I need a sound card that actively encodes sound to DTS or Dolby Digital.

suiken_2mieu

suiken_2mieu

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So I setup my surround system today. But I got a cheap receiver because i was trying to save money. It has HDMI, but only acts as a hdmi switcher. I want 7.1 (or even 5.1) but to get that either the game or sound card has to encode the sound output as I'm using optical. I would just use the analog ports on the back of my mother board, but for some reason it isn't working correctly. So anyone know of a sound card that can do this for me? PCI or PCI-e I don't really have a preference.

EDIT: Okay I know what Technologies I'm looking for.

It's called Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect

I'd rather have a card that does DTS Connect over Dolby Digital Live.

Here's some cards I found, but I'd like to go cheaper:

Creative 70SB088000004 - $99.99
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional 70SB088600002 - $149.99

And these only do Dolby Digital Live.
 
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I believe the X-FI Ti does do DTS Connect as well. It lets you select which you want to use.

Also another option would be a video card with an HDMI output. Like a 6 series AMD card. Like you I also currently have an eyefinity setup with 3x23" monitors + 40 LCD TV. My monitors are connected with 2 DP + 1 DVI and the TV uses the HDMI output. Even with the TV off my video card still sends sound to my receiver.
 
JohnleMVP said:
I believe the X-FI Ti does do DTS Connect as well. It lets you select which you want to use.

Also another option would be a video card with an HDMI output. Like a 6 series AMD card. Like you I also currently have an eyefinity setup with 3x23" monitors + 40 LCD TV. My monitors are connected with 2 DP + 1 DVI and the TV uses the HDMI output. Even with the TV off my video card still sends sound to my receiver.
Click to expand...

Well i bought a receiver without HDMI Audio or else I would have done just that. I'm Dunno whether or not it would be cheaper to Get an HDMI receiver or buy a new sound card. I know that HDMI gives me compressionless sound and can support up to 7.1. It's just all the receivers that have what I'm looking for are like $300+ and I built my system on the cheap (good speakers though).
 
Well thats unfortunate. You don't have to spend $150 on a sound card to get DDL or DTS Connect though. Many older XFi cards can do it as well. My X-FI Fatality Titanium can and it cost like $100 2 years ago.

I'd also give the analog inputs another shot. I assume the receiver has to be set on DVD and you may have to cycle through the audio source select button. What problems are you experiencing with this now?
 
X-fi does it...I the Titanium Fatality Champion series (same as pro, but with front panel connector). It supports either Dolby Digital or DTS connect, and they both work with my Logitech Z-5500 through an optical connection.
Older cards should do it as well...
 
Most of Creative cards with S/PDIF do have the encoder either included with the card or it can be purchased for $5.
ASUS cards on CMEDIA Oxygen (and possible other cards on the similar CMEDIA chips).
Some Realtek onboard audio cards as well.
 
With Dolby Digital or DTS you are severely compressing your audio though too so HDMI would be the preferable option.

Also, you can't send 8 channels (7.1) across S/PDIF. The best you can do is 6.1 with a "matrixed" 8th channel.

I would recommend looking at this Denon AVR-391 receiver:
http://usa.denon.com/us/Product/Pag...roductId=d2628900-a5f8-49f2-ab1b-28d0d1cf71f9

The MSRP is $250 so you may be able to fins it even a bit cheaper. It has full HDMI sound capability.

I believe that it's cost over a sound card is well-worth it for several reasons:

Better sound because its HDMI and uncompressed across all channels.
Better sound because it (probably) has a better DAC and better amps than your current receiver.
Longer-lasting, more future-proof, more simple solution being just 1 receiver rather than using a receiver + sound card.

If this costs you $250 and the cheapest sound card you can get with DD/DTS encoding is $100. And if you can get $100 for your old (current) receiver, than this option is only $50 more and gets you all those benefits, which is why i say its worth it.

The choice is yours though.
 
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