HOT Deal! Philips 5.1 External Sound Processor - $32.99 Shipped @ Amazon

**hd54321** · 01-14-2005, 06:38 PM

Philips PSC805/17 Aurilium 5.1-Channel External Sound Processor - $32.99 FREE S/H @ Amazon

To those of you who want external 5.1 processing/decoding, this is the unit for you. Not sure if this is an external soundcard, but it looks like a good price for an external decoder. Looks like the software controls the unit so maybe you could leave it mounted near your carputer out-of-sight.

Computer owners who want to beef up their system's audio performance generally opt to install a new sound card. However, laptop owners don't always have that luxury, and installing a new card into desktop computers can be time-consuming and nerve-wracking. Fortunately, Philips has stepped into the void with its PSC805 Aurilium audio processor, which delivers rich 5.1-channel audio through your computer's USB 2.0 interface. The plug-and-play device draws its power from the serial bus, letting you enjoy complex surround sound when watching DVD movies, playing video games, and listening to digital music files. The processor packs a punch thanks to its 24-bit, 96 kHz processing, and it comes ready to decode a wide range of multi-channel digital formats, including Dolby Digital and DTS recordings, and output them via stereo, 2.1-channel, and 5.1-channel speaker systems. The supplied Sound Agent 2 software recognizes the speakers and adjusts the settings immediately, while also letting users make their own manual tweaks, such as adjusting the equalizer, adding 3-D effects, and more.

Fortunately for style-conscious users, the processor is housed in a fashionable chassis, with a removable foot that lets you stand it horizontally or upright. The device also includes optical and digital audio outputs, along with a headphone jack. The PSC805 is compatible with Windows 2000 and XP operating systems or Mac OS 8.6, 9.2, or OS X v.10.1 or later systems.

The Philips PSC805 Aurilium turns your PC or notebook into a 5.1 channel digital audio powerhouse by connecting only one cable – USB (2.0). Simplicity in a complicated world. Includes Intelligent Media Processing (IMP) where the award winning Sound Agent 2 audio software uses automatic jack detection to determine which speaker configuration is connected (e.g. 5.1 channel, 4.1 channel, 2.1 channel, stereo, headphone), analyses the input signal to determine which source is being played, and automatically applies the appropriate algorithm for optimal sound reproduction at all times.

Here is a review I found about this product. They are saying it's basically a USB soundcard. This could be a cheaper viable solution to the Audigy.

Enjoy!

-HD

**700mx6** · 01-18-2005, 07:53 PM

Looks good! I'm considering buying this for my EZgo PC. Anyone have any other experience with this unit?

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-18-2005, 08:08 PM

I read a review on it - in Toms Hardware i think and i remember rightly it was pretty ****! Soundblaster is a better bet - no point in skimping as sound is the main reason your are building this carPC!!!

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-18-2005, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by Toms Hardware:

The Philips Aurilium's audio performance disappointed, which was much inferior to what 24 bit converters had led us to expect. It did, however, give us a nice surprise in games and DVD play. It is a good choice for those who focus on these uses.

Full lab test:
http://www6.tomshardware.com/consume..._sound-25.html

But then again that is just one sites review.

**hd54321** · 01-18-2005, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Scouse Monkey

Full lab test:
http://www6.tomshardware.com/consume..._sound-25.html

But then again that is just one sites review.

Sorry, but THG is the lest reputable review site on the web. They had some fiasco with AMD processors a while ago.

-HD

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-18-2005, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by hd54321

Sorry, but THG is the lest reputable review site on the web. They had some fiasco with AMD processors a while ago.

-HD

Well i did say "But then again that is just one sites review." and i can't find any good comparison tests - only stand alone reviews which i never trust. The blue LED volume indicator could look nice if you integrated it into your dash.

EDIT: also you say that about THG but you quote the sales crap from Amazon!!! who the hell fromt his forum reads any of that sales stuff at sites liek Amazon. They even have it labelled wrong - it is a soundcard not really a sound processor.

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-18-2005, 08:44 PM

One more thing: i don't believe it is standalone for decoding. I am bringing this up because some guy was asking about using a standalone capable external soundcard before. It has no digital inputs which is a shame for that price.

Also found another lab (PCpro) which slate its audio performance - especially compared to the Audigy 2NX BUT this thing does have low computer requirements, runs off USB power and seems to have slightly lower CPU utilisation in some tests (though external can never seem match PCI for that)

**hd54321** · 01-18-2005, 09:14 PM

Check out the link in my post to a review. The review looks good, but shows that the unit takes more computing power than the Audigy 2.

-HD

**Scouse Monkey** · 01-18-2005, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by hd54321

Check out the link in my post to a review. The review looks good, but shows that the unit takes more computing power than the Audigy 2.

-HD

yeah they all state different things - typical. I find a mixture of good and bad but the labs i have found it loses out to the NX but that is when it is priced about £15 less than the NX. At $32 it is a good buy but personally i would stretch to a sounblaster for the extra.