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[rick.ca]

With the new computer I have on order, I'll be able to use a digital audio connection to my receiver. What I'm not so clear about is whether the S/PDIF port is a pass-through connection completely independent of the sound card. More to the point, will I be able to set up one zone to use the sound card and another to use the S/PDIF? I want to be able to switch between the two easily without having to change Windows settings. I'm also assuming I'll be able to use both at once—MC sending music to the receiver, while Windows and other applications use the sound card.

In case it has any bearing on my question—it's not actually a sound card, but integrated sound. I decided I may as well see if the integrated was good enough, considering I normally use the receiver for music and video.

[bspachman]

In my experience the integrated sound chips, although frequently having multiple available outputs (eg. S/PDIF, Analog, etc.), will only be available as a single device/output to Windows--and therefore MC.

I'm pretty sure that if you want to get into zones, you'll have to add a separate sound card, which should then allow you to use the integrated chip as 1 zone, plus however many zones the sound card itself allows you to set up. I remember some of the M-Audio cards had 10 outputs that could be addressed, allowing up to 5 separate stereo zones!

brad

[rick.ca]

Thanks, Brad. My hope is appropriately dimmed.

But now I have more questions. According to this computer's documentation, if I install a sound card I have to disable the onboard audio in the BIOS. If this is true, would the S/PDIF would still be available? If not, I suppose I could use a USB sound card (like this one) for the S/PDIF and still use the integrated audio. I hope I'm not forced to add a sound card for each zone—there are only three PCI slots available.

After more frustrating research, I've learned my integrated audio is Intel HD Audio which "features multi-streaming capabilities that give users the ability to send two or more different audio streams to different locations at the same time, from the same PC." That suggests to me what I want is possible. So I'm back to being hopeful but confused.

[bspachman]

Without knowing the specifics about your motherboard, it would seem that if you disable the onboard audio in the BIOS, you will be SOL on any of the built-in audio.

However, you jogged my memory. I have the same Intel HD Audio drivers/chips on my machine, and it does appear that the SPDIF and the analog outputs are separately addressable, so you may be able to set up a zone for SPDIF and a zone for analog. Alas, I don't have any appropriate speakers or cables handy to attach to my analog outputs to do a quick test for you...

As an example of a single audio card that I've seen set up to drive multiple amplifiers, check this out: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Delta1010LT.html

Good luck!
brad

[HiFiTubes]

I keep my onboard audio active to push a signal to my TV speakers for easy access by kids/wife. I use an external sound card which is connected via PCI card (to an external DAC)..anyway, I have found using my Realtek HDMI audio and onboard analog - Realtek HD Audio - is quite possible and show up in MC 13/14 as separate devices, as they should. These days, it seems that typically, if adding a prosumer sound card, one ends up with about 3 devices to use with MC.

[rick.ca]

Thanks, Brad and HiFi. It seems I should be optimistic it will work fine. Now if I could only find a way to be patient in waiting for the new computer to arrive...

[HiFiTubes]

Thanks, Brad and HiFi. It seems I should be optimistic it will work fine. Now if I could only find a way to be patient in waiting for the new computer to arrive...

Good luck! I'm trying to wait for return of my EMU 1616M and Peachtree; both are having BNC switched i/added and the 1616M has been gone 3 months!

[rick.ca]

Any tips or advice?

No, but I'm happy to share my confusion. Having just upgraded my computer, I'm still struggling to understand how all this stuff works. But I seem to making some headway...

I have 5.1 sound on the integrated sound card. That works fine. I've also connected my home theatre receiver via SPDIF. As deduced earlier in this thread, multi-streaming allows both to be used independently. I've configured MC to use two zones—"desk" and "theatre." That works fine too, although it seems I need some practice in using it properly. Odd things can happen depending on how the Windows audio default is set and what zone media is played in.

Now to the point... In configuring my theatre zone, I was confused to find the output format had to be set as 2 channel—when I was hoping/expecting it could be the 5.1/Dolby Digital my receiver is capable of. Then I played a video that was encoded with 6 channel AC-3 audio, rather than 2 channel MP3. My receiver acknowledged that as a Dolby surround sound signal. I'm quite sure that means that's what it was actually getting—and it sounded like it was. (It was just a download TV program. I have yet to test it using something where the difference would be more obvious.)

So, my guess is the output format has to be set to 2 channel because that's what the SPDIF/Toslink connection is. And a 5.1 data stream can be sent on it because that's what Dolby digital does. I assume the situation is the same with HDMI/OPT. Now maybe our resident experts whether my speculation is anywhere near the truth...  

[gappie]

[removed by JimH]

goodluck with soundcard though.

 
gab

[JimH]

It was a spammer.  Good spot, gab.  They're getting more clever.  He registered four days ago and posted several times, probably getting ready to do a more "deluxe" post.