Dolby encoding over Optical

[Deders]

I've just bought a Sony Multi Channel receiver STR-DN1050 and a set of Q Acoustic 2000i 5.1 speakers which sounds great. Only thing is I can't seem to get a surround signal from my X-FI XtremeGamer from the optical output.

After some looking it seems the X-FI doesn't support anything but stereo from the optical output.

Can anyone recommend me a soundcard that will automatically output 5.1 over the optical. The amp doesn't have Multichannel analogue inputs.

Would a Xonar card do the job?

 

[LoveMachine]

Is this running from the PC in your sig? If so, why not run an HDMI cable between the video card and the AVR? You can get up to the latest lossless codecs/7.1 signal without any fiddling and no separate sound card needed.

 

[Deders]

Thanks LoveMachine (I don't say that often) for the HDMI tip, made everything so easy. Would like to get Optical working if possible, otherwise I need to buy a 2nd HDMI lead so I can get an output from the am and program it whilst using the other HDMI for audio.

I've just tried the Creative DTS connection pack that I had to pay $4 for, It keeps saying "The task requires exclusive use of your audio device, please stop playback and try again". After a fresh restart nothing is playing, the only things in the mixer are the device itself and System sounds. I've tried switching to HDMI which should disengage the Optical but I just get the same message :/

 

[MongGrel]

I have an old Auzentech X-Fi Prelude I run 7.2 over optical to one of these

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J356C0K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

with TOSLINK.

I even had to get an adapter to run that card in the main, I'd hope there would be something these days can do that.

Still using an older sound card here I guess just because I like it, so I'm not too far into what the newer ones are.

Nice features, I hope the 100 Watts isn't real

Might be a typo and per channel.

I still like my my old one.

 

[LoveMachine]

Would like to get Optical working if possible, otherwise I need to buy a 2nd HDMI lead so I can get an output from the am and program it whilst using the other HDMI for audio.

I'm afraid I don't understand.

I've just tried the Creative DTS connection pack that I had to pay $4 for, It keeps saying "The task requires exclusive use of your audio device, please stop playback and try again". After a fresh restart nothing is playing, the only things in the mixer are the device itself and System sounds. I've tried switching to HDMI which should disengage the Optical but I just get the same message :/

I haven't used a separate sound card in a decade, so I'm out on a limb here: Windows can give certain applications "exclusive mode" that needs to be enabled for some high bitrate applications. In the Audio Devices section, click on the Creative Optical Output (or whatever it's called), then in either Configure or Properties, there is a tab somewhere with a checkbox that says something to the effect of "Allow exclusive mode". That might be what it's referencing. Also try right clicking and setting that as the Default Audio Device.

 

[MongGrel]

My Auzentech is so old I'm not going to push the newer ones, I have no idea about them.

If you have a good MOBO you can run it the same out of it, I just always liked the Auzen.

I used to use the onboard sound on my ASUS P6T7, and it was fine over TOSLINK, but I got the old card out and put it in and like it better.

I would think a newer Xonar would do it, but I've never tried it.

 

[Deders]

I have an old Auzentech X-Fi Prelude I run 7.2 over optical to one of these

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J356C0K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

with TOSLINK.

I even had to get an adapter to run that card in the main, I'd hope there would be something these days can do that.

Still using an older sound card here I guess just because I like it, so I'm not too far into what the newer ones are.

Nice features, I hope the 100 Watts isn't real

Might be a typo and per channel.

I still like my my old one.

I don't suppose you have a link to the adapter?

It's 165W per channel, but the speakers only need 75W each. apart from the sub which needs double but has it's own amp. Looks like yours is in the same series (cross Atlantic high five?)

I'm afraid I don't understand.

In order to see the amp's on screen display and adjust settings I have to plug it into an HDMI port on my monitor. So now I need an extra HDMI lead so I can get sound from it at the same time. Sorry I felt it was confusing at the time.

I haven't used a separate sound card in a decade, so I'm out on a limb here: Windows can give certain applications "exclusive mode" that needs to be enabled for some high bitrate applications. In the Audio Devices section, click on the Creative Optical Output (or whatever it's called), then in either Configure or Properties, there is a tab somewhere with a checkbox that says something to the effect of "Allow exclusive mode". That might be what it's referencing. Also try right clicking and setting that as the Default Audio Device.

that's a great idea I'll give it a try in the morning

 

[rchunter]

Asus Xonar DSX has dts surround over optical. And 24 bit-192khz support for flac files. That's the exact card I was using before I bought a Sony STR-DN1040 hdmi receiver. Now I just go hdmi from my gtx 770 straight into the sony.
I use dual link dvi into my main 32" monitor. But then I have a separate small little 20" hdmi monitor just hooked directly to the Sony for when I need to adjust the sony menu settings (which is very rarely). I leave that monitor off 99.9% of the time.

 

[Deders]

Asus Xonar DSX has dts surround over optical. And 24 bit-192khz support for flac files. That's the exact card I was using before I bought a Sony STR-DN1040 hdmi receiver. Now I just go hdmi from my gtx 770 straight into the sony.
I use dual link dvi into my main 32" monitor. But then I have a separate small little 20" hdmi monitor just hooked directly to the Sony for when I need to adjust the sony menu settings (which is very rarely). I leave that monitor off 99.9% of the time.

That's kind of what I'm looking to do now.

I'm currently switching between having Creative's DTS connect program to encode the output of my X-FI to a 5.1 DTS signal (meaning I can use all the control panel features like Smart volume management for night time), and having it go through my Gfx card, but i am having a few issues with both.

Is there a way to just send the audio signal through HDMI without sending a video signal? My resolution is 2560x1080 which isn't standard for this receiver. It either does 1080p or 4K. Meaning basically if I switch the HDMI channel on or restart my computer, the desktop will change to some obscure 1024x999 resolution and all my carefully arranged icons will default back to one side. Also I can no longer run it at 85Hz.

If I use the soundcard, I occasionally have to switch the DTS encoder off and on again to stop a clicking noise in one of the speakers. The other issue is that when DTS is encoding, the volume is significantly louder, loud enough that it causes distortion in some music because it's overloading the card's pre-gain levels. I have to manually change each application because the main volume control no longer works.

I'm thinking of trying one of the Xonar cards in my next build, I'm hoping that I'll still be able to use some kind of volume management feature that compresses the sound dynamically (makes the quiet bits louder and the loud bits quieter) for the night when my housemates won't appreciate sudden bangs.

I am also wondering if the Xonar range can output stereo tracks on all the speakers without changing the sound, like creative does with the Stereo Surround upmix feature in CMSS-3D. I know the latest Creative cards don't have this and because my amp thinks everything it is getting is a 5.1 signal, its upmix feature is no good unless it is receiving a stereo signal.

Edit: one final query, if I have an HDMI lead going from my graphics card to the amp, and then another into the spare HDMI slot in the back of my monitor, how do I stop the sound being passed through to my monitor (which has no speakers) and is there a way to choose which output my graphics card defaults to during post? currently HDMI seems to have priority so I get a black screen until the windows logo. I would prefer if it were Displayport.

 

[rchunter]

That's kind of what I'm looking to do now.

I'm currently switching between having Creative's DTS connect program to encode the output of my X-FI to a 5.1 DTS signal (meaning I can use all the control panel features like Smart volume management for night time), and having it go through my Gfx card, but i am having a few issues with both.

Is there a way to just send the audio signal through HDMI without sending a video signal? My resolution is 2560x1080 which isn't standard for this receiver. It either does 1080p or 4K. Meaning basically if I switch the HDMI channel on or restart my computer, the desktop will change to some obscure 1024x999 resolution and all my carefully arranged icons will default back to one side. Also I can no longer run it at 85Hz.

If I use the soundcard, I occasionally have to switch the DTS encoder off and on again to stop a clicking noise in one of the speakers. The other issue is that when DTS is encoding, the volume is significantly louder, loud enough that it causes distortion in some music because it's overloading the card's pre-gain levels. I have to manually change each application because the main volume control no longer works.

I'm thinking of trying one of the Xonar cards in my next build, I'm hoping that I'll still be able to use some kind of volume management feature that compresses the sound dynamically (makes the quiet bits louder and the loud bits quieter) for the night when my housemates won't appreciate sudden bangs.

I am also wondering if the Xonar range can output stereo tracks on all the speakers without changing the sound, like creative does with the Stereo Surround upmix feature in CMSS-3D. I know the latest Creative cards don't have this and because my amp thinks everything it is getting is a 5.1 signal, its upmix feature is no good unless it is receiving a stereo signal.

Edit: one final query, if I have an HDMI lead going from my graphics card to the amp, and then another into the spare HDMI slot in the back of my monitor, how do I stop the sound being passed through to my monitor (which has no speakers) and is there a way to choose which output my graphics card defaults to during post? currently HDMI seems to have priority so I get a black screen until the windows logo. I would prefer if it were Displayport.

Lot's of questions I don't know the answers to, but this is how I have mine set up. In Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization\Display\Screen Resolution. I have my 32" DVI-D DL connected benQ selected as my main display, My sony receiver is set as my secondary display and then I just choose "extend these displays". After that windows knows to always default to my main display and I still get hdmi audio in to my sony. I hope this makes sense.

 

[Deders]

Lot's of questions I don't know the answers to, but this is how I have mine set up. In Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization\Display\Screen Resolution. I have my 32" DVI-D DL connected benQ selected as my main display, My sony receiver is set as my secondary display and then I just choose "extend these displays". After that windows knows to always default to my main display and I still get hdmi audio in to my sony. I hope this makes sense.

The problem with that for me is in some games the mouse will go off the screen instead of staying at the edge, plus it uses up more video ram :/

 

[rchunter]

The problem with that for me is in some games the mouse will go off the screen instead of staying at the edge, plus it uses up more video ram :/

Yeah, it's probably not the best solution but I still like it better than running a separate sound card. There's a program called Mousenitor that will keep your mouse from running off the screen and I haven't really noticed any ill effects regarding the video ram. At least not yet. I really wish hdmi was designed differently so you could send just the audio and no video signal but I don't think you can do that.