Optical output soundcards?

[jlo mein]

So i'm buying a new computer and I see this as an excellent opportunity to finally get a soundcard with toslink out for my MD recorder. Only problem is, the only one i find is the creative labs live platinum and audigy platinum.

Any help finding a cheap soundcard with optical out?

 

[Xevion]

Well, I have a Live Platinum and of course the livedrive has an optical out. If you want cheap you could always get a regular Live Value and add on a Livedrive. Another option is the Hercules Game Theater, I think it has an optical out too.

Also, the newer SB Lives have a digital minijack out, I think they just need to be converted to RCA, but I am not sure. Maybe they have a dongle or something.

Lastly, some motherboards that have integrated sound now have digital outs, but if you are just looking for a soundcard this wouldn't be a good idea for obvious reasons.

 

[DanG]

You may want to try the Xitel MD-Port DG2 which you can get from Minidisco. It costs $60 and will provide an optical output using one of your USB ports. Just be sure to note that it may use up a lot of RAM when in use, so using this device may require you to leave the computer alone while recording.

 

[jlo mein]

actually i'm finding the sound card for a new pc, so if a motherboard has onboard sound with optical out thats ok.

btw, i didn't know that the live value could take the livedrive. I thought it was the only live card that couldn't function with it.

You also were talking about the newer sb lives (i asume your talking about the audigy series), and how they have a combine minijack analog/minijack optical. I really think they don't have this. They advertise that the audigy series has digital output, but its not optical. It's just a different size plug that you can use for digital speakers released by cambrige something or creative.

 

[jlo mein]

ya i've considered the dg2....its just that i haven't found it anywhere in canada or on canadian sites and i REALLY dont want to buy from an american site.....i'm paranoid of the taxes and charges that customs might put on it....

 

[DanG]

Oops! I'm sorry, I didn't notice that you were from Canada.

In any case, the SB Audigy's outboard rack looks to be a perfect duplicate of my Hercules Game Theater XP's outboard rack, which has both an optical and a coaxial digital output (and input). The optical one is of the TOSlink variety.

 

[Hirsch]

The Hoontech Digital XG might be a possibility. This has an optical out (48 MHz only, but that's the same as a Sound Blaster, etc.) The nice thing about this card is that it doesn't resample digital INput. Makes it perfect for using an ART DI/O as an outboard A to D convertor, for digitizing analog sources. Runs about $80, but I don't know where to find it in Canada. www.tracertek.con in the US. (The Hoontech card, based on a Yamaha chipset, has much cleaner analog i/o than any SoundBlaster made).

 

[andrzejpw]

STOP! All of you!!!

The fortissimo II is the answer!!! Optical in/out. 4 speaker support, mic, headphones, line in. . . .

Its the little brother of the gtxp(no breakout box, mp3 decoding(who needs it?), and no analog 5.1 sound(I use 4.1)).

Gotta love it!

 

[chych]

There's always the Midiman M-Audio Delta Dio...

 

[Filipe]

Why don't you get a card with electrical digital out (single RCA) rather than optical?

If your MD has an electrical Digital input this will give better sound quality than optcal.

I don't have experince with Opt vs RCA Dig on sounds cards but on a decente separates system it is worth using the RCA dig output over the tosh plug.

Just wondering...

Enjoy
Fil

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Why don't you get a card with electrical digital out (single RCA) rather than optical?

Because all MD recorders have optical-in?

 

[Filipe]

True, they all have Optical In, but the better ones also have electrical dig.

In case jlo's MD has both the RCA dig is the one to go for, and hence it would be worth geting a card with RCA dif out

 

[DanG]

Apparently JLo has a Sony MD Walkman, and all of these have an optical digital input, never a coaxial digital input. So he needs an optical output.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

True, they all have Optical In, but the better ones also have electrical dig.

But he has a portable MD recorder, none of which have electrical dig-in

 

[andrzejpw]

fortissimo II . . .