Issue: No 5.1 S/PDIF sound with alc850 in Vista 32

[TQ]

Interesting. I wonder if you have a choice in decoding if your sound card is already capable of doing so or if the Logitech system is smart enough to determine that.
I reckon I'd just go for a set that didn't offer decoding, just to be sure. I can't imagine how problematic that might be if you have two sources trying to handle decoding chores.

[ATINUT]

Originally Posted by TQ

I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying that these speakers send an emulated "5.1" signal to output? That they have some sort of on-board processor take will take a stereo signal and break it apart into some sort of faux multi-channel audio?
Or that they have genuine, Dolby-certified hardware mutli-channel (5.1/7.1) decoding?
If it's the latter I'd be very surprised if the audio would compare to the sound you'd get using the Claro for decoding chores.

I need to do some reading on those speakers. I'm very suspicious of any powered/amplified speakers at consumer level price points.

What the speakers I mention do, is they upconvert a stereo singal to 5.1, the review of the Logitech G51's I saw, said the G51's can decode Dolby Surround sound.

[ATINUT]

You have the option in the control panel for the HT OMEGA CLARO, whether or not to use Dolby Surround Sound.

[TQ]

I would very much NOT allow the Logitech's to decode anything over the preferred Claro sound card.
I simply cannot imagine that cheap speaker electronics would be superior to the Claro.

[ATINUT]

I run with Dolby Pro Logic IIx decoding on all the time, I prefer it over a set of speakers that does surround sound decoding.

[sorrow]

When i used my creative, and 5.1 i set the speakers to direct input. Not any sort of dolby or steroe 2x setting. Great speakers... and your killing me by calling them "cheap speaker electronics" lol

[TQ]

My apologies, truly, but building an entire set of speakers complete with amplification means at an MSRP of $399 something has been compromised somewhere.

[ATINUT]

I'm using a set of analog computer speakers, the Altec Lansing VS3151 5.1 speaker on my card, don't have the space for a set of ultra expensive speakers. If I went for true high end speakers, they would be loud enough to get a police office or two knocking on the front door, to either tell me to turn it down, use a set of headphones, or to hand me a ticket for disturbing the peace, which I don't exactly need.

So TQ, my apologies for not spending money on a fancy set of speakers for my card. I heard what high end speakers sound like when attached to a soundcard, thanks to a friend of mine.

I at one time, was interested in the Z-5500's, but not when my Altec Lansings, once I properly adjusted them, are doing me just fine.

[TQ]

Good Lord, man, you've missed my point entirely. I only suggested that it would be ill advised to allow a built-to-a-cheap-price-point on-board Dolby decoder to override the quality decoder that you already have on your Claro to do the decoding.

[TQ]

I mean, if one already has a high quality sound card why then would anyone allow something as substandard as an on-board decoder do the heavy lifting?

To me, speakers are the last link in the chain of audio. It doesn't matter how good or bad your speakers are if the front end - in this case the sound card - isn't the best it can be? And the HT Claro is as good as it gets for consumer level audio.

[ATINUT]

Ack, I wasn't payin attention, C.R.S., I have.

You're right there. I've been looking at different speaker sets for computer, and will probably wind up getting another set of Altec Lansing speakers, or the Logitech G51's, one of these days, and not even bother with using the surround sound built in to the speakers, as I've gotten so used to having my card do it, I haven't the heart to even bother with having a set speakers use some cheap decoder to do it.

[TQ]

Copy that, good buddy.

[FightingChance]

Sort of related, I'm happy with my onboard ALC882 sound, I use the S/PDIF and Realtek's Dolby Digital Live wrapper to get surround sound.

I am particularly impressed by the ability of the software to recognize two channel sound sources like music; when I play mp3's it correctly defaults to a two channel mode, using the rear speakers as stereo mirrors.