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Soundblaster and Optical Output
PolloDiablo
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm trying to understand sound systems and whatnot. For such an important part of games, I know dick all about it. I'm going to pick up an Astro headset in the immediate future, but I see it only accepts a toslink input. I don't want to buy something and have no idea how to hook it up. So that's where this tale begins.
First, a terminology question. If I say toslink, optical, and spdif, are those all synonyms or what? I know exactly nothing about all this.
Ok. The sound system I have hooked up to my tv is hooked up via an optical connection. It works fine. I have a port that looks the same on the back of my computer, so I figured I'd try it out. Plugged it in, went to the sound devices on the control panel, switched it to spdif out. Nothing. Honestly, I'm not even sure what that port on my computer goes to, since the sound card is lower on the case. I'd have to open it up and look, maybe I'll do that in a minute, but I think it's connected to the motherboard, maybe? I don't know if it even outputs sound through there. I mean, I don't think I missed something obvious, like leaving the caps on the cord or something.
I've got a soundblaster x-fi card in there, and I'm not sure if stuff has to be physically plugged in to the card to work, or what.
So here are my questions:
1. Toslink, optical, spdif, are they the same thing?
2. What ports on a computer output sound? That sounds really dumb as I type it, but someone has to ask the dumb questions. Would a port not on the card itself work? If not, why are there ports not on the card? Or how do I make that port work and screw the card?
3. I heard soundblaster cards only do stereo via optical anyway. Is that true? I've read about a flexijack thing? What is that?
4. I've got a million control panels installed, and I don't understand any of them. Am I missing checking a box somewhere?
First, a terminology question. If I say toslink, optical, and spdif, are those all synonyms or what? I know exactly nothing about all this.
Ok. The sound system I have hooked up to my tv is hooked up via an optical connection. It works fine. I have a port that looks the same on the back of my computer, so I figured I'd try it out. Plugged it in, went to the sound devices on the control panel, switched it to spdif out. Nothing. Honestly, I'm not even sure what that port on my computer goes to, since the sound card is lower on the case. I'd have to open it up and look, maybe I'll do that in a minute, but I think it's connected to the motherboard, maybe? I don't know if it even outputs sound through there. I mean, I don't think I missed something obvious, like leaving the caps on the cord or something.
I've got a soundblaster x-fi card in there, and I'm not sure if stuff has to be physically plugged in to the card to work, or what.
So here are my questions:
1. Toslink, optical, spdif, are they the same thing?
2. What ports on a computer output sound? That sounds really dumb as I type it, but someone has to ask the dumb questions. Would a port not on the card itself work? If not, why are there ports not on the card? Or how do I make that port work and screw the card?
3. I heard soundblaster cards only do stereo via optical anyway. Is that true? I've read about a flexijack thing? What is that?
4. I've got a million control panels installed, and I don't understand any of them. Am I missing checking a box somewhere?
PolloDiablo on
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But one thing I CAN tell you is that a while ago I was trying to pipe optical audio into my Soundblaster X-Fi. If you're using the same Soundblaster card that I am, it does not support optical audio. In order to get optical audio capabilities out of that card, you need a special I/O module attachment that Creative no longer sells. I think that some other models of the X-Fi come with a front panel, where all your audio hookups are on the front face of your case. If that's the situation, there may be an optical hookup there.
Otherwise, you're pretty much SOL unless you buy a new soundcard.
If you're getting an Astro headset, are you also getting the mixamp? If so, the Mixamp will accept more than just optical TOSlink. It accepts standard two channel RCA, USB, optical TOSlink, and digital coax.
1) While they aren't the same thing, they all refer to the same thing. For simplicity's sake, you can say they're all the same thing.
For a longer definition, S/PDIF stands for Sony/Phillips Digital Interconnect Format, or Sony/Phillips Digital Interface. S/PDIF is basically the signal. The signal is transmitted over optical cables (what you would be using) or digital coaxial (which you may not be using). TOSlink (Toshiba Link) is a standardized connector for optical cables. So, it's the little nobby on the end.
2) The ports that output sound on a motherboard are your standard colored speaker outputs (orange, black, green, etc) and the S/PDIF ports (Either TOSlink or Coaxial, TOSlink being an optical connection, and Coaxial being digital coax).
3) "Optical Out supports stereo SPDIF out, multichannel out via Dolby Digital Live, and pass through of multichannel DVD sound" The thing is, if you're getting an Astro Mixamp, it will upmix the sound from the computer using Dolby Headphone. It also supports Dolby Digital technologies.
4) It's been a while, but I would first try using the Creative control panel, then use the Windows one.
Balls. Although it sounds like I might not need the card in this case anyway. I think. Maybe.
Yeah, I'll be getting the mixamp too, I think. It'll beat the price of a new sound card anyway.
1. Thanks. That makes sense now.
2. Is there any reason the motherboard spdif port wouldn't be actually outputting sound?
3. Oh, ok. I guess it's a moot point anyway now since my current card lacks spdif out. The mixamp basically takes the place of a sound card anyway, if I'm understanding correctly?
4. I'll double check them.
Thanks a lot.
I would recommend taking a look at HT Omega sound cards that have built in head phone amps.
I have an older Soundblaster X-FI and used to sing it praise and had others buy them. We loved them for the first few years. Now we're done with Creative and are in the process of moving to HT Omega.
The DDL thing is available for my sound card, but my sound card doesn't have an spdif port. There's one on the motherboard, but at this point I guess it's vestigial or something? Although it is labeled "Creative SB Xfi" on the control panel, so I'm not certain. I tried it earlier without DDL enabled, so it should have been outputting sound, right?
Does the mixamp accept analog connections? If so, would I still need DDL? I'm hoping to not need a new sound card in this.
I'm probably 80% a PC gamer, but I use consoles enough that it would come in handy to get the mixamp.
Thanks for answering my questions. You're one of the guys that got me wanting the astros in the first place. I'm just not sure I'm smart enough to figure out how I'd hook it up.
Interesting about Skullcandy. I always pictured their stuff as relatively low-quality, but maybe I was wrong.
I think my card is the x-fi xtreme gamer.
So it seems like my first step needs to be to upgrade my sound card. I'll take a look around, and probably check back here or in the build thread when I pick one out.