RCA Dolby Digital Receiver

[boise49ers]

I was wondering what thoughts people had about running this set up thru an
Audigy 2Z for Dolby Digital. I have the connection I need, but what are some of the bad points ? Hope not to many I already ordered it


http://www.bestbuy.com/site/RCA+-+F...ci_sku=9823987&ref=06&loc=01&id=1218178657230

 

[Mussels]

audigy 2 doesnt do dolby encoding, so you're stuck with stereo unless you're watching a pre-encoded movie.


then again, it has the 3x stereo inputs so you can just use analogue.

 

[boise49ers]

audigy 2 doesnt do dolby encoding, so you're stuck with stereo unless you're watching a pre-encoded movie.


then again, it has the 3x stereo inputs so you can just use analogue.

So if I run the digital out and two channel from the audigy it won't decode it with the receiver to DD ? The game's won't be DD either ? Will it at least have clearer audio with better separation ?
I had it running from this card down in my Home theater system and ran it that way and it sounded Great. It registered on the receiver as digital. The little digital light came on any way.

 

[Mussels]

let me say it simpler...


unless you're watching a DVD movie, you only get stereo with that sound card over digital.

If you want games - use analogue.

 

[boise49ers]

let me say it simpler...


unless you're watching a DVD movie, you only get stereo with that sound card over digital.

If you want games - use analogue.

Wow that does confuse me Sorry. So the receiver will only decode movies to 5.1 DD. Will I have to change my settings and pull the
coaxial input to the receiver every time I want to change from Movies to games. Sorry again for being so ignorant of with this.
Thanks for your patience. When you have the Creative 5500 series is it the same way ?

 

[Mussels]

two sides.

1. source audio

2. decoder (speakers)


For digital audio to work, you need encoded audio. for example: a DVD movie or blu ray movie.
You then need to transfer that to the speakers (coax/optical/HDMI) which then decodes it.


Since your sound card cant do real time encoding, that means you cant get dolby digital (5.1 sound) for games, or anything not pre-encoded (DVD movies)


it doesnt matter what speakers you use - your sound card holds you back here. use analogue while you have that card.

 

[boise49ers]

two sides.

1. source audio

2. decoder (speakers)


For digital audio to work, you need encoded audio. for example: a DVD movie or blu ray movie.
You then need to transfer that to the speakers (coax/optical/HDMI) which then decodes it.


Since your sound card cant do real time encoding, that means you cant get dolby digital (5.1 sound) for games, or anything not pre-encoded (DVD movies)


it doesnt matter what speakers you use - your sound card holds you back here. use analogue while you have that card.

Have you or any one reading this thread heard of this program ?

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/gener...ocnexk-released-realtime-5-1-ac3-encoder.html

 

[AsRock]

Well if his comp outputs 2 channel the receiver can make that 5.1 and for mine at least does a good job of it.

And i can surly tell were the foot steps \ voices are coming from even with just using front speakers and a sub.

And as for DD i hated it in the past as it took more of the sound away then gave.

 

[boise49ers]

Well if his comp outputs 2 channel the receiver can make that 5.1 and for mine at least does a good job of it.

And i can surly tell were the foot steps \ voices are coming from even with just using front speakers and a sub.

And as for DD i hated it in the past as it took more of the sound away then gave.

Yes I had mine hooked up on my other receiver in my living room and noticed the separation was much better and the receiver said it was Dolby Digital. I kind of felt there were sounds missing too. Have you narrowed what sounds you lost and if you do run it Analog thru the receiver with a good receiver will you get good separation. I just like being able to tell what directions things are coming from while gaming. So you prefer analog to digital is that what you are saying ? I guess I wait until I get it a experiment with it. Do they make DD sound cards that don't break the bank ? Thanks Fella's !

Please take a look at this also. If it works with Vista 64 bit wouldn't this be an option also ?http://buy.soundblaster.com/_creati...ail&category=Software&pid=F2222DDN6Z2H2ADDEZD

 

[Mussels]

Well if his comp outputs 2 channel the receiver can make that 5.1 and for mine at least does a good job of it.

And i can surly tell were the foot steps \ voices are coming from even with just using front speakers and a sub.

And as for DD i hated it in the past as it took more of the sound away then gave.

thats called upmixing and does not give you 5.1 sound.

The key here is that you want positional audio - if the sound source says rear left, it comes out rear left.

Using the method you stated, you're getting two sets of front right and front left - no rear, no center, no sub. it just duplicates the front left and front right channels.


oh and that program wont really help... yes it encodes to AC3, but it doesnt encode to dolby digital - which is what you need. (unless i'm missing something, and he's just stating what his app does, badly)

 

[boise49ers]

thats called upmixing and does not give you 5.1 sound.

The key here is that you want positional audio - if the sound source says rear left, it comes out rear left.

Using the method you stated, you're getting two sets of front right and front left - no rear, no center, no sub. it just duplicates the front left and front right channels.


oh and that program wont really help... yes it encodes to AC3, but it doesnt encode to dolby digital - which is what you need. (unless i'm missing something, and he's just stating what his app does, badly)

Yeah I read farther the audigy isn't supported by that app. Sounds like time for a new audio card. Mussels what would be a good card for around $50 to get what I am looking for ? I understand what you are saying now and that is why the sound has something missing that I couldn't pin point.

 

[Mussels]

dunno about pricing, but most of the auzentech cards support dolby encoding - i beleive the asus xonar cards do as well.

just look for dolby digital encoding or 'dolby home theater' (which is what its called on the latest cards, same feature tho)

Careful of cards that do DTS encoding - you may run into one that does DTS encoding only and not dolby digital - cause if your speakers dont support DTS, thats not good.

 

[boise49ers]

dunno about pricing, but most of the auzentech cards support dolby encoding - i beleive the asus xonar cards do as well.

just look for dolby digital encoding or 'dolby home theater' (which is what its called on the latest cards, same feature tho)

Careful of cards that do DTS encoding - you may run into one that does DTS encoding only and not dolby digital - cause if your speakers dont support DTS, thats not good.

What about this one ?
Turtle Beach TBS-3300-01 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz...

 

[Mussels]

What about this one ?
Turtle Beach TBS-3300-01 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz...

that doesnt have dolby digital or DTS encoding.

 

[Dent1]

What about this one ?
Turtle Beach TBS-3300-01 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz...

Believe it or not I registered to this forum JUST to post in this thread.

Ok, Mussles has made a mistake, that soundcard (Turtle Beach TBS-3300-01 7.1) CAN encode Dolby Digital.

It supports Dolby Digital Live (DDL) which basically means it can encode into Dolby Digital

However it doesn’t supports DTS Encoding, but the receiver you posted above doesn’t support DTS encoding or decoding anyways so that another issue.

The only thing putting me off the Turtle Beach TBS-3300-01 7.1 is its OLD so its driver support has been halted, to get decent Vista or Windows 7 support will be very difficult and the chances are it will not work well outside of Windows XP.

Your best bet is to jump on a Auzentech Cards, you might be able to find a OLD X-mystique or X-plosion on eBay, the other Auzentech cards are stupidly expensive.


If you are willing to take a gamble at Creative’s rubbish drivers you could try Creative's Titanium for $80 which support Dolby Digital Live Encoding (No DTS encoding though)


Creative 70SB088000004 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz P...

To be frank though, that home cinema kit you are buying isn’t very good, probably like half a notch above computer speakers, it will not do any soundcard justices in comparison what AV receivers normally have on offer - you'd be better off buying a half decent receiver off eBay and getting the speaker separately.

Also bear in mind, that you can use that receiver on any soundcard, including your Audigy 2Z and have the receiver upmix it to Dolby Prologic 5.1. Prologic isnt as good as DD or DTS for separation but this might be your best compromise on the cheap (you'll still get full Dolby in pre-encoded DVD movies or pre-encoded movie files via optical pass through - But Prologic 5.1 in everything else)

 

[AsRock]

thats called upmixing and does not give you 5.1 sound.

The key here is that you want positional audio - if the sound source says rear left, it comes out rear left.

Using the method you stated, you're getting two sets of front right and front left - no rear, no center, no sub. it just duplicates the front left and front right channels.


oh and that program wont really help... yes it encodes to AC3, but it doesnt encode to dolby digital - which is what you need. (unless i'm missing something, and he's just stating what his app does, badly)

I'm using optical output to my receiver and i can tell perfectly were i hear things from even if the sound is from behind. And as my sub the sound outputted is only low frequencies.

EDIT: Receiver makes a hell of a difference too to how rejected the sounds are and forgive me for not knowing the correct words but you can get a more forced sound or even a more laid bank kind of sound and with some others you get more openness sounding ones regardless of brand

 

[Mussels]

if it can, it didnt mention it in the newegg specs that i saw.

I've got an X-mystique (the older model) and it works perfectly in 7 - C-media dont drop support when new OS's come out, they've got cards from the win 98/2k era with drivers in 7... few brands do that.

I'm using optical output to my receiver and i can tell perfectly were i hear things from even if the sound is from behind. And as my sub the sound outputted is only low frequencies.

and i can tell if somethings in front or behind using stereo headphones - they use audio tricks to achieve that effect. The difference between upmixed stereo and true positional audio is night and day however, its not even close.

 

[boise49ers]

if it can, it didnt mention it in the newegg specs that i saw.

I've got an X-mystique (the older model) and it works perfectly in 7 - C-media dont drop support when new OS's come out, they've got cards from the win 98/2k era with drivers in 7... few brands do that.



and i can tell if somethings in front or behind using stereo headphones - they use audio tricks to achieve that effect. The difference between upmixed stereo and true positional audio is night and day however, its not even close.

I may go this route until I buy a new card. Sounds like it
would get me the closest to what I am looking for for until then.
Has any one out there used this download on Vista 64 bit ?


http://buy.soundblaster.com/_creati...frompage=product_detail&fromcategory=Software

 

[Dent1]

I may go this route until I buy a new card. Sounds like it
would get me the closest to what I am looking for for until then.
Has any one out there used this download on Vista 64 bit ?


http://buy.soundblaster.com/_creati...frompage=product_detail&fromcategory=Software

^
That is probably the most cost effective method, ashamed that Creative charge customers for the privilege of a feature that should be free. So now that you're not buying a new soundcard you can put a bit more cash on better receiver/speakers?

 

[ToTTenTranz]

The Audigy series can do Dolby Digital Encoding just fine, using redocnexk.
Moreover, they're the only soundcards that can do Dolby Digital EX (6.1).

I had an Audigy 2 doing Dolby Digital Encoding for games in my HTPC for years. Worked like a charm.

Support Thread: http://www.hardwareheaven.com/gener...ocnexk-released-realtime-5-1-ac3-encoder.html
Download:http://rossanodembech.it/public/html/kx.html

 

[AsRock]

if it can, it didnt mention it in the newegg specs that i saw.

I've got an X-mystique (the older model) and it works perfectly in 7 - C-media dont drop support when new OS's come out, they've got cards from the win 98/2k era with drivers in 7... few brands do that.



and i can tell if somethings in front or behind using stereo headphones - they use audio tricks to achieve that effect. The difference between upmixed stereo and true positional audio is night and day however, its not even close.

Well just noticed my sound card is running in either DTS and\or DD and my amp has both of those would explain why i get good positional audio. I just cannot get 192.0KHz .

 

[ToTTenTranz]

thats called upmixing and does not give you 5.1 sound.

The key here is that you want positional audio - if the sound source says rear left, it comes out rear left.

Using the method you stated, you're getting two sets of front right and front left - no rear, no center, no sub. it just duplicates the front left and front right channels.


oh and that program wont really help... yes it encodes to AC3, but it doesnt encode to dolby digital - which is what you need. (unless i'm missing something, and he's just stating what his app does, badly)

Wow wow wow!
This application does convert the full 6-channel stream to Dolby Digital, it's not upmixing!
I've used it for more than 2 years with my old Audigy 2. All the discrete channels are there. I used the soundcard's optical SPDIF to connect to my A/V Receiver and I got multi-channel in games and windows (I could hear each speaker independently using the windows sound config tool).
And I was using windows Vista with it.

Yeah I read farther the audigy isn't supported by that app.

What?! The app was specifically developed for the Audigy 2 family. It does work.
Dude, don't go on spending money on a new soundcard if you're going to use Dolby Digital through SPDIF.
What you have right now is just fine for that purpose (unless you want EAX 5.0).

 

[Dent1]

Well just noticed my sound card is running in either DTS and\or DD and my amp has both of those would explain why i get good positional audio. I just cannot get 192.0KHz .

That is because Dolby Digital and DTS can typically only be processed at 48KHz or lower. 192KHz will only work in stereo/PCM. However you could run 192KHz with Dolby Prologic IIx or DTS Neo.

 

[suraswami]

If you are looking for a cheap card that will give you good sound quality and DD/DTS output this is the one you need to go with.

http://www.diamondmm.com/XS71.php

I use it and love it. All my friends who come over to watch movie love it. Ofcourse I connected the HTPC to an expensive Denon Receiver and Infinity speakers. Those RCA's might not sound anywhere close to the Denon's anyway.

 

[boise49ers]

^
That is probably the most cost effective method, ashamed that Creative charge customers for the privilege of a feature that should be free. So now that you're not buying a new soundcard you can put a bit more cash on better receiver/speakers?

I already bought it. I did some reviews and the receiver is suppose to be pretty good, for the money any way and I have some pretty descent extra speakers laying around. I have a nice set of surround Infinity's with a sub if I can find the sub. I'll wait and see what it sounds like. It'll be a lot better then the crappy Half Altec half Creative system I'm running now.
Thanks for the input guy's !

Found 4 satellite and the Center Channel Infinity's. Couldn't find sub so I'll pick a better passive sub up if I don't like this one. These satellite and center Infinity's should be a lot better then those RCA speakers. This is for a gaming computer in a Large bed room so it doesn't have to be perfect Home Theater sound, just good sound. I'm pretty jacked. ToTTenTranz Thanks for your help !