What do I need for dts or dolby digital sound?

A

Amd For Ever

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For PC, can a sound card decode dts/dolby and then I can hook any speakers up to it or do I need to get a stand alone decoder? Is it possible to use dts when watching a dvd on my pc or is it only for tvs? Finally for tvs do I just need a home receiver that decodes and then I can hook any speakers up to it or do I need to use special connections like optical and digital speakers? I really don't know much about digital audio and would like to learn. Basically what do I need to hear dolby/dts on the PC and tv? Is it that much better???
 
DD and DTS are just the surround formats used on DVD's. Any sound card that supports multiple channels definitely can decode them, otherwise directshow filters such as ac3filter can decode them.

So you don't really need anything special, just some software [most DVD players like PowerDVD or WinDVD also feature builtin decoders] and a 6-channel sound card. Speakers to go with those would be nice as well =]
 
also you can get speakers that have a digital input... that puts everything in one nice little cable and its digital almost all the way to the amp....
 
If you put it in digital, don't you need a receiver to do the digital decoding of the DD signals?

that is unless you have a z-5500 w/ onboard DD decoding.
 
Do digital speakers sound that much better than analog ones or is the benefit just fewer cables? Seeing as the gigaworks all use analog connections I doubt they sound horrible.
 
The speakers are still considered analog. The digital part is the how the the input signal is handled and yes, you do need a pre-amp/receiver section cable of decoding the signal (DTS, DD5.1, DTS-ES, DD PLII, DD PL IIx are formats, but all because you have a digital signal doesn't mean it's alway giving you a 5.1 signal, it may be giving you a 2 channel (stereo) signal that the decoder will channel into 5.1--the 5.1 digital signal will give you a better surround sound since the soundtrack is mixed to the 5 audio channels and dedicated .1 subwoofer channel). You have to check the settings on your sound card and whatever software your using (Software DVD players) and set it to output a surround signal.

It's just that the receiver section takes the digital input and decodes it as say the LOGITECH 5500 does in comparison to the Klipsch 5.1s where you have to connect the analog outs from the soundcard (unless you bought Klipsch's decoder).

The advantage digital has compared to analog is that you have only one cable to deal with and that you are less likely to have emf interference
1. With an optical out, the signal is not prone to emf interference
2. Even with a coaxial digital cable, this cable is basically RG6 and is well shielded against interference.
If you're hearing static interference and using a digital input, then you can usually isolate it to somewhere other than you output source, either in the receiver/pre-amp/amp/speaker wires/speakers.

Some people debate on Coaxial vs Optical but I haven't heard any difference personally. You can make a digital coax yourself by using F-type to RCA adapter and RG6 Coaxial cable (sometimes it says for Satellite TV on the package). This can also be used for a subwoofer cable. Much cheaper than buying a hyped up Monster Cable.

For cheap digital cables, speaker cables, etc, check out www.partsexpress.com

Comparison of Dolby Digital to DTS:

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/specsformats/dolbydigitaldts.php
 
Thanks for the info. Do you need a seperate decoder like the high end logitech to hear Dolby/DTS or is the sound card good enough if it decodes Dolby/DTS? (audigy 2 ZS) Or is the seperate decoder only needed for optical/coax wires? Would the speakers sound a lot better (on average) if I bought the seperate decoder and used say optical vs just using the analog connections?
 
If you are using the digital out then you need the decoder, if you are using the analog outs from the souncard, then the soundcard is doing the decoding work and passing out an analog signal to the speakers.

The Logitech 5500 and the older version of them have a decoder that can take both DTS and DD5.1. I believe there is an indicator light or other indication on the Logitech on what type of signal it is receiving.

The Klipsch's top of the line required you to purchase a separate decoder.
 
Why can't the sound card decode the signal and pass it along the digital wires? Is the signal analog once it is decoded?? It seems weird that the decoded signal can't be passed along the digital outputs.
 
Amd For Ever said:
Why can't the sound card decode the signal and pass it along the digital wires? Is the signal analog once it is decoded?? It seems weird that the decoded signal can't be passed along the digital outputs.
Click to expand...
You still need something to pass the signals for each channel from that 5.1 signal. The output from the speakers is analog and the decoder acts as an digital to analog (D/A) decoder when you're using the digital out. Using the analog outputs of the soundcard, the digital signal is being converted to an analog one within the soundcard.

Here's an explanation article on sound and digital audio:
http://www.teamcombooks.com/mp3handbook/11.htm
 
Can you send an analog signal through coax/optical cables or is it only for digital signals??
Would there be any sound quality improvement from sending the signals to a seperate decoder and then to the speakers vs having the sound card decode the signals and then send it to the speakers?
 
well...

you can never send an analog signal through an optical cable...

you CAN send an analog signal through a a cable made of coax, but that's dependent on what it is connecting together.... if it's connecting "digital to digital", then you pass digital through it, if you are connecting "analog to analog", then you pass analog signals... so with coax, it's a "it depends" answer... (i.e. connecting a sound card to a receiver via coax to the spdif input of the receiver would be passing digital, connecting that same cable inbetween the pre-out of the receiver and a separate amplifier would be analog)...

before you ask, no, you can't connect "digital to analog" (or "analog to digital", for that matter)... you need something to convert the signal from one to the other...
 
Does anyone notice any difference between using your sound card to decode dolby vs an external decoder and then sending it to your pc speakers??? The only high end one I see that does this is the logitech z 5500 and most people prefer the promedia ultras and gigaworks which don't use digital connections. Also I have heard the 5500s decoder sucks. Any info would be helpful.
 
there's no such thing as your sound card decoding digital signals. digital signals bypass the soundcard and go straight into your receiver/decoder. The digital signal is THEN decoded in your receiver/decoder. Then it sends the sound to ur speakers

when you use the analog outputs, you are using the DAC's (digital to analog conveter) on your soundcard to process the audio. There are very few soundcards on the market, with DAC's that will sound better than a reciever.
 
Xeero said:
there's no such thing as your sound card decoding digital signals. digital signals bypass the soundcard and go straight into your receiver/decoder. The digital signal is THEN decoded in your receiver/decoder. Then it sends the sound to ur speakers

when you use the analog outputs, you are using the DAC's (digital to analog conveter) on your soundcard to process the audio. There are very few soundcards on the market, with DAC's that will sound better than a reciever.
Click to expand...

ok, class, what part of paragraph 2 contradicts paragraph 1? ;)

the last sentence of paragraph 2 is probably correct...
 
ccotenj said:
ok, class, what part of paragraph 2 contradicts paragraph 1? ;)

the last sentence of paragraph 2 is probably correct...
Click to expand...

Oh oh oh! Me me!

Xeero said:
there's no such thing as your sound card decoding digital signals.
Click to expand...

Xeero said:
when you use the analog outputs, you are using the DAC's (digital to analog conveter) on your soundcard to process the audio.
Click to expand...

Do I get a sticker? :)
 
strid3r gets a gold star... :)

as far as DAC on card vs. DAC on receiver... probably most receivers have a better DAC, that's a true enough statement... that being said, your speakers need to be revealing enough for that to make a difference... amoungst other variables in the equation...
 
rawr.... :( . so what did we learn? unless you have good speakers, dont worry about better sound? =P
 
basically, yea... if your speakers aren't good enough to reveal the differences between the DAC's, what's the point?
 
Don't you guys know that you first have to buy a highquality source, then worry about your speakers? So go out, get a nice Meridian CD player, and use your walkman headphones with it until you can buy a decent pair of bookshelves :D
 
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