Home Theatre Surround to PC

Hello all you audio gurus, I would highly appreciate some feedback on my issue.

First off, I'm not that technical when it comes to computers but I did build my own PC this past July from the ground up if that accounts for anything. Here are my Specs:

Biostar T5XE CFX-SLI
i5 750
4GB DDR3
EVGA GTX460 SC
OCZ Vertex 2E 64GB SSD
OCZ modxstream 700w
Win 7 64bit
I use a dual monitor setup (23" monitor and 37" HDTV)


The motherboard has built-in 7.1 surround using (Realtek ALC888 8+2 Channel HD Audio) and has 6 audio ports in the rear. http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/t [...] p?S_ID=445

I'd like to try to use my Samsung 5.1 Home Theatre system but the receiver only has HDMI, Component, Composite, Optical and RCA outputs.

I researched online and found a S/PDIF bracket on ebay http://cgi.ebay.ph/Gigabyte-CB-12C [...] 0424171141 that uses a 3-pin in connector and has an optical out connector but also read online that someone with a similar Biostar board bought a similar bracket online and the 3pin connector didn't match up to the one on the board. How do I know if this will fit my mobo?

Also regarding S/PDIF in, I read on TOMS that "Because SPdif can only carry 2.0, and encoded (compressed) 5.1 via Dolby Digital/DTS. Uncompressed 5.1 signals are too large for Spdif to carry. Unless you are passing in a dolby/DTS signal, all you will get is 2.0, unless you use a soundcard to upmix to 5.1." Would my Samsung 5.1 qualify as passing in a dolby/DTS signal or would it still be a 2.0?

My other idea is to try to run everything through my video card as it has 2 DVI outputs and 1 HDMi output. If I used the HDMI out to the receiver, and then got a DVI to HDMI adapter to go from the video card to the HDTV and finally the other DVI to the monitor, would I be able to get 7.1 surround on both the monitor and the HDTV?

Because of my receiver outputs do I have a solution in my case, or would the only way to get surround be to get a surround system built for a pc.

Thanks so much for your input.

Your best bet would be to try and run an HDMI cable to your reciever from your GPU, which should give you the surround sound you are looking for. However, I'm only familar with ATI's audio out options, so hopefully someone else can chime in here.

Another option would be to just buy a dedicated sound card. I have a X-Fi Titanium rigged to my Sony 5.1 reciever via optical cable and it works excellently.

My video card should be able to transfer audio through the HDMI. I pulled this from a review: "The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 features enhanced audio support over HDMI, this includes bitstreaming support for both Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio over HDMI" http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1364/2/

I just tried plugging it in after updating the nVidia drivers and restarted the computer but for some reason I can't get my receiver to recognize in my Windows sound settings. Is that where I'm suppose to go, or because I'm routing it through the video card do I go somewhere to set up the sound?

I'm running sound from my PC (have a Soundblaster X-Fi card) into my receiver via the HDMI connector on my ASUS 5870. I get sound fine, however when I go into the Soundblaster Audio Control panel to adjust settings on the equalizer etc, there doesn't seem to be any change in the sound that I hear. Its almost as if the sound card is being bypassed? I have the motherboard onboard audio turned off in the BIOS. Is there a way that I can control the sound card properties? Running Windows 7.

How do I get control over using the sound card? I tried using a 3.5mm to RCA adapter that I plugged into the back of the sound card Digital Out port and connected to the receiver via RCA cables, I also tried selecting the SPDIF Playback Device in the sound properties, however still no sound. I tried both Auxillary ports on the receiver.

What do I need to do here?

does the samsung reciever have no HDMI input???