Recomendation on Surround Sound set up...

Clowned · 12 May 2006 at 00:24

Hey all.

I have a Shuttle (the ati one, cant remember the model), anyway.. i want some new speakers. I been looking at the Pioneer DCS-333 (am i allowed to link? http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/product_detail.jsp?product_id=10485&taxonomy_id=42-100) there is it anyway.

It has Optical Output. So would i be able to hook it up to my pc with one of these?
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum eX - Retail (SC-014-CL)
Price: £39.95 (£46.94 Including VAT at 17.5%)

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers

Rednut05 · 12 May 2006 at 00:33

Optical output. Surely you want an input so you can output sound from the computer to the input on the 5,1?

My 5.1 (a previous version) to that one mentioned has an optical in.

So optical out from computer to the optical in and bingo.

I plug my freeview or maybe dvd recorder into the digital in and then I just select the input to play through my speakers.

tom_nieto · 12 May 2006 at 08:59

It's got a digital input. Don't buy an Audigy 2, go for the HDA X-Mystique or X-plosion, you won't get surround sound in games with the Audigy 2 over optical, but with the HDA cards you'll get Dolby Digital surround sound all the time. Which is lovely I can tell you!

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_HiTeC_699.html

Clowned · 12 May 2006 at 09:45

Rednut05 said:
Optical output. Surely you want an input

So optical out from computer to the optical in and bingo.

The pioneer site says it has optical input! Sorry, thats what i meant

PioneerSite said:
Terminals DCS-333
Digital Input Optical Yes

So i need a sound card with optical OUT

I like the software with the creative stuff, whats the software and config like with the HDA stuff?

cheers

tom_nieto · 12 May 2006 at 11:52

I'm afraid I don't know the specifics, but I have heard no complaints. I wouldn't buy an audigy 2 for the software. If you want surround sound with anything other than DVDs then I think you've only got the option of the HDA cards.

Clowned · 12 May 2006 at 13:12

tom_nieto said:
I'm afraid I don't know the specifics, but I have heard no complaints. I wouldn't buy an audigy 2 for the software. If you want surround sound with anything other than DVDs then I think you've only got the option of the HDA cards.

Thanks. Ive been reading some reviews. It certainly sounds great for what i want it for, DVD's and MP3s mainly.
Im guess that i just connected the optical out (on the sound card) to the optical in (pioneer) and set the pioneer to play audio from the optical in and it will work

?

tom_nieto · 12 May 2006 at 13:51

Exactly.

Clowned · 12 May 2006 at 14:07

Sweet! Thanks for the heads up on that sound card too! Looks vnice indeed!