They way I understand it using the SPDIF on a sound card would be exactly the same thing as using SPDIF on a motherboard it is just a passthrough so it doesn't matter. The Asus M2NPV-VM doesn't come with one onboard, but the menual says there is a module you can buy that has an SPDIF out that you plug into a little hub on the motherboard and place the module on the back of the case. Does anyone know where I can buy this?