Soundcard with Dolby Digital Live and DTS!

3Tripnip · 12-01-2005, 11:54 PM

While surfing the web today at work

, I found a site for a company that sells sound cards. I've never heard of them before, but apparently they're pretty well respected with the Home Theater PC crowd. I have been looking around for a card that will do Dolby Digital and DTS. Check it out:

http://bluegears.com/xplosion.html

It says that it encodes the signal, and sends it out via SP/DIF, which means you'd need an amp that has a DD, DTS decorder on it... or purchase a stand-alone decoder. Would this work with DVD decoding software (such as WinDVD) that supports DTS? I'm trying to figure out if this card will work to provide me with DTS in my carputer. Thoughts?

-Ben

DarquePervert · 12-02-2005, 07:51 AM

First of all, you're going to need a unit with a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) to accept the signal from SPDIF. As far as I know, there are no amps that have the built-in DSP.
I could be wrong, as I'm no car audio expert.

billforde · 12-02-2005, 08:20 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by DarquePervert

First of all, you're going to need a unit with a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) to accept the signal from SPDIF. As far as I know, there are no amps that have the built-in DSP.
I could be wrong, as I'm no car audio expert.

This may work Alpine MRA-D550

3onDubs · 12-02-2005, 12:19 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by billforde

This may work Alpine MRA-D550

On the specs under the Alpine D550, it says that it accepts up to 8V input. Does this apply to the digital input, or is the specs describing RCA inputs. Do digital inputs carry a voltage, or is it merely an encoded signal?

billforde · 12-02-2005, 02:15 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by 3onDubs

On the specs under the Alpine D550, it says that it accepts up to 8V input. Does this apply to the digital input, or is the specs describing RCA inputs. Do digital inputs carry a voltage, or is it merely an encoded signal?

I would assume that the input voltage applies to the RCAs only, since the digital input is optical.

3Tripnip · 12-02-2005, 11:30 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by DarquePervert

First of all, you're going to need a unit with a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) to accept the signal from SPDIF. As far as I know, there are no amps that have the built-in DSP.
I could be wrong, as I'm no car audio expert.

Couldn't you just use the front L/R, side L/R, and rear L/R jacks to go straight from the card to whatever channel on the amplifier you want? Won't the signal going out from each of the jacks be a seperated DD/DTS signal? Once it's out of the sound card, as long as you aren't using a digital connection and a DVD software package that can decode DD/DTS, then wouldn't you still have this surround sound without the digital decoding amp?

I wasn't planning to use the SP/DIF for this reason... at least that's what I was thinking.

millc5 · 12-06-2005, 07:43 PM

I am actually using a shuttle pc with spdif optical toslink out to a Hifonics Zues 5.1 amp which has toslink and coax digital inputs as well as 4.1 analog rca inputs. This amp supports Dolby 5.1 and DTS.

I know the Hifonics may not be a great amp, but for my purposes it works great, and sounds great. I have Polk components and 1 10" Polk sub.

ajscomp372 · 03-29-2006, 11:21 PM

millc5, if you can find me an amp that decodes DTS, NOT just dolby digital, please tell me. From all of my research, the Hifonics Zeus 5.1 doesn't decode DTS, only dolby digital 5.1.

millc5 · 03-30-2006, 12:35 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by ajscomp372

millc5, if you can find me an amp that decodes DTS, NOT just dolby digital, please tell me. From all of my research, the Hifonics Zeus 5.1 doesn't decode DTS, only dolby digital 5.1.

Well, I know there is not alot of info on the AMP, but here is the side of the box. Its pretty clear. I will actually go put a DTS encoded DVD in and let you know. Not that your tone compels me to do so....

http://www.ittoyou.com/gallery/Vette%20PC/ampbox.JPG

DVD Worked on DTS track.

Fenrir · 03-31-2006, 05:23 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by 3Tripnip

Couldn't you just use the front L/R, side L/R, and rear L/R jacks to go straight from the card to whatever channel on the amplifier you want? Won't the signal going out from each of the jacks be a seperated DD/DTS signal? Once it's out of the sound card, as long as you aren't using a digital connection and a DVD software package that can decode DD/DTS, then wouldn't you still have this surround sound without the digital decoding amp?

I wasn't planning to use the SP/DIF for this reason... at least that's what I was thinking.

ENCODING DTS/Dolby Digital is ONLY usefull if you want to try and send 5.1 signal over digital optical or coaxial. If you have 5.1 channel output on your soundcard, almost ANY DVD program can decode a DTS or Dolby Digital signal to analogue outputs, and use RCA in on your amps.

The reasons people are interested in digital encoded signals are mainly for noise isolation and minimizing the number of connections. If you don't care about those, you don't need DTS/DDL.

millc5 · 03-31-2006, 04:56 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Fenrir

ENCODING DTS/Dolby Digital is ONLY usefull if you want to try and send 5.1 signal over digital optical or coaxial. If you have 5.1 channel output on your soundcard, almost ANY DVD program can decode a DTS or Dolby Digital signal to analogue outputs, and use RCA in on your amps.

The reasons people are interested in digital encoded signals are mainly for noise isolation and minimizing the number of connections. If you don't care about those, you don't need DTS/DDL.

This is correct, I am feeding the AMP via optical cable, and it does decode the DTS/DOLBY 5.1 signal at the AMP. If my amp did not happen to have this feature, I would not miss it

RedGTiVR6 · 03-31-2006, 07:34 PM

nice on the Zeus, but IIRC, this amp isn't avaliable any more, and if it is, it's not readily avaliable anywhere I've seen (especially over on this side of the pond)

RedGTiVR6 · 03-31-2006, 07:35 PM

btw - am I the only one who can't get the original link to work?

millc5 · 03-31-2006, 08:20 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

nice on the Zeus, but IIRC, this amp isn't avaliable any more, and if it is, it's not readily avaliable anywhere I've seen (especially over on this side of the pond)

Its made by MAXXSONICS, I was told it will be reintroduced under thier AUTOTEK brand with added sub control knob, etc. Not sure what model number will be or when they will release the updated version.

By the way, Fry's electronics carried them in California. May still be able to find one.

heres one on ebay for example; not sure about seller...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Hifonics-Zeus-5-...QQcmdZViewItem

Oh, and the original link is broke for me as well.

3Tripnip · 03-31-2006, 11:04 PM

Yeah, Bluegears has since gotten purchased by Auzentech. I got one of the cards, and it sounds incredible. I'll try and find the original item link and post it.

User Name		Remember Me?
Password