itunes insists on using HDMI for 5.1

Scissors · 16th June 2011, 12:33 PM

Hi all,

My htpc is using the onboard sound via optical to my amp to get 5.1 sound as my default.
All blu rays & DVDs work fine using Powerdvd or WMC.

When I go to use itunes and watch a rented downloaded movie I change the itunes setting to surround and then the system changes to the HDMI output which is only connected to my TV and therefore I am not getting 5.1
I can't get itunes to use the onboard sound for 5.1 it always plays out of the HDMI if I select surround sound.

Any ideas how to get itunes to use the 5.1 on board sound?

steffan72 · 16th June 2011, 5:16 PM

i'm guessing then your amp does not have hdmi input/output. If it does....why not use it and then you will have all bases covered

Hyram · 16th June 2011, 6:53 PM

iChewns -- sorry, iTunes, is braindead (gee, really), and completely lobotomised on Windows. iTunes is stuck using whatever is set as the default sound output device in the Windows control panel for sound. What you could possibly try is pop into the Sound countrol panel and disable any and all devices as the default.

Personally, I would consider switching to MediaMonkey as that can do everything except let your iDevice talk to the iTunes Store. If you don't have am iOS device, piss iTunes off completely.

If you want to keep iTunes then perhaps a software based audio routing system like Jack Audio may be of some help.

the_fuzz · 16th June 2011, 7:12 PM

I would have thought that the "rental" is protected content, thus can only go out via HDMI?

KevlarCoated · 16th June 2011, 7:36 PM

Can your TV output over optical? If so you can connect everything to the TV over HDMI and have it output sound over optical

kinet1c · 16th June 2011, 10:01 PM

Most TV's cant do the conversions internally so receiving 5.1 over hdmi cant be passed through to the optical out at anything more than 2 channel. Its what im stuck with right now. Annoying but here we are...

To the OP running windows 7? Right click the speaker icon in the system tray and choose playback devices while playing a movie/song in itunes. From there you can see which device is default at the time and see if you can change it on the fly. Should be an option in there somewhere im sure.

Scissors · 17th June 2011, 9:15 AM

Thx for your replies,

I'll try changing the sound output in control panel once the movie is playing.
The default is optical out so obviously itunes is changing that once 5.1 is selected. Stereo output via itunes is via optical its just when the surround is chosen it changes.

Otherwise it maybe a screwed up copyright protection which just means I won't use itunes for my movies. Just another case where DRM stops the legit users.

16th June 2011, 12:33 PM	#1
Scissors Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 146	itunes insists on using HDMI for 5.1 Hi all, My htpc is using the onboard sound via optical to my amp to get 5.1 sound as my default. All blu rays & DVDs work fine using Powerdvd or WMC. When I go to use itunes and watch a rented downloaded movie I change the itunes setting to surround and then the system changes to the HDMI output which is only connected to my TV and therefore I am not getting 5.1 I can't get itunes to use the onboard sound for 5.1 it always plays out of the HDMI if I select surround sound. Any ideas how to get itunes to use the 5.1 on board sound?

16th June 2011, 5:16 PM	#2
steffan72 Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Perth Posts: 825	i'm guessing then your amp does not have hdmi input/output. If it does....why not use it and then you will have all bases covered __________________ Antec 900D Case, E8400@3.6g 1.25v. GA-P35-DS3L (with lots of vdroop). 4x1gb Corsair Dominators 1066 Kingston 64gb SSD. Vertex 2 120gb SSD. 2 x WD500GB. Saphire 6970 2gb

16th June 2011, 7:12 PM	#4
the_fuzz Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sydney Posts: 6,577	I would have thought that the "rental" is protected content, thus can only go out via HDMI? __________________ \| Intel I5 2500 \| 2 x 4gb G.Skill Ripjaw \| Asrock H61 \| Gigabyte 6870OC \| corsair 120gb force GT SSD \|

16th June 2011, 10:01 PM	#6
kinet1c Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sydney Posts: 41	Most TV's cant do the conversions internally so receiving 5.1 over hdmi cant be passed through to the optical out at anything more than 2 channel. Its what im stuck with right now. Annoying but here we are... To the OP running windows 7? Right click the speaker icon in the system tray and choose playback devices while playing a movie/song in itunes. From there you can see which device is default at the time and see if you can change it on the fly. Should be an option in there somewhere im sure. __________________ - 2500K - Z68m-itx - 8gb corsair 1600mhz ddr3 - gigabyte 6850 oc - 1tb+1tb RAID0 - 2tb - Scythe Shuriken - Silverstone SG05 450w - Last edited by kinet1c; 16th June 2011 at 10:07 PM.

16th June 2011, 6:53 PM	#3
Hyram Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 717	iChewns -- sorry, iTunes, is braindead (gee, really), and completely lobotomised on Windows. iTunes is stuck using whatever is set as the default sound output device in the Windows control panel for sound. What you could possibly try is pop into the Sound countrol panel and disable any and all devices as the default. Personally, I would consider switching to MediaMonkey as that can do everything except let your iDevice talk to the iTunes Store. If you don't have am iOS device, piss iTunes off completely. If you want to keep iTunes then perhaps a software based audio routing system like Jack Audio may be of some help.

16th June 2011, 7:36 PM	#5
KevlarCoated Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Port Macquarie Posts: 187	Can your TV output over optical? If so you can connect everything to the TV over HDMI and have it output sound over optical

17th June 2011, 9:15 AM	#7
Scissors Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 146	Thx for your replies, I'll try changing the sound output in control panel once the movie is playing. The default is optical out so obviously itunes is changing that once 5.1 is selected. Stereo output via itunes is via optical its just when the surround is chosen it changes. Otherwise it maybe a screwed up copyright protection which just means I won't use itunes for my movies. Just another case where DRM stops the legit users.