Let me start by describing my current HTPC. Hardware is based on Asus TUSL-C MB, Radeon VE 32DDR, Delta Dio2496, P3 850MHz. The system is running W2K and PowerDVD XP in a very satisfactory manner.
I have now replaced my old Delta Dio2496 with Delta 410 that have arrived this afternoon. Output channels 1,2,3,5,6 (L,R,C,SL,SR) are now bypassing my Yamaha decoder and feeding directly into Bryston amplifier, which in turn drives a set of 5 M&K S-150 satellite speakers. Output channel 4 is connected to MX-350 sub (LFE).
Delta 410 uses the same driver as DeltaDio, and the driver on the accompanying CD is the same as the current driver on the M-Audio web site, i.e. 5.12.1.25. The Delta control panel looks very similar apart from showing more WaveOut/WaveIn devices (similar to Delta 1010).
Having set up the preferred audio device to Multichannel Delta-410, I started PowerDVD XP and selected the 6 speaker audio output.
The magic started.
The card does work and shows the same improved clarity and imaging precision similar to what I have experienced while testing Delta1010 few months ago.
But, this time volume control does not work on any of the channels. The only gain control I have found was on the 'Hardware setting' tab of the Delta control panel, where button marked ‘-10dBV’ seems to have some effect. Any of the volume slide controls have no impact. Considering that Bryston does not have any volume control on its own, full on or -10dB is still too loud.
For a while I decided to ignore neighbours and continue playing Shrek DVD. This particular DVD seems to have been AC3 soundtrack encoded without any information on the LFE channel (All music is on channels 1&2, dialogs are on channel 3; channels 5&6 have effects only), i.e. audio information is originally set up as 5 full range channels. As I use 5 satellite speakers, this means my heavy weigh sub was surplus to requirements.
Looking at the audio options of PowerDVD there is advanced audio setup button that unfortunately have LFE management in opposite direction only: it allows LFE channel (WaveOut4) to be redistributed over the front two channels. DVD's like Shrek need exactly the opposite: LFE information should be stripped away from all other channels and re-routed to WaveOut4.
This leads to another area. For this card to be generally useful there should be a screen where the exact speaker configuration can be described. Having said this, such screen does exist within Sound and Multimedia Properties, where there is an option to set '5.1 Surround Sound Speakers', but this appears to have no effect on PowerDVD handling of the LFE information.
Some of this issues have been extensively discussed in connection to Delta 1010 cards and will probably continue to be an active topic.
I would like to briefly mention Dolby ProLogic II decoding of music materials. This does appear to be working with good quality, however listening to the music at full power this late hour (it is 11pm in London) is upsetting my wife despite the 2 floors difference between mine and hers playrooms.
Cliff and others, if you have any suggestion how can I progress on any of the above issues, please help.
I have now replaced my old Delta Dio2496 with Delta 410 that have arrived this afternoon. Output channels 1,2,3,5,6 (L,R,C,SL,SR) are now bypassing my Yamaha decoder and feeding directly into Bryston amplifier, which in turn drives a set of 5 M&K S-150 satellite speakers. Output channel 4 is connected to MX-350 sub (LFE).
Delta 410 uses the same driver as DeltaDio, and the driver on the accompanying CD is the same as the current driver on the M-Audio web site, i.e. 5.12.1.25. The Delta control panel looks very similar apart from showing more WaveOut/WaveIn devices (similar to Delta 1010).
Having set up the preferred audio device to Multichannel Delta-410, I started PowerDVD XP and selected the 6 speaker audio output.
The magic started.
The card does work and shows the same improved clarity and imaging precision similar to what I have experienced while testing Delta1010 few months ago.
But, this time volume control does not work on any of the channels. The only gain control I have found was on the 'Hardware setting' tab of the Delta control panel, where button marked ‘-10dBV’ seems to have some effect. Any of the volume slide controls have no impact. Considering that Bryston does not have any volume control on its own, full on or -10dB is still too loud.
For a while I decided to ignore neighbours and continue playing Shrek DVD. This particular DVD seems to have been AC3 soundtrack encoded without any information on the LFE channel (All music is on channels 1&2, dialogs are on channel 3; channels 5&6 have effects only), i.e. audio information is originally set up as 5 full range channels. As I use 5 satellite speakers, this means my heavy weigh sub was surplus to requirements.
Looking at the audio options of PowerDVD there is advanced audio setup button that unfortunately have LFE management in opposite direction only: it allows LFE channel (WaveOut4) to be redistributed over the front two channels. DVD's like Shrek need exactly the opposite: LFE information should be stripped away from all other channels and re-routed to WaveOut4.
This leads to another area. For this card to be generally useful there should be a screen where the exact speaker configuration can be described. Having said this, such screen does exist within Sound and Multimedia Properties, where there is an option to set '5.1 Surround Sound Speakers', but this appears to have no effect on PowerDVD handling of the LFE information.
Some of this issues have been extensively discussed in connection to Delta 1010 cards and will probably continue to be an active topic.
I would like to briefly mention Dolby ProLogic II decoding of music materials. This does appear to be working with good quality, however listening to the music at full power this late hour (it is 11pm in London) is upsetting my wife despite the 2 floors difference between mine and hers playrooms.
Cliff and others, if you have any suggestion how can I progress on any of the above issues, please help.
