Sound cards/motherboards with SPDIF

Sacha_C · 01-19-2003, 01:37 PM

Since the SPDIF on my video card isn't working, I'll need a new sound card or motherboard with a coax/optical output.

First I have a few questions, can sound cards with SPDIF output all system sounds by SPDIF or only sounds from digital sources?

For example, I have TV on my PC and the sound goes through the line in of my sound card, with a card that has SPDIF, would it convert that analog signal and send it through SPDIF or would analog sounds need to use analog outputs?

Now, which sound card below $100-125 US has digital outputs? And which motherboard below $170 US has digital outputs?

Finally, I would prefer optical outputs since my receiver has a ton of optical inputs but only 1 coax input, I prefer to leave that coax free in casee I ever get a component with only coax output.

Thanks

Tekara · 01-19-2003, 02:05 PM

I use nothing but the digital outputs on my computer, and yes they output everything. most of your current soundcards have digital out, if you want optical then the hercules digifire 7.1 is the way to go, however if you want higher quality sound and can live with using coax then the mwave revolution is must.

although, I am currently a big fan of the nvidia soundstorm (MCP-T southbridge) which is the onboard sound on a few of the recently released motherboards. my biggest reason for liking it is that it sends out a constant dolby digital signal and upconverts all stereo to SRS, in addition games that use EAX or A3D have a much more defined locational sense with the upconversion to Dolby digital.

oh and the motherboard I'm on is the asus a7n8x.

hope that helps you some

Sacha_C · 01-19-2003, 02:11 PM

But can you use pro logic on the receiver when playing stereo sources like mp3s from the digital output?

Also, is it true DTS signals cannot be output by digital outputs on sound cards?

Thanks

Scott L · 01-19-2003, 02:24 PM

Just about any $100+ motherboard has an option for digital optical and coax out, just go to newegg and look for it. Are you going Intel or Athlon? The newest nForce2 chipsets for Athlons have a really cool feature which is onbaord DD 5.1 encoding, but only really useful if you play pc games. Intel chipsets have available digital sound outs as well but no onboard 5.1.

As for sound ccards I'm sure the Audigy sound card has digital coax and optical.

The TV tuner would convert anything analog to digital before sending the data through the PCI slot to the CPU for processing, this includes audio and video. So don't worry, anything you hear on your PC speakers will also be coming out of an optical or coaxial out.

I play games on the HT and use the coax on my mobo to my receiver. I used to use the analog outputs on my soundcard but now it sounds so clean with a digital passthrough, and so do mp3s.

Chris Svencer · 01-21-2003, 06:52 AM

Kinda off topic but just a question for you guys. Are there any soundcards that decode DTS or do all of them just pass it on through SPDIF to a receiver?
-Svence

**HTF Ads**

Sacha_C · 01-21-2003, 01:44 PM

"Kinda off topic but just a question for you guys. Are there any soundcards that decode DTS or do all of them just pass it on through SPDIF to a receiver?"

I think powerDVD can decode DTS by software.

Tekara · 01-21-2003, 05:50 PM

powerDVD just passes the info through the s/pdif to the reciever just like a DVD player does, so you can watch DTS movies on it. I think most other DVD player programs do that as well.

Gordon Moore · 01-21-2003, 09:36 PM

Quote:

powerDVD just passes the info through the s/pdif to the reciever just like a DVD player does, so you can watch DTS movies on it. I think most other DVD player programs do that as well.

Not so...if you go to PowerDVD's website you can purchase the DTS decoder as part of the package and play it through your soundcard un-s/pdif'ed

from their site:

DTS

Sound Card Needed
2 channel*
6 channel or higher

Number of Speakers Needed
2 speakers*

6 speakers'

*Note: 2 channel sound cards and 2 speakers will only allow you to experience the down mixed version of DTS surround or Dolby Digital
Your PowerDVD XP 4.0 software must be a multi-channel version. Click here to find out how to do so.

Chris Svencer · 01-21-2003, 09:47 PM

So only software can "Decode" dts to play on your Computer 5.1 setup? Audigy's and others will just pass it on?
-Svence

Max Leung · 01-22-2003, 12:04 AM

I have powerdvd, and it WILL pass DTS straight to the receiver over the S/PDIF output of your sound card if you have the S/PDIF passthrough option selected.

WinDVD does so as well.

If your receiver does not accept DTS, then you'll have to resort to software decoding and use the sound card's 6 analog outputs.

The multichannel version of WinDVD is nice in that it will even software encode Pro Logic II, and use the directsound3D API to output 5.1 over your analog outputs of the card. Even better: If you have an nForce-equipped motherboard with Soundstorm audio, it will again be converted to DD5.1 in hardware, and sent to your HT receiver as DD5.1! Poor man's prologic II encoder/decoder combo.

Caveat: Playing a DTS-encoded CD doesn't usually work with S/PDIF passthrough, because often the sound card drivers do not output the DTS digital stream as 44.1kHz, but instead sends it as a 48kHz stream instead, resulting in squeaky high-pitched audio! You'd have to use the DVD player's builtin software decoder to properly play these DTS CDs. Although, at least with an nforce motherboard, it can be reconverted to DD5.1 (with the associated conversion losses), so you can still avoid an analog setup.

I hope this doesn't sound confusing...the nForce allows you many cool audio playback options...