Sound card recommendations for analogue ?

[nortonl]

I'm running an HTPC with Power DVD Ultra.

I want to run 4.1 analogue outs. I know some will try to persuade me to go digital and/or get a centre, but please humour me.

Are there any decent sounding cards out there which are able to handle a sub but no centre speaker on all the new formats for BD/HDDVD ?

The on-board (Realtek HD) only allows 4.0 or 5.1 but not 4.1 and is also very noisy (should I think about an external card?).

Grateful for any advice.

[nortonl]

No-one got a card that can output FL+FR+RL+RR+Sub without centre on analogue ?

Doesn't surprise me. I have downloaded umpteen user guides and they all seem to call 4.1 as 4.0 with bass management in the sub. I guess that's how most PC speakers work.

[Prism666]

I guess the problem would be that there is no software I know of that could mix the centre channel into the two front channels. The soundcard itself only does what the software/drivers tell it. Any 5.1 or 7.1 card should theoretically handle it as far as connections go

[meansizzler]

I run a 3.1 setup, have the soundcard setup as 5.1 output but since there is hardly any data from the rear channel you really don't miss anything, regarding the 4.0, there must be and option for a quad setup I know there is in the xp control panel but not sure about soundcards, you need to I rememberthe soundblaster Live did 4.0, not sure about 4.1, but them drivers are pretty much dated....

[nortonl]

Thanks both of you. Getting the centre mixed in to the 2 main channels is no problem - all the cards I've checked can do that but only without a separate LFE channel. I guess I'll live with 4.0 for now and switch to SPDIF for old fashioned DD/DTS.