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NoPantsBatman
Contributor I
July 15, 2024
Answered

Beam gen 2 only gets PCM 2.0

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.

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    controlav
    controlavAnswer
    Lead Maestro
    July 16, 2024

    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.
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    Bg573
    Enthusiast I
    July 23, 2024

    The most straightforward way to get 5.1 channel sound out of a Windows PC via SPDIF is to use an add-on sound card. I use a Creative Sound Blaster Z SE, which supports both Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect. (DD Live and DTS Connect both do “on the fly” encoding of uncompressed 5.1 audio sources like games.)

    So far as I know, current motherboards only produce uncompressed (PCM) audio and that limits you to two channels via SPDIF because of bandwidth limitations.

    I’m using a Beam (Gen 1) plus a pair of Play:1s and a Subwoofer Mini for my PC audio. It sounds great but I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t have the Beam and Play:1s left over from upgrades. Well, that plus it was kind of cool to do. It’s not the most natural way to get 5.1 audio from a PC. And certainly not the cheapest if you buy new.

    Bg573
    Enthusiast I
    July 23, 2024

    I neglected to mention the other problem with getting 5.1 out of a PC, which is first getting it into the PC. I use my PC audio for gaming rather than media watching and my setup works fine for games -- at least for the ones that actually produce 5.1 audio. I can also get 5.1 from my Plex server and from the VLC media player on the rare occasion I want to watch some pre-recorded media.

    Getting 5.1 from streaming sources via web browsers is another matter, since that support is generally lacking. The Netflix help center, for example, states that “5.1 surround sound is not supported while watching downloaded titles or while using a web browser.”

    Alex326
    Alex326
    Lyricist II
    August 23, 2024

    To get the Beam Gen 2 to deliver PCM 5.0 or Dolby, you'll likely need to check your PC's audio settings and make sure it's set to output surround sound. Also, ensure your soundbar is connected via HDMI ARC or eARC, as those are essential for higher-quality audio formats like Dolby. If you’re still stuck, you might want to check if your PC’s sound card or drivers support these formats, or consider using a third-party app to help manage audio output

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