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Evshrug's "If I knew then what I know now" discussion journal.
Mar 22, 2014 at 1:38 PM Post #106 of 439
michaeljames99 said:
  I am a little confused.  Since I am using this only for movies, I see the following products that look interesting:
 
http://www.soundblaster.com/products/Sound-Blaster-X-Fi-HD.aspx
 
http://www.soundblaster.com/gaming/soundcards.aspx#xfi
 
http://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-recon3d
 
 
Which would be the right fit for me?
Click to expand...

 
I have no experience with the X-Fi or X-Fi HD, so I cannot speak to either product. I'll defer this to Evshrug when he's around.
 
Mar 22, 2014 at 3:12 PM Post #107 of 439
If the X-fi will do optical-in, it should work the same as the Recond3D except it uses CMSS-3D instead of THX to process the virtual surround.
 
Don't get hung up on the details of these for watching movies; perfect positional accuracy is much less important than in games.  Just find the cheapest one that works for what you need to do.
 
Mar 22, 2014 at 7:41 PM Post #108 of 439
michaeljames99 said:
Evshrug, can the Recon3D be powered without using the USB?  I thinking about using this but I won't always have a USB to plug it into.  I don;t do any gaming right now.  Its all for watching movies from DirectTv.  I am going to use it in multiple rooms.

Also, can you use any USB to power it?  For example, my DirectTV receiver has a USB on the back.  So do some of the TV's I have.
Click to expand...

Any kind of USB power will work. I have sometimes had mine hooked up to a battery pack with USB, meant for charging phones while on the go.


stillhart said:
If the X-fi will do optical-in, it should work the same as the Recond3D except it uses CMSS-3D instead of THX to process the virtual surround.

Don't get hung up on the details of these for watching movies; perfect positional accuracy is much less important than in games.  Just find the cheapest one that works for what you need to do.
Click to expand...

The only problem is Michael James needs an optical input that can decode a surround signal. Those PC soundcards MJ listed cannot do that... I researched it a lot, but there is a licensing issue where Dolby won't let PC inputs process surround. It's an anti-piracy measure, I think. The Recon3D USB is special because it's the only in-production PC soundcard that can ALSO process Dolby surround input (DDL), and I think that's because the PC connection and Optical connection are kept completely separate (you have to actually flip a switch between PC and Playstation/Xbox mode). I don't think it's likely we'll see as versatile a unit as the Recon3D USB for a while after it gets discontinued :frowning2:
 
Mar 22, 2014 at 8:03 PM Post #109 of 439
stillhart said:
If the X-fi will do optical-in, it should work the same as the Recond3D except it uses CMSS-3D instead of THX to process the virtual surround.

Don't get hung up on the details of these for watching movies; perfect positional accuracy is much less important than in games.  Just find the cheapest one that works for what you need to do.
Click to expand...

You would think...but the X-Fi's S/PDIF input CANNOT DECODE Dolby Digital or DTS (barring the original XtremeMusic/Platinum/Fatal1ty FPS/Elite Pro PCI card lineup with the Decoder tab). Feeding one of those signals into most sound cards results in silence.

The Recon3D USB's S/PDIF input is not a recording input in PC usage, either. I suspect that Dolby and DTS don't want people recording their encoded audio tracks.

But for movies, you don't really need a sound card to begin with. Both PowerDVD and WinDVD have software Dolby Headphone mixers that work with any audio device; the foobar2000 DH plugin just uses the same DolbyHph.dll they do.
 
Mar 22, 2014 at 8:13 PM Post #110 of 439
namelesspfg said:
You would think...but the X-Fi's S/PDIF input CANNOT DECODE Dolby Digital or DTS (barring the original XtremeMusic/Platinum/Fatal1ty FPS/Elite Pro PCI card lineup with the Decoder tab). Feeding one of those signals into most sound cards results in silence.

The Recon3D USB's S/PDIF input is not a recording input in PC usage, either. I suspect that Dolby and DTS don't want people recording their encoded audio tracks.

But for movies, you don't really need a sound card to begin with. Both PowerDVD and WinDVD have software Dolby Headphone mixers that work with any audio device; the foobar2000 DH plugin just uses the same DolbyHph.dll they do.
Click to expand...

 
Man, I better take good care of my Recons.  I supect they'll have decent resale value if they're one of few devices that can do what they do.
 
But like you said, you don't even necessarily need one from the PC.  I wonder if there's an XBMC plugin for DH...
 
Mar 22, 2014 at 10:19 PM Post #111 of 439
All,
I am not using a PC in my configuration.  If I did, I could use Razor or some of the others.  What I am doing is going from a Direct TV Genie box into a surround processor, out to a headphone amplifier and then out to my headphones.
 
I watch 90% of my movies from Direct TV,  I plan on getting a PS4 here this summer.  Then I will watch my Blu Rays thru it.
 
Mar 22, 2014 at 11:14 PM Post #112 of 439
michaeljames99 said:
  All,
I am not using a PC in my configuration.  If I did, I could use Razor or some of the others.  What I am doing is going from a Direct TV Genie box into a surround processor, out to a headphone amplifier and then out to my headphones.
 
I watch 90% of my movies from Direct TV,  I plan on getting a PS4 here this summer.  Then I will watch my Blu Rays thru it.
Click to expand...

Well based on what the experts have been saying, assuming your DTV box can output Dolby surround over optical, the Recon3D USB might be your only choice.  I'm sure they'll pipe in to correct me again if I'm wrong.  (To be clear, I'm all for being educated!)
 
Mar 23, 2014 at 1:10 AM Post #113 of 439
stillhart said:
Man, I better take good care of my Recons.  I supect they'll have decent resale value if they're one of few devices that can do what they do.
 
But like you said, you don't even necessarily need one from the PC.  I wonder if there's an XBMC plugin for DH...
Click to expand...

 
For the record, the PCIe Recon3D sound cards can't do it either.
 
You have to realize that the Recon3D USB is more of an Astro Mixamp or Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS-style device meant for console gaming, except it's also one with PC drivers that makes it a better fit than those two as a USB audio device for PC gaming, sort of a bridge between two worlds, so to speak.
 
My solution was simply to have separate devices for PC gaming and console gaming, but that may not work out for everyone.
 
Mar 23, 2014 at 9:59 AM Post #114 of 439
michaeljames99 said:
All,
I am not using a PC in my configuration.  If I did, I could use Razor or some of the others.  What I am doing is going from a Direct TV Genie box into a surround processor, out to a headphone amplifier and then out to my headphones.

I watch 90% of my movies from Direct TV,  I plan on getting a PS4 here this summer.  Then I will watch my Blu Rays thru it.
Click to expand...

Already gave my recommendation, a few times. Thanks for not continuing to PM me about it.
 
Mar 23, 2014 at 10:21 AM Post #115 of 439
Thanks everyone.   I hope this works.. The Genie box is Coaxial Digital output only....  So I purchased a Coax Digital to Toslink converter and the REcon 3D off Amazon.  I assume there are no hardware differences between old REcon3D and new REcon3d's...Just firmware that needs upgraded.  I also assume this converter will work.
 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002J2MV4/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FKT70O/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item
 
Mar 25, 2014 at 9:01 PM Post #116 of 439
So I got the Recon3D today:
The right and left channels are reversed?  At least on the test movie thru the control panel.  Have not got to listen to a source yet.
The volume control doesn't work on the control panel.
 
Any ideas here?
 
Mar 25, 2014 at 9:38 PM Post #117 of 439
I figured out part of this, my right and left were reversed going into my amp.
The volume control still does not work.
 
Also, question... if I make changes thru the PC interface..for example moving up the Surround levels, or increasing the bass level etc..does it write the changes directly to the Recon3D?  Or does it save it to the PC only?  I plan on using this without the PC using a cell phone adapter plug to USB to power it.  I hope the changes are saved to the unit itself
 
Mar 25, 2014 at 11:03 PM Post #118 of 439
The THX panel settings are "saved" for non-PC mode when you go to the advanced tab and "export" them to the device. I don't think the equalizer settings can be saved for non-PC use, however.

Volume works for me when I press the + and - buttons on the Recon3D USB.
 
Mar 25, 2014 at 11:11 PM Post #119 of 439
evshrug said:
The THX panel settings are "saved" for non-PC mode when you go to the advanced tab and "export" them to the device. I don't think the equalizer settings can be saved for non-PC use, however.
Click to expand...

 
Really?  You mean I've been playing at 60% surround this whole time?  Man, I wonder how it's going to sound cranked up to 100% (and then saved)!
 
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