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optical AND direct inputs??

R

ranger0900

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
230
Ok so I went out and got an optical cable today for my reciever.I previously had the direct inputs set up and still have them plugged in.

When I watch a movie using PowerDVD I set the audio to go through SPIDF, set the reciever to the optical input and the sound is overall incredible, better than direct inputs. I did not change a thing with my audigy. It is still set to output to the direct input cables.

When I started listening to music again I went back to the reciever and put it back to direct input. Once again my wonderful fake 5.1 music and EAX gaming with no problems at all...

Am I doing everything correctly set up wise? I don't remember any of you giving this as an option... it always seems as it is either Direct Inputs OR Optical input...
 
It sounds like you have everything set up right.
Option 2 huh?
If you don't have the problem with low output to the sub your solution works pretty well because you get the best of both worlds and it doesn't cost you very much

You tried games in ProLogic or NEO mode via the optical cable yet?
 
OK so Battlefield 2 (EAX enabled and high audio quality set in the options) was the game to try it out with and during the test, when the optical cable was being used the receiver was set to DD PL2.

Set up for the record
AMD 64 3000+
1gb XMS Corsair
2x 160gb SATA drives
nVidia 6800gt
Dell 2005fpw

Audigy 2zs plat.
Yamaha HTR-5840
1x NHT VT-1C Center Channel Speaker (120w. max)
Front 2x Canton GL 260 Bookshelf Speakers (70w. max)
Back 2x Nakamichi bookshelf speakers (sorry no product number)
My sub is a NHT SW2P going through a NHT MA-1A amp.


Test I: BF2 with direct input
Sounds great as always can hear clearly each channel and exactly where every shot is coming from

Test II:BF2 with just hitting the Optical input on the receiver
OK honestly at first it was hard to tell what really changed. After sitting there and trying to get shot from different directions, I figured the front speakers seemed more dare I say realistic or better sounding... The overall surround sound feel was not quite there.

Test III: BF2 with THX control panel set to optical out only
Only two channels front and left

Test IV: Same as above but with surround sound enhance turned on, on the receiver
Sounded better than just two channels, did a good job of putting the sound out on all the speakers...



Conclusion:
Honestly, the sound was perfectly surround with the usual direct input method, and honestly I think I will just stay with that.
Stay with direct input when listening to normal music/games and so on.
When watching a movie (I tested using Star Wars: A New Hope and XXX: State of the Union) I will just switch over to the DVD optical input and use Power DVD.
I am now going to go try a dvd-a disk and see what works best.

Any questions or ideas or things you guys want me to try. Remember these are my own opinions and I will admit I am partially death in my right ear, but it is so slight it doesn't matter when it comes to music/movies at least as far I as I can tell.
 
DVD-Audio can't be sent over SPDIF because of DRM issues. Your software will either choose the Dolby Digital or DTS track and send that to your receiver, or revert to 2ch PCM mode. It'd be better to uses the 6ch direct mode and let your audigy decode it.
 
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