Prelude + Win7 + Receiver?

[LstBrunnenG]

I have a Denon 7.1 receiver. I'm extremely tempted by this deal for the Prelude.

1. Will it do Stereo Surround like the old Audigy and the other X-Fis?
2. Am I right in assuming this is probably one of the cheapest ways to get Dolby Digital Live?
3. Am I right in assuming Dolby Digital Live is probably the best way to get 5.1 sound out of games and out to my receiver?
4. Will ALL OF THE ABOVE work in Windows 7?

Thanks.

 

[Sycraft]

1) Not sure what you mean.
2) There may be cheaper DDL cards, but not with the X-Fi chipset.
3) Well DTS Interactive is probably a better choice, higher bitrate. Comes with the pack though, it is both DDL and DTSI. HDMI is also another option for 5.1 sound, but you need a more expensive card for it.
4) Yes. I have an Elite Pro and do DSTI to my receiver in Windows 7.

 

[LstBrunnenG]

1) Not sure what you mean.

Stereo surround is when stereo sources (such as CDs and MP3s) are played over more than two channels. The rear channels receive a duplicate of the front channels. Many implementations do something funky so that the center channel gets something that sounds right too.

If I recall, modern Creative drivers call this the Crystalizer or something stupid. There should still be an option for stereo surround with no other "enhancements" though.

2) There may be cheaper DDL cards, but not with the X-Fi chipset.

What cards would these be? It's not as though Creative is renowned for their drivers, though I've never had a problem with a non-beta Microsoft OS.

Something that would work in Linux also would be a huge bonus. I'd even be happy with analog.

3) Well DTS Interactive is probably a better choice, higher bitrate. Comes with the pack though, it is both DDL and DTSI.

Noted. I'll use that when the time comes. My receiver should support both.

HDMI is also another option for 5.1 sound, but you need a more expensive card for it.

My receiver doesn't support HDMI, so not interested in that.

4) Yes. I have an Elite Pro and do DSTI to my receiver in Windows 7.

So I take it they're the same exact drivers?

 

[Sycraft]

Stereo surround is when stereo sources (such as CDs and MP3s) are played over more than two channels. The rear channels receive a duplicate of the front channels. Many implementations do something funky so that the center channel gets something that sounds right too.

It's called CMMS, and the X-Fi has a more advanced implementation of it.

Something that would work in Linux also would be a huge bonus. I'd even be happy with analog.

Well there are X-Fi Linux drivers, not sure how well they work.

As for others, just Google for Dolby Digital Live. You'll come up with lots of results like this one. No idea if any of them are any good.

Noted. I'll use that when the time comes. My receiver should support both.

It is more or less impossible to buy a reciever that doesn't. Only really old ones don't do DTS.

So I take it they're the same exact drivers?

No, actually. The encoders are the same, near as I know. However the drivers for the prelude work right, the X-Fi drivers are messed up. With the X-fi drivers I was getting digital clipping on the DTS output. So I had to get modified prelude drivers to fix the problem.

 

[TechHead]

It's called CMMS, and the X-Fi has a more advanced implementation of it.



Well there are X-Fi Linux drivers, not sure how well they work.

As for others, just Google for Dolby Digital Live. You'll come up with lots of results like this one. No idea if any of them are any good.



It is more or less impossible to buy a reciever that doesn't. Only really old ones don't do DTS.



No, actually. The encoders are the same, near as I know. However the drivers for the prelude work right, the X-Fi drivers are messed up. With the X-fi drivers I was getting digital clipping on the DTS output. So I had to get modified prelude drivers to fix the problem.

CMSS, not CMMS.
Sorry for being too pedantic