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[Couch_Potatoe]

  I am looking for a good audio quality soundcard that might support 4 + zones with MC9 in a single PCI slot - I think I would really like a 4 digital AND analogue out card - meaning 4 channels where each channel could be in both formats simultaneously- is there such a thing available ? If not what combinations of cards are there - I need both digital and analog but more digital is important. Coax is preferred to optical.

- for a 4 channel digital only card would for example the Delta DIO 2496 work ??
http://www.midiman.net/products/m-audio/dio2496.php

  Lastly - is there a limit to the practical number of zones on fast 2GHz dedicated HTPC ? Looking at actual loading using two zones it seems fairly light still. 8 channels a possibility anyone ??

 Chris

[Mastiff]

I have had six zones playing simultaneously and nothing bad happened. As for sound card the SB Live! 5.1 is my favourite for cheap and pretty good sound. You can get them very cheap on online auctions, so having three of those with the kX diuvers will solve your preoblem (one for spdif, two for three analogue zones each).

[KingSparta]

I normaly am in only 1 zone at a time so i only have 1 zone.

Zone One: My Computer Room

If i would put it into Zone Two (The Wifes Room) she would kill me.

[zevele10]

Even if you play some good old country?

[KingSparta]

Even if you play some good old country?

Well she is a country girl so i may get away with it if she was not watching her Tivo


'Sometimes Love Just Aint Enough' Charted At 02 In 1992

Listening to: 'Sometimes Love Just Aint Enough' from 'The Best Of Patty Smyth And Don Henley' by 'Patty Smyth And Don Henley' on Media Center 9.1

[Bartabedian]

  I am looking for a good audio quality soundcard that might support 4 + zones with MC9 in a single PCI slot - I think I would really like a 4 digital AND analogue out card - meaning 4 channels where each channel could be in both formats simultaneously- is there such a thing available ? If not what combinations of cards are there - I need both digital and analog but more digital is important. Coax is preferred to optical.

- for a 4 channel digital only card would for example the Delta DIO 2496 work ??
http://www.midiman.net/products/m-audio/dio2496.php

  Lastly - is there a limit to the practical number of zones on fast 2GHz dedicated HTPC ? Looking at actual loading using two zones it seems fairly light still. 8 channels a possibility anyone ??

 Chris

There are a number of ways to achieve your desired result. In my setup, I have an SPDIF (coax) output feeding back into my SPDIF input, which then feeds each bus of my 8 analog output card (Gina24 by Echo). The 8 discreet outputs are fed to each "zone", although I am not actually using the zone features of MC as my output will always remain the same in each zone. (I have simultaneous playback of MC going to 4 amps feeding stereo speaker setups in each desired room.) The software mixer on the card allows me complete volume control over each of the 4 zones from one app. I love it.

CPU power is not a concern, even if you were feeding multi-zones, the audio output is a minimal resource eater in your system (in my setup with the card handling bus duties, the CPU doesn't even have a clue it's there.) Now, multi-zones of MC might eat a few more resources, but only RAM would really be an issue.

The Delta cards are very nice, and probably the best deal for a high-end card (it has truly superior D-A converters over something like an SB). I've used these cards many times, never for MC, but I do recall reading very positive reviews about them from other MC users not too long ago, you may want to try a search in these groups for more info.

Good luck!

WP