Noob X-Fi Platinum question

[Mellman]

I have my speakers connected via the digital out on my x-fi. I'm trying to use the front panel microphone jack and have 0 luck. If i switch the dial to 'line in' it works and i hear it through my speakers - but i cannot record sound. What the deuce!

Is the digital out also the mic in port on the back of the card? what idiot thought up that design?

ANy tips getting the front panel to work as a mic?

 

[Slammy1]

I've been using the analog in to record programs on the ATI card, haven't done anything with the digital input. In Audio Creation Mode under settings, you should have an S/P DIF sampling rate, try varying between 44.1 and 48 to see if either gives response.

 

[PurdueRy]

just an FYI you realize by connecting via digital you are bypassing any advantage the X-fi has over a $20 sound card...

As pertains to your recording issue, what program are you trying to record through?

 

[Mellman]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
just an FYI you realize by connecting via digital you are bypassing any advantage the X-fi has over a $20 sound card...

As pertains to your recording issue, what program are you trying to record through?

no, i didn't realize that...care to explain?

And as far as recording goes, im trying to use teamspeak, and testing the mic settings via windows sound recorder.

I hooked it up with the mic in the "flex-port" and it works fine, so if it is better to not use the digital out...i guess thats good, but why would it be better to use the 3 cable setup for 5.1 vs the digital?

And I paid ~$70 for this and sold my old audigy 2 for $40 more than I paid for it, so while a $20 sound card would've been nice, i do use the front panel.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: Mellman

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
just an FYI you realize by connecting via digital you are bypassing any advantage the X-fi has over a $20 sound card...

As pertains to your recording issue, what program are you trying to record through?

no, i didn't realize that...care to explain?

And as far as recording goes, im trying to use teamspeak, and testing the mic settings via windows sound recorder.

I hooked it up with the mic in the "flex-port" and it works fine, so if it is better to not use the digital out...i guess thats good, but why would it be better to use the 3 cable setup for 5.1 vs the digital?

And I paid ~$70 for this and sold my old audigy 2 for $40 more than I paid for it, so while a $20 sound card would've been nice, i do use the front panel.

Ok well first I will cover the analog vs. digital issue.

Digital out only allows for 2 channel PCM signals to be sent unless the audio is preencoded to Dolby Digital or DTS format. This means that using the digital out will give you true 5.1 from movies and video files with AC3(DD) audio in them, but for games which are not preencoded you get 2 channel PCM(stereo)

The second reason analog is the way to go is because that is what you are paying for with an X-fi. Somewhere along the line...the digital signal must be converted to an analog one. When this is done you want it done with the highest end D/A converters and OP AMPS possible. When you use the digital connection you are using your receivers(most likely for you the "pod" that comes with the Z-5500 or whatever speakers you have. While this will work, when you pay for an X-fi you are paying for the higher end D/A and OP AMPS used by it. So, to take advantage of them, you want the digital to analog conversion done at the sound card.

Basically, what I am rambling about is two issues.

1. You won't get surround from games via a digital connection with an X-fi

2. You don't take advantage of the higher end hardware in the X-fi when you use digital

As per your mic issue. You can hear yourself in the speakers but you don't get any sound recorded in sound recorder? Is this correct? Try yelling really loud into the mic and see if you get any faint recording or if you get nothing at all. Also make sure Mic is selected in your volume control panel recording properties.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Mellman

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
just an FYI you realize by connecting via digital you are bypassing any advantage the X-fi has over a $20 sound card...

As pertains to your recording issue, what program are you trying to record through?

no, i didn't realize that...care to explain?

And as far as recording goes, im trying to use teamspeak, and testing the mic settings via windows sound recorder.

I hooked it up with the mic in the "flex-port" and it works fine, so if it is better to not use the digital out...i guess thats good, but why would it be better to use the 3 cable setup for 5.1 vs the digital?

And I paid ~$70 for this and sold my old audigy 2 for $40 more than I paid for it, so while a $20 sound card would've been nice, i do use the front panel.

Here's some info on a start to why digital is kind of pointless when you have a good analog card
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=27&threadid=1918392&enterthread=y

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Dude, we need to make that digital FAQ thread already 😛

Maybe I'll come up with something this weekend 😉

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Dude, we need to make that digital FAQ thread already 😛

Maybe I'll come up with something this weekend 😉

We really do, I was thinking that as I was typing up that information for the 1 billionth time

 

[Slammy1]

Just because you're connecting digitally does not mean you aren't alterring the signal with the card, so it's not like a ChainTech = X-fi unless you're simply passing a stream. The main reason to run analog over digital is you're not interperating it in your receiver, since the DACs on the sound card are most likely better quality than the receiver (unless it's a high end receiver). Also, it helps in calibration.

Am I wrong somewhere there?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Slammy1
Just because you're connecting digitally does not mean you aren't alterring the signal with the card, so it's not like a ChainTech = X-fi unless you're simply passing a stream. The main reason to run analog over digital is you're not interperating it in your receiver, since the DACs on the sound card are most likely better quality than the receiver (unless it's a high end receiver). Also, it helps in calibration.

Am I wrong somewhere there?

I think people generally buy the X-Fi to be a multichannel gaming card.

Then some people want to connect digitally since digital is a cool word 😛

In that case you're wasting most of what the X-Fi does well. You don't get multichannel from gaming and you don't get the quality analog output.

I think a good number of people are trying to connect to a set of computer speakers with a digital input. Since that seems to come up quite often, I don't see the point of using digital vs. analog.

I guess it's tough to say what Mellman's best option is without more info on what he's doing though.

 

[Slammy1]

Yeah, thing about DD/DTS decoding is it's CPU intensive, though still usually better performed by the X-Fi but even in that case if you have sufficient CPU power it's better performed on the analog channels. Since I do resize/BNR and pretty much max out my CPU I go with the digital option there. Music generally should be listened to in stereo with decent fronts/sub, would there be a difference connecting digitally or analog in that case? Of course, games get connected through the analog, but I guess I'm just used to people running output to AVRs vs computer speakers.

More on topic, don't you need to run the fronts through line-in or aux in vs microphone in the Creative mixer settings? I think microphone only refers to the on-card connection.

EDIT: Also, in mixer you need to set it the appropriate REC control. You can try the DIN, I usually record off "What you Hear".

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I think the short answer on the music aspect is have them try both and see what they like better.
Depends on their equipment, and in most cases around here I think it's not really something to worry about too much since the quality of speakers in generally pretty darn crappy. I think for the vast majority of people around here, the analog on the X-Fi is going to be better than connecting to whatever they have for a digital input on their speakers / entry level stuff.