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Call of Duty 4 Audio?

5510 Views 24 Replies 16 Participants Last post by manlix, Mar 3, 2008

deecee20

Discussion Starter · Jan 23, 2008

Hey all, I was wondering if anyone else has noticed that in Call of Duty 4 the center channel doesn't seem to do anything in a 5.1 setup. I run in multichannel PCM mode over HDMI to an Onkyo TX-SR605. I would think that they'd place your individual firing/reloading and footstep sounds on the center channel, but it sounds like it's just the front right/left, rear right/left, and sub that are active. Just seemed a bit strange that there would be nothing happening in the center, especially when the game's got the Dolby digital tag on the box. Anyone else notice this?

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

rgdigital

· #2 · Jan 23, 2008

I've had it switched to 2-ch for music listening and forgot to switch it back to 5.1 for a few rounds of COD4 and definitely remember hearing the center channel once it was back on 5.1.

I'll pay more attention to it tonight, but from my experience, having it in 5.1, on my setup, (digital optical cable for sound, HDMI for video) it uses the center, with great use of L and R and surrounds -the airstrikes and helicopters sound like they are literally in my room -i feel like ducking.

luigionlsd

· #3 · Jan 23, 2008

Try setting the PS3 audio menu to digital bitstream, so the DD track is decoded by the receiver. Are you sure you're getting discrete surround audio, or just matrixed from the stereo track?

deecee20

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 23, 2008

I'm going to try it out further tonight...

luigionlsd- yes, I'm sure that I'm getting discrete surround. My receiver displays "multichannel PCM" when the PS3 is connected (VIA HDMI for both audio and video). If I remember correctly, the "bitstream" setting is for Blu-ray/DVD playback only. In any case, the PS3 internally decodes dolby digital, so the multichannel PCM would just be the same audio transmitted in a decoded form.

rgdigital- I might just have been listening when there was no activity or low volume on the center. I think that's the most likely case, but it did seem odd that I wasn't able to pick out the center when I was playing. I'll find out later on.

By the way, when do you guys play online?

My PSN: rabid_audiophile

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wolfgaze

· #5 · Jan 24, 2008

Funny, I got a call at work today from an individual who wasn't getting any center channel audio on his Denon AVR4306, but only while playing COD4.... I told him to post here and I thought this was his post... Guess not.

I will check my center channel tonight when I fire up COD4...

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ndskyz

· #6 · Jan 24, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfgaze /forum/post/12911741

Funny, I got a call at work today from an individual who wasn't getting any center channel audio on his Denon AVR4306, but only while playing COD4.... I told him to post here and I thought this was his post... Guess not.

I will check my center channel tonight when I fire up COD4...

No need nothing new here folks..move along. Just another example of the PS3 doing the decoding, and sending a "fake" 5.1 signal to the AVR. I find the the PS3 and the Devs for not giving us a true LPCM track, guilty as charged!

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rgdigital

· #7 · Jan 24, 2008

what if you change your audio output to bitstream instead? My receiver won't decode DTS-MA and DTHD, but it will send a nice, full-res stream to 2ch, making my receiver think it's a Pro-Logic signal...

maybe changing this on the PS3 will make it send full 5.1 digital to your receiver...

rgdigital

· #8 · Jan 24, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by deecee20 /forum/post/12911146

By the way, when do you guys play online?

My PSN: rabid_audiophile

I'm a complete COD4 addict, so I'm on as soon as the wife goes to bed -sometimes earlier. Roughly around 9pm mtn time...

Bigred7078

· #9 · Jan 24, 2008

yeah i noticed this too when the game first came out, i was kinda disappointed, but oh well the game is still awesome

Massiso

· #10 · Jan 24, 2008

Well I never notice this myself but I don't think so, but my sub on the other hand is dead according to my Pioneer receiver, when ever I play COD4.

ndskyz

· #11 · Jan 24, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by rgdigital /forum/post/12912702

what if you change your audio output to bitstream instead? My receiver won't decode DTS-MA and DTHD, but it will send a nice, full-res stream to 2ch, making my receiver think it's a Pro-Logic signal...

maybe changing this on the PS3 will make it send full 5.1 digital to your receiver...

If it were only that easy. In order to get the PS3 to send bitstream FOR GAMES, via HDMI, you need to go in the audio settings and UNcheck all 5.1 and 7.1 except for Tekken 5 which for some reason sends bitstream all by itself!

It just pisses me off that one dev can do it, and all the rest choose not to. Of course you'll need to go back into the audio setting and turn those 5.1 7.1 settings on for all other games and movies.

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deecee20

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 25, 2008

Yeah, so I tested it out in Multichannel PCM mode, and in Dolby Digital mode by unchecking all surround options instead of Dolby Digital- still no center channel. Maybe there's some type of issue with the formatting of audio data to the center? For you guys who don't get the center channel, what receiver are you using? Are you hooked up via HDMI or Optical? For those who DO get center channel audio in either Multichannel PCM or dolby digital mode, what make and model of receiver do you have, and do you connect via HDMI or Optical?

rjsanc30

· #13 · Jan 25, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by deecee20 /forum/post/12929257

...For those who DO get center channel audio in either Multichannel PCM or dolby digital mode, what make and model of receiver do you have, and do you connect via HDMI or Optical?

FYIW - I've had no issue with any channel while playing COD4, or with any other title come to think of it.

To answer your question my current receiver is a HK 745 (7.1) with the PS3 outputting audio/video via HDMI. Sure

ndskyz

· #14 · Jan 25, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by rjsanc30 /forum/post/12930571

FYIW - I've had no issue with any channel while playing COD4, or with any other title come to think of it.

To answer your question my current receiver is a HK 745 (7.1) with the PS3 outputting audio/video via HDMI. Sure

Really?!? Have you actually gotten in front of the center and checked? I didnt notice it with my system until I got in front of the center to purposely check. My front mains project so well, and the center is timbre matched with them that normally there is little difference between the center and the mains.

BTW

I have an Onkyo 804 Via HDMI running 5.1 into Klipsch Reference speakers

UMD_Terp

· #15 · Jan 25, 2008

I have never tested the center channel because I honestly cant tell... I use optical in to my Pioneer 56txi receiver and get 5.1 audio from it in all games... I just never thought to check the center since I never missed it. I use Energy speakers all around, and the image fairly well, so I don't miss the center.

Tigerriot

· #16 · Jan 25, 2008

Interesting. I've logged many hours on this game so far and never noticed this. I guess it's not surprising though, as the game is quite intense and it's hard to tell exactly what speakers you're hearing all the sounds from at any given moment.

rjsanc30

· #17 · Jan 25, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by ndskyz /forum/post/12931054

Really?!? Have you actually gotten in front of the center and checked? I didnt notice it with my system until I got in front of the center to purposely check. My front mains project so well, and the center is timbre matched with them that normally there is little difference between the center and the mains.

BTW

I have an Onkyo 804 Via HDMI running 5.1 into Klipsch Reference speakers

I actually did, purely on accident.

I had just powered up the PS3 (this was at least a month ago) and was about to continue on the single player campaign when I noticed that my controller was almost dead. I paused the game, went to the PS3 and swapped out sixaxis's. I was a few feet (perhaps 3-4') in front of the center channel when I got everything reassigned, I hit resume and the dialog was just starting - it was the beginning of "Safehouse". The reason I recall this is because I was quite impressed at how well the voices were replicating - very crisp and quite warn, of course this aspect was mostly due to the HK.

I'll say that it's possible I was running Logic 7 decoding at the time, which would explain why that channel was outputting, but I don't think so...not 100% certain though. I'm operating all Bohlender-Grabener X5's and X7's (X5 for centers and surround sides and X7's for mains and suround backs). Their the best speaker I've ever owned and their voice reproduction is simple amazing - love those planer speakers

I'll re-test this evening and verify 100%, either way it's know peaked my interest.

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mikeny

· #18 · Jan 26, 2008

I also could not hear the center channel either, connected via HDMI, multichannel out to the Onkyo TX-SR605. I listened for a while. However, I could have sworn that I heard a sound from the center when "Soap" got killed though.

UxiSXRD

· #19 · Jan 26, 2008

I've definitely noticed sounds coming from my left and right rears (usually when a fool is trying to sneak up on me, so I spin around, sight in, and blast him center mass).

I'll have to test to see if anything coming out of my center channel.

PS3 -> HDMI -> Denon 4306 -> 7.1

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like.no.other.

· #20 · Jan 26, 2008

Well I tested it via optical bitstream on mine but no sound is coming out of the center like

the HDMI. The signal is being read as Dolby Digital 3/2.1 (5.1) so it must have been fake.

The true output should be 4.1 or 4.0 if the LFE doesn't have it's own signal and just acting

like a subwoofer. Although when playing online, the center channel work where the people

with headset talk through. I find it a nuisance.

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

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