Great news on the sound front, DTS just announced an interactive encoder for motherboards and sound cards that can encode up to 8 channels at a bitrate of 1.5mbit/sec. Partners include C-Media and Realtek, so we might actually see these cards popping up soon =] The ability to encode at a bitrate about 2.5 times higher than DDL sounds great, as does extra channels for those with 6.1 or 7.1 systems.
Also, they have their own stereo expansion technique, Neo
C, that can expand anything to 7.1 . In terms of simulated surround, Neo:6 isn't actually all that bad, but I still wouldn't use it.
http://www.audioholics.com/news/pressreleases/DTSConnectPCmotherboards.php
Also, they have their own stereo expansion technique, Neo
http://www.audioholics.com/news/pressreleases/DTSConnectPCmotherboards.php