Optical Surround Sound in Computer

[Kage]

Hmm... Its a digital out port, but yeah, the face its using a non-digital cable to connect to... I thought it may transfer somehow, but that sucks if it doesn't make it any better, because thats the only way to get a digital signal.

 

[kjman87]

it will still be digital...its got the D/A converter inside the sound cad from what i understand...

and you get 2 inputs and 2 outputs with that thing...thats pretty nice.

if I didnt have my stereo id consider getting a nice sound card and speakers but I have an awesome stereo (for a college student)

 

[Kage]

Ah good, I hope so anyway, otherwise, what would have been the point of including it as an extra

 

[kjman87]

yeah.

 

[RhysAndrews]

It's optical/coaxial port, or at least one of them (i don't think there's any more) looks a bit like the port of a TV aerial... so it's sticking out a lot, has a metal rim to it and a metal stick in the middle of it aren't I great at explaining things?

Ok, I'm sorry, I was wrong! I didn't look at it and assumed that's what it looked like judging by my poor memory.

The COAX-IN is indeed just like that orange coax, except it's black. So my amp/home-theater-system has a COAX-IN and an RCA-IN. Is COAX surround? If so, what's the best cable / peripherals to go from sound-card to COAX-IN? If not, I'm happy to have the flexijack (lineout/micout or whatever) to RCA, just because the stereo speakers on my home theater system are big cool things.

Thanks guys
-Rhys

 

[RhysAndrews]

http://www.soundblaster.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=16&product=14191&nav=2
I found this. My home theater system has DTS... this looks good! But it also looks expensive. What do you guys think?

-Rhys

 

[Kage]

If your amp supports DTS, i.e decodes the signal, you shouldn't need that to do it (though don't quote me on that). Sending a digital signal to the amp, should allow to do it most of the work.
Plus, there really isn't much difference between Dolby Digital and DTS, except for the fact DTS uses a less compressed signal.

 

[RhysAndrews]

So what DO I need?

Thanks
-Rhys

 

[Kage]

You could go straight from the sound card (using that attachment I bought, which should come Monday), into the amp digitally, and then let the amp power the speakers. That way, you don't have to dissconnect anything, and can play straight through.

 

[RhysAndrews]

Sounds cool! Thanks very much. And Coaxial works with surround sound? That's sweeet.

-Rhys
PS: I found it here too - for half-price: http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Blaster-Digital-I-Module/dp/B000ECSHPE (US to AU was half than the other page with GBP to AU)
And in Australia: http://www.i-tech.com.au/products/3775_Creative_Sound_Blaster_Digital_I_O.aspx