Audigy 2 digital out to AV amp

Apologies for this newbie question.

I've just bought the basic Audigy 2 card and perhaps I'm being naive here
but was I wrong in thinking it's possible to output 5.1 channels to my amp
using the digital out? I'm particularly thinking of games.

I've connected a mini-jack to phono adapter to the digital out and a phono
lead from that to the digital in on my AV amp, but can only get sound from
the front left and right channels using the speaker test in the 'Speaker
Settings' application. I suspect the signal is not even digital, despite
having told it to output only digital signals, because my Amp automatically
switches to analogue if there is no digital signal present. However I have
managed to get full Dolby Digital 5.1 sound via the same cable arrangement
when using PowerDVD and a suitable DVD.

Am I missing something or am I hoping for too much from the Audigy card?

Bruce


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003

Cheers. Are there any games that do pump out DD5.1 or DTS? And am I right in
presuming I can still connect up the 6 analogue outs of the Audigy to my amp
and get surround sound from (most) games.

Bruce
wrote in message ...
Yeah, you're expecting too much of the card. The card itself is not a
dolby 5.1
digital encoder, so it won't output a 5.1 digital signal unless the
software
generates it. This is why it works with powerDVD and a 5.1 DVD. To get
5.1
from games not programmed to generate it, you would need a solution like
the
nvidia chips that are built into some motherboards.


On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 23:28:16 +0100, "Bruce Law"
wrote:

Apologies for this newbie question.

I've just bought the basic Audigy 2 card and perhaps I'm being naive
here
but was I wrong in thinking it's possible to output 5.1 channels to my
amp
using the digital out? I'm particularly thinking of games.

I've connected a mini-jack to phono adapter to the digital out and a
phono
lead from that to the digital in on my AV amp, but can only get sound
from
the front left and right channels using the speaker test in the 'Speaker
Settings' application. I suspect the signal is not even digital, despite
having told it to output only digital signals, because my Amp
automatically
switches to analogue if there is no digital signal present. However I
have
managed to get full Dolby Digital 5.1 sound via the same cable
arrangement
when using PowerDVD and a suitable DVD.

Am I missing something or am I hoping for too much from the Audigy card?

Bruce


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003

I'm having the same issue with getting 5.1 audio to my amp.
My question becomes, when I run the speaker test and set it to 5.1,
shouldn't the test generate test noise to all the different speakers,
LCR-Rear Left and Rear right?
All I can her is "Front Left", and "Front Right", when testing using CHANNEL
under the speaker settings dialog box. I can never hear "Center", "left
rear" and "right rear" unless I turn on CMSS.



wrote in message ...
You have to look on the box that the game comes in; if it say there's more
than
two channels, fine; if not, you have to artificially generate the other
channels
with some other software, on the fly. If you don't have 5.1 to start with
or
artificially generate additional channels from stereo, then it doesn't
matter
how you hook your computer up to your amp, you're still only getting
stereo.
You've got to have a multichannel source to get the output.


On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 01:04:43 +0100, "Bruce Law"
wrote:

Cheers. Are there any games that do pump out DD5.1 or DTS? And am I
right in
presuming I can still connect up the 6 analogue outs of the Audigy to my
amp
and get surround sound from (most) games.

Bruce
wrote in message
...
Yeah, you're expecting too much of the card. The card itself is not a
dolby 5.1
digital encoder, so it won't output a 5.1 digital signal unless the
software
generates it. This is why it works with powerDVD and a 5.1 DVD. To
get
5.1
from games not programmed to generate it, you would need a solution
like
the
nvidia chips that are built into some motherboards.


On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 23:28:16 +0100, "Bruce Law"
wrote:

Apologies for this newbie question.

I've just bought the basic Audigy 2 card and perhaps I'm being naive
here
but was I wrong in thinking it's possible to output 5.1 channels to
my
amp
using the digital out? I'm particularly thinking of games.

I've connected a mini-jack to phono adapter to the digital out and a
phono
lead from that to the digital in on my AV amp, but can only get
sound
from
the front left and right channels using the speaker test in the
'Speaker
Settings' application. I suspect the signal is not even digital,
despite
having told it to output only digital signals, because my Amp
automatically
switches to analogue if there is no digital signal present. However
I
have
managed to get full Dolby Digital 5.1 sound via the same cable
arrangement
when using PowerDVD and a suitable DVD.

Am I missing something or am I hoping for too much from the Audigy
card?

Bruce


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003

Are you using the digital out? If so, the problem is probably to do with
using the correct connector. You need a mono jack to phono lead, rather than
a stereo jack to phono. If you use a mono lead (or jack to phono adapter)
you should hear all your channels.

Bruce
"Juke" wrote in message
...
I'm having the same issue with getting 5.1 audio to my amp.
My question becomes, when I run the speaker test and set it to 5.1,
shouldn't the test generate test noise to all the different speakers,
LCR-Rear Left and Rear right?
All I can her is "Front Left", and "Front Right", when testing using
CHANNEL
under the speaker settings dialog box. I can never hear "Center", "left
rear" and "right rear" unless I turn on CMSS.



wrote in message
...
You have to look on the box that the game comes in; if it say there's
more
than
two channels, fine; if not, you have to artificially generate the other
channels
with some other software, on the fly. If you don't have 5.1 to start
with
or
artificially generate additional channels from stereo, then it doesn't
matter
how you hook your computer up to your amp, you're still only getting
stereo.
You've got to have a multichannel source to get the output.


On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 01:04:43 +0100, "Bruce Law"
wrote:

Cheers. Are there any games that do pump out DD5.1 or DTS? And am I
right in
presuming I can still connect up the 6 analogue outs of the Audigy to
my
amp
and get surround sound from (most) games.

Bruce
wrote in message
...
Yeah, you're expecting too much of the card. The card itself is not
a
dolby 5.1
digital encoder, so it won't output a 5.1 digital signal unless the
software
generates it. This is why it works with powerDVD and a 5.1 DVD. To
get
5.1
from games not programmed to generate it, you would need a solution
like
the
nvidia chips that are built into some motherboards.


On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 23:28:16 +0100, "Bruce Law"
wrote:

Apologies for this newbie question.

I've just bought the basic Audigy 2 card and perhaps I'm being
naive
here
but was I wrong in thinking it's possible to output 5.1 channels
to
my
amp
using the digital out? I'm particularly thinking of games.

I've connected a mini-jack to phono adapter to the digital out and
a
phono
lead from that to the digital in on my AV amp, but can only get
sound
from
the front left and right channels using the speaker test in the
'Speaker
Settings' application. I suspect the signal is not even digital,
despite
having told it to output only digital signals, because my Amp
automatically
switches to analogue if there is no digital signal present.
However
I
have
managed to get full Dolby Digital 5.1 sound via the same cable
arrangement
when using PowerDVD and a suitable DVD.

Am I missing something or am I hoping for too much from the Audigy
card?

Bruce


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003






---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.516 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003

I tried using the mono jack to a coax cable, and I tried using the optical
jack and coax from the front panel (Audigy platinum), with the same results.
Olny left channel and right channel output.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks


"Bruce Law" wrote in message
...
Are you using the digital out? If so, the problem is probably to do with
using the correct connector. You need a mono jack to phono lead, rather
than
a stereo jack to phono. If you use a mono lead (or jack to phono adapter)
you should hear all your channels.

Bruce
"Juke" wrote in message
...
I'm having the same issue with getting 5.1 audio to my amp.
My question becomes, when I run the speaker test and set it to 5.1,
shouldn't the test generate test noise to all the different speakers,
LCR-Rear Left and Rear right?
All I can her is "Front Left", and "Front Right", when testing using
CHANNEL
under the speaker settings dialog box. I can never hear "Center", "left
rear" and "right rear" unless I turn on CMSS.



wrote in message
...
You have to look on the box that the game comes in; if it say there's
more
than
two channels, fine; if not, you have to artificially generate the
other
channels
with some other software, on the fly. If you don't have 5.1 to start
with
or
artificially generate additional channels from stereo, then it doesn't
matter
how you hook your computer up to your amp, you're still only getting
stereo.
You've got to have a multichannel source to get the output.


On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 01:04:43 +0100, "Bruce Law"
wrote:

Cheers. Are there any games that do pump out DD5.1 or DTS? And am I
right in
presuming I can still connect up the 6 analogue outs of the Audigy
to
my
amp
and get surround sound from (most) games.

Bruce
wrote in message
...
Yeah, you're expecting too much of the card. The card itself is
not
a
dolby 5.1
digital encoder, so it won't output a 5.1 digital signal unless
the
software
generates it. This is why it works with powerDVD and a 5.1 DVD.
To
get
5.1
from games not programmed to generate it, you would need a
solution
like
the
nvidia chips that are built into some motherboards.


On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 23:28:16 +0100, "Bruce Law"
wrote:

Apologies for this newbie question.

I've just bought the basic Audigy 2 card and perhaps I'm being
naive
here
but was I wrong in thinking it's possible to output 5.1 channels
to
my
amp
using the digital out? I'm particularly thinking of games.

I've connected a mini-jack to phono adapter to the digital out
and
a
phono
lead from that to the digital in on my AV amp, but can only get
sound
from
the front left and right channels using the speaker test in the
'Speaker
Settings' application. I suspect the signal is not even digital,
despite
having told it to output only digital signals, because my Amp
automatically
switches to analogue if there is no digital signal present.
However
I
have
managed to get full Dolby Digital 5.1 sound via the same cable
arrangement
when using PowerDVD and a suitable DVD.

Am I missing something or am I hoping for too much from the
Audigy
card?

Bruce


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date:
04/08/2003




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003






---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.516 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003

I'm a bit stumped, I'm afraid. Just one thing: when you play a DVD on your
PC whilst it's hooked up to your AV amp, does your amp tell you that it's
getting a digital signal and do you get sound from your rear speakers? If
yes, then that implies the problem lies somewhere with the test software or
its settings. As a safe bet, it's probably best to test with the optical
cable.

Bruce
"Juke" wrote in message
...
I tried using the mono jack to a coax cable, and I tried using the optical
jack and coax from the front panel (Audigy platinum), with the same
results.
Olny left channel and right channel output.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks


"Bruce Law" wrote in message
...
Are you using the digital out? If so, the problem is probably to do with
using the correct connector. You need a mono jack to phono lead, rather
than
a stereo jack to phono. If you use a mono lead (or jack to phono
adapter)
you should hear all your channels.

Bruce
"Juke" wrote in message
...
I'm having the same issue with getting 5.1 audio to my amp.
My question becomes, when I run the speaker test and set it to 5.1,
shouldn't the test generate test noise to all the different speakers,
LCR-Rear Left and Rear right?
All I can her is "Front Left", and "Front Right", when testing using
CHANNEL
under the speaker settings dialog box. I can never hear "Center",
"left
rear" and "right rear" unless I turn on CMSS.



wrote in message
...
You have to look on the box that the game comes in; if it say
there's
more
than
two channels, fine; if not, you have to artificially generate the
other
channels
with some other software, on the fly. If you don't have 5.1 to
start
with
or
artificially generate additional channels from stereo, then it
doesn't
matter
how you hook your computer up to your amp, you're still only getting
stereo.
You've got to have a multichannel source to get the output.


On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 01:04:43 +0100, "Bruce Law"
wrote:

Cheers. Are there any games that do pump out DD5.1 or DTS? And am
I
right in
presuming I can still connect up the 6 analogue outs of the Audigy
to
my
amp
and get surround sound from (most) games.

Bruce
wrote in message
...
Yeah, you're expecting too much of the card. The card itself is
not
a
dolby 5.1
digital encoder, so it won't output a 5.1 digital signal unless
the
software
generates it. This is why it works with powerDVD and a 5.1 DVD.
To
get
5.1
from games not programmed to generate it, you would need a
solution
like
the
nvidia chips that are built into some motherboards.


On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 23:28:16 +0100, "Bruce Law"
wrote:

Apologies for this newbie question.

I've just bought the basic Audigy 2 card and perhaps I'm being
naive
here
but was I wrong in thinking it's possible to output 5.1
channels
to
my
amp
using the digital out? I'm particularly thinking of games.

I've connected a mini-jack to phono adapter to the digital out
and
a
phono
lead from that to the digital in on my AV amp, but can only
get
sound
from
the front left and right channels using the speaker test in
the
'Speaker
Settings' application. I suspect the signal is not even
digital,
despite
having told it to output only digital signals, because my Amp
automatically
switches to analogue if there is no digital signal present.
However
I
have
managed to get full Dolby Digital 5.1 sound via the same cable
arrangement
when using PowerDVD and a suitable DVD.

Am I missing something or am I hoping for too much from the
Audigy
card?

Bruce


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date:
04/08/2003




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003






---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.516 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 01/09/2003






---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.521 / Virus Database: 319 - Release Date: 23/09/2003