help with HTPC motherboard

[carlos28355]

Hello I purchased an HTPC mother board might not be best board but whatever it has a 7.1 pre amp card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-212-_-Product

I thought it was basically like the 5.1 board http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-206-_-Product

you will notice that the 5.1 comes with a speaker connector card so you can plug in normal house speakers to it. the 7.1 board does not and i do not know why. does anyone know where i can get a speaker connector like the 5.1 board offers and also what do i do with a pre amp card? that has me confused i know what an amplifier is but a pre amp i do not know.

any advise here. the reason i got the board was to plug in my home speakers right to it but now i cant..thanks in advance!

[edDV]

What 7.1 source are you trying to reproduce? Give it up and invest in a quality 5.1 sound system.

You really have 7 amplified speakers plus subwoofer connected to your PC?

[aedipuss]

the 5.1 board comes with an amplifier card. that one you would hook up to standard unamplified speakers. the 7.1 "pre-amp" card would hook up to an external amp. the amp would then be wired to the speakers.

[edDV]

But where is the 7.1 source? Is this something I missed in gaming?

[aedipuss]

where have you been? eax!!!

7.1 Surround Sound3 with 3D Games

7.1 surround sound Sound Blaster Audigy Value accurately delivers 3D Positional Audio in DirectSound 3D1 games in 7.1 so you know the exact location of your enemy.


but really i had assumed an htpc would be used for the living room video watching. surround sound amps have been 7.1 for a couple years. i know mine is.

[carlos28355]

looks like that was my mistake i thought the 7.1 board was just an upgrade of the 5.1 board with the amplifier card. i didnt realize that with the 7.1 i needed the amplifier card. is there anything i can buy to reproduce what the 5.1 offers. i want to be able to hook up my home theater speakers to comp not pc speakers...thanks guys for response!!

oh ya and when u say i would have to hook up the card to an external amplifier you are just referring to something like an a/v receiver correct? thanks again

[ocgw]

looks like that was my mistake i thought the 7.1 board was just an upgrade of the 5.1 board with the amplifier card. i didnt realize that with the 7.1 i needed the amplifier card. is there anything i can buy to reproduce what the 5.1 offers. i want to be able to hook up my home theater speakers to comp not pc speakers...thanks guys for response!!

oh ya and when u say i would have to hook up the card to an external amplifier you are just referring to something like an a/v receiver correct? thanks again

That 7.1 pre-amp output mobo IS an upgrade to that 5.1 mobo and is preferable, that little card is too small to power HT speakers (small pc speakers maybe), and in reviews I have read tends to burn out

You WANT pre-amp outputs that you can run to any HT Receiver w/ 5.1, or 7.1 channel pre-amp inputs same as you would a blu ray player w/ pre-amp outputs

ocgw

peace

[carlos28355]

oh decisions decisions lol hmmm i see well thanks for all your help!!!

[edDV]

I have a Denon 7.1 capable receiver but use it in 5.1 mode (HD tuner, DVD and PC source). The remaining two amps drive house sound. As you can tell, I'm more into home theater than games.

[redwudz]

Both my HTPC and my encoding PC (The one in my Computer Details) output coaxial audio to my 5.1 surround sound system with full size speakers, including two 10" subs. No computer speakers used. My DVD changers also use coaxial audio, as does my WDTV Live with a optical>coaxial adapter. If I update my surround amp, it will likely have 7.1, but I may stick with the 5.1 speaker system.

[ocgw]

W/ the pre-amp outputs you can play DTS-Master Audio, or Dolby True HD

W/ the optical digital output you can only get plain jane DD or DTS

I personally am happy w/ regular DD and DTS

The quality of your amps and speakers is 10x more important than a higher bit rate imo

ps. You can pass DTS-HD thru your hdmi anyway

ocgw

peace

[carlos28355]

sorry ima total newb when it comes to this stuff but how do your speakers use the coaxial plug to your HTPC?? thanks (=

[KBeee]

sorry ima total newb when it comes to this stuff but how do your speakers use the coaxial plug to your HTPC?? thanks (=

Via your AV Amp/Receiver

[carlos28355]

ahhh i gotcha thanks