[mythtv-users] Digital to analog audio crossover

[Jerry Rubinow]

On 10/3/07, Michael T. Dean <mtdean at thirdcontact.com> wrote:
> On 10/03/2007 11:43 AM, Dan Wilga wrote:
> > Instead of buying new hardware, why not have ALSA output the same
> > signal as both digital (SPDIF) and analog (RCA) lines of your sound
> > card at the same time? Many cards can do this, it's just a matter of
> > figuring out the right settings--which are highly dependent on the
> > card.
>
> That is /only/ possible if Myth decodes the audio (i.e. it will /not/
> work with AC-3/DTS passthrough).  For passthrough, you'll need hardware
> to decode the audio and route it to the analog out--i.e. an A/V receiver.
>
> At this point, using Myth to decode AC-3/DTS and output on digital loses
> a /lot/ of capability.  You will get only 2-channel audio with an
> unpatched Myth (even SVN trunk).
>
> Mike

Mike, can you please elaborate on this a little?  In your first
paragraph, are you saying that indeed I need some external hardware
like I mentioned originally?  I'm a little hazy on what AC-3/DTS
passthrough does and how it relates to this.

-Jerry