[mythtv-users] AC3 Decoding without external hardware?

[Jim Torelli]

Hi everyone!

Hey, I just have a quick question about AC3 decoding.. Is there a software AC3 
decoder or any other way currently in MythTV to decode Dolby Digital sound 
on-the-fly without using S/PDIF passthough to an external receiver or using a 
dobly digital decoder built onto the sound card (not sure if those work or 
not under linux). 

For example, if I turn on AC3 Passthrough in the MythTV settings menu and 
record and HD program over firewire, if I try and watch it through MythTV all 
I hear is clicks (the analog version of the digital audio stream).  However, 
if I exit out of MythTV and play the NUV via MPlayer, I get full 5.1 surround 
sound.. I'm assuming this is because MPlayer is using liba52 or something to 
software decode the audio stream..

Is there any way to decode these AC3 streams via a software decoder through 
MythTV like MPlayer does currently?  If not, does anyone know if there is any 
work being done to support this?  Would is really be as simple as just 
integrating something like lib52 into MythTV?

Thanks and have a good one!!
jim