Can you get 4ch or 5.1ch analog output from the nForce sound (and how)?

[Noriaki]

Can you get 4ch or 5.1ch analog output from the nForce sound (and how)?

Honestly...can you, I always just assumed you could...

But the 3 ports in the "ATX Audio" spot are Line (Front?) Out, Line In, Mic In.

Look here and you'll see on the far right the little SPDIF port bracket. I kind of figured that the SPDIF bracket would have 2 more 3.5mm (1/8inch) plugs for Rear and Center/Sub analog.

But apperntly it does not....just the SPDIF....

So how do you get 5.1ch analog from the nForce?

 

[Beau]

Get a digital to analog converter

 

[Soccerman]

in other words, you need a reciever that can decode dolby digital, or a speaker set with a dolby digital decoder..

 

[Sugadaddy]

Hmm, never thought about that... So were all the tests where it has very low CPU utilization run with only 2 speakers?

 

[Noriaki]

<< Get a digital to analog converter >>

Why would I do that when I can just use my Santa Cruz?




<< in other words, you need a reciever that can decode dolby digital, or a speaker set with a dolby digital decoder.. >>

Indeed. The nForce can ENCODE dolby digital...but not DECODE it...

I don't have a reciever, nor do I want to try and fit on in my room, and most speakers that do it are over priced for the sound quality when I could juse use WinDVD and my Santa Cruz in 4 speaker mode.




<< Hmm, never thought about that... So were all the tests where it has very low CPU utilization run with only 2 speakers? >>

Guess so...

In another thread I asked:

So basically unless you have an external decoder this is a 2 channel sound card?

The repsone I got was:

<< Yup. I've been fruitlessly bringing that point up for a while in several nForce vs. mobo/video/Audigy combo discussions. From the looks of the nVidia reference solution, you have to use a ACR/AMR/CNR slot or add two additional codecs on the mobo since the codecs apparently aren't integrated into the MCP. None of the boards is implementing the 6-channel analog outputs so far, so if you want 5.1 sound you either have to have or spend some more dough on speakers with digital inputs or a receiver with digital in. Doesn't look like there's any 4- or 5.1 channel virtualization yet either. Of course every time I've repeatedly mentioned this I get blissfully ignored by the nForce fanboys.

This is a general problem - I don't care how great nForce is, the mobo manufacturers so far have implemented it rather poorly. I won't even start with the Asus A7N266. Or the lack of decent 220D boards. >>



....

Not sure what to think about that.

Apperntly the onboard audio isn't as great as I've been led to believe...the onboard video certainly won't offer anything over my Radeon 7500, and the onboard NIC...mmmkay well that may be handy, but I do have one already, and they are only like $30 instead of $150...

Why would I want to exchange my AMD761 board for this again?

ohhhh right...7 or 8 % performance improvement...why wouldn't I just use that money to buy a faster Athlon?

Guess the nForce doesn't really interest me after all...

 

[Beau]

It does me, I'll try the dd on 5.1 DTT2500... see how that works. If it is not all that, I'll sell it. But, as I have said before, I'll wait for asus to put one out. maybe they'll have analog outputs, doutbfull though.

 

[Noriaki]

<< It does me, I'll try the dd on 5.1 DTT2500... see how that works. If it is not all that, I'll sell it. But, as I have said before, I'll wait for asus to put one out. maybe they'll have analog outputs, doutbfull though. >>

I believe the A7N266 is going to use a 6 channel C-Media chipset for the onboard Audio and a Realtek NIC for the onboard LAN.

 

[Zebo]

<< But the 3 ports in the "ATX Audio" spot are Line (Front?) Out, Line In, Mic In. >>


That really bites. Now I need sound and video card so the nforce is getting less attractive every day.

 

[Beau]

<<

<< It does me, I'll try the dd on 5.1 DTT2500... see how that works. If it is not all that, I'll sell it. But, as I have said before, I'll wait for asus to put one out. maybe they'll have analog outputs, doutbfull though. >>

I believe the A7N266 is going to use a 6 channel C-Media chipset for the onboard Audio and a Realtek NIC for the onboard LAN. >>



Yeah, but I don't like VIA at all (still recovering from the days of the amd k6 chipsets... yuk...).

 

[flexy]

does the nforce have an analog sound output (like any other soundcard) at ALL ???????


(and..NO..i will very likely NOT go out and buy a dolby digital receiver with 5.1 speakers for my PC



Again..whats the point ????????


Edit: oh..i see..it seems to have at least standard audio outputs.....

 

[Beau]

yeah, it has a two-channel output... see the link above from Noriaki

 

[Soccerman]

you now I just realized that nearly every major website has done a small preview of some sort on the nForce, and not one, NOT ONE has done anything but say.. oh well we never had time to test the audio properly

WTF! the audio is what's going to make or break this chipset! not the onboard video (I'm sure you people with multiple computers have upgraded the video card at least once, leaving you with at least SOMETHING lying around to put into another comp), not the onboard LAN (small money saver, yay), and not even necessarily the performance (WHERE ARE THE FREAKIN REVIEWS comparing this chipset to others).

it's the audio. why? well DECENT audio cards tend to cost a fair amount of money (up here in Canada, that's around $80, sometimes a bit less), and onboard solutions tend to be pretty crappy. this onboard audio has promise to show some direction in the audio industry as to where we should be heading, but no-one has even mentioned a thing about how it works.. what modes of use can you put it in?

 

[Noriaki]

<< Yeah, but I don't like VIA at all (still recovering from the days of the amd k6 chipsets... yuk...). >>

Can't blame you there...I to had a life altering experience with a K6-2 and MVP3 board...I still cringe every time I hear "Via" and "USB" in the same sentence...

But I have an AMD761 (and yes it's a Via 686B south but it hasn't given me any problems) board and I can't see any reason why I would want to run out and buy an nForce over it.

Granted, if you were building a new system maybe nForce would be a good choice....though I think I personally would go for some of the other options.

But there is a fairly large core group that like myself has DDR and an AMD761 board, I don't see why that group would be interested in nForce, and yet I see many AMD761 users that seem to be ready to ditch their boards for nForce...but to each there own right?