GodsMadClown
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2002
- Messages
- 3,112
[size=+2]How to Ask Questions.[/size]
[size=+2]What sort of [equipment] should I get?[/size]
[size=+2]How Should I Ask for Technical Support?[/size]
[size=+2]Dealing With Soundstorm[/size]
[size=+2]What is Soundstorm?[/size]
[size=+2]I want digital surround sound output on my gaming audio, but I dont have Soundstorm. What can I do? [/size]
[size=+2]Dealing With Creative[/size]
[size=+2]How do I make the new Creative drivers work with older Creative soundcards?[/size]
[size=+2]Dealing With Setup[/size]
[size=+2]How do I set up my speakers?[/size]
[size=+2]How do I connect my PC to my home theater system? [/size]
[size=+2]How do I connect my PC to my home theater system to get surround sound? [/size]
[size=+2]Dealing With MP3s
(and other compressed audio)[/size]
[size=+2]How do I make good sounding MP3s? [/size]
[size=+2]What is the best MP3 (et al.) player software?[/size]
[size=+2]What sort of [equipment] should I get?[/size]
To make useful recommendations, you need to give proper information.
- Give your budget.
How much are you willing to spend to listen to good sound? You might think this computer hobby is expensive but, the amount you could spend for audio can make what you spent on your new computer look like pennies. However unlike high priced computer gear, audio gear does not really become obsolete. Good gear can give years, even decades of excellent service. - Tell us how and where you might use the equipment.
Do you use you computer audio to listen primarily to music, do you play lots of games, and do you ever watch movies on your computer? List a few kinds of music, games, and movies you like. Give us the size of the room, and how the speakers are going to be placed. - Tell us what other audio equipment you have on hand.
It makes little sense recommending uber-speakers if you plan to run them off some crappy integrated sound implementation. Also, where available, old speakers or receivers might be rolled in to the solution to produce good sound for rather little money.
[size=+2]How Should I Ask for Technical Support?[/size]
Please provide post as much information as possible. Tell us about your audio hardware, software involved, operating system, and other computer hardware. Describe how everything is connected and how to recreate the problem. Too much information is better then too little. Please be as clear as possible and try to use proper punctuation and grammar.
[size=+2]Dealing With Soundstorm[/size]
[size=+2]What is Soundstorm?[/size]
It is motherboard-integrated sound with an implementation that conforms to a standard developed by nVidia and Dolby Labs. Motherboard manufacturers must use the nForce2 MCP-T south bridge and have an onboard SPDIF connection (optical or coaxial). The nForce2 is the only PC audio solution that uses the Dolby ICE (Interactive Content Encoder) to encode any audio signal real-time into Dolby Digital 5.1.
[size=+2]I want digital surround sound output on my gaming audio, but I dont have Soundstorm. What can I do? [/size]
Sorry. You cant do it¹.
Some computer speaker manufacturers have now designed systems with included decoders so that they can play back digital output. However, digital decoder hardware doesnt going to come for free. It is likely that the additional cost of the decoder came at the expense of quality in the speaker and/or amplifier subsystems, in order to keep the price competitive. Decent analog connections dont cost much. In the majority of cases, the quality of the amplification and speaker components is vastly more limiting than the quality of the connections. It is preferable to have the most of your purchase price going to pay for quality components. With analog output, fidelity is dependant on the driver and soundcard implementation to provide a quality analog signal.
Some computer speaker manufacturers have now designed systems with included decoders so that they can play back digital output. However, digital decoder hardware doesnt going to come for free. It is likely that the additional cost of the decoder came at the expense of quality in the speaker and/or amplifier subsystems, in order to keep the price competitive. Decent analog connections dont cost much. In the majority of cases, the quality of the amplification and speaker components is vastly more limiting than the quality of the connections. It is preferable to have the most of your purchase price going to pay for quality components. With analog output, fidelity is dependant on the driver and soundcard implementation to provide a quality analog signal.
¹This might change in the future but is true for currently available consumer hardware.
[size=+2]Dealing With Creative[/size]
[size=+2]How do I make the new Creative drivers work with older Creative soundcards?[/size]
[size=+2]Dealing With Setup[/size]
[size=+2]How do I set up my speakers?[/size]
Trial and error.
There are many variables to proper speaker placement that we cannot hope to cover in this FAQ. The best way to answer that question is trial and error combined with critical listening. Here are some ideas.
With that said, here are some pictures from Dolby.
Generalized 5.1 setup.
Generalized 7.1 setup.
[size=+2]Do I need that funny cable that connects my optical drive to my soundcard?[/size]There are many variables to proper speaker placement that we cannot hope to cover in this FAQ. The best way to answer that question is trial and error combined with critical listening. Here are some ideas.
- Read the manual.
- Position the speakers as best you can in a circular pattern around your normal listening position.
- Occupy said listening position and check your results with an audio track you know well.
- adjust position of speakers until they sound the best to your ears.
With that said, here are some pictures from Dolby.
Generalized 5.1 setup.
Generalized 7.1 setup.
No. It's an obsolete means of transmiting audio from an optical drive. Modern versions of Microsoft Windows support digital audio extraction, which makes the analog cable redundant.
[size=+2]How do I connect my PC to my home theater system? [/size]
The quickest and easiest way to connect a PC to a home theater system is to use a 1/8" jack-RCA adaptor. Plug the 1/8" minijack end into the appropriate soundcard output, and plug the RCA ends to an available input on your audio equipment.
[size=+2]How do I connect my PC to my home theater system to get surround sound? [/size]
If your motherboard supports Soundstorm, then you can encode the multichannel audio to Dolby Digital, and output it via S/PDIF to the receiver.
Otherwise, you need a receiver with multichannel analog inputs. Get 3 minijack-RCA cables like the one pictured above, and route the soundcard's L/R, SL/SR, Cent/Sub outputs into the respective inputs on your receiver.
Otherwise, you need a receiver with multichannel analog inputs. Get 3 minijack-RCA cables like the one pictured above, and route the soundcard's L/R, SL/SR, Cent/Sub outputs into the respective inputs on your receiver.
[size=+2]Dealing With MP3s
(and other compressed audio)[/size]
[size=+2]How do I make good sounding MP3s? [/size]
Use Exact Audio Copy. Configure LAME as an external decoder. http://www.bestmp3guide.com/ is a good introduction to setting up Exact Audio Copy
[size=+2]What is the best MP3 (et al.) player software?[/size]