How do I get windows 7 to bitstream?

[PHANofPHUNK]

Hey folks, I am running my lossless music files from an external HD to my HP Pavillion dm4 laptop, and out of the HDMI port to my receiver. According to my receiver it's outputting PCM. Is there an easy way to get it to output bitstream?

Thanks for your help,
Michael

 

[GlocksRock]

PCM is lossless, you don't need to bitstream music, just make sure your sound settings in your control panel are adjusted properly for your system.

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

So, theres no difference in sound quality between bitstream and PCM?

 

[jinjuku]

So, theres no difference in sound quality between bitstream and PCM?

Basically no. Are you using ASIO or WASAPI?

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

I'm not using either of those. I once tinkered with asio on a Windows xp operating system but couldn't get it to work. I don't know if it was xp, or mediamonkey. But i couldn't get it to work.

 

[jinjuku]

I'm not using either of those. I once tinkered with asio on a Windows xp operating system but couldn't get it to work. I don't know if it was xp, or mediamonkey. But i couldn't get it to work.

You have to be using one of those. What is your sound device. Make and model #.

 

[MDS]

So, theres no difference in sound quality between bitstream and PCM?

The setting for 'bitstream' vs 'pcm' on a player is kind of misleading. In both cases, it is a bitstream. What it really means is whether you want the player to do the decoding and send the resulting PCM or just send the raw bitstream and let the receiving device do the decoding.

The fact that the receiver is showing PCM means that whatever source you are using on the laptop is doing the decoding and that is fine. If you want to let the receiver do it, you have to set your sound card to 'pass through' and use a digital out.

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

You have to be using one of those. What is your sound device. Make and model #.

IDT high definition audio CODEC

I think your asking for make and model of laptop?

HP Pavillion dm4

thanks.

 

[jinjuku]

IDT high definition audio CODEC

I think your asking for make and model of laptop?

HP Pavillion dm4

thanks.

Ok, using the integrated audio. I didn't know if you were using and external USB or the like.

So WASAPI it is.

In Windows Media Player set for 24 bit CD playback. In Sound control panel double click your audio device. Set to 24/96 or 24/192. Test this stuff out. Make sure both check boxes are marked.

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

I got the second half,but i don't have windows media player on this computer. just media monkey and windows media center.

 

[jinjuku]

I got the second half,but i don't have windows media player on this computer. just media monkey and windows media center.

Trust me. If you have a Windows PC two things are guaranteed: You have Internet Explorer and you have WMP.

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

Trust me. If you have a Windows PC two things are guaranteed: You have Internet Explorer and you have WMP.

Media Center, no wmp. I may have removed it. it's not listed anywhere. Also did a whole computer search for it and nothing.

 

[its phillip]

try going to start -> run -> and type wmplayer

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

So, theres no difference in sound quality between bitstream and PCM?

There is a huge difference with my system between PCM & bitstream for both music and movies!

PCM sucks coming from my HTPC, compared to bitstream.

Did you try Winamp to play music?

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

There is a huge difference with my system between PCM & bitstream for both music and movies!

PCM sucks coming from my HTPC, compared to bitstream.

Did you try Winamp to play music?

3

never been very fond of the look of winamp, maybe I'll give it another shot.

 

[jinjuku]

There is a huge difference with my system between PCM & bitstream for both music and movies!

PCM sucks coming from my HTPC, compared to bitstream.

Did you try Winamp to play music?

I could see that if the decoder in the PC is a poor implemented design.

 

[PHANofPHUNK]

Ok, using the integrated audio. I didn't know if you were using and external USB or the like.

So WASAPI it is.

In Windows Media Player set for 24 bit CD playback. In Sound control panel double click your audio device. Set to 24/96 or 24/192. Test this stuff out. Make sure both check boxes are marked.

Ok, i found wmplayer however i cant find where to set it to 24 bit play back. iset the audio device to it.

 

[Grador]

You're really going to want to use WASAPI for this. Using WASAPI allows the media player to change the bit and sample rate for the audio output. Setting it to 24 bit will cause CDs to be re-sampled degrading quality.

The only place bitstreaming will give you an advantage is during movie playback, allowing the computer to not have to deal with decoding. Even on movie playback if your software does a decent job at this the only advantage to bitstreaming is offloading the task from the CPU. Additionally, if you are playing blurays, to my knowledge there are still no chipsets that will bitstream the HD audio tracks, so you are stuck software decoading or bistreaming a non-HD.

I'm not familiar with media monkey, but from a quick search it looks like you're going to want to go to the settings for the 'output plugin' to select WASAPI. A word of warning, while using a WASAPI program you will not be able to have audio play from any other program currently running.

 

[GlocksRock]

Additionally, if you are playing blurays, to my knowledge there are still no chipsets that will bitstream the HD audio tracks, so you are stuck software decoading or bistreaming a non-HD.

ATI's desktop video cards have been able to bitstream HD audio ever since the Radeon HD 5XXX series, before that they could only output HD audio via PCM. I think the newer NVidia cards can do it as well, but I don't use them so I'm not sure.