if the audio is set to stereo then these files work, but when its set to digital, it doesnt matter if im taking the audio through the hdmi or the optical audio, i cant hear it. this is for certain files that i downloaded (yeah i know... you guys arent a big fan of that) im just curious as to why they wont play like this. they are most x264 files with digital or pcm audio. but they wont make any sound.. unless i change the setting back to stereo.

You don't really specify if you are hooked directly up to a tv or not. In any case, if you have it set on digital, you are passing through the raw digital audio data and have to be certain the device on the receiving end is capable of decoding the digital signal. All tvs should be capable of receiving and decoding Dolby Digital audio. Most modern receivers should be able to receive and decode both Dolby Digital and DTS audio. On the downloaded file front, you have about a 50/50 chance of it being either format. So if it is a file with a DTS digital audio track, and you have it hooked up directly to your tv, or to a receiver that doesn't support DTS audio, you will hear nothing. If you keep the WDTV on PCM, it will down convert any digital signal that it recognizes be it Dolby Digital or DTS into a PCM digital track (think CD stream) which any digital device would be able to handle.

Good luck,

-Jeff

no no no. i have the hdmi hooked up to my tv and the optical audio hooked in through my reciever that decodes dts and dolby digital. the files that im having trouble playing seem to be certain x264 files with pcm audio while the wdtv is set to "digital" for audio. if i switch it back to stereo i can hear it.... so i dont really understand why it would do that.

and im using a 5.1 system.. so i def dont want to set the wdtv to pcm (isnt it just a stereo setting? i dont think it actually says pcm).

ok this specific file says digital audio on the screen when i open it then my reciever says its pcm.. but again i dont hear any sound. its only a few files and it seems to be ones i got from the same place but i mean its still bizarre. cuz like i said if i set the settings back to stereo then i can hear it.. but if its digital audio playing pcm i should be able to hear it. i have about 100 other standard def movies with pcm 2 channel audio and i can hear them..

ok i figured this out. the files that arent working say "english 1 digital" on the screen when i open them but then say pcm 48 on my reciever. i dont see how it could be a problem with the reciever though.. its a brand new reciever i mean and obviously its capable of decoding these formats. im not sure what the heck is going on.. sorry for so many posts btw im just not sure what the problem here is.

so on these files as long as i switch the wdtv setting to "stereo" i get sound from them.. buit i mean i dont want to have it set to stereo especially through my optical audio. i wish there was a way to set it to digital for optical audio then have it set to stereo for the red and white audio cables or something.. that way i could just use 2 inputs for the differnet files... i guess i just have to switch it whenver i wanna watch these

def weird.. something else i noticed at least with one of the files the display on my reciever flickers while its playing it.. i dont think its anything defective with my receiver though right? it would have to be the encode. i mean its only like 5 files out of hundreds i have. and it flawlessly plays every single digital 5.1 audio file ive thrown at it.

this is a little off topic, but i want your opinion. this is the receiver i have, when i got it, it was on sale for $150

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9245523&st=sony+receiver&lp=2&type=product&cp=1&id=1218066769427

this is the one i wanted originally but when the sony went down 60 bucks i couldnt resist. now this one is only $30 more.. but im not sure if its worth the difference since at their base price they are only $5 difference...

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9238915&type=product&id=1218065493841

but here it is. if you guys think its worth $30 more.. then maybe ill get it. but the sony is hooked up and works great besides these couple videos i listed. the pioneer def has a few more bells and whistles. and a lower harmonic distortion but it says its @ 1khz.. so im not sure exactly what that means. id really appreciate your input guys. ive basically derailed this topic myself. but it has to be the coding of those files. they are coded to think they have digital audio but it really isnt so it isnt coming out properly on the "digital" setting. i guess haha.

again i apologize for making so many posts.. also for going off topic there but i thought you guys might have been able to give me some advice on that. for the $150 i paid for the sony it does a really great job (im using sony floor 3-way speakers with 8" woofers for the front and rears, and a sony center channel with two 5 1/2" woofers for the center. and a sony 12" 180 watt sub) i know sony components arent considered the best buy for a complete system for around $550 it sounds damn good to my ears. just wondering if the pioneer would solve any of these problems or if its worth the $30 more id have to pay.