Problem connecting Z-680s to Audigy with Digital connection

[DefRef]

To get the most of my new Z-680s, I got a 1/8" to RCA cable and connected it from the S/PDIF jack on the Audigy Platinum to the coax input on Z-680s control pod. I switched the input to Coax and it detects digital stereo and I've set my sound properties to Digital Output Only. When I play MP3s or system sounds, they're fine, but when I try to watch DVDs with NVDVD, all I get is the front stereo speakers - no center or back channels. When I switch the Effect button on the pod, it only offers Stereo, Stereo 2x, Dolby PL Music and Movie, none of which work.
I've got the NVDVD output set to play thru a receiver with a S/PDIF connection and that isn't working - all I hear is chattery faint stereo.

I'm sure it's some stupid little thing, but I can't spot it after visits to Soundblaster and Logitech's sites. I'm sure that someone here at ATF has the same setup and some guidance would be greatly appeciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[RanDum72]

Disable Dolby Digital decoding in the Audigy.

 

[DefRef]

Where is that? The SB site lists Audio HQ>Device Controls>Decoder, but there isn't any such tab. The only thing even close is the Digital Input tab which has Default, SPDIF Bypass and AC3 S/PDIF-In Decode has options - none of which have any effect.

(I'm heading to practice and will be back after 10 PM EST. Thanks.)

 

[DefRef]

Sheesh....I respond 5 minutes later and he's gone.

 

[Pariah]

It's in the Speakers setting panel under settings.

 

[chizow]

It should be under the second tab in Creative AudioHQ (the green PCB lookin icon). I have the A2, but I think the GUI and .dlls are the same??? The first tab lets you choose sampling rate. The second should have one radio button for DD decoding; the second radio button should be for s/pdif passthrough. You'll want to click on s/pdif passthrough. I don't need to change to digital output only in the Creative surround mixer, I just need to change the AudioHQ settings. Hopefully it helps, but unfortunately I don't have the original Audigy so I don't know for sure.

Chiz

 

[Pariah]

The 2 are different

 

[SexyK]

I thought the digital outputs were disabled when playing digital content, in order to prevent piracy. I could be wrong on that though, just a suggestion.

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by: SexyK
I thought the digital outputs were disabled when playing digital content, in order to prevent piracy. I could be wrong on that though, just a suggestion.

It doesn't. Never did, never will.

 

[DefRef]

Anyone got detailed step-by-step directions, cuz nothing so far helps. I plugged in the OEM cables to get 6 Ch Direct input for the time being.

A search of Deja found a bunch of threads saying that the S/PDIF input only plays surround on DVDs and not games (uh-oh) and stereo the other times. Like I could get the DVDs to work!:| The Z-680 has Dolby Digital and DTS logos, so it SHOULD be able to decode, ya know?

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: SexyK
I thought the digital outputs were disabled when playing digital content, in order to prevent piracy. I could be wrong on that though, just a suggestion.

You might be thinking of DVD-Audio, which only outputs in analog to prevent piracy.

The Z-680 has Dolby Digital and DTS logos, so it SHOULD be able to decode, ya know?

Absolutely!!! Its gotta be a software settings if you've got the s/pdif toslink or digital coax out from your Audigy to your Z-680's. Sorry I can't help you more, as I'm not familiar with the GUIs. What inputs are you using and is there an option to change the sampling rate on the speakers?

Chiz

 

[Pariah]

Did you disable DD decoding in the Audigy speaker panel? The SPDIF settings should be left at default.

 

[DefRef]

Originally posted by: Pariah
Did you disable DD decoding in the Audigy speaker panel? The SPDIF settings should be left at default.

Like I said before, there are no decoder options that I can see. Despite what the CL site says, it's hiding from me.

When you open Audio HQ, there are icons for Device Controls, EAX Conrol Panel, KeyBoard and SoundFont. Under Device Controls are four tabs: Digital Input, Audigy Drive, Sampling Rate and Options. The first tab I've described above; the second has check boxes to switch to Headphones mode and mute the speakers when phones are in the drive jack; the third has the Digital Output Sampling Rate set to 48 KHz (other options are 44.1 and 96 KHz) and the last tab has a drop down with only SB Audigy (9400) available.

 

[Pariah]

Like I said before, there are no decoder options that I can see. Despite what the CL site says, it's hiding from me.

Like I said above:

Originally posted by: Pariah
It's in the Speakers setting panel under settings.

I know it's there because I looked.

 

[DefRef]

Listen, I've had a f*cking crappy day (had to put the family cat to sleep today) and when I ask for STEP-BY-STEP directions, I get snotty answers that make you feel smug and offer no useful info.

Under the WinXP Sound & Audio Device Properties there are five tabs, the first being Volume. At the bottom is the Speaker Settings section with two buttons, Speaker Volume and Advanced. Under the former button are two faders and a checkbox to move both faders together. Under the 2nd button, there is a Speakers tab with a dropdown for selecting the speaker configuration and it's set to 5.1 surround. The Performance tab has audio playback sliders for hardware acceleration and Sample rate conversion. ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE DOES IT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT DOLBY DECODING OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT!!!:|:|:|

Unless you're looking in a totally separate area or have a different setup, I'm just not getting what you're talking about. Could you try again in a more useful manner?

 

[Pariah]

You're looking in the wrong panel. You need to look in the Creative speaker panel, not the windows.

You have to go to the Creative programs folder in the start menu and select surround mixer in the Audigy folder. If the speaker panel does not appear above the mixer you have to click the advanced mode at the bottom left, then hit settings on the right side of the speaker panel. If you don't see mixer and speaker icons in audio HQ along with the other 4 icons, you might not have installed all the necessary software. If that is the case, then you are stuck until you do.

 

[DefRef]

While you were posting, I pored over the manual and realized I didn't have stuff they were talking about. Popping the install disc in, I saw that I hadn't even installed the Surround Mixer because (duh) I only had 2.1 speakers when I installed the Audigy over a year ago. (I've had the Logitechs for about a month.)

After a reinstall, I FINALLY have the stuff you were talking about. It would've cut to the chase if you'd only mentioned "surround mixer" sometime instead of constantly repeating "speaker panel". Oh well...does game surround work properly or does it do "mock surround"?

Sorry to slash at you, but it's been a trying day filled with sadness for the family and I'm exhausted and got frustrated. Thanks for trying to help.

 

[NicColt]

This is what I read and I'm coming to the conclusion that it's true.

==
I think for the creative products with digital out (including even the newest Audigy and Audigy 2), you will only get 5.1out via analog connection and Digital Din. The coxial connection (SPDIF) will only output 2 channels when you are listening to non-Dolby/AC-3 sources. If you play DVDs and do a SPDIF pass-thru, the soundcard will output the AC-3 stream via SPDIF to the external decoder thus enabling 5.1.
==

if this is true then this is truly anal...

 

[T9D]

..

 

[Viper96720]

Why? You can't watch in DTS with the audigy doing the decoding? An external receiver is usually better than using a sound card to decode.

 

[Accord99]

Originally posted by: NicColt
This is what I read and I'm coming to the conclusion that it's true.

==
I think for the creative products with digital out (including even the newest Audigy and Audigy 2), you will only get 5.1out via analog connection and Digital Din. The coxial connection (SPDIF) will only output 2 channels when you are listening to non-Dolby/AC-3 sources. If you play DVDs and do a SPDIF pass-thru, the soundcard will output the AC-3 stream via SPDIF to the external decoder thus enabling 5.1.
==

if this is true then this is truly anal...

This is true for virtually every consumer electronics. SPDIF by its nature is only 2 channels. DD and DTS uses compression to fit more channels but there is no way to send 5.1 channels of uncompressed digital audio over 1 SPDIF cable. Creative has a nice hack that allows 5.1 using 1 cable to carry to 3 SPDIF signals buts it uncommon outside of Creative hardware.

Anyways, the DACs on the Audigy 2 are clearly superior to the ones on the Z-680 so an analog connection would be the preferred choice in terms of flexibility (surround sound from games) and sound quality.