Need 'Sound' advice

Bill

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I intend using mp Pc as a HCPC to my projector---

I have everything sorted except my sound. Currently I have a 5.1 sound card (Creative labs) from my last computer which has never been used, I also think the Mother board has 7.1 capabilities built in.... but would need to look at this further.

The problem ---- I am running a 6.1 system in a small dedicated room for the projector from a Marantz 5200 - The current DVD player that I was using used an optical out - to get the signal to the receiver.

Question - Whats the best way to get a signal to a receiver from a computer? I dont think I need a decoder of any sort, just a full optical or digi out.

Is the only way to buy say an:

Sound Blaster® Audigy™ 2 NX

£84.26 ex VAT £99.01 inc VAT

http://uk.europe.creative.com/estore/product.asp?prod=517


Seems an expensive way, just to get an output!!

But if it is the only way, which card to people recommend?

Thanks, for the help Bill:D
 
Duplicate posts not the greatest idea........ politlely ask Kramer to close one of them for you....... if he hasn't done it already....;)

No need to change the soundcard, provided it passes SPDIF to your marantz...... you just use a 3.5 to RCA socket adaptor (Maplins, about £1...) plug it into the appropriate socket on the soundcard (it doubles as SPDIF and Centre and subwoofer, iirc..) and use an RCA to RCA interconnect to feed the digital signal to the receiver. The receiver will do the necessary processing to get the sound out as normal. In the AudioHq software for the soundblaster, make sure you UN-select "AC3 decoding" and select SPDIF out..... can't remember the exact wordings used in the menus..... and in the software you use for playing DVDs (Powerdvd or similar) go into the Audio menu and select SPDIF out. Then you should be fine.

I've had issues with a Soundblaster 5.1 Live Digital... torrid torrid times... but other use them with no problems so you should be grand.

BTW, have you checked the mobo specs...... does it do SPDIF
itself ?? saves other messing arond......

all the best,

Sean G.
 
My apologies for the double post; Kramer if your out there can you delete the one in the HCPC section as it doesnt have any replies; sorry for any inconvenience caused.:blush:

Sean: I'm at work at the moment so unable to check the mother board until later. I take it if the Motherboard does have this, that there is some sort of 'backplate connection and lead' I can buy to create an output connection at the back of the PC?

From PC world? or Maplins maybe?

Thanks for the info on the connection is there such a thing as a decent 'hi-fi' types of these leads, or is one from maplins going to be ok?

Just one other question, if you dont mind - will a passthough send the full signal to the amp - to allow for 6.1?

Many thanks for the reply, you have been very helpfull in the past. It was on your sound advice that put me down the ae-100 route, and my small dedicated room is nearly complete. Just need a really long VGA cable - and the sound issue sorted.

Makes you sound geeky to be very proud of a room; but its definitely getting there and will hopefully be able to post some pics later next week.

Bill:)
 
Bill,

No problemo..............

The signal passed by SPDIF is processed by the receiver...... the receiver is the bit of the gubbins that turns it into stereo, dolby Prologic, DD 5.1, DTS, DD ex etc etc... there isn't "extra flavours" of digital signal from your Pc needed at all.

As for the Motherboard, I believe that there's an extra bit for the MSI KT3 mobo which has an SPDIF socket on it and connects to the KT3 mobo.... I assume that there are others similarly setup, but if it does SPDIF out I might expect to find an orange coloured RCA socket somewhere amongst the connections on the back - alternatively it could be using one of the 3.5mm audio sockets doubling as SPDIF...... you really need to check the Model number and have a look online or have a gander at the mobo manual. One way or another this is very straight forward stuff...... get SPDIF out of the computer by soundcard or onboard, hook it up to your reciever using a standard RCA to RCA digital interconnect and away you go.

As for the "geeky" stuff being proud of your movie room....... Pfffft ! Welcome to the land of Geeks.................. I still love my room, and the picture my AE100 throws. Used virtually every day, PS2 earlier tonight with little one (8, a demon at SSX Tricky3 !!) , movies or music dvds everyother night...... nothing like it.


BTW, it's the 17th !! Without enquiring which foot you kick with, so to speak, might I wish you "top o'the mornin !!".....:D

All the best,

Sean
 
Will check it out tomorrow, and probably get the required bits of Friday, when these night shifts are over.

To be honest I didnt expect to get any replies so late, or have you started St. Paddy celebrations already?

Bill
 
Bill,

To be honest I didnt expect to get any replies so late, or have you started St. Paddy celebrations already?

Nope......................... just a night owl.........


All the best,


Sean
 
An top of the morning to ya as well, even though I do kick with the other foot. I still drink my fill every year of green beer and the like. Any excuse for a **** up really.

Bill
 
Aaaah...... great stuff......


Come back when you've got the sound issue sorted.


Sean.
 
If you motherboard doesn't have optical/coax out onboard, then something like the Trust card should do you just fine.

The 514DX 5.1 Sound Expert Optical £29.37 inc VAT will give you every connector you're likely to need, but takes up two PCI slots. The card also comes with an optical lead.

If coax is fine, then the 511 5.1 Sound Expert Digital Surround £18.80 inc VAT would be a better bet as it's a bit cheaper and only takes up one PCI slot.

I've got the 514DX card in a machine hooked up to my 1803 and it works a treat. DVDs play in the correct DD or DTS format, and games sound great :)
 
I had the Trust 511 and it was working perfectly feeding PCM, DD and DTS to my Denon amp via co-ax S/PDIF - I've since upgraded to an old RME card to try and improve the 2-channel audio quality, with some success....

Simon
 
Thanks K.......................


Sean
 
I couldnt find the instructions for the motherboard but I did find the box. The MB is an ASUS a7n8x-x, an dit does say it uses an onboard 'Realte alc60 audio codec' for 6 channel audio - so I assume that this MB is capable of the output I need. Just need to do some research for an online manual, I guess.

Unless somone here has experience with this MB

Bill
 
Bill,

If this link is the motherboard you have then it doesn't have SPDIF out... it's capable of doing sound processing onboard, but this is not useful for you.... you could take the outputs from the motherboard and connect them to a power amplifier (or the 5.1 inputs if your Marantz has them) but then you'd be denied 6.1 for your setup, and you'd be denied the Marantz sound processing capability.

The straightforward way here is to use a soundcard that supports spdif out, as we've discussed already - don't forget to disable the sound on the motherboard in the bios.

All the best,

Sean.
 
Not to sound stupid, but what does s/p dif stand for anyway?

I guess I'll be using the SB live 5.1 then as you suggested earlier. Then if that doesnt work I'll try some of the other alternatives.


Thanks again,

Bill
 
Bursar - if my existing stuff doesnt work i'll give your option a shot :

514DX 5.1 Sound Expert Optical £29.37 inc VAT

Definitely seems to have everytjhing I require including the optical out.

Bill
 
Bill,

Sony Philips Digital InterFace, or something very similar...................


Sean.
 
For the price, the card is great. The inclusion of the optical lead is a double bonus :)
 

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