Possible to get 7.1 through optical connection to receiver?

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wazooda

Weaksauce
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
108
Long story short, my Gigaworks 7.1 amplifier is dead so I need to buy a home theater receiver to drive my 7.1 gaming speakers.

I currently have a Soundblaster X-fi Xtremegamer card. I know I can buy a $20 cable that converts the three minijack outputs to 8 RCA-type connectors that I can plug into a receiver that takes 7.1 analogue inputs.

However.... receivers that accept analogue 7.1 inputs are less in number and thus more expensive than 7.1 receivers that have a digital input (either optical or Coax).

Therefore it *might* make more sense to get a new 7.1 sound card with a digital output *if* a receiver that has a digital input will separate the signal into 7.1 channels and output them to the correct speakers.

I've run into conflicting info whether or not 7.1 surround gaming is possible over digital link.

Anyone know the answer to this and what soundcard and/or receiver is a good match?

Thanks,

Wazoo
 
I've gone through the same thing as you. The only surround sound your receiver is going to understand is DD/AC3 It's really frustrating, and the reason why I've decided to pick up a receiver with analog inputs.

You can try to seek out real time AC3/DD encoders. Maybe there's something out there that might work, who knows?
 
fattypants said:
I've gone through the same thing as you. The only surround sound your receiver is going to understand is DD/AC3 It's really frustrating, and the reason why I've decided to pick up a receiver with analog inputs.

You can try to seek out real time AC3/DD encoders. Maybe there's something out there that might work, who knows?
Click to expand...

Yeah... I was afraid of that. I actually just found a receiver that should work for me on-sale at Newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882676164

For $199 bucks delivered, it has analogue 7.1 input. I think I'll pull the trigger on it.

Now I just have to figure out the best way to hook my speakers to it. The Gigaworks speaker cables have RCA connectors on them which plugged into the Gigaworks amp/subwoofer. The receivers all have standard wire-posts.... so I either have to find RCA-speak-wire adapters... or cut the RCA plugs off and strip the wires.

Damn you Creative! :p

Wazoo
 
wazooda said:
Yeah... I was afraid of that. I actually just found a receiver that should work for me on-sale at Newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882676164

For $199 bucks delivered, it has analogue 7.1 input. I think I'll pull the trigger on it.

Now I just have to figure out the best way to hook my speakers to it. The Gigaworks speaker cables have RCA connectors on them which plugged into the Gigaworks amp/subwoofer. The receivers all have standard wire-posts.... so I either have to find RCA-speak-wire adapters... or cut the RCA plugs off and strip the wires.

Damn you Creative! :p

Wazoo
Click to expand...
Where exactly are you seeing analogue 7.1 input? If you think the binding posts on the bottom right are inputs, then you're mistaken as they're speaker outputs.
 
Blue Fox said:
Where exactly are you seeing analogue 7.1 input? If you think the binding posts on the bottom right are inputs, then you're mistaken as they're speaker outputs.
Click to expand...

Just to the right of the component video ports. 7.1 analog RCA input. Probably threw you off because they are red/white, not multicolor like most 7.1 analog inputs are.
 
Looks like there's a multi channel analog input more towards the left. To the right of the component video inputs and above the digital inputs.
 
Multi-channel analog is great because it'll do 5.1/7.1 all of the time, not just with encoded items like movies.

A really good alternative to that is to skip the sound card altogether and use the HDMI-out on newer video cards. All of the current gen ATI and Nvidia cards will do 7.1 LPCM over HDMI. HDMI receivers are also getting cheaper and cheaper by the day. You can get many of them on Craigslist or eBay for $100.
 
dang; that seems like a pretty sweet little receiver for the price.

I don't think I could deal with a 7.1 bundle of RCA cables. I got frustrated running component+audio way back when, and that was just 5 cables!
 
I have had a Gigaworks s750 for 5+ years and it's been incredible!

Unfortunately, in the past 2 months the sub output for my rear speakers has died (speakers work fine, output on the sub is gone). Not a great setup for 7.1 surround gaming, which is what I use this for with a Creative X-Fi Elite Pro (World of Warcraft, especially).

I looked for a replacement s750 - HA!

There's the Logitech Z-5500 5.1 system for $300 from Amazon.

What I really want is a Home-Theatre-in-a-Box that will accept 7.1 analog input from my Soundblaster. Finding one of these beats has proved very difficult.

There ARE some receivers that can do 7.1 analog input (leftovers from the days of SACD and DVD-Audio) but they are expensive, and then I'd have to buy 7.1 speakers to boot.

My computer "cave" does have several computers, a PS3, an Xbox 360, a DirecTV HD receiver - so I am leaning towards a receiver rather than a replacement set of computer speakers. It would be awesome to be able to manage all this digital HD and audio in one receiver.

I could really use some suggestions if any of you guys have something that would fit the bill! Thanks!
 
Hmm, duh - I have a GTX 580 in my computer. It apparently can do 8 channel LPCM - so could I use my computer connected to a Home Theatre in a box via HDMI and get 7.1 surround?
 
wazooda said:
Long story short, my Gigaworks 7.1 amplifier is dead so I need to buy a home theater receiver to drive my 7.1 gaming speakers.

I currently have a Soundblaster X-fi Xtremegamer card. I know I can buy a $20 cable that converts the three minijack outputs to 8 RCA-type connectors that I can plug into a receiver that takes 7.1 analogue inputs.

However.... receivers that accept analogue 7.1 inputs are less in number and thus more expensive than 7.1 receivers that have a digital input (either optical or Coax).

Therefore it *might* make more sense to get a new 7.1 sound card with a digital output *if* a receiver that has a digital input will separate the signal into 7.1 channels and output them to the correct speakers.

I've run into conflicting info whether or not 7.1 surround gaming is possible over digital link.

Anyone know the answer to this and what soundcard and/or receiver is a good match?

Thanks,

Wazoo
Click to expand...

I use this soundcard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9271001&cm_re=ht_omega-_-29-271-001-_-Product

with an Onxyo receiver for full 7.1 DD DTS.

The Company HT OMEGA accually updates their driver often. I use an Optical cord from the sound card the receiver, and I never looked back.

Good luck

P.S. And just so I made sure, I was selecting in the driver option Dolby Digital, and DTS, and both were working properly (although I think DTS sounded better), and both were 7.1 channels. The Receiver would accually show which sound format was being used.
 
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