Windows 10/Intel NUC - How to get audio pass-through/bit streaming over HDMI?

[citysoundman]

Hello QQ, this is my first post here. Hoping for some tech help with Windows 10 . I'm more of a Mac guy but I have an Intel NUC that I use dedicated for my audio stuff.

Problem is - I can't seem to get my hi res audio playback to pass-through at the source format when I'm playing directly from my drive with an app like VLC or Foobar. I'm using an Intel NUC as my computer, it's connected with HDMI to my Denon receiver. I've looked at all the Sound Properties in Windows, and it seems to play at whatever sample rate/bit depth is selected in Denon Properties>Advanced>Default Format. Under 'Supported Formats' I can see all the bit depths and sample rates are available.

FYI the Denon is not the problem, because I have no issues when I playback using my Oppo 103. I also use Kodi on my NUC and it seems to pass through just fine.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Hello QQ, this is my first post here. Hoping for some tech help with Windows 10 . I'm more of a Mac guy but I have an Intel NUC that I use dedicated for my audio stuff.

Problem is - I can't seem to get my hi res audio playback to pass-through at the source format when I'm playing directly from my drive with an app like VLC or Foobar. I'm using an Intel NUC as my computer, it's connected with HDMI to my Denon receiver. I've looked at all the Sound Properties in Windows, and it seems to play at whatever sample rate/bit depth is selected in Denon Properties>Advanced>Default Format. Under 'Supported Formats' I can see all the bit depths and sample rates are available.

FYI the Denon is not the problem, because I have no issues when I playback using my Oppo 103. I also use Kodi on my NUC and it seems to pass through just fine.

What sound driver are you using for Foobar/VLC ?? Is it different that the one used by Kodi? Any of them WASAPI?

 

[citysoundman]

In Kodi yes I select Wasapi. I don't see the same kind of choice in Foober or VLC though. I do see VLC has a setting for Audio HDMI pass through and it is enabled.

 

[citysoundman]

That points me in the right direction @LuvMyQuad Foobar needs the WASAPI component installed as an add on. Just installed it and now it's working pass through! Thank you!
I just tested a few formats in stereo and 5.1, and so far only one issue - 192K 24bit audio says unsupported. Will have to see what's up with that.
Next I'll look at VLC and hopefully there's WASAPI support.
Cheers!

 

[AXington]

*Edit* missed where you said you already installed the Foobar component...


Anyways, ASIO is another option. If you are using WASAPI you should really choose the "push" option, though it is in "exclusive" mode then meaning nothing else will play using that output channel. I like ASIO (when it's stable), because you can have more than one thing playing at a time and make use of proper hardware passthrough. Otherwise it will reclock everything to 48kHz.