Help connecting sound card to receiver?

[Karg]

My Logitech Z-5500 setup blew its amplifier, so I decided to upgrade to a receiver system. I bought the Sony STR-DG720 A/V receiver. My computer has
the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty champion series sound card. I first connected an optical cable from my cards console into the receivers T.V. optical in. I am currently running the 5 logitech speakers that came with the Z-5500 package. I cannot get true 5.1 out of my setup right now, even though I am running 5 speakers and I am using a digital connection. It seems like only right and left are being used and spread across all of my speakers. When I perform a speaker check on my computer, the voice for the right and left speakers bleeds into the rear speakers as well. Is there a setting or group of steps I should take in order to get true surround out of my setup?

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

Some things that I would look at:
1. The speaker settings on your computer. I don't know if it matters when using an optical connection, but I'd say to set your computer up for 5.1 speakers.
2. Check which surround mode your receiver is set on. If it has a mode to automatically detect and set the mode, try that.

Adam

 

[Karg]

Upon reading more, would I need a dts or dolby digital live converter to listen to true 5.1 with my digital setup?

 

[Adam]

I don't quite know what you're asking, so I'm not sure.

Try setting up your sound card to output the digital bitstream, and set up whatever software you are using to pass the digital bitstream. That's what I had to do a couple of years ago when I set up my Creative sound card to play through my receiver. I haven't done it in years, though (and don't do it now), so I can't remember all of the details. However, you should be able to get Dolby Digital and (I think) DTS soundtracks from the sound card. The one thing that you don't get with the optical connection, at least as far as I know, are all of the gaming surround effects that the Creative card processes for the analog outputs.

 

[Karg]

Basically, when I do the speaker test with my Creative console, It sounds like two channels spread out on 5 speakers, not true 5.1. I want to know how to get true 5.1 or 7.1 using a digital connection from my sound card to my A/V receiver. I hear I need Dolby Digital Live!, or DTS connect.

 

[Adam]

I suggest that you put your sound card software into entertainment mode and then try what I mentioned above. The Creative software for the sound card should allow you to independently specify for both Dolby Digital and DTS whether you want to use the internal decoder or an external decoder - you want to use an external decoder (the one in your receiver).

 

[Karg]

How do I know my receiver has a decoder? Also, I am not sure my sound card as a DTS or DD Live encoder.



The HT|Omega Claro Halo has a DTS and Live encoder. I am pretty sure I would need something to encode the signal to true 7.1 before it enters the receiver.

 

[gus6464]

You can set your sound card to output bitstream through the digital outs so that your receiver can decode it.

Also if you are playing 5.1 games most are encoded in DD Live which receivers cannot do so you have to have to sound card encode it (send to LPCM to receiver).

 

[Karg]

How do I output bitstream?

 

[Adam]

Check out this link for your card. It shows some good info, and it shows the software that I was talking about. It might look familiar once you see it. That's where you tell it to use an internal or external decoder for DD and DTS. If you tell it to use an external decoder, then it will output the bitstream.

You card definitely has DD and DTS decoders.

 

[Karg]

My console has all of those EXCEPT the DDLive and DTS options. Any idea where I can download a console that has these?
Also, is it possible to have true surround all the time, like when playing music on iTunes? Or does this only work with dvds and dts music? If so, how do I at least ensure that
the speaker voice comes through the correct speaker it is naming during the console test. I don't want to hear "rear left" coming through both the rear left and the front left speakers anymore.

 

[Adam]

My console has all of those EXCEPT the DDLive and DTS options. Any idea where I can download a console that has these?

One place is the Creative website.

You can go to this link here, select the product that you have, and then select the downloads that you want.

I'm not on my PC at the moment, but the Creative software might also have a "check for updates" (or similar) menu selection.

 

[Adam]

I'm now on my PC because I wanted to check. I don't see any option to check for updates straight from the Creative console. My console doesn't show the DD or DTS options, either. My computer is new, though, and I've never looked for those.

I guess maybe I need to look for the latest software, too...

 

[Karg]

Any luck finding the new drivers? I just got the newest from Creative's website and it has the same features.

 

[Adam]

I'm on my Mac at the moment. I'll take a look later tonight or maybe tomorrow morning. I'll let you know what I find out.

 

[Karg]

Alright I'll check back.

 

[Audiacc]

How do I know my receiver has a decoder? Also, I am not sure my sound card as a DTS or DD Live encoder.

Dolby encoder for this X-Fi card can be purchased for 4 bucks from
http://buy.soundblaster.com
The charge is said to be the nominal licence fee Soundblaster pays Dolby for using their tech, all new X-Fi cards (Titanium) come with DDL already.

 

[Karg]

Thanks a lot.