Audigy 2 Zs: Digital Coax Output

[alseides]

I'm planning on installing an Audigy 2 ZS for my HTPC. I am using an old Bose Lifestyle 5.1 system in my living room. Here's how the system is designed:

 

[source (dvd, pc, etc)]

|

[bose "reciever"]

| | | | |

Speakers: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

 

 

 

The "reciever" isn't a typical reciever. It's a proprietary one designed to use specifically for these speakers. You can have basic control such as volume and adjusting the front and rear volumes individually, as well as selecting which of the 4 audio sources I want to use. (Although I sure there's lots more running under the hood)

 

Anyways, the only digital input that the reciever takes is coax, not optical. (both types have the same audio quality, if im correct)

 

The Audigy 2 ZS does have a digital line out, but it is in the form of the standard pc minijack. I'm curious as how to output from the soundcard so it goes into the digital coax for my Bose reciever. Does the card come bundled with an output dongle or something like that? I'm familiar with most PC hardware, but not in the audio dept so if someone could help, thanks.

 

edit:

I was looking in another forum and it seems that the solution I need is this item:

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?cata...%5Fid=274%2D897

I plug this little thing into the line out of the ZS and then just connect the coax cable into it like normal.

 

Although I am curious about decoding the sound. Say I am playing a DVD that uses Dolgy Digital 5.1. The soundcard will decode the audio. But then after it goes through the output and into the reciever, what happens if the reciever decodes it again? Is there a problem with this?

 

I guess I can disable decoding on the soundcard to let the reciever do it only. And just to confirm, my Bose reciever is able to decode Dolby Digital, right? (as well as DTS and other digital audio) I don't have the manual to the reciever, but it seems pretty rediculous that it can't decode Dolby Digital and DTS.

Edited June 25, 2005 by alseides

[xPETEZx]

Even if you get it connected up with Digital, you will only get 2 Channel PCM audio unless what you are playing back is DD encoded.

 

The Audigy 2 does not hav a hardware DD encoder. So all games etc will NOT play back in 5.1, but 2 PCM.

 

If your only gonna use it to playback DVDs and other stuff thats already DD encoded you should have no problem.

 

Otherwise look into the HighTech Mystique (spelling?? ) that card does hardware digital encoding.

[alseides]

Hey thanks for the fast reply. I was adding the edit to my original post when you replied.

 

Why would I want a card that encodes? I'm not sure what that means. As long as it decodes DD or whatever the source is encoded in, then that is fine, right? I will be able to get 5.1 with DVDs, and what about multichannel PC games?

 

As for my edit, do you happen to know anything about the double decoding thing I was asking about?

 

Thanks

[Ornlu]

I heard that the digital output on the audigy 2 for ht use sucked really bad. I was considering it until I found out that the signal is supposedly pretty crappy. They have all sorts of jitter problems etc due to bad timing.

[xPETEZx]

With an Audigy 2 (or ANY Creative sound card) you CANNOT get 5.1 sound over Digital UNLESS it is already Digitaly Encoded. (like alot of DVDs)

But things that are NOT digitaly encoded will only play in 2 Channel PCM sound.

 

So if you slap in say FarCry, which supports 5.1 sound, but does not digitaly encode it, you would only get 2 PCM sound. Your Sound card needs to Digitaly ENCODE sound which is not Digitaly encoded already.

 

Hence why you need a Card with an encoder to listen to 5.1 sound from sources that are not Digitaly encoded.

 

I hope that makes sense

[lilkev715]

Logitech z680/z5500/Receiver FAQ for digital inputs.

[alseides]

Thanks xPETEZx, I think that makes sense. I thought that if something wasn't digitally encoded, then it wasn't 5.1. That's why I thought that games that supported 5.1 were already digital.

 

Although I'm mostly gonna use this thing for DVD movies, playing games is still slightly part of the reason I am going to build this computer. With that in mind (and ornlu's comment about the ZS cards being crappy for home theatre), are there any sound cards made SPECIFICALLY for HTPCs?

 

I am going to look into the mistique you mentioned, but even though it has the ability to encode sound, I am not sure if it is a good HT card.

 

edit:

Well I looked at several reviews for the Mystique card, and I must say I am happy with what I've read. What really suprised me was the digital coaxial output that I use. I don't know if anyone else was blown away by it, but I'm sure glad it's there. So I am getting the Mystique as my final choice.

 

All I'm not sure about is that if the sound card decodes DD, what happens if it goes into my Bose reciever which can also decode DD? Is there a problem with this?

Edited June 27, 2005 by alseides

[lilkev715]

what happens if it goes into my Bose reciever which can also decode DD? Is there a problem with this?

 

If you play a DVD movie for example the DD encoded audio is passed through the sound card with no interaction. The Bose DD decoder decodes the audio.

[alseides]

Why wouldn't the soundcard decode the the DD audio? I thought soundcards do this.

[lilkev715]

Ok let me clarify a little bit for you.

 

Sound cards decode the DD audio (if specified by the manufacturer) if you are using analog connections (e.g. mini-plug). You obviously can't send DD encoded audio over a analog connection. So the sound card decodes the 5.1 channels and sends it to the appropriate speakers that are connected via analog (mini-plugs). This seems fine and dandy, but it wont sound pure as there are DAC's (digital to analog converter) involved that reduce the quality of the sound. Also analog audio cables are obviously not as good as digital audio cables.

 

With a digital connection the DD encoded audio bypasses the sound card. The DD encoded audio is decoded by the Receivers DD decoder.

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

Edit: I think you are getting a little confused about encoding vs. decoding. Checkout my little diagram in the FAQ link I posted above.

Edited June 27, 2005 by lilkev715

[alseides]

Ok, that makes sense. So basically when I listen to anything that is a digitally encoded source (DVD) the soundcard outputs the digital sound without doing anything to it. It goes straight to the reciever as a digital signal.

 

Well if this is the case then I can actually use any soundcard I want that can output the digital sound and it wouldn't make a difference in the audio quality at all, since its just really 1's and 0's.

 

Correct?

 

And for games which are not digitally encoded, a soundcard such as the Mystique are needed to encode the audio.

 

Right?

 

My Bose reciever only takes digital sound with a coaxial cable. That's why I'm planning on getting the Mystique since it has digital coaxial output. (I was also wondering - when I output a digital signal, will I still have full control over individual speaker volume, effects, and everything else in the cards's drivers and software?)

 

Sorry, as you can tell I was pretty unsure about all this. Hopefully I got it cleared up.

Edited June 28, 2005 by alseides

[lilkev715]

Ok, that makes sense. So basically when I listen to anything that is a digitally encoded source (DVD) the soundcard outputs the digital sound without doing anything to it. It goes straight to the reciever as a digital signal.

 

Well if this is the case then I can actually use any soundcard I want that can output the digital sound and it wouldn't make a difference in the audio quality at all, since its just really 1's and 0's.

 

Correct?

Correct

 

And for games which are not digitally encoded, a soundcard such as the Mystique are needed to encode the audio.

 

Right?

Right

 

when I output a digital signal, will I still have full control over individual speaker volume, effects, and everything else in the cards's drivers and software?

 

Yup, you can control the individual speaker levels/effects via the sound card software.