I have win 7 connected optically to an amp which drives my speakers. Some times the volume buttons work inside media center and some times they don't. Mute works all the time. It appears to me that TV stations switch from dolbe digital then to analog constantly as programming switches between commercials and the like. I can see my amp clicking back and forth from prologic and the dolbe. So media center has to constantly adjust and it appears it gives up and volume support is disabled. If I fast forward one notch the volume control comes back on as media center switches to analog and my amp goes into prologic mode.
So everyone must be having this same issue. My old cable box did the same things but I never used the volume controls on the cable box. Just the amp. I am interested in understanding how others have worked around this issue.
its by design check out the links
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/p/80422/399336.aspx#399336
http://thegreenbutton.com/search/SearchResults.aspx?q=volume+control+&g=32
You have something goofy going on if your amp is switching between analog and and DD. My amp stays on DD all the time, not to mention that you cant send analog over an optical link. Unless you're calling prologic analog, which it isnt over spdif. Still, the amp should be solidly on DD, not switching.
For the volume, most people use programmable remotes that control the volume of the amp, not the computer..
Or you can go to the sounds control panel, select the digital device, go to the advanced tab, and uncheck the "exclusive mode" check boxes. Then restart MCE if it was running. This should give you volume control of the computer, but you'll lose DTS audio. Dont know why, DTS just doesnt work.
I would look into seeing if there are more recent audio drivers for your mobo, or if like mine, older Vista drivers that work. It really sounds like you may have driver problems.
Oh yeah, if you havent already, uncheck the auto volume leveling option in the MCE audio set up menu.
dmagerlYou have something goofy going on if your amp is switching between analog and and DD. My amp stays on DD all the time, not to mention that you cant send analog over an optical link. Unless you're calling prologic analog, which it isnt over spdif. Still, the amp should be solidly on DD, not switching.
It's common on many channels for programs to be in DD5.1 and commercials to use 2CH PCM, and receivers switch back and forth between these two formats with varying degrees of elegance. People with recent Onkyo receivers complain about their receivers loudly clicking a relay for each transition. My Pioneer receiver sometimes makes a soft "tick" through the speakers. The Denon that it replaced made a louder "pop" through the speakers.