5.1 sound with company of hero's & Metro 2033

[BigMilk]

I'd just like to start this by saying 5.1 / DTS works with my current setup ... just not with steam.
When watching movies through XBMC my receiver shows 5.1 or DTS whichever the source is encoded with and the sound is great.
Anything outside of XBMC doesnt appear to work. I've searched and searched and cant find the one true method for getting 5.1 sound out of games via Steam. I assume if XBMC can take the correct encoding from the source and get it to my receiver then Steam should be able to as well.
I've got am AMD GPU with built in HDxxxx graphics ... i'm using the realtek drivers for AMD HDMI output ( I have tried variations of other drivers as well, all with the same result).
HTPC -> HDMI -> Receiver -> TV
Is there a hidden setting in steam somewhere that I'm missing? Does Steam just rely on whatever Windows wants to do with sound? Shouldnt the games output override Windows and bitstream to the receiver?
I've tried keeping windows on 2 channel stereo (which I used to have to do with a different built to get Windows Media Center to pass DTS 5.1 to the receiver) , I've also tried doing 5.1 in windows through the configure screen ..
I've also read a post about selecting 5.1 but unchecking all the "optional" speakers which allows the center channel to work, but not the rear channels or the sub ...

Its got to be some stupid check box somewhere that i'm missing, but i'm just not sure where else to go ..

Thanks for any help anyone can provide....

[PELUXA1]

Ok, don't get mad...

It's the AMD HDMI device selected as your default playback device?

Also, checking my rig, the HDMI output of my Nvidia card shows L and R only... so following logic, whatever goes through it, must go encoded. So selecting 5.1 in windows only works if you have a Sound Card that supports 5.1, and usually there is an option in the sound card to matrix encode the sound to L and R...

XMBC probably is sending everything through LR, and thats why it is working...

Again, don't get mad!

[BigMilk]

When I first installed Windows 7 after creating this new HTPC, i installed all the drivers and did all the updates available.
That left me with two realtek devices, and a AMD HDMI audio device if i remember correctly.

The realtek manager software showed the SPDIF connection (digital) and the analog connections which would be the individual speaker connections on the the mobo.

It didnt show the HDMI port as an option. I can switch between the default devices and XBMC continues to work as far as sending proper encoding to the receiver.

After lots of trial and error i updated the realtek driver from thier website along with the realtek amd HDMI driver. After rebooting i know had an HDMI device showing in the realtek manager which i thought was progress, but it didnt really change anything. Again XBMC worked as always.

So i uninstalled EVERY audio device and its associated drivers and only reinstalled the realtek AMD HDMI driver. XBMC works as normal but no 5.1 from Steam.
As of right now the realtek HDMI device is my configured default.

My AMD chip is one of the A8's with a built in HDxxxx video card on chip .. my Mobo is a Asrock with HDMI/SPDIF/Analog out on board ... FYI