Realtek Low Definition Audio

Computer Audio Asylum

Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies.

I set up a new computer recently, with the first motherboard
I've ever owned containing "Intel High Definition Audio",
via an Intel 975X chipset with ICH7R southbridge, and a
Realtek ALC882M HD audio chip.
Though I've previously managed to get bit-perfect audio playback with
Foobar using Kernel Streaming through sound cards such as
the E-MU 1212M and Creative X-Fi, I thought -- hm, with this
"High Definition" audio chip, maybe I don't need to waste
a PCI slot on a sound card. Especially since the Realtek
Web site claims, for the ALC882:
http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/productsView.aspx?Langid=1&PFid=28&Level=5&Conn=4&ProdID=43
-----------------------------------------------
- 16/20/24-bit S/PDIF-OUT supports 44.1k/48k/96k/192kHz sample rate
- 16/20/24-bit S/PDIF-IN supports 44.1k/48k/96k/192kHz sample rate
-----------------------------------------------
I was extremely disappointed to find out that the Realtek
HD Audio Manager control-panel application (also known as
the "Sound Effects Manager" application), is locked to
a sample rate of 48 kHz for S/PDIF output of WAV file playback via Foobar
(or any other media player app I tried). Even running SRC in Foobar to
upsample to 96 kHz still results in 48 kHz coming out of the
motherboard's S/PDIF port. I confirmed the sample rate by sending
the S/PDIF optical to an Apogee Big Ben, which steadily
displayed 48 KHz on the front panel.
This is all the more ironic since the
Realtek "High Definition Audio Driver User's Manual"
Rev. .00
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/NewTech/2006_motherboard_newtech/hd_audio_driver_usermanualver1-00_0418-05.pdf
states, on p. 15 (right below a picture of the Sound Effects
Manager's "S/PDIF In/Out Settings" screen showing only one
selection -- 48KHz -- in the "Output Sampling Rate" section):
Output Sampling Rate
- 44.1KHz: This is recommend[ed] while playing CD
- 48KHz: This is recommended while playing DVD or Dolby
- 96KHz: This is recommended while playing DVD-Audio.
I get the same screen using the latest HD audio driver package
for Windows XP, version 1.51, from the Realtek Web site.
What's the deal here, I wonder? It **can't** be a technical
problem. Is Realtek afraid of the RIAA? Afraid to offend
Creative Labs? Or what?
BTW -- the home theater crowd have a better time. I gather
from chat on the Web that the Realtek chip will sense the
presence of DTS-encoded audio and automatically switch to
bit-perfect output for those with DTS decoders. I haven't
actually tried that, though.
I've searched in vain for an alternative to Realtek's control
app for the ALC882. I've also searched to see if there
might be registry settings that will override the locked
S/PDIF output sample rate. No luck.
So it's back to a PCI sound card for me. What a waste of
transistors!
Jim F.

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Topic - Realtek Low Definition Audio - Jim F. 08:34:38 12/22/06 (2)

Re: Realtek Low Definition Audio - Jim F. 13:22:07 12/26/06 (0)

Re: Realtek Low Definition Audio - GCrouser@hvc.rr.com 13:36:25 12/22/06 (0)

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