S/PDIF input card

[xtknight]

Is there a simple card that will input S/PDIF and output PCM to my PC so I can direct it to my sound card and/or capture it? The X-Fi XtremeMusic doesn't have this capability, correct? And it appears the Audigy 2 ZS Gamer which I currently have doesn't either, nor could I get one of those I/O boxes for it.

 

[phisrow]

S/PDIF input definitely exists, see http://us.hercules.com/products/showpage.php?p=91&b=1&f=1 for instance; but I'm not sure whether it is easily available in cheapish gear, or if it's only a "Pro" thing and priced to match.

 

[Auric]

In this piccy of an Audigy 2, S/PDIF-In is labelled, with Signal being red (pin 5) and Ground being white (pin 6). It's just a matter of making or otherwise aquiring a cable.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Auric
In this piccy of an Audigy 2, S/PDIF-In is labelled, with Signal being red (pin 5) and Ground being white (pin 6). It's just a matter of making or otherwise aquiring a cable.

Eh? Well do you know of anywhere where I might *possibly* find such a cable or how to go about making it? I wonder if that's only on the platinum extreme pro super edition?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Hmmm... maybe this thread could give you some leads...

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=30&threadid=1787578&enterthread=y

 

[Auric]

It's just a bog-standard Audigy. Check yours and you will prolly find it has the row of pins at the rear edge. Any ol' viddy and mobo header cables laying about could be mated together or a plate type as in the other thread could be aquired. Indeed, you may already have one included with your mobo or one may be had for next to nothing from a local independent PC shop. Here is another example, being a Gigabyte OEM. If it is 3-pin plug but otherwise with the correct spacing then the wires may require moving within the plug to match.

 

[L00PY]

My mobo has S/PDIF in so I can't imagine it being that hard to find. The cable it uses is the same as the S/PDIF out, just plugged into a different header.

 

[Dubb]

note that you have to be careful with spdif inputs. some of them can't do bit-for-bit transfers of digital streams - the creative cards being infamous for that, the "yay, let's needlessly resample everything" cards.

if quality is important, I'd find a low end / older pro card if I were you. ebay might have a ego-sys waveterminal 2496 or an m-audio 2496 for $75 or so.

 

[xtknight]

Yeah, I think some S/PDIF thing did come with my mobo for S/PDIF out. Thanks, I'll check it out, no pun intended.

It might be a while until I get to opening my PC though. I was just hoping there was like a cheapo $10 so I wouldn't have to go through the trouble. Guess not.

 

[rbV5]

Check your rear panel, Newegg description for ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe:

S/PDIF Out 1x Coaxial
S/PDIF In 1x Optical

already right on the back panel. I had to get an optional module for s/pdif input on my Nforce2 ASUS mobo, but it looks like you've got both in/out already.

 

[seanp789]

The X-Fi FPS and the X-fi top end model both have optical in/outs

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: rbV5
Check your rear panel, Newegg description for ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe:

S/PDIF Out 1x Coaxial
S/PDIF In 1x Optical

already right on the back panel. I had to get an optional module for s/pdif input on my Nforce2 ASUS mobo, but it looks like you've got both in/out already.

I think the nForce2 had SoundStorm and it was one of the few to input S/PDIF. Unfortunately those specs on Newegg sound like typos. On the back of the panel I only see 'S/PDIF' out and then one circle jack and another odd one that looks like it pairs with the 'Dolby Digital out' one on my HDTV tuner. Wait a minute though. I've never seen any optical cables or jacks before so...

The one on my HDTV tuner (out) looks like the optical one here where that little thing is pushed out.
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/OpticalSPDIF.gif (leftmost jack here)

The one on the back panel of my mobo just has this little rectangular jack that looks like a door and kind of pushes in with the touch of my fingernail. Does that mean it's an input or what?

Kudos for finding this info! I'd be thrilled if my mobo actually did have an input on it.

Edit: In the A8N-SLI Deluxe manual PDF it says under "AI Audio" and "Rear panel":

1xOptical S/PDIF out port
1xCoaxial S/PDIF out port

But I'm still wondering why the optical on my mobo rear panel is so different from the optical on the rear panel of my HDTV tuner box.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: xtknight
Is there a simple card that will input S/PDIF and output PCM to my PC so I can direct it to my sound card and/or capture it? The X-Fi XtremeMusic doesn't have this capability, correct? And it appears the Audigy 2 ZS Gamer which I currently have doesn't either, nor could I get one of those I/O boxes for it.

Well, the X-Fi XtremeMusic does have a digital in...it's part of that "flex-jack"....but are you wanting optical? Dunno about that without the I/O drive. IIRC, the X-Fi line is supposed to be bit-for-bit, unlike previous lines.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2

Originally posted by: xtknight
Is there a simple card that will input S/PDIF and output PCM to my PC so I can direct it to my sound card and/or capture it? The X-Fi XtremeMusic doesn't have this capability, correct? And it appears the Audigy 2 ZS Gamer which I currently have doesn't either, nor could I get one of those I/O boxes for it.

Well, the X-Fi XtremeMusic does have a digital in...it's part of that "flex-jack"....but are you wanting optical? Dunno about that without the I/O drive. IIRC, the X-Fi line is supposed to be bit-for-bit, unlike previous lines.

Coaxial is fine too.

 

[rbV5]

But I'm still wondering why the optical on my mobo rear panel is so different from the optical on the rear panel of my HDTV tuner box.

I'm affraid I'm not any help there. I saw your thread and recalled having to buy the module for Nforce2 to input from my guitar processor, and then I saw the specs at Newegg when checking to see if it supported the module also.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2

Originally posted by: xtknight
Is there a simple card that will input S/PDIF and output PCM to my PC so I can direct it to my sound card and/or capture it? The X-Fi XtremeMusic doesn't have this capability, correct? And it appears the Audigy 2 ZS Gamer which I currently have doesn't either, nor could I get one of those I/O boxes for it.

Well, the X-Fi XtremeMusic does have a digital in...it's part of that "flex-jack"....but are you wanting optical? Dunno about that without the I/O drive. IIRC, the X-Fi line is supposed to be bit-for-bit, unlike previous lines.

Coaxial is fine too.

Unless I'm wrong about the card, then all you need is a coax-->mini-plug cable adapter.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2
Unless I'm wrong about the card, then all you need is a coax-->mini-plug cable adapter.

Mini-plug as in the normal analog thing I always connect my headphones with?

But then I wouldn't have the 5.1 sound or half the fidelity of the Dolby would I? And isn't that a digital to analog converison impossible by a simple adapter?

Anyone have any clues about why the optical is different on my HDTV tuner vs. my PC's rear panel (details above)?

I would just go ahead and try hooking them up but I don't have a cable to do so, that I'm aware of.

I do have "HD" SPDIF_IN stuff in alsamixer under Linux as well as the volume control under Windows. I have a feeling Creative castrated the cards that didn't come with the extra I/O box and then left those virtual inputs in there.

 

[Auric]

It seems the tuner sports a flap cover and the mobo a plug cover. Creative retail cards are generally the same regardless of whether an I/O box is included. As said, if the connectors exist on the card then so does the functionality, otherwise they would likely have been eliminated to save cost as with the rare OEM. The adapter for Audigy output should be like this one, and connected to the receiver with a coaxial RCA video cable (aka digital audio). That, combined with a mobo plate adapter for input would complete the coaxial digital I/O for an Audigy. Optical I/O requires added electronics. For recording, enable the bit-accurate option from the Audio Console (or ye olde AudioHQ). I don't know if the mobo audio can be active simultaneously, so as to use its optical input without disabling the Audigy.

 

[xtknight]

Hmm I guess I'm already using one of those. Except mine is a stereo I think. It has two RCA inputs and one phono plug at the other end. That's what I'm using now but I'm using the lower quality audio I guess (like the kind that comes out of the VCR; "composite")? Should I just plug the coaxial in to one of the plugs on this adapter and then use it in the normal line-in port?? What's the difference between optical and coaxial besides the jack? Aren't they both digital?

Right here is my card.

Audigy 2 ZS Gamer (Limited Edition):
http://www.gdhardware.com/hardware/soundcards/creative/aud2zsg/1.jpg
http://www.gdhardware.com/hardware/soundcards/creative/aud2zsg/2.jpg

This looks promising: http://www.twam.info/index-cat,2,menu,.6.507,seite,507,.html

 

[xtknight]

bump

 

[mattvds]

I am also looking for something like this. I have an audigy 2 in my HTPC and am looking for a way to get SPDIF optical I/O. The version that creative made is no longer available in the US, and the 3rd party companies seem to have gone out of business and were only made for audigy 1 (which has different pin placement on the PCB). Please help.

Thanks,

Matt.

 

[Auric]

xtknight, the Audigy line-in jack is analog only. Coaxial cable as used for VCR composite can be used between the analog output of your device (tuner?) and line-in but will not really increase the quality (although theoretically better shielding could reduce the chance of quality loss). It would still require two cables into the adapter.

But as I understand, what you really want is digital audio input, which since the Audigy lacks a physical jack, requires connecting to the Audigy board either directly or via a plate, particularly if optical. As said, optical requires added electronics and there is no general advantage except that it avoids an electrical link between devices so there is no chance of a ground loop, which is why the fellow at twam.info wanted to use it for output.

In any case, that guide and the one linked to at hificomputers.net has all the info on how to hook up common mobo plate adapters to the Audigy for any combination of coaxial and optical I/O.