dolby. Tried a bunch of custom drivers. With official driver I cant get 5.1 DTS & Dolby at all

 

[Ferather]

Oh optical, though for some reason you meant you where getting crackling with analogue, sorry. Yes the start-stop pop is a problem, although it does depends on the receiver.
I can have 'Stereo Mix' off and not get start-stop noise, and then with some other apps, I do. It's do to with stream response time and hardware I guess.

My fathers older Samsung TV will do DTS - Dolby encoding like the driver, it does the same 'always on' stream (no popping so on).

====

It seems to be that removing the render APO's from the hardware capture (loopback) to stereo mix, fixed some issues, 'so far' no listen to bug, or cut out on startup.
I do know that sometimes if the bug was to occur, any APO programmed to the effected point(s) can end up bugged and degraded, really badly.

This issue is an issue that needs to be fixed by Realtek (without my after fix), I might be able to input manual entries, but I think the driver will override them.
Currently I am not sure of the names for the entries, although it may be the same names as the ones that are added to the registry.

Ideally Realtek should supply separate entry points in the driver .inf file to prevent crossover of render APO's on a hardware capture point.
The situation could be worse if I was using render offload in the .inf, as the APO's would be present on the capture points.

----

'Realtek Capture.reg' added to 'DTS Settings', its a single entry version, copy the text as many times as needed then edit the GUID's, alternatively manually edit the registry.

I will update the Realtek files once this has been addressed, else not much point really!

 

[Ferather]

Just got the 'listen bug' again, I muted SPDIF and unmuted, decode flashed about 10 times (Stereo mix 'loopback' on/off/on/off/on/off/on), was not the above although its still wrong and has issues.

No idea how to fix it

I might try VAC in place of Stereo Mix again like I did about 2-3 years ago (ALC 889), even then it did the same (which is intermittent on start-up). No hardware though.
Muting an endpoint back then used to switch off APO's (could see DTS re-init), the current updated MS mute does not seem to affect apos.

Note the driver and all files have been updated several times.


Capture (Stereo Mix, hardware) ----> Microsoft loopback (listen to) ----> Render (SPDIF)
Capture (VAC, software) ----> Microsoft loopback (listen to) ----> Render (SPDIF)

====

So I removed all APO's and extra data from ALL endpoints, and still get the same bug with Microsoft loopback. Their audio engine is pretty bad is multiple places.

----

I can understand why so many professionals will use ASIO, essentially to replace the Microsoft audio engine with something better......

Audio file any format (ends up as PCM) > Windows Audio Engine > Hardware.
Audio file any format (ends up as PCM) > ASIO > Hardware.

On-the-fly encoding | PCM > Windows Audio Engine (encoded) > Hardware.
Bitstream-Passthrough file >> Hardware.

 

[Laurijan]

Just got the 'listen bug' again, I muted SPDIF and unmuted, decode flashed about 10 times (Stereo mix 'loopback' on/off/on/off/on/off/on), was not the above although its still wrong and has issues.

No idea how to fix it

I might try VAC in place of Stereo Mix again like I did about 2-3 years ago (ALC 889), even then it did the same (which is intermittent on start-up). No hardware though.
Muting an endpoint back then used to switch off APO's (could see DTS re-init), the current updated MS mute does not seem to affect apos.

Note the driver and all files have been updated several times.


Capture (Stereo Mix, hardware) ----> Microsoft loopback (listen to) ----> Render (SPDIF)
Capture (VAC, software) ----> Microsoft loopback (listen to) ----> Render (SPDIF)

====

So I removed all APO's and extra data from ALL endpoints, and still get the same bug with Microsoft loopback. Their audio engine is pretty bad is multiple places.

----

I can understand why so many professionals will use ASIO, essentially to replace the Microsoft audio engine with something better......

Audio file any format (ends up as PCM) > Windows Audio Engine > Hardware.
Audio file any format (ends up as PCM) > ASIO > Hardware.

On-the-fly encoding | PCM > Windows Audio Engine (encoded) > Hardware.
Bitstream-Passthrough file >> Hardware.

I get the crackling always after turning on the PC from sleep state. Complete reboot only fixes it.

 

[Ferather]

That one is power settings, another old and known issue. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class



That one I can change in the inf, but I left it at default.

 

[Ferather]

Just to reiterate why 'Stereo Mix' is too useful and too good to have a bug due to Microsoft (and a little from Realtek, as above [Render APO on Capture loop]).

 

[Kabal81]

Just to reiterate why 'Stereo Mix' is too useful and too good to have a bug due to Microsoft (and a little from Realtek, as above [Render APO on Capture loop]).

Don't forget that there is an alternative solution. I've had the problem that my active speakers always went to sleep without signal. Even with Stereo Mix. So I plugged a cable into the analog line-in jack and configured it like the stereo mix. The resistance from the cable produces an unhearable noise which keeps my sound system awake.

 

[Ferather]

I guess you are already running maximum performance power plan?

 

[Kabal81]

I guess you are already running maximum performance power plan?

Nope. Is there a setting which sends SPDIF to sleep?