X-Fi -> External decoder DTS, etc?

Totality · 10 Sep 2007 at 13:49

Hi all,

Looking to pick up a X-Fi for my bro's bday. I have one myself but only use it for gaming. He wants to plug it into his external amp for 5.1 surround in games and movies.

I've read up on this and it seems analogue is best? Can an x-fi owner confirm how they watch movies and games in 5.1 using an x-fi? Which cables do you use? Digital/Analogue?

Is the X-Fi still considered one of the leaders or is there a better card if the user wants a mix of gaming and films?

Thanks

Teaf · 10 Sep 2007 at 13:52

I don't use 5.1, but I do have a Quadro setup using an X-FI Xtreme Gamer and outputting it to a Pioneer VSX-859RDS amp. I have dual 3.5mm -> 2 phono from machine, in the blue and green ports and set them up as rear our and front out from the control panel in the drivers.

I watch movies and play games on this setup and love it

Totality · 10 Sep 2007 at 14:00

flibby said:
I don't use 5.1, but I do have a Quadro setup using an X-FI Xtreme Gamer and outputting it to a Pioneer VSX-859RDS amp. I have dual 3.5mm -> 2 phono from machine, in the blue and green ports and set them up as rear our and front out from the control panel in the drivers.

I watch movies and play games on this setup and love it

Cool thanks. So is that classed as anologue? *Shamelessy looking stupid asking away and not scared of knowing nothing at all hehe!!*

Phunky · 10 Sep 2007 at 14:06

Surely a analogue output would only be Stereo? Optical out should allow him to leave the amp to decode the sound into what ever format he supports.

Teaf · 10 Sep 2007 at 14:11

Phunky said:
Surely a analogue output would only be Stereo? Optical out should allow him to leave the amp to decode the sound into what ever format he supports.

For me it's not as I have 2 cables outputting 2 channels each, it's gets decoded into 4 pure channels.

So is that classed as anologue? *Shamelessy looking stupid asking away and not scared of knowing nothing at all hehe!!*

Yes. Digital would be via Optical or Coaxial cables.

Totality · 10 Sep 2007 at 14:17

Confused now

If its outputting 4 channels is that not DTS ie 5.1?

Uriel · 10 Sep 2007 at 14:23

Just to offer a little clarification - the Creative XFis will only do pre-encoded dolby digital or dts (i.e. DVDs etc) over a 5.1 digital connection. Games will only be in stereo, as the XFi doesn't have a DD Live or DTS Interactive encoder on board. So if surround sound in games is required your mate will be forced to go analogue.

The Auzentech X-Fi Prelude is supposed to be able to do DD live and DTS interactive over optical but the drivers to support it aren't there yet. http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-000-AZ&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

Edit: for 5.1 analogue you need six cables (3No. headphone jack to 2xphono is the usual way)

Further Edit: the cheapest card on here to do surround sound over optical in games is the Auzentech X-Plosion. Its main disadvantage over an XFi for gaming is the lack of higher level EAX (it has EAX2 the XFi has EAX5). http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-003-HT&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=

Totality · 10 Sep 2007 at 14:30

Ahh right get you now. So just use the 3 outputs of the xfi for 2 channels each.

Does this affect the sound at all? Or will selecting 5.1 in DVDs still work fine?

Uriel · 10 Sep 2007 at 14:39

The drivers (or might have been the DVD software) for my Audigy 2 you can choose whether to have the soundcard decode the DTS or DD or pass through the signal (over optical) to you amp. I would imagine X-Fi is the same.

I'd suggest trying both and using whatever sounds better to you.

Edit: Theoretically - the XFi is capable of outputting higher quality sound over 6 seperate analogue channels than over optical.