5.1 problem

[Oblivion181]

Hi everybody

I just installed a 5.1 digital surround sound system with a spdif connector which has been sitting around the house for a while, when I set it up i went into the control panel sound settings and set the speaker settings to 5.1 surround and then went into the soundmax control panel and that had 5.1 selected but it was trying to find the jack connections for the front, rear, centre and sub which i had not plunged in coz the amp only has a spdif connector. but i try some stuff out. when using powerdvd i got full surround which was cool, but when i booted up a game I got only normal stereo no of the other speakers were giving out sound, so i have been searching the help section in the soundmax and that said that the spdif controls were under the general tab so i looked there and the only option was disable digital and swap centre/sub. so i look on the net and found that soundmax does not have rights to Dolby digital and that i need the and EAX to use surround with games and music through a spdif connector (it seamed a bit daft to me to have the connection on the mother board if they have not got the licence to fully use it but hey,) so i found that the cheapest option for me was to buy a sound card, and what i would like to know is is the information that i have picked up correct and will getting a Auzentech X-Tension sound card fix my problem.

if some one can reply to give me an answer i will be very appreciative.

 

[gamerk316]

Here's the issue: By default, SPDIF can only carry 2.0 sound. To get 5.1 using SPDIF, a dolby/dts signal must be passed through.

The easiest method to get 5.1 is to use a sound card that supports Dolby Digital Live, which encodes all audio to a 5.1 Dolby signal, which is then passed to you're sound system. The downside is you need a reciever/speaker system that can decode the signal again prior to sending it to the speakers themselves.
(Note: DDL does not upmix a 2.0 signal, it only encodes it as a 5.1 stream with the remaining channels carring no data. Dolby Pro Logic IIx can be used with DDL to upmix and tramsit a 2.0 signal to 5.1)

In this case, the card you brought DOES support DDL, so provided your sound system can decode a dolby signal, you should be good to go.

Also EAX is only a specilized API for advanced audio effects, and is not required for 5.1/7.1 audio.

 

[Oblivion181]

ok thanks for your help, i have an amp which is a Desktop theater 5.1 DTT2500 digital which seams to have dolby digital and it sould be ok because powerdvd work with the spdif enabled

again thanks for the quick reply

 

[Oblivion181]

i have just been looking at the card i specified above at scan.co.uk and i got the imprestion that this was only an extention of an existing sound card could some one please check this for me as i am not sure thanks

this is the web link http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Auzentech-X-Tension-DIN-Sound-Card-Midi-In-Out-Mic-plus-Many-I-O