There is no consumer product out there (that I'm aware of) to allow you take a discrete channel DirectSound output straight from an application, to a surround sound live encoded stream (like AC3/DTS) through SPDIF, for decoding at the receiver end...and certainly not without a significant amount of latency introduced.

 

Yes, there are consumer products that take the DirectSound and encode it to digital format. The two options are Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect (the links I posted above). Both take the surround sound generated from programs like games, and encode it to either Dolby Digital or DTS format for transmission over a digital cable. While some latency is certainly introduced, modern CPUs are plenty powerful that it isn't going to be an issue.

 

http://www.dolby.com...gital-live.html

 

Those sending their computer audio through SPDIF are actually only hearing a 2-channel PCM encoded audio stream, which is really just a representation of the analogue wave-form and can be reproduced/transmitted with little latency/quality loss...and the expense of bandwidth available over the digital audio interface.

 

Not when using the technologies listed above. Of course few companies actually provide much info on how to set it up. Here's one guide covering this topic. It is a little out of date (Nvidia cards can do this as well now, and most video cards can handle the TrueHD and DTS-HD formats too), but is a good start.

 

http://www.maximumpc...nd_audio_system

 

 

 

If you've got some references to the contrary, I'd be interested in seeing it. I'd love to fade my engine sounds on a few acft to the rear channels.

 

Can't find the original MS links, but there are plenty of forum threads discussing it.

 

http://forum.avsim.n...surround-sound/

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/364261-engines-sound-has-disappeared/ (look for chiswick72's posts)

I am not sure the exact sound card I have but I know it has an S/PDIF port and many other ports such as line in, line out, C Sub, rear, mic, etc.

I have an Intel DP76BG Extreme Series Mother Board.

 

What would the best solution be for me to hook up a stereo to my computer and run 5.1 Surround with FSX?

Yes, there are consumer products that take the DirectSound and encode it to digital format. The two options are Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect (the links I posted above). Both take the surround sound generated from programs like games, and encode it to either Dolby Digital or DTS format for transmission over a digital cable. While some latency is certainly introduced, modern CPUs are plenty powerful that it isn't going to be an issue.

 

I stand corrected. I was always under the assumption that those technologies were only supported by the applications themselves. Good find!

I am not sure the exact sound card I have but I know it has an S/PDIF port and many other ports such as line in' date=' line out, C Sub, rear, mic, etc.

 

I have an Intel DP76BG Extreme Series Mother Board.

 

What would the best solution be for me to hook up a stereo to my computer and run 5.1 Surround with FSX?[/quote']

 

What input options does the stereo have?

What input options does the stereo have?

 

Well, I haven't bought a stereo or speakers yet. I wanted to find out more about the different technologies first. Do you have a recommendation for the best connections with FSX and a recommendation for a stereo? Yamaha?

 

One good reason for using HDMI is that you probably already have a video card with an HDMI out port. That might save you the need for an audio card to get a multichannel signal to the receiver.

 

TOSLINK (I think it actually stands for Toshiba Link) is the standard fiber-optic cable connection for A/V components.

 

DTS Connect is a two-part system for taking audio from a PC to a HT receiver that can decode a DTS digital signal. DTS Interactive is the first part, a CODEC (coder/decoder) which takes an analog audio signal and converts it to the 24-bit 48kHz DTS digital format that can be carried over a digital cable and decoded by a DTS-capable HT receiver (most of them are DTS capable). DTS Neo:PC is the second part, which takes a 2-channel stereo signal and synthesizes a 7.1 channel "pseudo-surround" signal.

 

You don't necessarily need DTS...the standard S/PDIF format that CD/DVD players use for audio works pretty much universally. If a device has a digital output or input, it almost certainly supports S/PDIF.

 

Most receivers do not have separate analog (i.e. RCA) inputs for 5 or 7 channels on the back. Mine have HDMI, TOSLINK, and digital coaxial inputs, as well as a couple standard two-channel stereo inputs. Any signal with more than two channels has to go to the receiver on a digital cable. My Creative XFi Titanium HD has an optical port that takes a 3.5mm mini TOSLINK plug...the cable has a 3.55mm mini connector on one end and a standard TOSLINK square-D connector on the other--that plugs into the AV1 input on my receiver. In the Creative Control Panel I can select S/PDIF, Dolby Digital Live, or DTS formats.

 

The receiver has 7 speaker-out connections plus a subwoofer line-level output that goes to a separately powered subwoofer.

 

Clear as mud?

 

Thanks for your explanation! That is "clear as mud..."

 

Well' date=' I haven't bought a stereo or speakers yet. I wanted to find out more about the different technologies first. Do you have a recommendation for the best connections with FSX and a recommendation for a stereo? Yamaha?[/quote']

 

It doesn't appear that your motherboard's sound card supports Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect (double check the manual to be sure). This means you either need to find a receiver that supports multi-channel inputs (not many do), or buy a sound card and use an optical or coaxial S/PDIF connection to the receiver.

 

Examples of sound cards to look at are the Asus Xonar DSX 7.1 or Xonar DX 7.1, or the Creative Sound Blasted Recon 3D.

<br />One good reason for using HDMI is that you probably already have a video card with an HDMI out port.  That might save you the need for an audio card to get a multichannel signal to the receiver.<br />

 

Hi Bob,

 

Are you saying that If I connect the HDMI out (one of 4 video out) from the GTX 670 card to a Yamaha Receiver that has HDMI input, and then I would get the sound from my PC to the speakers connected to the Yamaha receiver? and then I do a HDMI video out from the receiver to a monitor?

 

Manny

 

Hi Bob' date='

 

Are you saying that If I connect the HDMI out (one of 4 video out) from the GTX 670 card to a Yamaha Receiver that has HDMI input, and then I would get the sound from my PC to the speakers connected to the Yamaha receiver? and then I do a HDMI video out from the receiver to a monitor?

 

Manny[/quote']

 

If the PC audio source already has surround sound encoded in Dolby Digital or DTS format, like a DVD or Blu-ray movie, then that is all you need to do to have the sound piped through the receiver. The receiver will send the video to the TV or monitor and the audio to the speakers.

 

Things get more complicated when the audio source, like a game or flight sim, does not support Dolby Digital or DTS natively. In this case all you will get is stereo sent through the HDMI connection. This is what lead into the discussion above about Dolby Digital Live etc.

It doesn't appear that your motherboard's sound card supports Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect (double check the manual to be sure). This means you either need to find a receiver that supports multi-channel inputs (not many do), or buy a sound card and use an optical or coaxial S/PDIF connection to the receiver.

 

Examples of sound cards to look at are the Asus Xonar DSX 7.1 or Xonar DX 7.1, or the Creative Sound Blasted Recon 3D.

 

So, if my sound card has an S/PDIF port, is there a way to use that with a Yamaha receiver to create a 5.1 surround sound experience if I get a receiver that can synthesize channels? or is it possible to deliver 5.1 surround sound straight to the receiver without having to synthesize? Is using S/PDIF reliable with quality sound?

So, if my sound card has an S/PDIF port, is there a way to use that with a Yamaha receiver to create a 5.1 surround sound experience if I get a receiver that can synthesize channels?

 

Make sure the receiver has the same type of S/PDIF port as the sound card. Many sound cards have an optical TOSlink port, which most receivers also have. This will get the PC and receiver connected. However, this is also where it gets messy.

 

or is it possible to deliver 5.1 surround sound straight to the receiver without having to synthesize?

 

Yes, it is and this is what we have been talking about above. To get 5.1 surround sound from FSX on the PC to a receiver over a S/PDIF connection, you need to have a sound card that will encode the 5.1 audio into Dolby Digital or DTS formats (whichever one the receiver supports, though most receivers support both formats). This is where the Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect features come in. These take the 5.1 surround sound from PC game and encode into Dolby Digital or DTS format.

 

Is using S/PDIF reliable with quality sound?

 

As the S/PDIF connection is digital, there is no loss of quality due to the connection itself. Encoding the audio to Dolby Digital or DTS, however can lower the quality a little bit (similar to converting a CD to MP3). For something like a game or sim this isn't going to be a big problem though.

 

 

Make sure the receiver has the same type of S/PDIF port as the sound card. Many sound cards have an optical TOSlink port, which most receivers also have. This will get the PC and receiver connected. However, this is also where it gets messy.

 

 

 

Yes, it is and this is what we have been talking about above. To get 5.1 surround sound from FSX on the PC to a receiver over a S/PDIF connection, you need to have a sound card that will encode the 5.1 audio into Dolby Digital or DTS formats (whichever one the receiver supports, though most receivers support both formats). This is where the Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect features come in. These take the 5.1 surround sound from PC game and encode into Dolby Digital or DTS format.

 

 

 

As the S/PDIF connection is digital, there is no loss of quality due to the connection itself. Encoding the audio to Dolby Digital or DTS, however can lower the quality a little bit (similar to converting a CD to MP3). For something like a game or sim this isn't going to be a big problem though.

 

Oh ok! That makes total sense! Do you have a recommendation on a receiver?

Do you have a recommendation on a receiver?

 

I'm not as familiar with receivers myself. Having said that I did pick up a Pioneer VSX-1022-K over the holidays (it was something like 40% off too). It's working well so far. A good place to look for anything A/V related are the AVForums.

 

http://www.avforums.com/

Ok thanks! Sounds great! I'll look into some receivers there.