no volume control with HD channels

[cygnusx04]

what is the technical/legal reason for not being able to control the volume in W7 media center using remote when watching HD channels? (Freesat FTA)

I have to use TV volume instead (only on HD 5.1 audio channels).

 

[Stephen Neal]

what is the technical/legal reason for not being able to control the volume in W7 media center using remote when watching HD channels? (Freesat FTA)

I have to use TV volume instead (only on HD 5.1 audio channels).

BBC HD and ITV HD broadcast using Dolby Digital audio (either 2.0 or 5.1) whilst the other SD services are broadcast using MP2 audio. AIUI the way Dolby is handled by Media Center and Windows can be different to the way MP2 is.

If you bitstream DD to an external amp then your PC can't alter the volume (it would have to decode and recode the audio to do so) - but ISTR that in some (all?) cases even if you decode in your PC then there are also differences in how audio volume control is handled.

 

[cygnusx04]

thanks - although I don't have an amp/receiver. Just HTPC to TV via HDMI.