Auzentech X-Fi Home Theater HD 7.1 Soundcard review
Dec 23, 2009 at 5:21 PM Post #2 of 7
Quote:

Originally Posted by soulrider4ever /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Auzentech X-Fi Home Theater HD 7.1 Soundcard review

As always a great review by ROBSCIX, thanks!

Was curious - this offers nonsampled output for bluray titles from the analog breakout cable? Also - in terms of soundquality, how does this stand against the Xonar D2X ?


Thanks for the kind words.
Yes, you do not need to use an HDMI receiver althoguh many peopel will considering the market it is aimed at. With this card you can use it like any other card and have full support for Blu Ray high definition audio with no down sampling provided your using Vista etc.. With XP you will get downsampling.
 
Dec 25, 2009 at 3:38 AM Post #3 of 7
Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBSCIX /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks for the kind words.
Yes, you do not need to use an HDMI receiver althoguh many peopel will considering the market it is aimed at. With this card you can use it like any other card and have full support for Blu Ray high definition audio with no down sampling provided your using Vista etc.. With XP you will get downsampling.


Great review as always, ROBSCIX. I was afraid you had given up on doing one on the HomeTheater.

I have a couple of Blu-ray questions based on the review. Are you saying that you can get non-downsampled Blu-ray audio without routing the HDMI connection through the HomeTheater to the display? I thought the protected audio path required such a connection?

Can you say any more about PowerDVD 9 upsampling to 24/192? I did not understand what was going on.

Thanks.
 
Dec 25, 2009 at 5:27 AM Post #4 of 7
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lavcat /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Great review as always, ROBSCIX. I was afraid you had given up on doing one on the HomeTheater.

I have a couple of Blu-ray questions based on the review. Are you saying that you can get non-downsampled Blu-ray audio without routing the HDMI connection through the HomeTheater to the display? I thought the protected audio path required such a connection?

Can you say any more about PowerDVD 9 upsampling to 24/192? I did not understand what was going on.

Thanks.


Thanks for the kind words.
I have actually had that card for quite some time and have been testing it and auditioning it behind the scenes.
I was waiting for a certain model of receiver to come through but I ran out of time and had to do the review with the gear I had on hand.

As for the routing of the video, I though the same, That the PAP did require such a connection. I tested in both configuration with the video signal running through the card to the display and without and the audio worked fine with either routing.
I was quite surprised, but Auzentech confirmed the card works with either connection method.
When testing blu rays, PDVD9 would down sample when used in XP. No way around it no PAP so no high resolution. However, when tested in Vista PDVD9would upsample Dolby TrueHD to 24/192 which is the highest resolution for that standard. Similar output was shown for DTS-HDMA. I am going to be doing more testing but based on information I am sure this is tied to PDVD9 and not the card itself.
 
Dec 25, 2009 at 6:35 AM Post #5 of 7
I've had the HomeTheater since it first came out, and I have PowerDVD 9. I have a copy of Windows 7, but I am still running on XP. I'm waiting to get a new hard drive before I install Windows 7, and it may be a while, due in part to a certain headphone purchase. (Let's see, new hard drive or new headphones, hmm?)

I wish I knew about the high definition audio working without a full HDMI connection, as it might have saved me a cable. But I can report there is no loss in image quality (that I can detect) by routing the video through the HomeTheater. I was quite pleased and relieved to see that.

Are you sure the 24/192 is not a display error in PowerDVD? I find it hard to believe that PowerDVD could be decoding TrueHD or DTS, upsampling, and re-encoding in real time.

When you find out more please let us know.
 
Dec 25, 2009 at 7:02 AM Post #6 of 7
You might be right, it may be a display error. However, it was confirmed with others.
I tested various configuration and setting to see if I could get it to change.
It wouldn't be re-encoding it as it would just be sending it over over analog.
I tested the card with runnign the video through the card and there was no loss of quality I could notice and there is no mention of the card processing or adding anything to the video that might be seens as a downgrade.
I will let you know what else I find out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top