ratboy1212 Posted March 11, 2001 Share Posted March 11, 2001 Hello I am looking for the best system to fit my needs. The following is what I am looking for: DD 5.1 DTS 4 Channel Gaming 3D Sound highest Quality I can not find a prodeuct that will do this for me. Videologics DTS system would do it if it had 4 Channel input. The promedia would do it there was a center channel, and a decoder along with it. The DTT3500 would do it if there was more poer, and DTS. It seems like there is nothing that will work here. Does anybody have a setup that would work. Money is really no object, but I do not want to go over $700. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratboy1212 Posted March 11, 2001 Author Share Posted March 11, 2001 Please Reply. I need some help. Anybody? I know you all could help me!!! PLZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucky7 Posted March 11, 2001 Share Posted March 11, 2001 I guess that I can help you on this... Well, you need a 5.1 sound card(any SBlive5.1s or Philips accustic edge..etc) and a 5.1 multimedia speaker system.. such as midiland S4-8200 or even S4-7100 or DTT 3500. Also you would need a DVD Software, like WinDVD 2.3 DTS. If you can find G9 to 6 RCA connectors and 3.5mm to 2 RCA connectors in your area, this setup can give you 5.1 for DVD, 5 channel for gaming, without ever having to unplug things... The idea here is you don't really need the ADS2000 decoder in 8200 to get AC-5... If you just connect your soundcard to the 8200 speaker via G9 to 6 RCA and 3.5mm to 2 RCA connectors, and use WinDVD 2.3DTS to run DVDs, you will get AC-3. when you play games, the 5.1soundcard will output 5 channels to 8200. If, however, you have S4-7100 instead, the setup is just like the above and the connectors are much easier to find in the states. If you wanna go for Promedia 4.1, you can still achieve 5.1 effect by buying another 2.1 for the center channel. But adding the cost of SBLive 5.1(you can get the value version now, which is about US60, if not go for 5.1MP3 or 5.1Gamer which would cost about US90) the cost of WINDVD 2.3DTS or later, which is about US50 and Promedia 4.1 US300 plus Promedia 2.1 US180, the total would be around US600. But if you go with 7100 for the speakers, your cost would be just around US300. Or if you go with 8200 for the speakers, your cost would be about US400. So it's your call... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratboy1212 Posted March 11, 2001 Author Share Posted March 11, 2001 That is a good idea, but ir provides one problem, I want to use a Decoder Card, and want DTS. right now I am thinking of having two systems. The Klipsch 4.1's and the VideoLogic DTS System. This would provide what i want. I would have the DTS system hooked up to my sound card via digital out, and the decoder via digital out. Then i would have the Kilpsch connected to the sound card via 4 channel analog. It would be so much easier if Klipsch would come out with a 6 channel prduct with a DD 5.1 and DTS decoder. Hint Hint!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucky7 Posted March 12, 2001 Share Posted March 12, 2001 The reason why I suggested WinDVD 2.3 is that most of the decoder cards out there( I assume you are talking about the Mpeg Card??) have those "region protections" and there are still no ways around it. If you are very sure that you will ever have to watch DVDs from other areas then that is just fine. On the other hand, WinDVD 2.3 can output in DTS and is much easier to get around the region problem.. This means if you have a 5.1 soundcard and 5.1 system...then you're all set. Why don't you list the hardwares and any software DVD programs that you currently have?? Otherwise this is all just empty talk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucky7 Posted March 12, 2001 Share Posted March 12, 2001 Besides, my solution is much more economical... You don't even have to have the DTS Decoder and you don't need to change your setup when you are watching DVD or play games or listen to music... Plus, you will get DTS for Watching DVD, 5 Channels for playing games and 4 or 5 channels for listening to music( this I am not so sure). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rol1 Posted March 12, 2001 Share Posted March 12, 2001 There are no software DTS decoders. Only pass-thru. http://www.excelsis.com/vote/av/receivers/Techni4/ The way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratboy1212 Posted March 12, 2001 Author Share Posted March 12, 2001 That decoder looks awsome. but one question. Will it support 4 or 6 channel audio that is not DD 5.1 or DTS. Basiclly i am talking about 3D Audio for games and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rol1 Posted March 12, 2001 Share Posted March 12, 2001 You would use the analog inputs and select 4ch no sub out. If your soundcard has a s/pdif out(coax or optic), it willmix the center ch into the front l+r as a "ghost" center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucky7 Posted March 12, 2001 Share Posted March 12, 2001 I know that when you check the specs for WinDVD 2.3, it does not say that it can decode DTS. However, when you pop a DTS DVD into the DVD Rom and run WinDVD 2.3, it will show "DTS." In a way, this is a trade secret, in that in order for WinDVD to advertise that it is DTS capable, it will have to pay DTS a lot of money for licenses. WinDVD and DTS are still negotiating on the terms while WinDVD is DTS capable zillions of years ago( any Version 2.3 or higher). PowerDVD, on the other hand is not DTS capable. This is the reason that I recommended WinDVD 2.3(You can save some the money AS LONG AS you have the 5.1 sound card) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucky7 Posted March 12, 2001 Share Posted March 12, 2001 Also, when you are playing music and games, you will get 5 channels as long as you have a 5.1 soundcard. This is so because you will only get 5.1 when you are running WINDVD or POWERDVD. When you play music and games, it is your soundcard that is actually working to give you 5 channels. Games out there only support 5 channel now. That is why when you play games with SBlive Value, you only get 4 channels. The above theory will only work if you have a 5.1 soundcard connected to a 5.1 speaker system WITHOUT a DTS/AC-3 decoder in between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratboy1212 Posted March 12, 2001 Author Share Posted March 12, 2001 Sorry Chucky, bet the decoder idea is what i think i am going to do. Know i haave to make a decsion between the Hercules Game Theater XP, Live Platinum 5.1 or Philps AE. I am not even sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billie Jean Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 Check out the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz . It has all the same features, but it sounds better. Plus Dell is putting it in their THX certified computers. It's actually a THX requirment to have that sound card in order for a computer to be THX rated. Plus you can get it for $70 to $85 dollars. I just ordered mine for $82 including 3 day shipping. You can find reviews at Firing Squad and Gamers Depot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rol1 Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 To all reports, if you have a decoder, you will be using it for all 5.1 surround. The quality of the D/A converters and having them out of the computer case, not using cpu cycles, etc... All your gaming surround,A3d,EAX,ds3d, Qsound, all depend on a 4 point speaker placement. This is the only reason to use the analog outputs from your soundcard, and that's only 4ch. So if you have the Panasonic decoder you won't be so impressed with 6ch analog. Any 4ch card can deal with ds3d and eax. But if you want A3d 2.0 for Quake you have to look a little harder. Having the Aureal sq2500, I use that a base line to compare cards. http://3dsoundsurge.com/reviews/SQ2500/sq2500.html If you bother to check specs and compare signal quality to cards costing 5 times the $20 price of this card, this old card is hard to beat. If I didn't have the sq2500 and weren't concerned about Quake and A3D 2.0 I would buy the Hoontech NX card for the Qsound at $39 or the XG card for the Wild Midi capability's at $49. Both of these cards have a s/pdif input inside on the board. That means you don't have to have a daughter board just for the s/pdif. Your 6ch cards only records stereo. DVDs with DTS sound also have AC3 and Dolby prologic stereo tracks. There are 2 levels of AC3 compression. Higher compression combines freqs above 10khz into one, the better quality compression combines the freqs above 14khz. DTS does not combine like AC3, but uses a larger bandwidth. Dolby has the rights to dolby prologic, dolby digital AC3, and DTS sewn up. They make everybody pay for each step-up in quality. You want the new 6.1 digital EX? Pay Dolby. Plan to use the Mpeg2-AAC? Back to Dolby. And you say Dolby is going to let Win-DVD decode DTS for free? I think Win-DVD will identify a DTS signal for pass-thru to a decoder. If you assume you're getting DTS while Win-DVD is decoding the AC3 track who are they to correct you? But if Win-DVD uses any Dolby without permission they'll be out of business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluegun Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 I was under the impression that all you needed for this is the Philips Acoustic Edge and the Videologic Digitheatre DTS... The AE comes with the latest version of WinDVD, which will output the undecoded DTS signal to the Digitheatre, which will then decode it with it's own decoder box, right? And I'm pretty sure you can play EAX and A3D with this card and these speakers. Of course, WinDVD will naturally decode DD5.1 Is this right? ------------------ "Feh." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rol1 Posted March 13, 2001 Share Posted March 13, 2001 The AE can do A3D 1.0 by converting to ds3d, but can't deal with Quake's A3D 2.0. Thevortex site has a patch that lets the SQ deal with EAX 1.0 but not the EAX 2.0 But maybe the Quake people had reason to prefer A3D 2.0 and shun EAX? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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