5.1 and S/PDIF

**dj_stick** · Dec 22, 2004, 02:45 PM

check its docs, it might not be

siriuz · Dec 22, 2004, 07:33 PM

where in the docs does it say that it can do ac3 encoding in realtime for sources other than movies ? i've juz gone through the docs, maybe i missed it

siriuz · Dec 22, 2004, 07:38 PM

i found a thread on ac3filter's forums about this, but no solution
http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.p...orum_id=223837

edit:

another one here
http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.p...orum_id=223837

**dj_stick** · Dec 22, 2004, 08:31 PM

i personally don't use the software so i can't really help you

**dj_stick** · Jan 4, 2005, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavoNogo

with regards to the digital out jack on the audigy, what it does is send out 3 ANALOG channels for ANALOG sources ie. games and music, and it will output digital ONLY if the source is AC3. so basically it saves having to plug in 4 cables, but remember, analog will still be analog using that cable...

not exactly true, on Live 5.1 and Audigy 1 cards (the a2 cards it is dedicated)
it is dual purpose. it is the sub/center analog port or the 6ch spdif jack. The drivers have an option which allows you to switch between modes -> DOO (Digital Output Only)

nauticus · Jan 8, 2005, 05:14 PM

Whats the advantage to using SPDIF out over the Analog outs? Don't the speakers just conbert to SPDIF's signal into analog so the speakers can play it?

**dj_stick** · Jan 8, 2005, 07:01 PM

the higher the quality of the converter, the better wuality the sound, and the less interferece that gets to the analog signal the better. So using digital connection you get rid of the noise induced over wires, and you also, in most cases, get a better digital to analog converter i nthe speakers

nauticus · Jan 9, 2005, 02:04 PM

AH. I don't have 5.1 speakers, but I plan on getting some.

So, in a 5.1 setup, would I plug in both the 3 analog cables and the S/PDIF out cable to the speakers and soundcard, and when, say I play a game that encodes the sound into the DolbyDigital format, I would select "Digital Output Only," otherwise it will play out of the analog outs, or is it just handled automatically?

**dj_stick** · Jan 9, 2005, 04:19 PM

you need to select digital output only, and swap the sub/centre cable with the digital cable in the mulit port

siriuz · Jan 11, 2005, 03:11 AM

think this will probably solve all the problems ?

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=20448

Socio · Feb 5, 2005, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siriuz

isn't ac-3 filter for movies only ?

No I have used it with Avi, dvix, MP3, MPG, CD, wav, wmv, even WMVHD and it encodes it all just fine with very litte CPU overhead. Now you might not want to play online with it enabled but I do not see any major problem using it in single player. We just have to figure out how to get game audio to pass through it, I am just not sure if it has to be done at the audio card driver level or a per game hack of some sort, perhaps a AC3 wraper for games.

sam240 · Mar 1, 2005, 07:13 AM

Hi...i'm newbie...still dont know about SPIF and digital output...

If I got one Audigy2 Platinium Pro, which got one external Hub I/O and remote control.
so...what's the purpose for the remote control? can remote the movie that I play from DVD-Rom?
What player (software) that can support for this remote control? Can Windows Media Player and Media Player Classic work with this remote control?

If I want to get Digital Output, is that ONLY if I got Digital 5.1 Speaker? Is this 24bit?
If I just use analog speaker, and connect normally cable from Audigy2 ---> 5.1 Speaker, then cannot get the true 24bit sound????

I hope got someone can help on me.....Thanks

chriss_013 · Mar 8, 2005, 09:38 AM

ac3 filter is for DECODING only

is just a sofware decoder who can decode Dolby Digital and DTS. Also most software DVD players have some kind of decoders.

To encode a sound in AC3 format...well...this is totaly different question. And ac3 filter CAN'T do that for sure.

There are a lot of software DOLBY (AC3) Encoders...but they are pretty expensive. Two encoders I worked with :
1. Minnetonka SurCode for Dolby Digital, a plug-in for Adobe Premiere ( and I think is a standalone version too);
2. and also Adobe Encore DVD has its own Dolby Digital encoder to transcode soundtraks for DVD's in Dolby Digital format.

I have some documents about Dolby and AC3 format...but unfortunatelly I cant upload it there...

Lowfat · Mar 9, 2005, 09:50 PM

FIY the Fatal1ty mobo's encode dolby digital also now. If it wasn't for the $300 CAD price i'd buy one.

**dj_stick** · Mar 10, 2005, 01:19 AM

i think all azalia capable m/bs support it aswell

Lowfat · Mar 10, 2005, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

i think all azalia capable m/bs support it aswell

however i dont think there are any AMD boards with this codecs.

karlmueller · Sep 8, 2005, 04:43 AM

I am going to buy an Audigy 2 Value and I have a Digital Home Theater Amplifyer wich has an Digital Optical and an Digital Coacial Input. There are also several analogue Stereo (Chinch) Inputs at the back of the Amplifyer but there is no analogue 5.1 input.

So when I connect the Audigy 2 Value to my amplifyer using the Coaxial Digital Input I will definitively have 5.1 Sound with DD or DTS DVDs cause my Ampiflyer is able to decode this.

But what is with Games with 5.1 EAX Support? Will it be enough to change the Coaxial Output settings for the Audigy from "Digital Output only" to "Digital and Analogue Output" will I be unable to play any games in 5.1 cause of the missing 5.1 analogue Input at the ampifyer?

Thank You

**dj_stick** · Sep 8, 2005, 05:05 AM

pretty much

only pre-recorded DD or DTS content will play back in surround via digital
otherwise any other sound signal will be stereo

karlmueller · Sep 8, 2005, 05:42 AM

But what is if I change the Settings so that Analoge and Digital Output will happen through the Coaxial Digital Output? Will this work or is a real analogue connection with 3 analogue cables from the Audigy to the Amplifyer required to get 5.1 in games?

Thank You

Lowfat · Sep 8, 2005, 11:17 AM

still not going to happen. In order to use a Home theatre through SPDIF is have a soundcard that encodes DD on the fly (i.e. nForce2 Soundstorm, HDA Mystique)

EDIT: I mean with sound that is not already compressed digitally in somesort. i.e. games,music.

eXecu7or · Sep 22, 2005, 09:29 AM

You should look for soundcards advertising "Dolby Digital Live". There is Mystique and Montego from Turtle Beach. All are using the CMI8768+ chipest which does DD encoding on the fly (however, from the specs, it appears it is software encoding, at least in part...)

Devil May Cry · Nov 11, 2005, 08:30 AM

hi please some one help me...

i got sblive (sb0220) ..and Creative gd580 ...i connected to digital out coaxiel.
so in while watchin' DVD films...dolby digital light turn on/off ..
changes light between stereo and dolby digital...with creative official driver..

but with KX3538i never sounds...

is there some way to watch dvd with my receiver in dolby digital?

thanX 4 your help....

**dj_stick** · Nov 11, 2005, 09:02 AM

wrong forum, but kX has no dobly digital passthrough support for 10kX (live!) cards sorry

g4bb3 · Nov 25, 2005, 07:48 AM

Yup im using a 65 foot optical cable from my soundstorm to my dts receiver, pure ownage.
Perfect for movies. nforce3 & 4 lost all its appeal to me when they brought in crap like firewall and other thing like that instead and took the proper soundchip out.
I have i SB ZS just for games with a proper Koss headphone.
On time when my wife was away some weeks I have once hooked the computer up in the middle of the livingroom to experince games with soundstorm 5.1 on the receiver out to the big stuff and hell man, so intense in FPS game u get disoriented when you turn it off.
Im more used the localizing sound in games by stereoheadphones by turning the fps caracter in ways.

ehfr · Jan 29, 2006, 10:26 PM

Hey guys, I finally got a surround AV receiver and am seriously bummed out about what I'm reading on SDIF connection to the receivers. Sounds like there's no way for me to game on the "big dogs" (my home theater speakers) in surround with this vid card? I heard you could solder directly into a couple prongs on the audigy 2 ZS but am wondering if that will actually let me get true digital 5.1 or will I just be frying my audio card (maybe not such a bad thing since I'd have to get a newer one with real digital out instead of this nasty proprietary creative stuff that can't be decoded by my receiver?)

Thanks for any tips.

On the upside...UT 2004 sounds INSANE on the surroundsound...the base on the tank's gun is just awesome...even in stereo.

Lowfat · Jan 30, 2006, 02:57 AM

with your current soundcard there is no way, sorry.

ehfr · Jan 30, 2006, 03:03 AM

is there anything you'd recommend for a reasonable price right now?