Unlocked Realtek HD Audio Drivers for Windows 10 (Dolby Digital Live/DTS Interactive)

[DDL51]

I followed these instructions previously and was able to get DDL and DTS Interactive showing in Realtek HD Audio Manager and working in games like Overwatch where I could hear discrete sounds from individual channels, depending on my position. If a gun was firing behind me and to the right, I mostly heard it from the right-rear speaker. As my character rotated, the sound would move from speaker to speaker properly, as expected.

I most recently played the game maybe 2 or 3 weeks ago, and this was working perfectly. I installed Windows updates since then, but the most recent 5 or 6 are all specific to Windows Update Service itself, nothing else as far as I can tell.

I fire it up yesterday, and suddenly I only hear sound from the FL and FR speakers.

I test it in Windows Sounds > Playback > double-click Realtek Digital Output > Supported Formats tab > under Encoded formats, select Dolby Digital > Test > I hear 5 discrete sounds from 5 discrete separate channels properly. I click the Advanced tab > Default Format is Dolby Digital Live (5.1 Surround) > Test > I hear the same test sound from the FL, a pause (which would presumably be the center channel), then the proper test sound from the FR...and that's it. Every time, I see the "DECODE" light actuated on my Logitech Z906 "receiver." I check the General tab > Jack Information > Rear Panel RCA Jack - which is incorrect. I am connected via optical TosLink cable.

Spatial Sound is off.

FWIW, in the Realtek HD Audio Manager > Speaker Configuration tab > only 2 speakers are showing, and in the Speaker configuration sub-section, Stereo is selected and grayed out/greyed out/disabled. So it seems the machine isn't detecting the fact that the speakers are connected via TosLink. So I disconnected and reconnected and even tried a different cable. No changes.

I uninstalled the drivers, tried the latest ones, tried the Windows ones, reinstalled Windows, and tested just about everything else I could imagine.

I am currently running Windows 10 21H2 (19044.1288).

What the heck could've happened over the last few weeks? Radeon RX580 update? I'm out of ideas.

 

[Jgr9]

Again, the test sound only plays the FL and FR channels over optical. Games should still do surround.

As for Windows Updates, traditionally I would have had to reapply the method I use every time there was one of those major Windows updates for Windows 10. Less likely with smaller ones. I actually haven't had to reapply mine in years with completely updated Windows 10. I might have to reapply it more often if I was actually on Windows 11 (don't know).

Anyways, here's the way I've always used (I have over 10 year old hardware, your mileage may vary, I guess):

Unlocked Realtek HD Audio Drivers Windows 7 & 8 (With Dolby Digital Live and DTS Interactive)

@Jgr9 @OMER Ready... Links: Dolby Driver for ALL Chips Dolby Driver for REALTEK Chips What these two app actually does, can u explain

www.techpowerup.com

 

[DDL51]

Again, the test sound only plays the FL and FR channels over optical. Games should still do surround.

As for Windows Updates, traditionally I would have had to reapply the method I use every time there was one of those major Windows updates for Windows 10. Less likely with smaller ones. I actually haven't had to reapply mine in years with completely updated Windows 10. I might have to reapply it more often if I was actually on Windows 11 (don't know).

Anyways, here's the way I've always used (I have over 10 year old hardware, your mileage may vary, I guess):

Unlocked Realtek HD Audio Drivers Windows 7 & 8 (With Dolby Digital Live and DTS Interactive)

@Jgr9 @OMER Ready... Links: Dolby Driver for ALL Chips Dolby Driver for REALTEK Chips What these two app actually does, can u explain

www.techpowerup.com

Thanks for sharing! I appreciate your insights.

So just to clarify, which sound test? The DTS Audio and Dolby Digital tests shown below play discrete sounds from all 5 speakers over optical (because that's the only connection I have), and the "DECODE" light on my receiver remains lit during the entire test:

I just checked again, and in-game, I only hear audio out of the FL and FR speakers. Just 3 weeks ago, I heard the proper sound from all 5.

I have 10+ year old hardware too (it's actually a Mac Pro 5,1), and up until now, the fix I previously mentioned has been working flawlessly in Windows and in-game. If some Windows 11-related update that was also applied to Windows 10 broke this, then perhaps that's the answer. I just don't know how to be sure.

I tried the fix you mentioned, but no difference. Same result. I am sure the issue is related to the fact that the machine is not properly detecting the proper connection:

It should not be "Rear Panel RCA Jack," but "Optical." I have tried different optical TosLink cables: no luck. I do not have any RCA cables currently connected - I don't even own any.

 

[Jgr9]

With the method I use, the Test on the Advanced tab only plays at most FL and FR through Optical, and does surround in games (etc, no extra help from my receiver).
I should also note that occasionally the Test might lag and perhaps even drop/skip a tone. Usually the first time. But then at most will only ever play FL and FR, but surround works normally otherwise.

Maybe you used the wrong drivers? And I know sometimes when you FIRST plug something in you might get asked what that jack is, but I don't think I've ever seen it do it for Optical.

Actually, I know everyone's might be labeled differently, even with Realtek, but my Device is called "SPDIF Interface", not Realtek Digital Output. I may actually be using the driver that Microsoft supplies. Do you actually have the correct Device selected? Actually, both my Optical and RCA are called "SPDIF Interface" yet 2 separate Devices. I have the RCA device disabled so I don't accidentally select it.
(Also, by default doesn't Windows hide Disabled Devices from the list? which is extremely annoying. Rightclick any device and you can select to Show Disabled and Disconnected Devices if yours are hidden.)

 

[DDL51]

With the method I use, the Test on the Advanced tab only plays at most FL and FR through Optical, and does surround in games (etc, no extra help from my receiver).
I should also note that occasionally the Test might lag and perhaps even drop/skip a tone. Usually the first time. But then at most will only ever play FL and FR, but surround works normally otherwise.

Maybe you used the wrong drivers? And I know sometimes when you FIRST plug something in you might get asked what that jack is, but I don't think I've ever seen it do it for Optical.

Actually, I know everyone's might be labeled differently, even with Realtek, but my Device is called "SPDIF Interface", not Realtek Digital Output. I may actually be using the driver that Microsoft supplies. Do you actually have the correct Device selected? Actually, both my Optical and RCA are called "SPDIF Interface" yet 2 separate Devices. I have the RCA device disabled so I don't accidentally select it.
(Also, by default doesn't Windows hide Disabled Devices from the list? which is extremely annoying. Rightclick any device and you can select to Show Disabled and Disconnected Devices if yours are hidden.)

Interesting about the test. Mine test the same way it plays in-game.

I'm definitely using the correct drivers. They're the same ones that have worked for over 2 years without issue.

And the interface label is customizable. I wrote "Realtek Digital Output."

I'm also sure I have the correct device selected. There are no hidden, disabled or disconnected devices that apply.

It's as if something changed in the Windows sound sub-system, and now only 2 channels are recognized even though it is being told 5 (and to use Dolby Digital Live) by me.

 

[Jgr9]

Well the "Rear Panel RCA Jack" is pretty suspicious and tells me it might be the wrong "Device".

Maybe it did give you a popup asking "what it was" when you first plugged something in?
Again, I don't think I've ever seen that happen for Optical, though.
(And also, I don't even know how to reset/change that choice. I don't even have the Realtek settings window with my current driver and I haven't needed it.)

 

[Ghozer]

I use optical, Get sound out of full 5.1 even on the sound test, I use the official RealTek audio console Universal app, on a 2017 Asus Z270 motherboard with an S1220A sound chip...

I don't have any issues getting stuff working as I want, but after so long playing a game for example, I get random POP's and sound cut outs - the "DTS" LED on my decoder flicks off and back on again as it pops, telling me it's loosing the DTS signal.... the longer I run things, the worse it gets... I know it's an issue with the DTS encoding or driver for, as if I disable the "DTS Interactive" and set back to normal it stops, however I then loose the surround and only have stereo sound....

(Have also tried two other decoder/receivers and they exhibit the same behaviour)

have tried this driver package, the Universal Driver package, the 'standard' drivers direct from Realtek, and they all do similar, or worse....

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Jgr9]

Is this a recent thing? I've noticed popping I didn't get before only when plugging/unplugging things from my in-between HDMI-Optical audio extractor (which I do multiple times daily), but not usually anything worse beyond that (yet).

 

[Ghozer]

no, I had it really badly with the original Asus drivers (back in 2017) it gradually got a little better as new ones were released but was still there.... (it often did it when things just went quiet)

I tried the driver package on this thread, and while it pretty much solved my issue, over a few months it gradually returned, only ripping out all audio drivers and reinstalling fixed it...

Since then, I found another driver package that has worked MUCH better for me (Modified Realtek HD (UHD) driver) - which also allows me to use Realtek's own audio console Windows app etc, to start with I had no issues with it, until the past few weeks (around a month-ish) after 30 mins or so in game, it starts to go pop, pop as I described, if I ignore it it gradually gets worse....

as I said above, switching out of "DTS Interactive" (so no DTS encoding) back to 96khz/24bit or something then there is no longer any popping, so it has to be something to do with either the driver, or the audio chip, somehow...

 

[DDL51]

Anyone else happen to have any suggestions for my particular situation?

 

[Jgr9]

I don't have anything else, maybe even less so if you're using a Mac. Other then maybe install the drivers again (hopefully making sure you select to delete the driver in the Device Manager) and try again? Maybe with different drivers? or just Windows Update? since it's showing you / only displaying the wrong port (RCA)?

and use a manual modification on that one if it then gives you the correct port.

 

[DDL51]

Apparently, I needed to use the DDU utility referenced here, because it is once again working! Gustavo Sicha is amazing!

It seems that even the drivers loaded when Windows initially installs need to be ripped out by this utility.

 

[DDL51]

Apparently, I needed to use the DDU utility referenced here, because it is once again working! Gustavo Sicha is amazing!

It seems that even the drivers loaded when Windows initially installs need to be ripped out by this utility.

Aaaand apparently that didn't work in the long run, as I'm not back to the same issue as before: patched driver is installed, DDL 5.1 selected in settings, but audio is only 2.1 in-game. It's as if I've got the correct drivers, but I don't have the proper license to utilize DDL 5.1. Any other suggestions?

 

[Jgr9]

modify the drivers

 

[DDL51]

modify the drivers

So perhaps I’m not using the patch properly…

I downloaded the 2.80 drivers and patcher, disabled all networking, restarted in safe mode, ran DDU, restarted, left networking disabled, ran patcher on rltkAPO.dll and rltkAPO64.dll, ran setup.exe, and rebooted.

 

[Jgr9]

I'm not on a Mac, but I am on really old hardware (for a Windows Desktop) and I use this / method in W10 - around R280 and I think might work with newer - w/ driver Windows gives you?:
I think I already linked this to you above, though.

Unlocked Realtek HD Audio Drivers Windows 7 & 8 (With Dolby Digital Live and DTS Interactive)

@Jgr9 @OMER Ready... Links: Dolby Driver for ALL Chips Dolby Driver for REALTEK Chips What these two app actually does, can u explain

www.techpowerup.com

 

[DDL51]

I'm not on a Mac, but I am on really old hardware (for a Windows Desktop) and I use this / method in W10 - around R280 and I think might work with newer - w/ driver Windows gives you?:
I think I already linked this to you above, though.

Unlocked Realtek HD Audio Drivers Windows 7 & 8 (With Dolby Digital Live and DTS Interactive)

@Jgr9 @OMER Ready... Links: Dolby Driver for ALL Chips Dolby Driver for REALTEK Chips What these two app actually does, can u explain

www.techpowerup.com

Oh snap. Sorry if I missed this. I’ll give this a try.

I'm not on a Mac, but I am on really old hardware (for a Windows Desktop) and I use this / method in W10 - around R280 and I think might work with newer - w/ driver Windows gives you?:
I think I already linked this to you above, though.

Unlocked Realtek HD Audio Drivers Windows 7 & 8 (With Dolby Digital Live and DTS Interactive)

@Jgr9 @OMER Ready... Links: Dolby Driver for ALL Chips Dolby Driver for REALTEK Chips What these two app actually does, can u explain

www.techpowerup.com

So I downloaded this DLL and replaced it. I see "Dolby Digital Live (5.1 Surround) in Settings, so I set it and tested it: the receiver "decode" light is on, but I only hear a tone from the FL and FR speakers. Nothing else. I fired up Overwatch, and my receiver "decode" light is on, but I'm only receiving 2.1 audio. I rebooted and tried again, same thing. It's like something is actively preventing my rear speakers from engaging.

Interestingly enough, check this out:

The speaker configuration isn't seen as 5.1

Also, the Default Format for the Speakers doesn't show DDL or DTSC:

Digital Output shows correctly:

 

[Jgr9]

The speakers tab is analog. I thought you were looking for Optical-Digital output Dolby/DTS which is what these driver modifications are for.

The Optical test tone will probably still only play 2 channels, but game surround should still work (in-game) if you have the game set to output surround. If it doesn't, then I don't know what to tell you. Again, this works on my now 11 year old Windows desktop hardware/computer.

You did want Optical, right?

 

[DDL51]

The speakers tab is analog. I thought you were looking for Optical-Digital output Dolby/DTS which is what these driver modifications are for.

The Optical test tone will probably still only play 2 channels, but game surround should still work (in-game) if you have the game set to output surround. If it doesn't, then I don't know what to tell you. Again, this works on my now 11 year old Windows desktop hardware/computer.

You did want Optical, right?

I’m connected via optical. So yes, that’s correct.

I must’ve missed a step somewhere, because this has worked in the past. I just don’t get it.

 

[Jgr9]

Well I'm guessing you did the file unblock (if necessary) and the regedit.

and you've tried with the drivers Windows installs previously?

I'm guessing your W10 is up to date, too.

May not actually be helpful, but here's I think where the drivers directly from Realtek are now located (for me anyways):

REALTEK

www.realtek.com

 

[DDL51]

Well I'm guessing you did the file unblock (if necessary) and the regedit.

and you've tried with the drivers Windows installs previously?

I'm guessing your W10 is up to date, too.

May not actually be helpful, but here's I think where the drivers directly from Realtek are now located (for me anyways):

REALTEK

www.realtek.com

I’m running Windows 11.

I tried multiple different drivers, using DDU each time.

What exactly does the patch do? Does it modify the DLL?

 

[Jgr9]

I don't know what the other person's patchers do, any I've tried have never worked for me, perhaps due to differences in hardware, but I hadn't tried a patcher in a long time because I didn't need to because I had a method that worked already. Perhaps my hardware compatability was added to people's patchers later on, but idk.

The method I used was just swapping that DLL, and the undoing/disabling that regedit restriction that came later.
And sorry, I have not yet upgraded my desktop to 11, but have seen others say whatever method they use still works?

 

[DDL51]

I don't know what the other person's patchers do, any I've tried have never worked for me, perhaps due to differences in hardware, but I hadn't tried a patcher in a long time because I didn't need to because I had a method that worked already. Perhaps my hardware compatability was added to people's patchers later on, but idk.

The method I used was just swapping that DLL, and the undoing/disabling that regedit restriction that came later.
And sorry, I have not yet upgraded my desktop to 11, but have seen others say whatever method they use still works?

I wonder if the DLL you swap is actually a patched DLL from one of the patchers.

 

[Jgr9]

Some of them may have built from it? but i don't know.

 

[DDL51]

At this point, I'm pretty well convinced that the issue isn't with the "Realtek Digital Output" component, but the "Speakers" component. I should be able to tell the system that I have more than 2 speakers connected to my machine. Why am I not seeing those options in the Speaker configuration?