S/PDIF question

[MowSow]

I searched the entire forum for information on connecting the my DVD player in my PC to my S/PDIF sonnector on my Sound Blaster, but I could not find an answer.
Is there really an advantage to doing that, oppsed to enabling digital audio in windows for that DVD drive ? is it easier on the PC to use a cable instead of having the CPU do the work !?
TIA

 

[MowSow]

so is the cable better or enabeling digital audio!?

 

[Odeen]

The only possible advantage for going SPDIF is lower noise speed for the CD reader.

When you enable digital audio reading in Windows, the drive essentially does DAE. Since most modern CD-ROM drives are noisy, and can do DAE quickly, they are liable to spin up to full speed or full DAE speed, even though it's not needed.

When you run SPDIF, the drive stays in 1x reading mode, and just outputs the data that would otherwise go to the internal DAC.

Keep in mind that you can play CD's without any cables on any CD drive in your system (if you have multiple) by using digital audio reading in Windows, and you don't need to run any cables from the CD drive to the soundcard. You don't get that flexibility if you use either the analog or the SPDIF hookup

 

[MowSow]

Thanks for the info obout noice and spining speed.
But other people said that they have measured and signal form an S/PDIF cable and and they found out that it was not purely digital form the frequency .. so it looks like this cable is more for the old operating systems that does not support digital audio. But S/PDIF has less signal noise than ussing an analog cable.
I will stick with enabling digital audio for now ...and let the CD spin !