headphones downmixing

[zmjone2992]

I have 2 questions.

First is there some way to automatically downmix 5.1 sound to stereo so that I can listen to a movie with my headphones. Videos I am dealing with are mastroka videos in windows media player classic.

Another, possibly related question is this. I am running my speakers through my onboard audio. I have the front panel jumpers hooked up buy I cannot get the headphone jack on my case to output anything. All I can do is plug my headphones into the jack on the volume controller on my speakers, but this will only output stereo, with no downmixing, so movies are basically unwatchable.

 

[CodeRed]

I think you can downmix in VLC Player which also plays matroska videos.

 

[Valaire]

Not sure what sound card you have, if any, but one with Dolby Headphone can do that. It can accept multichannel sources and use that information to create a virtual surround for your headphones.

 

[zmjone2992]

I assume your xonar dx can do that? I am just using onboard sound atm. I am looking for an automatic downmix. Any ideas about the other problem though?

 

[Valaire]

As for a downmixing, CMSS3D from an X-Fi card or a Dolby Headphone algorithm can do that.

For CMSS3D you need an X-Fi card.

For DH, you can get a sound card, like mine, which supports it in the drivers, and thus you can apply it to any source. Or you can get a software version of DH with some DVD players, I believe. Look up a movie player and see if it comes with DH. You'll be paying for it.

You can also use DH in Foobar (music player) with onboard audio, but you need to have a licensed copy of DH on your computer and a special Foobar plugin.