connecting computer to receiver

[ClemsonTiger22]

I have a creative x-fi extrememusic sound card in the computer and a denon 2807. I'm trying to set it up so I can have surround sound from the computer to the living room speakers set up with the 2807. I bought a digital I/O module from creative and tried to connect via optical to the receiver, but when I go to the speaker setup and try to make the center, or surrounds play, it only comes out of the front left and right. Is there some setting I don't have right or do I need something else to be able to connect it correctly and get 5.1?

 

[chrisivan]

You are obviously getting the signal from the computer to the AVR so I am inclined to think that your AVR is just not decoding the signal into 5.1 and that you are good to go from the interface point of view. Focus your attention into how your 2807 is setup to receive a particular signal and how it interprets it (as in do you have it setup to interpret the signal as stereo only or 5.1 and a few other tweaks). Play around with it until you get it but make sure to note all your previous settings to be able to revert if needed. I've had a similar problem (although not a Denon AVR) before and that was the cure.

 

[Hi Ho]

What content are you playing on your PC? If it is anything other than a DVD movie with DVD software that is Dolby 5.1/DTS capable then you will not get a 5.1 signal from the digitial output. The best you will get for music and games is 2.0.

If you want full surround sound as decoded by the sound card you will need to use the analog connections (at least 6 seperate cables).

 

[noob001]

this is what you need http://creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=16&product=14309

the digital out on the soundcard or the face plate depending on what your using, doesnt pass out 5.1 like the above poster said. unless you're playing something that is already encoded in that format like dvds.

 

[Hi Ho]

He isn't required to use that cable. Any 1/8" stereo to RCA cord will work. Three would be required. The Creative cord would make connections more simple because they are labeled.

The connections would be made using the 8 channel analog input on the receiver. This would acheive full 7.1 channel sound (if you have that many speakers) and all the processing would be done by the sound card.

The reason for all of this is simply that the sound card does not have a Dolby Digital encoder. Only a few cards on the market have one. Sound from music and games is processed by the cards onboard processor but is not encoded into DD or DTS for the digital output.

 

[MACCA350]

Found this little snippet on the creative x-fi extrememusic specs page:

Supports SPDIF Out compressed ac3 signal or PCM for Stereo Digital Speaker

So going on this it should work for you, I'd say all you need to do is hook up your digital cable and make sure your hardware and software is set to output through the SPDIF connection. You may have to go to your 'volume control' and click 'options-properties' tick the 'SPDIF' box then 'OK' then make sure the SPDIF control is not muted(I had to do this with my SPDIF connection that runs straight from the motherboard). If you're using Power DVD, you may need to go to 'configuration' select 'audio' and in the 'speaker environment' drop down menu select 'use SPDIF'(or similar for other programs)

cheers

 

[Hi Ho]

So going on this it should work for you

Yes, it should, provided he's playing a DVD. If he's doing anything else then he's not going to get more than two channels from the S/PDIF output.

 

[NYyankeeboi]

I use this a wireless-VGA/TV converter GWB....heres a link..i am lazy...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Wireless-VGA-to-TV-Converter-GWB-4000_W0QQitemZ180034117048QQcategoryZ3759QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

i only use this for my music though..