Contributor I

Answered

Beam gen 2 only gets PCM 2.0

13 replies
889 views

Hello,

I recently bought a Beam gen 2 and a sub mini and I managed to connect them directly to my PC. It took a while but I did it.

The problem with that is that the sound output is only PCM 2.0, and I'd very much like to be able to fully use the soundbar with PCM 5.0 and Dolby.

Does someone know how I can "unleash" its potential when connected directly to a PC?

Thank you.

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

controlavAnswer

Lead Maestro

You can’t get PCM 5.0 over optical.

You can get DD 5.1 if you have the codec.

I tried searching for that codec but couldn’t find it anywhere. Do you know where I can get it?

Dolby licenses often come with HDMI video cards, if the vendor has paid Dolby for the privilege. You are using optical, so I’m not sure about codec use, and also Kodi of which I know nothing.

Author of the leading independent Sonos apps for Android, MacOS, iOS, Windows and Xbox.

N

nik9669a

Senior Virtuoso

Any home theatre device is dependent on the signal being sent to it. Is your pc producing a 5.1 signal? How are you connected?

N

nik9669a

Senior Virtuoso

Also, have you looked at this:

N

NoPantsBatmanAuthor

Contributor I

It’s connected via SPDIF, with an adapter connected to the HDMI cable that connects to the Beam. It was the only way I found to make the soundbar to “stream” my PC’s sounds.
My GPU is a RTX 4080, so it is capable of producing a 5.1 signal. But neither in the app nor in the PC I can change successfully the signal for 5.1, it just remains on 2.0/2.1

N

NoPantsBatmanAuthor

Contributor I

That was the tutorial I followed, yes. It fixed the connection with computer, but created another “problem”, which is the signal

N

nik9669a

Senior Virtuoso

And as asked already: what is your source? If what you’re watching is only 2.0 that’s all the Beam can reproduce.

N

nik9669a

Senior Virtuoso

That was the tutorial I followed, yes. It fixed the connection with computer, but created another “problem”, which is the signal

It didn’t create a problem; it may have identified one. 😜

N

NoPantsBatmanAuthor

Contributor I

Sorry, I understood something else from the question.

I tried multiple movies and series with 5.1 sound. I watch them via Kodi

controlav

Lead Maestro

You can’t get PCM 5.0 over optical.

You can get DD 5.1 if you have the codec.

Author of the leading independent Sonos apps for Android, MacOS, iOS, Windows and Xbox.

N

NoPantsBatmanAuthor

Contributor I

You can’t get PCM 5.0 over optical.

You can get DD 5.1 if you have the codec.

I tried searching for that codec but couldn’t find it anywhere. Do you know where I can get it?

controlavAnswer

Lead Maestro

You can’t get PCM 5.0 over optical.

You can get DD 5.1 if you have the codec.

I tried searching for that codec but couldn’t find it anywhere. Do you know where I can get it?

Dolby licenses often come with HDMI video cards, if the vendor has paid Dolby for the privilege. You are using optical, so I’m not sure about codec use, and also Kodi of which I know nothing.

Author of the leading independent Sonos apps for Android, MacOS, iOS, Windows and Xbox.

Show more replies

Sign up

Login to the community