Sound Card with Optical In = surround sound?

[Lazzo]

Just a quick question - I have read somewhere that when you use the optical in for sound cards that support them (like the Turtle Beach Montego) - you can NOT get surround sound out as only two channels will become useable. So for example: I connect a BD Player to the optical in on the sound card, but I am using three 3.5mm stereo jacks for a 5.1 speaker system on the line outs of the sound card... does this mean no surround sound and only one line out will be useable?

thanks!

 

[newnameman]

What is your audio setup? Why do you want to pass the Blu-ray player audio through your computer?

 

[Lazzo]

Hi newnameman,

I really don’t have a setup yet, and am trying to understand some things before making some purchases. I did just buy a 2509m 25” monitor with full HD resolution and am looking to add a BD player. Initially I was going to buy a stand alone BD player, but I got some good advice in this forum regarding a BD drive for my PC as well. The downside with the BD drive is that I will also need to purchase the software in order to use surround sound (I have a 4.1 speaker setup; not the greatest but it sounds pretty good). Also my 9 year old sound card just crapped-out so I need to get a new one. What I was wondering is if I bought a sound card with an optical input, would I then be able to purchase the stand alone BD player as opposed to the drive but still be able to manage surround sound via running an optical cable from the optical out on the BD player to the optical in on the new soundcard?
I have heard that if you use the optical in on sound cards then only ONE line out will function properly thereby rendering surround sound a no-go. If this is the case I will probably have to go the BD drive and bit the bullet for some good software to play Blu-ray movies with full surround.

Thanks,

 

[Fallen Kell]

It is all going to depend on your hardware. I had a professional sound card and breakout box which had multiple optical inputs and outputs. I could received optical input, and output on any of a number of different output devices. However, in your case, your card will need to support DTS and DD format decoding to discrete analogue channels and then have the ability to output over your line outs. Not all cards can do this.

 

[CubanlB]

We do need some more info on how you setup is connected right now but...

There are sound cards which will accept surround sound input over digital coax or toslink but you will be limited to Dolby Digital or DTS for all of these cards (same audio from DVDs). And most cheaper cards are only going to accept 16bit or as you are worried about just 2 ch. Most cards that accept these input won't the turn around and decode it and output it over analog outputs. If your speakers take a digital input some cards support pass through and then the speakers can decode it.

When I was using an HT Omega Striker card I could receive Dolby Digital and DTS over Toslink but it wouldn't then send it out over analog it would just pass it out back to my AV receiver. I think you will be better served with the software for the drive.

You have a lot of options to get this set up but I think you would regret spending money on a sound card just for this purpose. Going forward a lot of hardware upgrades are going to make the sound card add-in totally useless.

Edit: just read your other post. Yeah, analog outputs to your speakers from a from a stand alone player is going to cost you WAY more in a sound card than you want to spend.

Fallen Kell nailed it, yes this can be done but you are getting way out of the standard add-in sound card realm. You'd most likely spend more on the card than you would on the stand alone BD player.

 

[Lazzo]

Thanks for the replies guys - this is really helpful. I ended up picking up a used OEM xtremegamer sound card (Dell Pull - SB0770) that has Optical Input and Output for under 30 bucks shipped. It has Dolby and DTS capability. Worst case I needed a functional sound card anyway, and this price was pretty good. In all honesty I will probably end up using this setup with headphones vs my speakers anyway - such are the facts with a 2 year old daughter in the house who goes to bed when the sun is still out! My headphones do not support Dolby / DTS, and I doubt I'll be buying new ones. Nonetheless I appreciate the info; thanks!