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View Full Version : Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound using a sound card



SnOoPy
02-25-2002, 04:20 PM
Has anyone tried hooking up the XBox to there computer Sound Card to get Dolby Digtal sound? I have a 5.1 sound card & speaker but no dolby reciever to play it in 5.1 on my TV... Is it possible?

LynxFX
02-25-2002, 04:25 PM
Yes it is possible. Your sound card will need to have an optical toslink in port(usually labeled as SPDIF IN). Then you just run the optical cable from the xbox (Advanced AV pack or HD AV pack or other cable solution with optical out) and take it to the SPDIF IN on your computer sound card.

Make sure the SPDIF IN is turned on in your volume control panel (not muted) and that should be it.

SnOoPy
02-26-2002, 03:35 AM
Thanx for the reply...

I thought I had a 5.1 soundcard but it's actually a 4.1 soundcard( I was getting 4.1 sound and not 5.1 sound with my speaker :( ) but I'm gonna buy a new Soundblaster Live 5.1 and before I buy it can you take a look if this soundcard has that SPDIF IN port...

http://www.americas.creative.com/products/product.asp?maincategory=1&category=11&product=143&nav=spec

Thanx for the help

El Pollo Loco
02-26-2002, 08:44 AM
Get a soundblaster audigy platinum. They have a toslink hookup on the live drive.

SnOoPy
02-26-2002, 11:02 AM
Originally posted by El Pollo Loco
Get a soundblaster audigy platinum. They have a toslink hookup on the live drive.
To much money for me...

I found out that soundblaster only has SPDIF OUT port not but I'm still getting it and buying Optical Digital I/O 2 addon that has the SPDIF IN port...

El Pollo Loco
02-26-2002, 11:30 AM
good idea. didn't know you could do that.

now im ****ed at wasting all this money on the audigy.

SnOoPy
03-08-2002, 04:20 PM
I just bought my Sound Blaster Live! (http://www.soundblaster.com/products/sblive5.1/) & Optical Digital I/O card. I got the Hardware setup, ran the optical cable from the XBox advance pack to the SPDIF IN input that is conenct to my I/O card. I unmuted from Play Control also.

Turn on my XBox, under Dolby Sound there 2 new option - Dolby Digital & DTS, I enable Dolby Digital, pop in Halo and.... I get now sound :-( go back to the menu disable dolby didtal & enable DTS restartd Halo and I get... Sound! but no 5.1 Surround :-(

What am I doing wrong! Can anyone help me out & was anyone successful in using there sound card to get dolby digital sound for there XBox?

Please Help :(

LynxFX
03-08-2002, 04:28 PM
Hmmm, not sure why you aren't getting sound. Make sure that the SPDIF In isn't muted in your volume control. I have my xbox going straight to the receiver but I'll try hooking it up to the SPDIF IN on my sound card then back out to the receiver to see if works.

I'm using a Zoltrix Nightingale Pro sound card.

SnOoPy
03-08-2002, 04:33 PM
Originally posted by Lynxfx
Hmmm, not sure why you aren't getting sound. Make sure that the SPDIF In isn't muted in your volume control. I have my xbox going straight to the receiver but I'll try hooking it up to the SPDIF IN on my sound card then back out to the receiver to see if works.

I'm using a Zoltrix Nightingale Pro sound card.

It is unmuted, I dunno what I'm doin wrong. The SoundBlaster Live! can Encode Dolby Digital 5.1 according to there site. :(

Get back to me if it work for you..
Thanx

DBXNY
03-08-2002, 06:37 PM
Originally posted by SnOoPy


It is unmuted, I dunno what I'm doin wrong. The SoundBlaster Live! can Encode Dolby Digital 5.1 according to there site. :(

Get back to me if it work for you..
Thanx

Ok, from reading this description of the SoundBlaster Live 5.1 card from Creative Design's website....

http://www.americas.creative.com/products/product.asp?product=143&category=1&maincategory=1

This is probably what's happening...

1. The soundblaster doesn't decode DTS. But , the X-box will not output DTS with any game anyway. What you were getting with Halo was stereo sound because you turned off Dolby Digital.

2. The soundblaster can either encode "5.1 Surround Sound" from a 2-channel source (stereo), or it can output a Dolby Digital bitstream. When you turned on Dolby Digital from the X-Box, the box was outputting a dolby digital bitstream, from which, the Soundblaster cannot decode because it can't decode a dolby digital input from an external source. Thus, this is why you weren't getting any sound with Dobly Digital set to on.

Note: Soundblaster's "5.1 Surround Sound" is not "Dolby Digital 5.1" surround sound. They simply output a 2-channel source to all 6 outputs, 2-speakers using the left channel, 2 using the right.

The only way to get Dolby Digital 5.1 using the Soundblaster Live card in the above link is to use a DVD-ROM drive connected to the computer. It will not accept an AC-3 bitstream (dobly digital) from an external source like the X-box or a standalone DVD player.

Hope this helps...
DB:)

SnOoPy
03-08-2002, 06:46 PM
So I guess i won't be able to get Dolby Dgital sound from my XBox... So what would I need, would I ahve to buy a reciever and conenct it to my sound card to be able to get Dolby Digital sound? I don't know much about DD.

Highlite23
03-08-2002, 07:42 PM
Hey Snoopy, i'm not sure what kind of cash you want to spend, but i remembered an article i read, so here's the link. BTW i have freinds who own both the units described and they work really well.

http://www.teamxbox.com/article.php?id=163&t=h

Hope this helps.:)

Frostberg
03-08-2002, 07:44 PM
My Turtle Beach Santa Cruz is a perfect mix with my Altec Lansing ADA 440s...it uses digital coax instead of optical...

Highlite23
03-08-2002, 07:45 PM
The link isn't working for some reason, try this one.


http://www.teamxbox.com/article.php?id=287&t=h

SnOoPy
03-08-2002, 07:59 PM
Thanx, Teamxbox seem to be having some technical issue though, I'll check it out later...

I found this external soundcard from Creative...
http://www.soundblaster.com/products/extigy/

for $150 and if I read correctly it encode/decode Dolby Digital... Might pick that up.

Hugh_Jass
03-09-2002, 09:56 AM
I've got the Extigy. I haven't hooked it up to the XBOX but I know it does support 5.1 in/out.