Creative Digital I/O Module

[Buffo]

Anyone use this? I've bought one to try and pass sound to the SPDIF input on my graphics card. So far I haven't got it to work (well, I haven't managed to get any sound out of my telly) and I was wondering if anyone has used this?

It's this, btw: h**p://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?product=1780&category=1

Ta, Matt.

 

[AndrewATP]

might seem silly to point out but have you actually selected the digital output in your sound card options?

 

[Buffo]

Not silly at all. Yes, I have selected the digital output option under my soundcard settings. The card's definitely working because I can get analogue sound out of it.

 

[MikhailCompo]

Hi Matt - Did you ever manage to get this working?

I have an Audigy 2 ZS card which has the 4-pole digital mini jack port, which users can be forgiven in assuming that means you can connect the Digital I/O Module and get digital sound to your digital amp/receiver.

However, from reading the Creative forums, it appears that the feature is actually disabled in the drivers (unless you use CREATIVE digital speakers).

Creative have released the Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect Pack for X-Fi users recently, but are still working on the same pack for Audigy users (X-Fi and Audigy work very differently apparently).

When this is released, you will probably have to pay about $5-10 for it.

HOWEVER - In the mean time, i beleive that these 3rd party open source drivers (which were apparently written specifically to workaround Creative's deliberate hardware driver limitations) to enable digital features.

I will give them a go now.

Official kX Project Site -- News

Why should I use the kX driver and not the drivers that came with my soundcard? What are the advantages of the kX Audio driver? -
kX Project -- FAQ (Frequently asked questions)

 

[gav160]

hi i have the i/o module and it does work, as long as you have everything enabled that u shud.

 

[DavidT4]

Hi guys,

So if I've understood this correctly, the Audigy 2 ZS cannot pass through a Dolby Digital or DTS signal for an external amplifier to decode ?

I have a HP media centre PC with this card connected via the digital out on the card to an AV amplifier (I have just used an IXOS mini stereo jack to phono pair cable). I've hardly ever got 5.1 sound when I play DVD's

I'll watch this thread closely & and help would be much appreciated.


David

 

[MikhailCompo]

hi i have the i/o module and it does work, as long as you have everything enabled that u shud.

Do you mean the plug in module - not the Live Drive 5 1/4" bay?

as long as you have everything enabled that u shud.

Can you elaborate - exactly where do i find these options to enable and disable said features because there are a number of bundled Sound Blaster programs and many of the options are duplicated (i.e the Creative Audio Console and the THX Setup Console).

 

[MikhailCompo]

Hi guys,

So if I've understood this correctly, the Audigy 2 ZS cannot pass through a Dolby Digital or DTS signal for an external amplifier to decode ?

I have a HP media centre PC with this card connected via the digital out on the card to an AV amplifier (I have just used an IXOS mini stereo jack to phono pair cable). I've hardly ever got 5.1 sound when I play DVD's

I'll watch this thread closely & and help would be much appreciated.

David

Yes - that setup is the same as mine at the moment and it passes through dolby digital/DTS no problem - make sure you have the AC3 filter installed (AC3Filter | AC3Filter) and it is set to SPDIF output (i would recommend using Media Play Classic as it is very easy to change the options for each different filter (right click on the video in the window and select Filters).

 

[sultros]

Hey all,

Im new to the forum and found this post searching in google for some info and had something to add.

I use a SB Audigy 2 value in my HTPC and I use SPDIF passthrough to my external Sony Receiver. I get perfect 5.1 audio when watching OTA HD television. It did take some configuring in both Vista, MCE, and Creatives console to get the passthrough to work correctly.

I just purchased an Audigy 2 zs yesterday off of ebay and im curious wther the Digital I/O module will work with it. I want to connect using Toslink to free up the Coax input.

 

[Nom]

Hi guys,

So if I've understood this correctly, the Audigy 2 ZS cannot pass through a Dolby Digital or DTS signal for an external amplifier to decode ?

You've not understood it correctly

The Audigy 2 ZS can pass both Dolby Digital and DTS, via SPDIF, for decoding by an amplifier. This applies to almost every soundcard with an SPDIF output.
Obviously you need a DD or DTS track to pass - a DVD is a good place to find one.

I have a HP media centre PC with this card connected via the digital out on the card to an AV amplifier (I have just used an IXOS mini stereo jack to phono pair cable).

Something is wrong here - SPDIF is a single-link connection.
You need a cable that converts a mono jack to a single phono connector - which you then connect to the SPDIF CoAx in on your amp. Your cable may work, but only ONE of the two phono connectors will see the SPDIF signal.
Tell your DVD player to output through SPDIF, and not to decode anything, and tell your Soundcard to output through SPDIF, and voila !

 

[sim11]

Hey all,

Im new to the forum and found this post searching in google for some info and had something to add.

I use a SB Audigy 2 value in my HTPC and I use SPDIF passthrough to my external Sony Receiver. I get perfect 5.1 audio when watching OTA HD television. It did take some configuring in both Vista, MCE, and Creatives console to get the passthrough to work correctly.

I just purchased an Audigy 2 zs yesterday off of ebay and im curious wther the Digital I/O module will work with it. I want to connect using Toslink to free up the Coax input.

did it sound any better ( ha ha )

 

[Nom]

Hey all,

Im new to the forum and found this post searching in google for some info and had something to add.

I use a SB Audigy 2 value in my HTPC and I use SPDIF passthrough to my external Sony Receiver. I get perfect 5.1 audio when watching OTA HD television. It did take some configuring in both Vista, MCE, and Creatives console to get the passthrough to work correctly.

I just purchased an Audigy 2 zs yesterday off of ebay and im curious wther the Digital I/O module will work with it. I want to connect using Toslink to free up the Coax input.

Stick with what you already have, and just use a simple Coax to Optical convertor - like this Coaxial To Toslink Optical Converter - usb firewire scart av audio cables and accessories

 

[johnnyturk]

hi guys, sorry to be bumping an old thread but, where on earth can i get one of these from?

and at a decent price

the US creative site lists it at $15 and the only place i can find for UK is ebay and its near £30

and seen as im asking, i should see if it even does what i want it too

my plan is to connect this to my card (audigy 4, 7.1 creative speakers) and connect an optical audio to it form my xbox and have the xbox coming outta the speakers in surround sound?

 

[tommygunn]

Hi johnny this is a theory i toyed with a couple of years ago with the exact same sound card and it doesnt work!!! the soundcard will not convert the digital signal and output through your analog speakers. It will only output in stereo altough creatives cmss3d or whatever its called will upmix it over 5.1 speakers but you'll lose the dolby digital 5.1 effect, hence surround sound.

 

[johnnyturk]

so how can i do that with what i have, i currently use the speakers for my xbox by connecting them to the little audio thingy i have, it has a volume and bass dial, headphone port and one that lets me plug the xbox audio bit (vga cable) into it

how can i connect it up so it upmixes?

 

[Nom]

hi guys, sorry to be bumping an old thread but, where on earth can i get one of these from?

my plan is to connect this to my card (audigy 4, 7.1 creative speakers) and connect an optical audio to it form my xbox and have the xbox coming outta the speakers in surround sound?

It's not going to help you.

The only way to get Surround Sound from your XBox 360, is to have it output Dolby Digital.
You need a Dolby Digital Decoder, in order to convert this into Analogue Surround for your speakers.

The cheapest and easiest way to do this, is to simply buy yourself a cheap AV Receiver - there's a Denon at Richer Sounds for £130 right now DENON AVR1509-BLK at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc. - and it'll happily decode whatever you throw at it, for output by analogue speakers.

 

[tommygunn]

by using one of these...

3.5 mm STEREO Jack to 2 x RCA Phono Audio Adaptor GOLD on eBay (end time 02-Nov-09 18:57:23 GMT)

connect it to the red and white audio plugs from the xbox cable and plug it into the 'line in' socket on your sound card, you may also need a 3.5mm extension cable. No need for the i/o module for this.

This will play your xbox sound through computer speakers but not in 5.1 surround. Any more questions just ask

 

[tommygunn]

It's not going to help you.

The only way to get Surround Sound from your XBox 360, is to have it output Dolby Digital.
You need a Dolby Digital Decoder, in order to convert this into Analogue Surround for your speakers.

The cheapest and easiest way to do this, is to simply buy yourself a cheap AV Receiver - there's a Denon at Richer Sounds for £130 right now DENON AVR1509-BLK at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc. - and it'll happily decode whatever you throw at it, for output by analogue speakers.

Hey Nom buddy he was trying to use the dolby digital decoder built into his soundcard, it is possible with loads of soundcards unfortunately just not the one he has.

 

[sim11]

okay then so lets clear this up for you all , these creative sounds cards can do 5.1 through digital , dont go wasting your time buying one of the digital module add on things , as mentioned go get a 3.5m jack and pop the digital coax in that , then you have got to use some hacked drivers that creative are dismissing , i did it to mine a long while ago and i got full 5.1 through digital coax working on the creative audigy card , you are going to have to do some homework , google is your friend and its a very healthy topic , hope this helps.

 

[Nom]

okay then so lets clear this up for you all , these creative sounds cards can do 5.1 through digital , dont go wasting your time buying one of the digital module add on things

The Digital I/O Module has nothing to do with 5.1 audio - it simply gives you CoAx and Toslink IN and CoAx and Toslink OUT.

as mentioned go get a 3.5m jack and pop the digital coax in that , then you have got to use some hacked drivers that creative are dismissing , i did it to mine a long while ago and i got full 5.1 through digital coax working on the creative audigy card

Digital SPDIF is only a two-channel stream - there's no way to transmit 5.1 audio over the 2.0 connection, without first encoding it to either Dolby Digital or DTS.
To do the encoding, you need a Soundcard with either Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect - there's plenty out there, including the current Creative cards.
If you have an older Audigy, you'll need to buy the "Dolby Digital Live Pack - SB Audigy Series" for £5 from Creative Labs
If you have an older X-Fi, you'll need to buy the "Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect Pack" for £5 from Creative Labs

 

[tommygunn]

Sim, a 3.5mm jack can use two channels only as far as i'm aware unless you buy a specific one from creative i.e the digital i/o module. I have the drivers you are talking about from daniel k and even did the hardware hack covering two pins with a jumper and fooling the software to think it had the drive bay module attached and it still didnt work. The sound blaster audigy 4 will not decode an external 5.1 signal and resubmit it over its 3 analog ports in dolby digital sound. FACT!!!

Noms links will give you passthru to an external decoder but that wont help you or you'd just plug the xbox straight into the external amp.

mate at the end of the day just buy this...Speedlink 7.1 PCI Audio Card (inc optical cable) - Ebuyer

then come back to here and i'll talk you through ac3 filter and setting it up.

 

[sim11]

clearly you all have more knowledge on this topic then myself , my card is only the cheapest audigy sb 7.1 card. when playing a movie in km player , ac3 clearly states that i am gettig full 5.1. .. i dont have a clue about how it may be achieving this other then what i have posted, may be i have been on of the lucky few who have managed to get it working. just on the topic of the speedlink card , will that do something that mine wont ?

 

[Nom]

clearly you all have more knowledge on this topic then myself , my card is only the cheapest audigy sb 7.1 card. when playing a movie in km player , ac3 clearly states that i am gettig full 5.1...

I'm assuming your have your PC connected to an AV Receiver, via SPDIF, and the AV Receiver is showing DD or DTS on it's screen ?

If the above is true, it simply means your movie file already contains a Dolby Digital or DTS stream - your card is simply passing it along to the amp for Decoding, and all is well. Any SPDIF output can cope with this

The problem comes when you want a Dolby Digital or DTS stream, from something that doesn't contain one ... like a game. In this case, you need an Encoder, to Encode the game's 5.1 audio into DD or DTS, in realtime, in order that you can pass the signal down the SPDIF for decoding by your AV Receiver. Without the Encoder, you're limited to 2.0 audio over SPDIF. This technology is called Dolby Digital Live and/or DTS Connect - without it, you can only get SPDIF 5.1 from pre-encoded sources (ie, Movies).

 

[tommygunn]

Put perfectly Nom!!

Yes that card comes with built in Dolby Digital Live mate.

 

[johnnyturk]

so lemme get this straight

that 7.1 card linked above/below whatever (these forums confuse me sometimes!) will work with my speakers (i see no reason for them not too) and will allow me to connect an optical audio cable to it and get the xbox/ps3 coming through it

if thats the case, i hear some ps3 games/blu ray films have 7.1 support, will this card allow that too?
(ok i just read that optical only does 5.1, fair enough, but on a ps3, can i use hdmi AND the optical audio at the same time? as its my only choice for gd sound, i also dont see how you would get 7.1 audio out of a hdmi when it connects to a tv? lol)

i also see 2 optical audio slots in the card, are they both the same or different to each other?

and finally, is that card a good one =P

if so i'll get it and come bac for aid setting up ac3 as its annoying as hell