[Zowbombs]

Can the X-Fi (any model) act as a digital transport for 5.1 or 7.1? I'd like to connect a soundcard to a 5.1 or 7.1 digital receiver (Panny SA-XR57 etc) for a surround computer setup.

 

[jiiteepee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zowbombs Can the X-Fi (any model) act as a digital transport for 5.1 or 7.1? I'd like to connect a soundcard to a 5.1 or 7.1 digital receiver (Panny SA-XR57 etc) for a surround computer setup.

http://uk.europe.creative.com/suppor...p?type=manuals

jiitee

 

[tschanrm]

Zowbombs,

Are you refering to 3xSpdif out like the Audigy line, or are you referring to realtime dolby digital encoding?

The awnser is no to both. The X-fi can decode Dolby Digital and DTS signals, though. Hope this helps.

 

[Tachikoma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tschanrm Zowbombs, Are you refering to 3xSpdif out like the Audigy line, or are you referring to realtime dolby digital encoding? The awnser is no to both. The X-fi can decode Dolby Digital and DTS signals, though. Hope this helps.

not even the elite pro?

 

[lini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zowbombs Can the X-Fi (any model) act as a digital transport for 5.1 or 7.1? I'd like to connect a soundcard to a 5.1 or 7.1 digital receiver (Panny SA-XR57 etc) for a surround computer setup.

1) The X-Fi models all can put out (or pass through) raw SPDIF surround streams (DD/AC3, DTS) as delivered by software DVD player applications. So if you're planning a surround computer setup for movies, then all X-Fi models will do the job. However, an X-Fi is a bit of a waste, if you only want to use it for that task.

2) If you also want DS3D (+ EAX up to version 2) multichannel gaming sound transferred digitally, then you could consider the AuzenTech X-Mystique or X-Plosion (the latter can encode in DD or DTS), Club 3D Theatron DD/DTS, Terratec Aureon 7.1 PCI and Turtle Beach Montego DDL. However, these cards all are more or less the same usual standard C-Media based boards (just like an Ultron OctoSound 7.1 PCI or Trust SC-7200/714DX et cetera) with additional software realtime DD (and/or DTS) encoder included in the driver software - and the quality on the analogue ports of these cards is far from stellar (= only on level with good AC97 and average HDA implementations).

Alternatively, you could consider Creative's new DTS-610, a DTS encoder box with 5.1 analogue input for DTS encoding plus pass-through mode for its additional digital input (including optical->electrical/electrical->optical SPDIF conversion). Combined with, for example, an X-Fi (or an Audigy), you could transfer both multichannel movie and gaming sound (with EAX up to version 5 (X-Fi) or 4 (Audigy)) digitally to your receiver. However, be aware that the path through the encoder box (in encoding mode) and back through the decoder in your receiver will produce a delay of ~ 90 ms, which the sound will then lag behind the video. I found that to be still within my personal sync tolerance, when I tried it - but others might be more sensitive to that, so I'd recommend to buy from a vendor that grants a decent trial period.

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[tschanrm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tachikoma not even the elite pro?

No, sorry, not even the elite pro. There are 3xSpdif pins on the Xtrememusic AD Ext pinout, just like the Audigy 2 ZS. However, creative disabled 2 of those spdif pins in software, so there is no way to to have 3 spdif outs without a software hack.

 

[itim100]

The nVidia nForce2 Soundstorm touting motherboards supported encoding to DD in realtime. I had to sell mine on account of being poor, but I do miss it.

 

[smooth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by itim100 The nVidia nForce2 Soundstorm touting motherboards supported encoding to DD in realtime. I had to sell mine on account of being poor, but I do miss it.

I actually have one that I'm considering selling if I finally decide to move up from my Athlon 2800+ to an X2 for my HTPC. I can't figure out which card is comparable to the nForce2 soundstorm or whether I even need one to be.

I watch movies, listen to music, and play video games on occasion. I usually use a headset when I game, however. I prefer to hook my HTPC directly to my receiver via toslink and nothing else.

 

[itim100]

Is it an Abit NF7-S rev2 by any chance?

As for finding a comparable soundcard, the only things the soundstorm really had going for it were its speed due to its hardware parts (for gaming) and ability to encode to DD in realtime (again, only really useful in games, since DVDs and any other surround source are already encoded in and would be sent to your reciever as DD or DTS). If you like outputing toslink to your receiver, and aren't big on games (or can take the small performance hit, which you will be able to do if you get an X2) a simple AV710 will do you just fine, and be much better for music listening. That's what I have moved on to.