Acoustic Edge & DD5.1 problem

[hvd_free]

I am wondering whether anyone has tried using the S/PDIF out on the Philips AE card with the DD5.1 (Justin? ). I just got the card today to use it with the decoder.

First of all, the set up works ok with PCM signals (i.e., when I set the card's S/PDIF out to front channels and play mp3, etc.) The sound pops from time to time, but that's not the biggest problem. The serious problem is with ac3/dts passthrough.

I tried both windvd and powerdvd. Analog soundcard mode is fine, I get two channels out of the DD5.1. When I set the dvd software to S/PDIF and change the AE's S/PDIF out to ac3/dts passthrough, there is no sound and the dvd picture also freezes, as if the dvd software has trouble processing the data. If I change the AE's S/PDIF out to anything other than AC3 passthrough and keep the dvd software on using S/PDIF, the picture plays fine (of course there's no sound). Therefore, it looks like it's the AE card that's causing trouble. (I am using the latest 1.89 certified drivers in Win XP pro).

There is no problem with the DD5.1, because it works flawlessly with my old Vortex 2 card in Win98 SE. Too bad the old card doesn't have a decent winXP driver.

Any help will be appreciated.