After all these years...an undocumented (heh) glitch with my hardware decoder.

[fds]

Now if you were to replace your sound card anyway, you might want to check if you can get the AC3 signal with a software decoder.
(An Athlon @750 is more than adequate for software DVD decoding.)

With a software solution apart from a suitable sound card and the correct cables you'll need the right set of operating system, OS updates and sound card drivers.

According to the current rumors and <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/audio/Non-PCM.htm">this page at Microsoft</a>, you can get AC3 pass-through working with

a) non-WDM (VXD) drivers in Windows 98, 98SE and Me
b) WDM drivers in 98SE with a Quick Fix installed and in Windows Me
c) in NT4 but very unstable

Windows 2000 users are supposed to wait till SP2 is released to get the necessary fixes.

Don't forget though that all this applies only to software decoding which requires the sound card to be able to pass through the AC3 signal.

I guess this is what the Matrox tech mistaken for your problem.

[fds]

Hey FDS: Thanks for lurking nearby.

I'm just glad I'm home for the holidays.

The titles I'm testing with are labled for Dolby Digital 5.1. "The Thomas Crown Affair" (with Renee Russo--Yum!)

Ok, then I have no idea what's wrong. It's certainly not a problem of not choosing the right soundtrack.
According to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/dvd/6305657947/tech-info/105-5907108-0619131">amazon</a>, on TCA the Available Audio Tracks are: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1).

I'll reinstall my Cine2000 and try that.

Just make sure it's the new one which creates a shortcut group called "RAVISENT CinePlayer (TM)" as opposed to CineMaster. One of the problems I had with the old beta was not being able to select a different soundtrack.

[Wombat]

Is it time to install DVDGenie and make sure the player has all the right stuff set?

Just a suggestion, I've never even seen a Marvel IRL.

[Bixler]

Interesting suggestion Wombat. I'll see what happens...

At least I don't have to loose my Murcer stripes...it wasn't the stupid Disc Settings themselves. (Whew!)

BTW the Matrox Tech acknowleged that the sound card had nothing to do with the problem. I deleted the post over there.

Does anyone else with the OEM navigator software have an active checkbox under Configuration/Audio for "Enable S/PDIF"?? Mine is checked, but grayed out. I've always assumed that this was normal...maybe not. ??

[Bixler]

Solution!!!

Finally in frustration, I tore the case open to check my audio connectors and discovered the duaghtercard had partially shaken loose from my G200. Since it connects on the 'underside' I suppose gravity had just slowly done its thing as I was moving my case around. Anyhoo, even though everything else was working, 5.1 digital wasn't so...

Reboot and VIOLA!! Pure Digital 5.1

Works with any of the software players that are otherwise compatible with the module too by the way...and it is impervious to any software settings as far as I can tell. It's there if its there.

Hafta say that I was impressed, and then really not. Sounds to me like the sound engineers are working the effects 'way too hard in most cases. I had to 'minimize' or "less than zero" most of the effects and timing parameters to keep the spoken soundtrack properly centered and to keep the 'hollowness' out of the dialogue, and then some foley effect such as a car passing etc. would really sound Pasted in.

Anyway, thanks for the help, guys. It's always appreciated. Even though I found the problem myself you saved me a lot of time on the learning curve about dolby.