Re: Case, IR Blaster, audio card, and CPU questions

NOW I get it... the Turtle Beach card is the first one I've seen that has
the optical out. I did have it straight in my head, I was all along
thinking "how in the heck can a cable take coax and convert it to a fiber
cable?" This last reply essentially put that nail in the coffin :)

Thanks for all your input Mike.

--
----------------------------------------
-AC [MVP MCMS]
www.andrewconnell.com
www.andrewconnell.com/mvp


"MikeM" <MikeM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:D63DAB97-4E25-4F68-B8E6-9D6DBC78AEA5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> No, I don't think you quite have it yet.
>
> Optical cables have fiber optic conductors that conduct light, not
> electricity. Coax such as RCA or 1/8" phono plugs have wire conductors
> that
> connect electricity. The two don't mix. Either you are going to pass the
> audio signal from computer to receiver via optical signal or electrical
> signal.
>
> The Audigy 2 series cards only have SPDIF via the electrical connection
> and
> it is not on an RCA jack, it is a 1/8" phone plug. I described the
> connection cable in my earlier post.
>
> The Turtle Beach Riveria that I use, has an optical SPDIF out that looks
> like a squarish hole. Inside is a LED that shines light into the end of
> the
> fiber optic connection cable. This light then is received into a similar
> hole in the receiver containing a photodiode to turn the light back into a
> electrical signal.
>
> In either case, the audio card is basically passing the DD 5.1 signal to
> the
> receiver for decoding into the 6 feeds. The card has virtually no impact
> on
> the signal quality assuming it is a reasonable decent card. That is why I
> suggested the Turtle Beach card at < $30 and not the Audigy at >> $100.
>
> Mike
>
> "AC [MVP MCMS]" wrote:
>
>> OK... lemme make sure I understand this:
>>
>> Two forms of SPDIF: optical & coax (RCA). My receiver (Onkyo SR600...
>> link
>> below) has optical and RCA. From what I can tell, virtually every sound
>> card has the coax (the single yellow "RCA looking" port). The sound card
>> I
>> was looking @ was the Creative Audigy 2 ZS (link below).
>>
>> Looks like to me it has the SPDIF output I'm looking for as I found this
>> cable which seems to do exactly what I'm looking to do (SPDIF coax on
>> computer -> SPDIF optical on receiver):
>> http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=2001&sku=27015
>>
>> Am I correct, or have I missed something? Mike, owe you a bev of choice
>> if
>> we cross paths :P THANKS!!!
>>
>> http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=TX-SR600&p=f&class=Receiver
>> http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=204&product=4915&nav=2
>>
>> --
>> ----------------------------------------
>> -AC [MVP MCMS]
>> www.andrewconnell.com
>> www.andrewconnell.com/mvp
>>
>>
>> "MikeM" <MikeM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:86FFC5EE-B12D-4026-BBFF-ED25CB22A55F@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > There are two forms of SPDIF - optical and coax (RCA). Your receiver
>> > has
>> > both (as does mine). If you use optical, just get an optical cable and
>> > plug
>> > the ends into your computer and receiver. If you use coax, many of the
>> > audio
>> > cards have a mini jack output. You will need to get a cable with one
>> > end
>> > having a mono 1/8" plug and the other an RCA plug. My local radio
>> > shack
>> > didn't have such a cable so I bought a 1/8" male to RCA female adapter
>> > and
>> > used an RCA cable. I used it with an Audigy 2 board that I happen to
>> > have.
>> > I wouldn't pay the bucks for this board if I was intending to use my
>> > receiver
>> > to decode the DD.
>> >
>> >
>> > "AC [MVP MCMS]" wrote:
>> >
>> >> My issue with the sound is going to be that every computer output I
>> >> see
>> >> uses
>> >> SPDIF, but my home theatre receiver will take either RCA or optical...
>> >> I'll
>> >> have to get a converter or a single cable that has optical on one end
>> >> and
>> >> SPDIF on the other (found one that has a mini SPDIF plug on one end,
>> >> but
>> >> none with a regular plug).
>> >>
>> >> -AC
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> ----------------------------------------
>> >> -AC [MVP MCMS]
>> >> www.andrewconnell.com
>> >> www.andrewconnell.com/mvp
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "MikeM" <MikeM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> >> news:300758CD-A577-476C-B8B4-F77DC54D5916@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> > As far as the audio is concerned, I use a Turtle Beach Riveria card.
>> >> > It
>> >> > has
>> >> > 5.1 DD as well as an optical SPDIF output. Best of all, it cost <
>> >> > $30
>> >> > at
>> >> > Newegg. Also, many of the higher end MoBos have an optical out. If
>> >> > you
>> >> > are
>> >> > using optical out, it is a bypass situation, so the quality (cost)
>> >> > of
>> >> > the
>> >> > audio card is not a factor.
>> >> >
>> >> > I use the uSoft remote. I have a Harmony 680 in the drawer, but
>> >> > haven't
>> >> > been motivated to reprogram it to the new setup (8 months).
>> >> >
>> >> > I built my machine with an AMD 3200+ and it carries the load easily.
>> >> > If
>> >> > you
>> >> > are planning to do other tasks while watching TV, you might want to
>> >> > consider
>> >> > the AMD 3800+ X2 dual core. ZipZoomFly is selling it for about
>> >> > $360.
>> >> >
>> >> > The other factor you might want to consider is noise. I selected a
>> >> > video
>> >> > card (Gigabyte 9550) and MoBo (Asus A8V Deluxe) that do not have
>> >> > extra
>> >> > cooling fans. Typically, these are little, high rpm fans that
>> >> > scream.
>> >> > A
>> >> > quite power supply and letting the mobo control the cpu cooler and
>> >> > chassis
>> >> > fans also help. Here too, AMS cpus generate less heat than
>> >> > equivalent
>> >> > pentiums so the cpu cooler fan can run slower and still keep things
>> >> > cool.
>> >> >
>> >> > Good luck,
>> >> >
>> >> > Mike
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > "AC [MVP MCMS]" wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> I'm finally biting the bullet and building out a WMCE box... but a
>> >> >> few
>> >> >> questions (you can see I'm a noob with respect to WMCE):
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Looking at getting the Silverstonetek LC16M
>> >> >> (http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-lc16m.htm)... I can't think
>> >> >> of
>> >> >> why
>> >> >> there would be issues with this... but any "flags" I haven't seen
>> >> >> others
>> >> >> are
>> >> >> aware of?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Planned to get the Logitec Harmony 880 remote... any flags with
>> >> >> this
>> >> >> case,
>> >> >> remove/WMCE?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I am currently on DirecTV so I'd need to use some sort of IR
>> >> >> Blaster.
>> >> >> Is
>> >> >> there a specific one eveyrone has the most success with?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> How does one go about dealing with the DirecTV guide and WMCE?
>> >> >> WMCE
>> >> >> "smart"
>> >> >> enough to know get the guide?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> As for the audio, I'd like to get a card that includes an optical
>> >> >> output
>> >> >> for
>> >> >> my HT receiver...however even the top of the line Creative ones
>> >> >> don't
>> >> >> look
>> >> >> (visually) like they have the optical output... am I just missing
>> >> >> something
>> >> >> here? I have optical and the standard RCA (red-white) inputs on my
>> >> >> receiver... would prefer to use the optical since everything will
>> >> >> eventually
>> >> >> pour through the WMCE.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Related to the motherboard & CPU... I'm flat out lost here. I've
>> >> >> built
>> >> >> my
>> >> >> own machine before and always stuck with Intel... but I really
>> >> >> don't
>> >> >> care
>> >> >> if
>> >> >> it's Intel/AMD. I just want it to be supported by WMCE. Aything
>> >> >> specific
>> >> >> about dual code CPUs? Any issues running AMD/Intel?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Thanks!
>> >> >> -AC
>> >> >> --
>> >> >> ----------------------------------------
>> >> >> -AC [MVP MCMS]
>> >> >> www.andrewconnell.com
>> >> >> www.andrewconnell.com/mvp
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Case, IR Blaster, audio card, and CPU questions
    ... What version of the audio drivers do you run with your Turtle Beach Rivera? ... > Optical cables have fiber optic conductors that conduct light, ... > audio signal from computer to receiver via optical signal or electrical ... The card has virtually no impact ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Connecting Audigy 2 ZS to Kenwood VR-507 DTS, DD 5.1 Receiver?
    ... I cannot seem to properly connect my Audigy 2 ZS card to my Kenwood VR-507 ... I would really like to get all my music, and audio to my receiver. ... cables, and adapters, but the handles were too large to fit in those three ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: HDTV using component or DVI and digital sound
    ... However I do not see a digital audio in to Audigy card for my satelite box, ... >> through the soundcard to the receiver for decoding. ... >> (barring any bad cables). ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: MCE 2005 w/ Rollup 2 AND HDTV
    ... How is ATSC after decoded from a STB any different from the "supported" ... HDTV tuner card. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: MCE 2005 w/ Rollup 2 AND HDTV
    ... How is ATSC after decoded from a STB any different from the "supported" ... HDTV tuner card. ... Some of the Fusion HDTV tuner cards also have a QAM tuner which can ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)