What, if anything, does a 5.1 decoding soundcard do w/ a 4.1 Klipsch!

[bradestes]

I have a soundblaster Live Value that supports EAX 3D sound has good sound frame rates and low CPU use.

But, what would a 5.1 digital decoding card do for me and a set of Klisch 4.1s? What advantage does this have?

Example; If I go into WinDVD and I have a 5.1 supported soundcard w/ anolog 4.1 speakers do/can I select the 5.1 speaker option or stay with the 4 speaker setting?

If staying with 4 speaker WinDVD setting will there be any differance w/ 5.1 decoding card?

This message has been edited by bradestes on 06-14-2001 at 08:03 AM

[Windstorm]

A 5.1 card will not make any difference with 4.1's. You will have to downmix DVD's to 4 channels either way. The only difference I could see is that the SoundBlaster 5.1 cards do their own Dolby Digital downmixing to 4 speakers, but I don't know if it's better then that done by WinDVD. (probably not)

------------------

Caring is the first step toward disappointment.

[Amy]

You wouldn't want the decoder with a 5.1 digital soundcard. You'd want it if you were interested in hooking your 4.1s up to a digital output, such as a DVD player or playstation 2...

------------------

Amy

ProMedia Tech Support

promediatech@klipsch.com

[bradestes]

Yes, but why in the world do so many high performance, high end PC manufactures sell the Soundblaster Live Platnium 5.1s w/ Klipsch 4.1s! Why do this?

Can't I just stick w/ an EAX supported card and have WinDVD downmix to 4 speaker setup?

I know there are a few 4.1 speakers out there that are labeled 5.1s like the Altec Lancing ADA-890s But, they have some kind of built in phantom center. What gives!

I am a little confused on this!

So, lets try another related issue!

What if I buy a set of Klipsch 5.1s but only have the soundblaster Live Value w/ no 5.1 Dolby digital Decoding. To get the full effect of a DVD's sound can I keep this card and get an external decoder? Or, have to buy a 5.1 supported card?

But, please focus on the first issue. Thanks,

This message has been edited by bradestes on 06-14-2001 at 10:09 AM

[Amy]

I cannot tell you why PC companies would sell a 5.1 card with a 4.1 speaker system. I suppose it's attractive to customers wanting to get the latest technology in soundcards so there's less of a need to upgrade in the future, if they choose to do so. That's probably a better question for those companies to answer rather than myself.

The 4.1s also have a "phantom center" but we do not market them at 5.1s to avoid confusion.

If your card has an SP/DIF output, then yes, you can get the digital decoder to achieve true 5.1 digital sound with the 5.1 speakers.

------------------

Amy

ProMedia Tech Support

promediatech@klipsch.com

[tsound]

What is the advantage of having a hardware DD decoder when (I read the PowerDVD documentation today) the software does it? I plan on playing my movies with an Athlon 1.2 that's totally decked out, so I can afford a little bit of processing power to decode Dolby Digital. By the way, if PowerDVD now does DD, does that mean software can decode DTS? That's my dream and since there's no way I am going to replace my v2-400's I have to be creative.

[rol1]

Win-DVD does decode DTS from DVDs. I have not seen in writing that PowerDVD does more than AC3 decoding and mixdown.

Win-DVD does not play the DTS-music-cds.(at least not in 5.1 or 6.0 surround)

If the quality of DTS-DVD over AC3 matters to you, then the DTS-CDs probably matters also.

The Midiland ADS2000 does not decode DTS, but it will let you use 4ch gaming thru it's analog inputs.

I have not read the specs of the Panasonic decoder in some time, it may or not decode DTS-CDs, but its one of the best for under $300.

The newest receivers have the best decoders, the HQCD's, 24/96 DA converters, the programable input levels, nice remotes, audio/video switching, etc...

But if you spend that much you coulda' got the Inca88, or better.

[TyTanR]

In regards to the person inquiring about 5.1 Decoding Sound Cards and Klipsch 4.1:

I currently have a Sound Blaster Platinum 5.1, Klipsch 4.1 Speakers, Creative Labs Dxr3 Hardware Decoder card, and a 12X Creative Labs Encore DVD setup. As mentioned before the Speakers are analog and connect into the analog jacks in back of the Sound Blaster Live 5.1. The Dxr3 Hardware MPEG II decoding along with some player software allow you to downmix 5.1 Dolby Digital encoding on a DVD Movie to 4.1 Analog. It acts in conjunction with the sound cards ability to channel front left, front right, rear left, and rear right. The center channel (as mentioned before) is phantomized. In comparison to this I have a full blown professional digital 7.1 system in my home and proportionally speaking the setup that I have on my PC with things mentioned above are pretty comparable. Granted you can't beat a full blown high end digital system, but when it comes to a small system that can reproduce near the quality sound for the amount of money you pay, the CV (Customer Value) or BV(Benefit Value)/Price Ratio is more than decent in comparison with other products on the market in the same class as the Klipsch 4.1. It truelly makes a mini theater like you have never heard before.

[Gluegun]

You don't need a hardware decoder with a computer setup and the Klipsch 4.1's or the Klipsch 5.1's.

You SHOULD, however, buy WinDVD 3.0 when it comes out, which has AWESOME sound and picture quality, and is the only (legal) software that decodes both DTS and Dolby Digital. and it does DTS cd's, just, ahh, not without crashing.

All you need to do is connect it to your favorite 4.1 or 5.1 soundcard with EAX (IE, Game Theatre XP, for example), set it to whatever number of speakers you have, and set WinDVD 3.0 to whatever number of speakers you have (I can give you the demo version to check if it will work), and you're set!

------------------

"Feh."