sound blaster live value and I/O optical add-on

[mazyar]

I have a sound blaster live value, and was thinking of adding an optical I/O add-on card (either sound blaster's or Hoontech's.)

The reason, I want to have a 5.1 DD/DTS home theater system. I am gonna get a DD/DTS reciver to handle the decoding.

My question is does the reciever that is DD/DTS enabled need anything else than optical/SPDIF/coaxial from my live value add-on card? Is there any other type of decoding that needs to be done on the card itself before it gets passed down to the reciver through the optical for a DD/DTS experience?
Lastly, does each optical out only carry info for two speakers, or do I just need one optical out from sound card to the reciver for all the functionality (I know, I know, a very newbie question

Also, what are your thoughts on the Hoontech SB I/O III card?

Thanks alot.

 

[arsend]

To anwser you first question, you only need one digital connection to get the Digital experience and the I/O card should send all signals to the recever, bypassing the Sound card all together. I have looked in to the Hoontech add on and besides being much cheaper that the one form Creative, it has won several good reviews. I would like to have it but it is not in the budget at this time. I currnetly use the AIW Radeon for DVD digital output and it works very well into my Teac AG-D9320 Dolby Digital DTS receiver and I would highly recommend both. you can buy the Receiver at http://electronicsemall.com/teacagsteran.html for only $349 and the AIW Radeon at http://www.invado.com/products/components_detail.jsp?partNumber=VC222 for $200.

If it works for you then don't fix it.