Best Card for Digital Ac-3 Pass through

[DaMenace]

Out of the cards, GXP OEM, Phillips Acuostic Edge, Turtle beach Santa Cruz, AudigyOEM, and any other nice card in that range, which one would have the best digital AC-3 pass through capabilities. Im looking to send DTS signal from computer to my receiver that does the decoding.
$100 or less range.


I don't really want to know whats the best overall, or best in any other subject, please add to this specific question if you can.

Thnx, I know this sort of What is the best type question is too often asked, but I have researched alot and have not found anyhting about this aspect of the cards.

 

[Shnak]

all I can tell you is that my Audigy OEM has no problems whatsoever passing over an AC-3 signal to my decoder box in Windows XP. Not exactly sure about DTS as my decoder box only does Dolby Digital.

Shnak

 

[Soccerman]

I don't know for sure, but I suspect all of the cards are about the same. the differences you would percieve would be in which software you are using that sends the data (such as WinDVD or PowerDVD). there should be no difference between these cards, as all they're doing is passing along a digital signal, not decoding it or anything like that.

 

[nord1899]

Well I don't know about those cards, but I finally got my SB Live! to do it. After Win2k SP2 and the new Creative drivers, I can get a Digital Out on everything (not just AC3) to my Midiland decoder box, using a coax cable with a RCA->Mini adapter.

I think any of those cards will work fine. Which means you will probably want to use some other criteria to seperate them. Things like environmental effects, 3d effects, CPU utilization, software suite, breakout boxes (I think those will all cost more than $100 though), the dreaded Creative vs. Via conflicts, driver support, etc...

Hope that helps.

 

[DaMenace]

Anyone else use the Audigy with XP with good results?? As of right now Im leaning towards getting the Audigy with the *HOPE that the drivers for them will be available soon. For XP that is.

 

[MasterHoss]

Any of the above cards will do what you need it to do. Go for your favorite.

EDIT: oh...DTS. Well, I believe none of the cards are able to pass DTS signals.

 

[nortexoid]

any card sporting digital out can do AC-3 pass thru...

some cards arent' supported for various softDVD players...

i think the digital c-media based cards are your best bet if all you're looking for is digital capability sicne they're the cheapest and have good driver support...not to mention they're pretty damn good regardless of their cost....Zoltrix nightingale pro and audioexcel (div. of chaintech) AV512 can be had for $25 or less w/ optical in/out

 

[Sugadaddy]

All of the cards will basically do the same thing. With the GTXP, Live Platinum or Audigy Platinum, you also get optical output.


As far as DTS is concerned, I'd think cards that are capable of Dolby Digital passthrough would have no problem with DTS as long as the software can do it. I do however know that the GTXP officially supports it with the bundled version of PowerDVD, it's written on the box.

 

[DaMenace]

Hmm, I thought I knew what DD, and DTS is but, I kind of have the feeling right now that I don't. Can somone Explain what they are?

Ok, ASsuming it will pass the DTS signal, all fine, anyone know where I can find a a 1/8 plug to Coaxial cable??? I went to best buy And could not find tha damn thing if it exists. I want to find this because I think this is best way to send the digital out from soundcard to digital input of Receiver. I would buy the Audigy Platinum or even the GXP with breakout box (for optical/coaxial connections) but I just coughed up 219 for tha damn Radeon 8500 deal over in Hot deals. Im broke.............91 bucks left........

 

[nord1899]

You can get a Coax (aka RCA plug) to Mini (aka 1/8" plug) at Radio Shack (mines gold plated, couldn't find on the website tho). Thats where I got mine from for a few bucks.

Then all you need is a coax cable. You can get a cheap one like I've got and get pretty good sound or spend a few bucks and get a nice Monster Cable. I might get a Monster Cable soon, the extra shielding is probably a good thing considering what its next too.

On the DD vs DTS thing. From what I understand, Dolby Digital is an encoding scheme developed by Dolby Labs. DTS is an encoding scheme developed by Sony. DTS is more prominent on DVD's released by Sony (Superbit collection comes to mind). That said, DD is A LOT more common than DTS on DVD's. I know from my Home Theater setup, DD allows you to customize your setup slightly by changing the delays on the channels while DTS is hardcoded. I heard somewhere that DTS is superior to DD, but can't for the life of me remember where or why.

 

[nortexoid]

menace, the stream is merely digital and passed thru likewise whether it be DD or DTS...the software and decoder distinguish and determine which to decode for...

anyway, if u get a SC, u'll need a mini-stereo jack to coaxial (rca) adapter, which can be found at any electroncis store (ie. radio shack)..u hook this into the versajack (the mini plug end)

otherwise, the c-media based cards have optical connectors, as does the GTXP (not sure about the others) that take the standard optic jack.

 

[Pariah]

From a support standpoint, DTS is no different than DD. I don't believe any soundcards can decode DTS, but if the software DVD player does, than the card can output the audio. The only difference between a current gen card that "officially" support DTS and one that doesn't, is the one that does comes with the necessary software DVD player.

 

[Sugadaddy]

DD and DTS are digital sound formats with 5.1 channels (6.1 and 7.1 versions are starting to appear, but let's stick with the basics). They have to be decoded in order to get sound. Software DVD players on your computer can decode them (only WinDVD can decode DTS) to play with regular speakers, or you can choose to not decode them and instead pass the digital signal to an external receiver/decoder. WinDVD or PowerDVD can output a Dolby Digital digital stream, and should also do DTS without any problem since it's also a digital stream.

Whether you output it via optical or coaxial cable doesn't make a difference since it's digital. You should easily find a 1/8inch miniplug to RCA stereo cable at Radio Shack. It'll have a red and a white RCA jack because the 1/8inch miniplug can carry stereo sound. But since your stream is digital, it'll only come out of ONE of the two RCA jacks. I don't remember which one, but just try them both...

 

[Pariah]

The digital audio comes out of the right channel (red).

 

[nord1899]

Or you could just use the Digital Out, turn on Digital Only in Sound Properties, and get a Coax->Midi adapter (see my link earlier).

Well at least thats what I do and it works great.

 

[DaMenace]

thnx for the Replys. I had my information mixed up when I thought you had to buy a special converter from the miniplug to rca that had the word DIGITAL Converter or something along those lines somewhere on the box. Man, Now I just have to go back to deciding what sound card to pick. I finnaly Think of a final choice and I read something that makes me want to get something else...............Damn told myself I would spend 70 bucks on video card and I end up getting Radeon 8500. Hope this doesn't happen with my sound card and I end up with a 170+ Audigy Platinum by the end of today.................