[mythtv-users] Audigy Sound Card Upgrade Worthwhile?

Steven Adeff adeffs.mythtv at gmail.com
Thu Jun 21 12:53:13 UTC 2007


On 6/20/07, Larry K <lunchtimelarry at gmail.com> wrote:
> I am currently running mythtv and capturing analog content via dual
> PVR-250s.  I use on-board nForce2 AC97 Audio, so I have to send the audio to
> my receiver by splitting the single output jack into RCA cables.  In the
> back of my mind, I have always wondered if this is hurting the sound
> quality, but it worked and other priorities prevailed.

Highly doubtful that the miniplug will provide substantially worse
audio quality considering they would both be using an on-board DAC
supplied power by the noisy PC power rail. The DAC quality on the
Audigy may be better though, but who knows if the rest of your
equipment will let you hear that difference.


> My friend has a spare Audigy 2 6.1 (SB0240) sound card that he has offered
> for my use.  I am wondering if it will be worth the hassle to install and
> configure?  It has a digital output jack, so I'm thinking I might get
> improved audio using this.  Worst case, it has analog jacks that don't have
> to be split like my on-board card.  This card supports 6.1 (and so does my
> receiver), but I wonder if any of this matters since I am capturing from a
> relatively crappy (compared to digital) analog cable signal.

As Bill said, your onboard should have an S/PDIF header on it, I would
recommend using that and making an S/PDIF connection to your receiver.
The nForce2 chipset has a superior audio system to the Audigy (as do
the ALC chips) because they don't convert digital to analog for
processing and then *back* to digital for S/PDIF like ALL the Creative
sound cards do. This doesn't affect AC3 or DTS, but it does affect all
non AC3/DTS audio.

This will make a bigger difference in sound.

> Oh.  This card also has a firewire port that I would like to try hooking up
> to my Motorola 6412 cable box (yeah, I know this box may be unreliable as
> compared to the 6200 when it comes to firewire, but I like having the
> built-in DVR for HD and encrypted content), so yet another reason I am
> intrigued by the possibility of using this card.

The 6412 is basically useless as a tuner for Myth because of how it
handles its usage of the two tuners. You could rent a 6200 box for
firewire recordings if you wanted. You could get along with a $20
firewire card as well.

-- 
Steve
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