How to Get 5.1 Sound from PC?

Professor Snugglesworth

In my current Motherboard, there is an optical audio port, which I figured I could hook up toward my home theater for 5.1 dolby digital sound. Yet my previous attempts have ended with failure; the most I've been able to manage is dolby pro-logic.

So to get to the point, is this mobo capable of giving 5.1 sound, or will I have to upgrade to a specific sound card?

Houndx

There have been motherboards in the past that would downmix to stereo when using optical audio. I don't know if this is the case with your's but it is a possible explanation of your issue. Given the number of analog ports available, it appears that it should be able to output at least 7.1

Velmeran

Your motherboard's optical and digital out's are simply for passing through encoded audio like dolby digital and DTS. It doesn't have the ability to take all system sounds, encode them, and push them to your reciever. There are some sound cards that can do this, and old Nforce 1-2 motherboards could, but they removed it since apparently the OEM manufacturers didn't want it and thus screwed all us gamers.

All you will ever get out of your opitcal and coaxil outs is 2 channel audio, the pro-logic is from your reciever taking those two channels and spreading the sound out to all your speakers, but its not 3d sound in any way.

What you can do is use the analogue outputs from your motherboard and hook those into your reciever and then you could get some surround sound action going.

elliotw2

You may have to buy a sound card for 5.1 sound, I had to for mine, but my computer and motherboard are much older than yours.

Nakatomi2010

Yeah, my computer I had to install a card in it that would encode all audio in Dolby DTS 5.1 audio... Currently I use my Radeon HD 2600XT's HDMI audio, seems to do a pretty good job, but even here if the source is not encoded in 5.1, I'm not getting 5.1

elliotw2

Yes, PC games don't upmix their audio, some sound cards support doing this for you, but other wise, some games will output stereo no matter what.

Scrublet

elliotw2 wrote: »

Yes, PC games don't upmix their audio, some sound cards support doing this for you, but other wise, some games will output stereo no matter what.

This is splitting hairs, but upmixing isn't the problem. The proper word to go here is encode. Plenty of PC games ARE surround sound. The problem is it is raw uncompressed LPCM that normally goes straight from the computer to the speakers. To get surround sound out of the receiver like the OP wants, the PC must either:

1. ENCODE the sound to a compressed surround format like Dolby or DTS that can fit on the optical (note that it's not "upmixing" anything...simply converting the huge amount of uncompressed surround data to compressed surround data)
2. Send the uncompressed sound over an HDMI connection that can handle it.

The HDMI option is still not quite there. Some video cards support this, but not many. And then there's the issue of compatibility...as far as I know, you can't use a separate sound card for sound but still send that sound over the few video cards that CAN send sound over HDMI. It'd require support on both the sound card and video card sides.

tl;dr if you want surround sound in PC games for a receiver, you're buying a sound card that encodes existing surround games to Dolby/DTS and sends it over an optical connection.

Cabezone

Velmeran wrote: »

Your motherboard's optical and digital out's are simply for passing through encoded audio like dolby digital and DTS. It doesn't have the ability to take all system sounds, encode them, and push them to your reciever. There are some sound cards that can do this, and old Nforce 1-2 motherboards could, but they removed it since apparently the OEM manufacturers didn't want it and thus screwed all us gamers.

All you will ever get out of your opitcal and coaxil outs is 2 channel audio, the pro-logic is from your reciever taking those two channels and spreading the sound out to all your speakers, but its not 3d sound in any way.

What you can do is use the analogue outputs from your motherboard and hook those into your reciever and then you could get some surround sound action going.

That's all you need to know.

Professor Snugglesworth

Can I get some decent (and cheap) recommendations for sound cards, then?

Also, not sure if it matters, but I'm only interested in 5.1/DTS for PC games. If I want to see a video with surround sound, I use PS3 Media Server (which is an awesome app everyone should have).

Cabezone

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

Can I get some decent (and cheap) recommendations for sound cards, then?

Also, not sure if it matters, but I'm only interested in 5.1/DTS for PC games. If I want to see a video with surround sound, I use PS3 Media Server (which is an awesome app everyone should have).

If that's all you want just use your analogue outputs. It' has L/R front, L/R rear, and Sub/center outputs. You'll probably need 3 mini to RCA cables, depending on your receiver.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882021057&cm_re=mini_to_rca-_-82-021-057-_-Product

Professor Snugglesworth

So you're saying I'll need three of those? I might have a couple lying around, but I'll have to dig for them.

Nakatomi2010

Bare in mind that using the splitters is splitting Stereo to all channels, so you'd be getting the SAME left/right in all speakers, hell the center speaker would be a left OR a right...

Scrublet

[strike]If I'm reading this right, you're going to need a mini to two-RCA for the rear speaker and side speakers outs on your motherboard. I think you need two mini-RCA adapters (so, only ONE plug on each end)...one for the subwoofer, and one for the center. So you'll have four minis connecting to your motherboard...sub, center, rear, side. You'll have six RCAs connecting to your receiver, one for each speaker plus the sub.[/strike]

Edit: I wasn't reading this right, Cabezone is dead on.

Nakatomi2010

Oh, yeah.. lol.. My bad, yes, what you're saying is technically correct...

I misunderstood ignore my previous post...

Professor Snugglesworth

It all sounds like a serious headache. Can't I just get a soundcard that gives me 5.1 through optical and leave it at that?

elliotw2

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102024

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102017

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829118105

Here's a few with optical surround out

Professor Snugglesworth

Well, clearly I'd want the cheapest solution (third link), but is there a real difference between the cards? Or can I just settle with "if it works, it works"?

elliotw2

The two Creatives are PCI-e, the Turtle Beach is normal PCI, mainly. Most likely they will sound the same quality wise, but the two Creatives also support 7.1 setups, and are a higher sample rate.

Scrublet

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

It all sounds like a serious headache. Can't I just get a soundcard that gives me 5.1 through optical and leave it at that?

You can. The functionality is called "Dolby Digital Live" or "DTS Interactive". This card will do it, and I believe it is the cheapest Creative card capable of it. I'm not too familiar with other brands.

Edit: Here's another SLIGHTLY cheaper card I know nothing about that will do it.

Edit: and another

Scrublet

elliotw2 wrote: »

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102024

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102017

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829118105

Here's a few with optical surround out

Neither of those bottom two cards offer the surround sound encoding through the optical port that OP requires.

Professor Snugglesworth

elliotw2 wrote: »

The two Creatives are PCI-e, the Turtle Beach is normal PCI, mainly. Most likely they will sound the same quality wise, but the two Creatives also support 7.1 setups, and are a higher sample rate.

My current home theater setup only does 5.1 and DTS, but it might be a good idea to settle with the 2nd choice in the event I upgrade to a 7.1 system. I'd like to find it cheaper though.

Scrublet

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

elliotw2 wrote: »

The two Creatives are PCI-e, the Turtle Beach is normal PCI, mainly. Most likely they will sound the same quality wise, but the two Creatives also support 7.1 setups, and are a higher sample rate.

My current home theater setup only does 5.1 and DTS, but it might be a good idea to settle with the 2nd choice in the event I upgrade to a 7.1 system. I'd like to find it cheaper though.

The first option is the only one of elliotw2's links that will give you what you're looking for. The last edit in my post for the $60 Turtle Beach is as cheap as you'll be able to find this functionality.

elliotw2

Yes, those two on the bottom only support 2.1 Digital out, I read them wrong

Cabezone

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

It all sounds like a serious headache. Can't I just get a soundcard that gives me 5.1 through optical and leave it at that?

Finding the proper soundcard, installing it, and then setting up the software is far more trouble than plugging in three cables.

Improvolone

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

elliotw2 wrote: »

The two Creatives are PCI-e, the Turtle Beach is normal PCI, mainly. Most likely they will sound the same quality wise, but the two Creatives also support 7.1 setups, and are a higher sample rate.

My current home theater setup only does 5.1 and DTS, but it might be a good idea to settle with the 2nd choice in the event I upgrade to a 7.1 system. I'd like to find it cheaper though.

7.1 is generally "lolwut?" worthy. It's great in huuuuge rooms. Thats about it. Hell, lots of stuff isn't even made in 7.1.

Professor Snugglesworth

Cabezone wrote: »

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

It all sounds like a serious headache. Can't I just get a soundcard that gives me 5.1 through optical and leave it at that?

Finding the proper soundcard, installing it, and then setting up the software is far more trouble than plugging in three cables.

Would I get true 5.1 sound if I did it that way, though? Sounds like it would merely direct the audio in separate places, but not offer true dolby digital.

Anyway, this turtle beach brand is my best (and cheapest) bet, right? I'm thinking of ordering it before Mass Effect 2 hits.

Edit: Actually, the other card you linked me seems to have a rebate deal going on. Is that one worth getting at a slightly higher price?

Professor Snugglesworth

I saw this card for sale in Best Buy.

Will this give me what I'm looking for, minus 7.1 (which I don't have)?

Cabezone

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

Would I get true 5.1 sound if I did it that way, though? Sounds like it would merely direct the audio in separate places, but not offer true dolby digital.

Dolby digital doesn't mean anything for whether or not a signal is 5.1, it's just a way to package data so your receiver can understand it. If you just connect those 3 cables you're skipping an unnecessary step. Most games are already 5.1. Even if they're not, encoding them to Dolby isn't going to make them 5.1. If you play movies with your computer your PC will decode them.

If you really feel you just have to use the optical cable for some reason, ok but the only thing it's doing is reducing the number of cables.

Professor Snugglesworth

Well, problem is I would require at least 12 feet for the cables to reach from my PC to my home theater, and those are listed as a bit pricier on Newegg. Roughly it would be about the same as that card I just linked.

So my question stands: Can I get what I'm looking for with the Best Buy sound card?

Cabezone

No, in order to use optical you need a card that will convert your signal to something your receiver can understand.

Improvolone

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

Well, problem is I would require at least 12 feet for the cables to reach from my PC to my home theater, and those are listed as a bit pricier on Newegg. Roughly it would be about the same as that card I just linked.

So my question stands: Can I get what I'm looking for with the Best Buy sound card?

Cables=www.monoprice.com

Cabezone

Improvolone wrote: »

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

Well, problem is I would require at least 12 feet for the cables to reach from my PC to my home theater, and those are listed as a bit pricier on Newegg. Roughly it would be about the same as that card I just linked.

So my question stands: Can I get what I'm looking for with the Best Buy sound card?

Cables=www.monoprice.com

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021804&p_id=5600&seq=1&format=2

12 bucks for 3 15ft cables, less than 20 bucks with tax+shipping inside the US.

Improvolone

Its actually pretty amazing other major electronic dealers aren't lowering their prices to even come close. We use Parts Express' professional service for our orders and get a discount for it, but they still can't touch Monoprice.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

Professor Snugglesworth

Does Monoprice accept returns? I wanted to try this out with a retailer first in case it didn't work.

Also, to ask a fairly stupid question, would hooking up three analog cables interfere with my attatched speakers, headphones, or mic? Same question, but with the home theater and its connected devices via optical output?

I was hoping that $29 card would work, since it seemed to be the cheapest solution for optical.

Cabezone

Ok, I'm confused now. You already have speakers hooked up? What exactly are you trying to play through your stereo? Is it for movies and music only?

Scrublet

Professor Snugglesworth wrote: »

Well, problem is I would require at least 12 feet for the cables to reach from my PC to my home theater, and those are listed as a bit pricier on Newegg. Roughly it would be about the same as that card I just linked.

So my question stands: Can I get what I'm looking for with the Best Buy sound card?

No. As I said earlier, if you want to use optical, you need Dolby Digital Live. We linked you several cards at price levels as low as $60. You will not get this functionality cheaper than that. And yes, if you use the three cable solution you will lose the computer speakers that I'm guessing are already plugged in there.

Get the $60 card and a cheap optical cable.

Professor Snugglesworth

Cabezone wrote: »

Ok, I'm confused now. You already have speakers hooked up? What exactly are you trying to play through your stereo? Is it for movies and music only?

I have two small Logitech speakers hooked up, the kind used for desktops.

I also have headphones hooked up in a separate port, and a mic in another.

Cabezone

Did you want to be able to use both the small speakers and the stereo and if so why? I'm asking because if you just want to send DVD's or Blueray to your stereo you can already do that properly with your current setup.

If for some reason you want to be able to use both sets of speakers you'll want to get one of those sound cards Scrublet is talking about.

Professor Snugglesworth

No, I don't want to use both at the same time. What I'm worried about is when I'm using one but not the either.

In other words, I have my home theater turned off, and decide to just get sound from my desktop speakers and/or headphones. Will I have to unplug the analog cables from my home theater, even if it's turned off?

Professor Snugglesworth

So I decided to go with the TB, purchasing it for $60 free shipping from Buy.com. I just received it today, just 3 days after making the order. Gotta love sufficient online ordering.

Anyway, the card's been installed along with the included software, so right now I'm trying to actually get sound to output through my speakers and headphones. Am I better off using the previous audio software that I was using with the old setup, or is it more recommended to use the software included with the new sound card?