VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 11 of 11
Thread
  1. I am not sure if this belongs in the Audio forum or some hardware forum. Please feel free to move it accordingly.

    I have not purchased a sound card in more than 8 years. I am now shopping for a 5.1 or 7.1 sound card and would like to find some web pages that can help me understand the basics of how they work and why this feature or that feature is more important, why xyz means better quality and efc means worse, etc. I will be using my sound system with my computer and will spend about 50% of the time listening to music (internet radio, fm radio, cd, DVD), 40% of the time watching movies and tv (am expanding my collection of blue rays daily) and about 10% of the time playing games or video/audio chat online.
    Quote Quote  
  2. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Republic of Texas
    Search Comp PM
    Is your computer 8 years old? If so, it might be time to consider upgrading the whole system. These days, most good motherboards have very decent built-in sound (I would not say the same about onboard video, though), and for your purposes, there is probably no reason to go with a separate sound card, unless you want RCA or XLR inputs/outputs.
    Quote Quote  
  3. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    USA
    Search Comp PM
    For my present systems, I just use the motherboard audio and output through S/PDIF to my surround amplifier. Just one cable, either optical or coaxial and I let the amplifier do the decoding.

    If you really need a PCI sound card, then look into the Creative Sound Blaster cards as they are fairly popular. Most have individual outputs for the separate surround sound channels, but you would need individual powered speakers for each. The Audigy is one of their lower priced cards: http://us.store.creative.com/Sound-Blaster-Audigy-SE/M/B000LP0R3E.htm You can also find even lower priced similar cards that use the Creative chipsets.
    Quote Quote  
  4. Member Spdngblt56's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Here & There
    Search Comp PM
    Hey just out of curiosity, what specific surround amp do you use redwudz? I am considering buying a better one to upgrade my home theater system, and haven't had much luck determining which ones others recommend.

    Thanks.
    Quote Quote  
  5. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    USA
    Search Comp PM
    It's Sony STR-k750P. But I've owned it for a few years and I'm sure there are much newer models. It puts out 100W per channel, so sufficient for my setup.
    Quote Quote  
  6. Member Spdngblt56's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Here & There
    Search Comp PM
    Yeah that one is a nice one! Sony seems to build very nice receivers... I've also been looking around at some Yamaha's.

    Thanks for the response though.... preciate it
    Quote Quote  
  7. Thanks! But I am having trouble understanding this:

    I just use the motherboard audio and output through S/PDIF to my surround amplifier. Just one cable, either optical or coaxial and I let the amplifier do the decoding.

    What is a S/PDIF? My motherboard has 6.1 sound but only 3 places to plug in and then a 15 pin something or other - still part of the sound card, not parallel or serial.

    ???

    Yes, I plan on upgrading in about a year. My system is working quite well now - actually I usually replace a part of it about every 18 months, as prices go down - last upgrade was from a celeron to a 2.8 P4, memory to 2 GB and will try win 7 on for size While my present system (500 GB SATA drive, dual head monitor) is not wonderful it will do the job. I would rather buy a nice sound system now and enjoy the benefits of it, and save my pennies for a quad.
    Last edited by Haopengyou; 8th May 2010 at 23:49.
    Quote Quote  
  8. Mod Neophyte Super Moderator redwudz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    USA
    Search Comp PM
    S/PDIF from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S/PDIF Basically the audio is encrypted to a single stream. The audio surround sound amp decrypts it and the amp outputs to the individual speakers. It come in two 'flavors', coaxial, which is a electrical connection, and optical, which uses a LED to transmit the same signal over a fiber optic cable. The optical has the advantage of being immune to interference. But both use the same signal and format.

    This makes it easy to hook up, with just a single cable, coaxial (RCA) or optical, and plug into your surround amplifier.

    The output from a sound card may have to use several connectors. The stereo connectors, the front center connector, the rear surround connectors and the Sub woofer connectors. Much easier to use S/PDIF. I use this S/PIDF from a motherboard sound chip. You would have to check to see if a sound card has S/PDIF output.

    You can find a few older amplifiers that have the individual surround inputs. I have one in my garage. But most any newer surround sound amp has optical and/or coaxial inputs.
    Quote Quote  
  9. The specs on my mb read:

    An onboard VIA VT1616 audio chip provides six channels of studio quality, crisp, digital surround sound and supports both optical and SPDIF outputs. The P4PB400 is bundled with a SPDIF connector bracket that fits neatly into any available PC chassis I/O e

    so...this means that I need to scrounge around to find a cable or adapter that came with it?
    Quote Quote  
  10. Member Spdngblt56's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Here & There
    Search Comp PM
    Unfortunately, YES! Here is a picture of it incase you need to remember what it looks like:

    In this picture, you will see 2 extra pieces to the mother board attached by some white cables, but hanging outside of the box

    The one hanging outside of the box that is farthest to the right is the one you need to find -->it has the yellow coaxial cable input as well as the optical cable input (which in this pix, has a temporary plastic fitting in it to protect it)

    *DO NOT get it confused with the extra piece handing outside of the box to the left -->this is just an attachment for additional USB ports*

    Good Luck!! Hopefully you find it....
    Quote Quote  
  11. Thanks! I will go in hot pursuit.
    Quote Quote  



Similar Threads

Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!