Below is my current desktop machine (YES i still use a desktop) configuration. I use Fedora Linux with GNOME desktop.
Listed below are very short steps which would serve just as a pointer to setup a Linux based Media Center PC aka Home Theater PC as there is a lot of information available on the internet for each pointer.
- Added RPM fusion repository in software source.
- Installed gstreamer multimedia codecs as by default Fedora cant play various media formats due to license restrictions.
- Installed pulseaudio volume control GUI app.
- Since I have a SPDIF connection from my desktop to my Yamaha Audio Video receiver, I selected the SPDIF option in pulse audio volume control configuration.
- Configured pulseaudio to play the surround sound formats.
- Installed KODI , the excellent media center app.
- Configured Kodi to enable SPDIF Passthrough.
- Made Kodi aware that my AV receiver can understand Dolby Digital AC3 and DTS surround sound format.
- Enabled Dolby digital transcoding so that Kodi does the hard work of converting the new surround formats such as EAC3 to the format which my AV receiver understands.This I feel is an excellent feature as this enables me to play newer formats without the need to upgrade my AV receiver.
- Get a file with surround sound format to test your setup. I used a simple but excellent one available at http://www.lynnemusic.com/surround.html .
- Play and Enjoy surround sound music! 🙂
