Does my computer’s sound for playing games on PC only use 2.0 PCM audio? (Windows 10)
Does my computer’s sound for playing games on PC only use 2.0 PCM audio? (Windows 10)
My computer is linked to my receiver (Yamaha RX-A770) using a graphics card (1080ti), connected via HDMI, and then to my television. I’m using a two-channel home theater system.
When I adjust the audio settings and speaker configuration on my PC to “Atmos home theater” and play sound, the receiver briefly displays [DTHD] and experiences difficulties for a short period before switching to [PCM]. During gaming, it indicates 2/0/0 PCM as the source input, and the audio quality is noticeably inferior to what I get from my Xbox console. On the Xbox S, the receiver shows [Atmos/PCM] for audio input, resulting in much better sound.
I attempted to replace the NVIDIA audio drivers with the standard Windows HD Audio drivers, but this had no effect.
I’m not necessarily seeking Atmos specifically, however, I want to ensure my audio is being delivered at the highest possible quality.
To determine the available audio output choices, consult your graphics card’s documentation. Additionally, navigate to Windows > Control Panel > Sound and verify if you can customize the device settings according to your desired output method. If your motherboard provides an optical audio connection, utilizing it could provide improved sound quality and a wider range of configuration possibilities.
The Atmos system likely wouldn't perform optimally with a standard 2.1 speaker configuration, would it? It hinges on whether the audio material contains Atmos tracks; furthermore, a true Atmos experience requires supplementary speakers, typically 2.1 – including two upward- or downward-facing speakers. I suspect your Xbox isn’t delivering a genuine Atmos signal, but rather processing regular audio tracks instead.
I am still relatively unfamiliar with this technology, however, my research suggests that a 2.1 system might limit Atmos’s capabilities.
Below are some resources I consulted:
* Dolby Atmos: Spatial Audio From the Cinema to Your Headphones – CNET
www.cnet.com
* The Pros & Cons of a Dolby Atmos Home Theater – Electronic House
www.electronichouse.com
* How to Use Dolby Atmos Surround Sound on Windows 10 – How-To Geek
www.howtogeek.com
I’m aiming to ensure my gaming audio is transmitted without compression and processed by my sound system at its maximum quality. The sound from my Xbox sounds noticeably clearer and richer than what’s being output by my computer.
It appears to be a frequently encountered problem; NVIDIA graphics cards struggle to identify the receiver, instead recognizing my television as the audio destination. Additionally, a particular problem with Yamaha/Dolby Access compatibility seems to be contributing to this issue, possibly requiring me to acquire a separate sound card to resolve it.
Based on my past use with Yamaha RX 1800 and GTX780 models, I successfully handled 7.1 lossless PCM without issues. However, this setup lacked Dolby Atmos and Home Theater Receiver Control features. Will a standard 2.1 configuration deliver acceptable audio quality?
Hey, not sure if you're still having a problem with this or not. I found this post because I was looking up something similar, but reversed a bit. I thought I'd help, for you, or anyone that might still need it.
Simple solution, just select Stereo in your sound control panel. Your A/V receiver will handle the rest for 2.1. If you want to make sure you're getting the best stereo audio still, in the sound control panel, with the selected audio device, select Properties, Advanced tab and select the Default Format of your choice.
The problem comes from Windows 10, and newer A/V receivers with ARC and Pass-through. What the Sound Control Panel picks up is very, very hit and miss, and can change regularly. And being a computer, everyone likes to point the finger at everyone else for the problem. With Pass-through enabled on the A/V receiver, the computer will sometimes pick up the audio options from the receiver, and sometimes directly from the TV instead. Pretty much all TVs only do stereo themselves, but they can use ARC to send multi-channel audio to an A/V receiver. This isn't picked up on the computer though. I am pretty sure there is a way to have the Dolby Atmos work regularly simply by the order of how you turn on all the devices, and possibly a certain wait period between each. I'm not sure which that is though. I've tried getting help from Dolby, NVidia, Denon, Samsung, and Microsoft. They either insist that it should work, or that it's the fault of "the other guy"
There is also a hack that I discovered that you can force it to work regularly, with whatever audio your A/V receiver can handle. A little complicated to post on here, especially since this is getting long. I'm thinking I might make a forum post for a few sites explaining how to do the work around though. If you do want the instructions, feel free to drop me a message.