HTiB to PC

[Snowypup]

Sup, just wanted to ask the people who use HTiB's or custom setups for their PC's. What's the best way you use to connect them? HDMI through the GPU? Optical? Just 5.1 analog? Do you even use a sound card?

I wanted to use an Onkyo s6200 on my pc and maybe get some 7.1 going on. And for the sound card I'd use an Asus STX or D2X. I just don't know which method would yield the best output but so far I'm thinking just using optical for gaming.

 

[Valaire]

For sound quality:

If computer DAC > receiver DAC = analog
If computer DAC < receiver DAC = digital

If you do connect digitally, you'll need a soundcard capable of doing DDL or DTS Connect encoding if you want multichannel audio in games UNLESS you use HDMI. Generally speaking, an Essence STX or D2X will have a DAC that is superior to an HTiB and some standalone receivers. At a certain point, a hifi receiver will have a better DAC than the cards. You can check the SNR of the DACs for comparison.

So....if using a crappy set of home theatre speakers, you may want to hook them up in analog. If you are using a really good receiver, you may want to hook them up digitally (optical requires DDL/DTS Connect for gaming). Also, having a super fancy soundcard will be wasted if the satellite/sub system in an HTiB are crappy, which they usually are.

 

[450]

I use HDMI whenever possible.

 

[Procyon12]

Sup, just wanted to ask the people who use HTiB's or custom setups for their PC's. What's the best way you use to connect them? HDMI through the GPU? Optical? Just 5.1 analog? Do you even use a sound card?

I wanted to use an Onkyo s6200 on my pc and maybe get some 7.1 going on. And for the sound card I'd use an Asus STX or D2X. I just don't know which method would yield the best output but so far I'm thinking just using optical for gaming.

your only options with this set are spidf and hdmi. if you game, you want a DD Live/DTS Connect Sound card via spidf.

For sound quality:

If computer DAC > receiver DAC = analog
If computer DAC < receiver DAC = digital

If you do connect digitally, you'll need a soundcard capable of doing DDL or DTS Connect encoding if you want multichannel audio in games UNLESS you use HDMI. Generally speaking, an Essence STX or D2X will have a DAC that is superior to an HTiB and some standalone receivers. At a certain point, a hifi receiver will have a better DAC than the cards. You can check the SNR of the DACs for comparison.

the irony is that you generally have to cross that point before you start seing hifi HT recievers that can accept 5.1 or more through analog.

So....if using a crappy set of home theatre speakers, you may want to hook them up in analog. If you are using a really good receiver, you may want to hook them up digitally (optical requires DDL/DTS Connect for gaming). Also, having a super fancy soundcard will be wasted if the satellite/sub system in an HTiB are crappy, which they usually are.

agreed. id go with a "pretty good" DDL/DTS Connect card that are readily availible around $50-80.

and a usb headphone amp if you needed one.

 

[Snowypup]

Sorry for the late reply, but what about trying to get 7.1 over HDMI through the motherboard or GPU that supports it. Which would probably mean I wouldn't need a sound card if it sounds better.

I'd also be willing to spend about a grand on a good setup, my first choice was the Onkyo 6200 but I'm sure they're better stuff out there to buy independently and for a good price like these.

 

[Valaire]

7.1 discrete PCM through an HDMI that supports digital audio is the most flexible/cheapest solution if you already have the capability. You won't need DDL/DTS Connect for HDMI and so you don't need any sound card for multichannel audio in games.