Computer from a fire

[xj0hnx]

Hello. So I got a computer that was in a house that caught fire, there's some smoke damage, and part of the case was melted, but for the most part it survived.

I have transfered the HD 4850 over to my HTPC, and it is smoking through 1080p even with a AMD 3500+, and only 2GB of RAM in Vista pushing it.

The computer is a Quad core i7 920, with 9GB of DDR3. It was a Gateway FX6800. Anyway, I cleaned it up, and hooked it up, and it booted into Vista in safe mode, but really freaked because I had put a 7800GT in, and it has ATI 4850 drivers . So I have the CPU, and RAM, probably the mobo, and I want to get it running, BUT, I need it to have an optical out for audio to my receiver (no HDMI in/out), which this mobo does not. It does have a SPDIF header off the mobo. My question is, is this for hooking up a optical out panel or something? How can I get optical out on this mobo? or am I going to need another mobo?

Thanks in advance

 

[xj0hnx]

Ok, this is the header off the mobo...

SPDIF mobo header

I am guessing I need one of these...

Rear add-on panel

?

I didn't get one of these with the mobo I have had, as it has optical out, should be something I can just buy at a online store yea?

wo0t no image tags.

 

[PM650]

You need one of those, but you'll only get stereo PCM out of it unless your board supports DTS Connect or Dolby Digital Live (movies might circumvent this & pass DD or DTS directly, but I am unsure).

 

[xj0hnx]

Originally posted by: PM650
You need one of those, but you'll only get stereo PCM out of it unless your board supports DTS Connect or Dolby Digital Live (movies might circumvent this & pass DD or DTS directly, but I am unsure).

With my current HTPC I am using the optical out from the rear I/O panel to my Onkyo, and using AC3Filter/ffdshow (depending on app) DTS/AC3 pass through, and letting it handle it. As long as that header can pass the full signal out to my receiver I should be good.

I just really want to be able to build this back up into a superduper HTPC, i7, 9GB DDR3, and a HD 4850. Also it is a small mobo, so I could finally get/build a case that doesn't take up half the floor space in my media closet

 

[heyheybooboo]

There are some inexpensive 5.1 sound cards with optical out pass-thru.

 

[PM650]

Unfortunately the only one I could find is this one for $20.
However, if you don't mind DIY, it can be done for almost free. You could also try to get a mobo mfg to send you one.

 

[jaggerwild]

ATi makes HDMI dongles for the video cards that pass the sound through them, not sure witch GPU your using? I don't think the 7800GT will support it.

 

[xj0hnx]

Originally posted by: jaggerwild
ATi makes HDMI dongles for the video cards that pass the sound through them, not sure witch GPU your using? I don't think the 7800GT will support it.

Well, I was using the ATI HD 4850 from the fire conputer, but it cashed out yesterday. Today I got the i7 and mobo running, pretty good too(fingers crossed), so now I need a way to get audio from this thing, to my receiver. I could get a sound card I guess now that I don't need a video card. I'd much rather get one of those header cables though.

 

[nenforcer]

Aftermarket OEM cables are notoriously hard to get and often rediculously overpriced when you can. Have you looked at the Gateway website and inquired about getting such a cable?

And there is no guarantee it will actually work! Have you found out who makes the OEM motherboard for Gateway?

 

[xj0hnx]

I have scoured the internet and can't find one that I know will work. Most have the right number of pins, but wrong connector, and I'd hate to buy one, mod it to fit, and then it not work. CPU-Z reports it as being a Gateway motherboard, so either it is made by them, or contracted through someone else, but no one seems to know who. Gateway has been pretty much useless, they don't sell the part, or even know where I can get one. They have no access to an actual motherboard diagram so I could hook up the power button, The manual that comes with the computer says that one of the 3.5mm ports on the back is a optical S/PDIF output, but it isn't. One of the tech guys I talked to said he was going to email me the latest updated drivers to get it to work...never did. My favorite is that the motherboard doesn't even have a PCI slot, so I had to hunt down a PCIe card that had an TOSlink out, which I thought would be easy to find, nope. Not a single local store had one, even best buy, except the Fatal1ty card, and some $89 Creative card, and I ain't spending money like that to get some that the motherbopard should just have. I finally found a guy not too far from me on Ebay that had a Creative card the fit the bill, he let it go pretty cheap too

Anyway, now I am just venting. /rant