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[jimi_dini]

Found this:

http://www.ambery.com/2hddodtsdihd.html

HDMI -> Analog multichannel out. My receiver has 5.1 analog in, so this WOULD work. But it's 128$, which is crazy.

Maybe there is also something like this but JUST for PCM 5.1, which should be cheaper.

I wonder, how Video on demand will work on Wii U. They can't stream LPCM 5.1.

 

[Seance]

$10 it'll have something like this. (but with HDMI).

I use this on my 360 to get HDMI and optical. No doubt Nintendo will make a similar one:
HDMI--->HDMI/Optical

 

[jimi_dini]

I use this on my 360 to get HDMI and optical. No doubt Nintendo will make a similar one:
HDMI--->HDMI/Optical

Problem is: Wii U seems to output LPCM 5.1 only. And YOU CAN'T PUT such a signal on optical. You can only put LPCM 2.0 on it or use compressed audio.

 

[Brad Grenz]

Found this:

http://www.ambery.com/2hddodtsdihd.html

HDMI -> Analog multichannel out. My receiver has 5.1 analog in, so this WOULD work. But it's 128$, which is crazy.

Maybe there is also something like this but JUST for PCM 5.1, which should be cheaper.

I wonder, how Video on demand will work on Wii U. They can't stream LPCM 5.1.

Lots of receivers are like that, actually. In the early days of DVD tech, lots of times the players would decode the Dolby Digital or DTS audio to be sent out over 6 analog channels to a receiver. I use it on my to get 5.1 audio from my PC since I don't have Dolby Digital Live on my mobo's audio or HDMI inputs on my stereo.

The bottom line is we shouldn't have to spend $300 so Nintendo can save $2 on surround sound licensing and connectors.

 

[Palette Swap]

That would be a way a receiver could be designed, but I don't know of any receivers where six analog inputs are active at the same time and each designated for a different speaker.

That used to be pretty common actually. Formats like SACD or DVDA were carried this way, for the same bandwidth reasons we're discussing now.

Found this:

http://www.ambery.com/2hddodtsdihd.html

HDMI -> Analog multichannel out. My receiver has 5.1 analog in, so this WOULD work. But it's 128$, which is crazy.

Maybe there is also something like this but JUST for PCM 5.1, which should be cheaper.

There are 2 things I'm not sure of which could make this range from just a wiring issue to a bona fide conversion:
- would LPCM sent over analog work just like that?
- how hard is it to isolate HDMI audio? Is it just a connector issue or is there some signal separation involved?

I wonder, how Video on demand will work on Wii U. They can't stream LPCM 5.1.

I'm wondering about that too. I guess they'll go stereo only or they can stream DD/DTS, just not encode it for games?

 

[jimi_dini]

There are 2 things I'm not sure of which could make this range from just a wiring issue to a bona fide conversion:
- would LPCM sent over analog work just like that?

LPCM is uncompressed digital sound. They don't send LPCM over analog. They just send the raw analog signal, which you would also send to your speakers. In fact you could just connect speakers and it would also work. Signal would probably not be strong enough though, so you would probably get a really low volume out of it.

Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but if you have a receiver that doesn't have HDMI, it can hardly be top notch.

top notch for when I bought it.
It's a Sony ES again with 7.1, I would not go with anything below that level. The lowest priced ES amplifier is 700EUR currently. This goes up to 4500EUR. Just so you know what I'm talking about. You don't buy those every 5 years. So if I bought a 200EUR amplifier now, I would effectively downgrade.

They added HDMI primarily because of DRM and that's it. Yeah, DTS-HD. Well duh, I can't hear a difference between uncompressed and DTS full-bitrate. Do you?

 

[CLEEK]

Excuse me, but I already own a top-notch receiver. I bought it, when my other Sony ES receiver broke down. It just doesn't feature HDMI in. Why should I waste much money to get a worse receiver just so that the Wii U will work with it.

Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but if you have a receiver that doesn't have HDMI, it can hardly be top notch. It's like still rocking a once top end CRT telly, then bellyaching that the world has moved onto HDMI and HD.

Technology progresses. It's enviable. Optical audio is now a legacy format. I doubt that the PS4 or Xbox3 will support it either.

 

[UltimateIke]

There are 2 things I'm not sure of which could make this range from just a wiring issue to a bona fide conversion:
- would LPCM sent over analog work just like that?
- how hard is it to isolate HDMI audio? Is it just a connector issue or is there some signal separation involved?

It says it can convert 7.1 channel digital LPCM to four separate 3.5mm stereo analog connectors. It should work in theory.

Isolating HDMI audio shouldn't be difficult. That's what receivers do after all, right? The receiver controls the audio and passes the video through to the TV.

 

[Teletraan1]

I am no coder but I always figured that there was either simple dedicated hardware or a Thread or SPU that was doing a real time encode to DD5.1 or DTS on some PS3 games. On PC unless you have a DD Live sound card which just encodes the multichannel info to DD5.1 on the fly you cant get 5.1 SPDIF output for games. I currently have my PC hooked up with 3 3.5mm jacks that split into the standard RCA cables to feed my receiver 6 discreet channels. However SPDIF output passes through DTS and DD5.1 from a bluray/dvd movie just fine on any motherboard with a SPDIF connection because the audio stream is already encoded. HDMI can pass this through as well so the movies should still be able to use these formats but the WiiU itself wont be able to encode this format would be my guess because any devices that does this requires some license to encode.

 

[test_account]

Maybe i'm missunderstand something, but seeing some of the comments here i get the impression that WiiU only have HDMI out? Doesnt it have that multi video out, like composite and component? I thought you could use the old Wii video cables on it.

Yes, actually. Optical is an old and very limited connection type.

The problem is that most devices only have one HDMI output port. Devices like soundbar/planks are dedicated sound systems. And these systems are no old. If you want to connect HDMI to this, you need a device that has two HDMI output ports, and not many systems have that, at least when talking about consoles. Maybe some HDMI splitter works, i have no idea, but still.

Nintendo be modern!!

Nintendo stop being so modern!!

I hate you nintendo

Is it being modern to have less options? It isnt about removing anything, but rather that some option that is missing.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Dat scrimping. When you add up all the free passes Nintendo seems to get, and behold any outrage topic thrown MS/Sony's way, it does become a bit of a head scratcher. Brand loyalty is a hell of a drug.

If I was still using my PC monitor for console gaming, I'd be shit outta luck I'd assume as that was a HDMI to DVI solution, and the audio cable separate.

 

[Brad Grenz]

LPCM is uncompressed digital sound. They don't send LPCM over analog. They just send the raw analog signal, which you would also send to your speakers. In fact you could just connect speakers and it would also work. Signal would probably not be strong enough though, so you would probably get a really low volume out of it.

That's not actually true. The device linked above is a digital analog converter that takes the digital audio signal over HDMI and converts it to 8 channel line level outputs. It still needs to be amplified before being connected to speakers, something a receiver with multi-channel analog inputs would handle.

I am no coder but I always figured that there was either simple dedicated hardware or a Thread or SPU that was doing a real time encode to DD5.1 or DTS on some PS3 games. On PC unless you have a DD Live sound card which just encodes the multichannel info to DD5.1 on the fly you cant get 5.1 SPDIF output for games. I currently have my PC hooked up with 3 3.5mm jacks that split into the standard RCA cables to feed my receiver 6 discreet channels. However SPDIF output passes through DTS and DD5.1 from a bluray/dvd movie just fine on any motherboard with a SPDIF connection because the audio stream is already encoded. HDMI can pass this through as well so the movies should still be able to use these formats but the WiiU itself wont be able to encode this format would be my guess because any devices that does this requires some license to encode.

On both PS3 and 360 surround sound audio is mixed and encoded to Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS completely in software on the CPU. On PCs with soundcards that do Dolby Digital Live usually that is done in software, too. You need to pay licensing fees to Dolby or Digital Theater Systems to use those solutions, however. Mixing 6 channel audio and outputting it over analog or as uncompressed LPCM via HDMI doesn't cost anything, which seems to be why Nintendo went this route.

Maybe i'm missunderstand something, but seeing some of the comments here i get the impression that WiiU only have HDMI out? Doesnt it have that multi video out, like composite and component? I thought you could use the old Wii video cables on it.

It has the analog multi-out, but as far as we know the port can't carry more than stereo sound.

The problem is that most devices only have one HDMI output port. Devices like soundbar/planks are dedicated sound systems. And these systems are no old. If you want to connect HDMI to this, you need a device that has two HDMI output ports, and not many systems have that, at least when talking about consoles. Maybe some HDMI splitter works, i have no idea, but still.

Typically Soundbars and HDMI receivers pass through and switch between HDMI video signals. So you plug your Bluray player, 360 and DVR into the HDMI inputs on the soundbar or stereo and then run a single HDMI cable from an output port to the TV. Often they sense which signals are active and autoswitch between devices, but you can also use a remote to jump back and forth to determine what sound is playing and which video signal is being forwarded to the screen.

 

[tkscz]

If you HONESTLY care this much about surround sound, then you probably have a newer surround sound system that has an HDMI port on it. If not,

It honestly is sounding like people are just finding reasons to not like the WiiU, not saying this is what you're doing, but it's sounding like it.

 

[jimi_dini]

That's not actually true. The device linked above is a digital analog converter that takes the digital audio signal over HDMI and converts it to 8 channel line level outputs. It still needs to be amplified before being connected to speakers, something a receiver with multi-channel analog inputs would handle.

I said that the output level won't be normal. But it would still work somewhat. You could also use ear-phones and hook them up to it. It's just an analog signal. There is nothing special about it. Yeah, it will be too low to be useable in any form, but you would still hear something.

It honestly is sounding like people are just finding reasons to not like the WiiU, not saying this is what you're doing, but it's sounding like it.

wth?
So people like us should just waste huge amounts of money just because Nintendo is cheap and can't be bothered to include optical/coax out and output the sound as Dolby Digital/DTS?
I really wanted to buy a Wii U and thought a HDMI switcher would be enough. It would have worked, if fucking Nintendo would output Dolby Digital/DTS instead of LPCM 5.1 only. Buying a switcher for 40$? Fine with me. Buying some additional crap for over 100$ because of that? No way for me. Buying a new amplifier, which would mean Wii U price >1000$? No fucking way.

 

[test_account]

It has the analog multi-out, but as far as we know the port can't carry more than stereo sound.

Thanks, i was starting to wonder if this was removed, that would be a huge surprise.

Typically Soundbars and HDMI receivers pass through and switch between HDMI video signals. So you plug your Bluray player, 360 and DVR into the HDMI inputs on the soundbar or stereo and then run a single HDMI cable from an output port to the TV. Often they sense which signals are active and autoswitch between devices, but you can also use a remote to jump back and forth to determine what sound is playing and which video signal is being forwarded to the screen.

I have a soundbar (my appartment layout currently works bad with a surround system), and it doesnt have any HDMI on it. It is a relatively new model, maybe around 2 years old, and it is not the cheapest model that you can find either. I have no idea what is typical for soundbars however when it comes to HDMI or not. I also dont have a reciever. So for me, this would actually be an issue. But regarding WiiU, i have no plans on getting one now, so personally i dont care much that it doesnt have a optical sound output port.

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

If you HONESTLY care this much about surround sound, then you probably have a newer surround sound system that has an HDMI port on it. If not,

It honestly is sounding like people are just finding reasons to not like the WiiU, not saying this is what you're doing, but it's sounding like it.

People really don't get this do they? We are talking about Dolby Digital and a Optical output. At the very least Nintendo could have supported Dolby Digital and then the HDMI>TV>OPTICAL>WII U would have worked. This is unbelievable people are defending this. There are people that THIS year have purchased audio systems the Wii U will not work with for surround sound. There will be people buying audio systems in the next couple of years that will not be able to get surround sound. What about those Turtle Beach headsets that use optical cables? We going to call those not modern now?

This doesn't just affect people that bought an audio system 10 years ago, it affects those that bought today and tomorrow.

 

[SmokyDave]

This is unbelievable people are defending this.

Tragically, it really isn't. I once saw people defend the 3DS by saying it would open the floodgates to generic games if they put a 2nd stick on there. Seriously.

 

[leng jai]

That's Nintendo alright.

 

[Palette Swap]

If you HONESTLY care this much about surround sound, then you probably have a newer surround sound system that has an HDMI port on it. If not,

It honestly is sounding like people are just finding reasons to not like the WiiU, not saying this is what you're doing, but it's sounding like it.

GTFO with that console wars bullshit and the shitty inflammatory GIFs that derail an actual discussion.
This is a real issue to a number of people, awesome for you if you're not one of them, but it's getting tiring to have to actually prove why there is nothing unreasonable in expecting surround audio to be carried through other means than HDMI.

The following is not some hypothetical scenario used as a talking point in console wars I don't give a fuck about: People have bought a $500 receiver 5-6 years ago, are happy with the way it sounds, see fringe benefits in the newer audio formats and every other piece of hardware they can buy delivers surround sound to their receiver without having to scratch their heads.

If we are so bent on depicting Nintendo as bad guys while we actually don't really care about the hardware, how the fuck do you explain we've been discussing workarounds to that shitty situation? Read the thread, it's not all whining.

 

[Brad Grenz]

I have a soundbar (my appartment layout currently works bad with a surround system), and it doesnt have any HDMI on it. It is a relatively new model, maybe around 2 years old, and it is not the cheapest model that you can find either. I have no idea what is typical for soundbars however when it comes to HDMI or not. I also dont have a reciever. So for me, this would actually be an issue. But regarding WiiU, i have no plans on getting one now, so personally i dont care much that it doesnt have a optical sound output port.

I was just explaining why it isn't needed to have multiple HDMI outputs on a source device if you want to use and HDMI audio system.

 

[Majmun]

This is pretty disappointing. But I'm sure Nintendo will release (pricey) add ons to fix this.

Tragically, it really isn't. I once saw people defend the 3DS by saying it would open the floodgates to generic games if they put a 2nd stick on there. Seriously.

Really now??? lol

 

[iratA]

Hang on so let me get this right. The WiiU doesn't have optical but also doesn't support Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1? Really?!

 

[MarkMclovin]

Sucks. And I would kill for Mario Galaxy music in surround sound.

 

[plagiarize]

Hang on so let me get this right. The WiiU doesn't have optical but also doesn't support Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1? Really?!

apparently not. it's a bit bonkers to say the least. i need to do investigations to see where that leaves me. i know my HMZ can handle uncompressed PCM, but my TV/receiver et al... not so sure. i'll be doing some tests with my PS3.

 

[SmokyDave]

Hang on so let me get this right. The WiiU doesn't have optical but also doesn't support Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1? Really?!

That cannot be true. You must have misunderstood something.

apparently not. it's a bit bonkers to say the least. i need to do investigations to see where that leaves me. i know my HMZ can handle uncompressed PCM, but my TV/receiver et al... not so sure. i'll be doing some tests with my PS3.

Nah, I can't believe that for one minute. Someone somewhere has misunderstood something. There is no way this console won't support DD5.1.

 

[twofold]

People really don't get this do they? We are talking about Dolby Digital and a Optical output. At the very least Nintendo could have supported Dolby Digital and then the HDMI>TV>OPTICAL>WII U would have worked. This is unbelievable people are defending this. There are people that THIS year have purchased audio systems the Wii U will not work with for surround sound. There will be people buying audio systems in the next couple of years that will not be able to get surround sound. What about those Turtle Beach headsets that use optical cables? We going to call those not modern now?

This doesn't just affect people that bought an audio system 10 years ago, it affects those that bought today and tomorrow.

My favourite posts are the one where people say that my receiver and rubbish because it doesn't have HDMI support. What a load of rubbish. I'd have to pay at least £300-400 to get an equivalent quality receiver with HDMI to replace the one that I have currently. I'm not going to pay that much just so I can get surround sound with a Wii U.

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

Hang on so let me get this right. The WiiU doesn't have optical but also doesn't support Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1? Really?!

This is as important as the lack of optical out, because it makes getting surround sound extremely difficult outside of using just HDMI.

 

[Palette Swap]

Hang on so let me get this right. The WiiU doesn't have optical but also doesn't support Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1? Really?!

The former is a result of the latter actually. That's why the title is a bit misleading. This isn't just a physical interface issue.

I think most people would be okay with not having an optical port directly on the console but being able to use optical thanks to some additional cable (the way it is on Xbox for example).

 

[iratA]

That cannot be true. You must have misunderstood something.

From the WiiU Spec sheet:

Uses six-channel PCM linear output via HDMI® connector, or analog output via the AV Multi Out connector.

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

That cannot be true. You must have misunderstood something.



Nah, I can't believe that for one minute. Someone somewhere has misunderstood something. There is no way this console won't support DD5.1.

Believe, brother believe. It is why the thread title needs and update. It only supports 5.1 PCM which is uncompressed audio, and optical only supports 2.0 PCM. So even if you ran

WII U>HDMI>TV>OPTICAL>RECEIVER

You would only get Stereo audio.

Someone please update the Title and OP.

 

[UltimateIke]

That cannot be true. You must have misunderstood something.



Nah, I can't believe that for one minute. Someone somewhere has misunderstood something. There is no way this console won't support DD5.1.

In the immortal words of Parappa the Rapper: "You gotta believe!"

 

[Pooya]

Nintendo looks like has no interest in paying a dime for licensing anything if they can avoid it. No Dolby Digital licensing means no optical. They don't have any interest in any other codec either. LPCM is just a modulation method for lossless transferring of a signal, no licensing fee , nothing.

$10 it'll have something like this. (but with HDMI).

haha, no it's impossible with a passive converter. Signals are not compatible
of course they can make a converter, but you will have to plug it into USB too to get power, there might be latency or other issues as well and it won't be cheap at all (it needs a chip and other circuits), definitely not $10 cheap.

 

[jimi_dini]

Tragically, it really isn't. I once saw people defend the 3DS by saying it would open the floodgates to generic games if they put a 2nd stick on there. Seriously.

That cannot be true. You must have misunderstood something.

Meltdown incoming

And yes, it is true. Wii U supports SURROUND SOUND. But only by using LPCM 5.1. Which is uncompressed surround sound. Which means it cannot be sent over coax/optical, but only over HDMI.

Wii U doesn't output Dolby Digital 5.1 nor DTS (compressed surround sound).

...if the spec sheet is right of course.


Which means in the cases mentioned here, Wii and Gamecube are superior in that aspect, because at least you get Dolby ProLogic II on those 2 consoles, which is some sort of surround sound. On Wii U you are going to get plain stereo.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

If you HONESTLY care this much about surround sound, then you probably have a newer surround sound system that has an HDMI port on it.

My Turtle Beaches only have optical in for surround, bought them last year.

Right now I'm having a really hard time believing that the WiiU won't have optical out. There's just no way this can be true.

 

[iratA]

The former is a result of the latter actually. That's why the title is a bit misleading. This isn't just a physical interface issue.

I think most people would be okay with not having an optical port directly on the console but being able to use optical thanks to some additional cable (the way it is on Xbox for example).

Bam! I got it now, thanks. Wow what an average situation, I wonder how many peeps really get this right now.

 

[UltimateIke]

Bam! I got it now, thanks. Wow what an average situation, I wonder how many peeps really get this right now.

Very few it seems.

 

[Teletraan1]

On both PS3 and 360 surround sound audio is mixed and encoded to Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS completely in software on the CPU. On PCs with soundcards that do Dolby Digital Live usually that is done in software, too. You need to pay licensing fees to Dolby or Digital Theater Systems to use those solutions, however. Mixing 6 channel audio and outputting it over analog or as uncompressed LPCM via HDMI doesn't cost anything, which seems to be why Nintendo went this route.

Thanks for the reply, seems I wasn't too far off the mark. So really its just down to Nintendo not wanting to pay licensing fees and a few cents worth of hardware. I am not surprised.

 

[Gilby]

Wow, people sure like to over react in this thread. I need an RCA adapter if I buy a wiiU, but I'm not acting as if the world is ending just because it's not included on the back of the console.

 

[Duxxy3]

WiiU

Cost cutting move after cost cutting move

still overpriced

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

Wow, people sure like to over react in this thread. I need an RCA adapter if I buy a wiiU, but I'm not acting as if the world is ending just because it's not included on the back of the console.

People can't get surround sound with their existing sound system does not equal you needing to buy an adapter.

 

[GANGSTERKILLER]

No optical out? Really? But it is not a issue for me because i have HDMI receiver from Onkyo.

 

[CaVaYeRo]

I serve PS3 & 360 sound to my analogue receiver from my TV. I'll do the same with Wii U.

 

[iratA]

Wow, people sure like to over react in this thread. I need an RCA adapter if I buy a wiiU, but I'm not acting as if the world is ending just because it's not included on the back of the console.

Needing a new receiver vs needing an RCA adapter. Nice work.

 

[majortom1981]

Meltdown incoming

And yes, it is true. Wii U supports SURROUND SOUND. But only by using LPCM 5.1. Which is uncompressed surround sound. Which means it cannot be sent over coax/optical, but only over HDMI.

Wii U doesn't output Dolby Digital 5.1 nor DTS (compressed surround sound).

...if the spec sheet is right of course.


Which means in the cases mentioned here, Wii and Gamecube are superior in that aspect, because at least you get Dolby ProLogic II on those 2 consoles, which is some sort of surround sound. On Wii U you are going to get plain stereo.

Didnt the original ps3's only support pcm 5.1 and pcm 7.1 also ?

 

[drugstore_cowboy]

It's a problem as my display doesn't have audio any capabilities.

Pro Logic II would do though.

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

Didnt the original ps3's only support pcm 5.1 and pcm 7.1 also ?

It also supported DD and DTS and had an optical output. The only thing it didn't support at first was bitstreaming DTS HD and Dolby True HD, instead it decoded internally and sent it out as PCM. Which didn't matter as much since you needed a HDMI receiver to take advantage of True HD and DTS HD audio. Some people just preferred to have the receiver decode so they could see that Dolby True HD and DTS HD light up on their receiver lol.

 

[Pooya]

Wow, people sure like to over react in this thread. I need an RCA adapter if I buy a wiiU, but I'm not acting as if the world is ending just because it's not included on the back of the console.

you don't seem to understand, buying a new receiver because Nintendo refuses to support the most widely used 5.1 audio codec, how is that acceptable? not many 5.1 systems even accept HDMI input, you don't buy a expensive sound system when what you have works with everything and anything already. this is not a $2 RCA cable.

 

[wsippel]

That cannot be true. You must have misunderstood something.

It's true. Nintendo outright skipped all that old stuff like TOSLINK (introduced in 1983) and Dolby Digital (introduced in 1992).

 

[jimi_dini]

I serve PS3 & 360 sound to my analogue receiver from my TV. I'll do the same with Wii U.

Won't help.
Most TVs don't output Dolby Digital/DTS over optical out. They will give you a LPCM 2.0 stereo signal.

BUT EVEN IF YOUR TV DOES, LPCM 5.1 CAN'T BE SENT OVER OPTICAL OUT. There is no way to do so. The bandwidth isn't large enough. So your TV would have to compress the sound using Dolby Digital or DTS and I doubt there is a TV out there, that does.

Which means you will get sound of course. But it will be LPCM 2.0, which means stereo. Not even Dolby ProLogic II.

 

[CaVaYeRo]

Won't help.
Most TVs don't output Dolby Digital/DTS over optical out. They will give you a LPCM 2.0 stereo signal.

BUT EVEN IF YOUR TV DOES, LPCM 5.1 CAN'T BE SENT OVER OPTICAL OUT. There is no way to do so. The bandwidth isn't enough. So your TV would have to compress the sound using Dolby Digital or DTS and I doubt there is a TV out there, that does.

Which means you will get sound of course. But it will be stereo. Not even Dolby ProLogic II.

Mine doesn't output DTS, you're right, but it outputs DD5.1.