[mythtv-users] PCI (or USB) soundcard that can passthrough SPDIF to surround sound amp

[Phil Bridges]

On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 11:34 PM, Phil Bridges <gravityhammer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 11:03 PM, Kevin Kuphal <kkuphal at gmail.com> wrote:
>  >
>  >
>  > On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 9:58 PM, Phil Bridges <gravityhammer at gmail.com>
>  > wrote:
>  >
>  > >
>  > >
>  > >
>  > > On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 10:50 PM, Kevin Kuphal <kkuphal at gmail.com> wrote:
>  > > >
>  > > >
>  > > > On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 8:03 PM, Phil Bridges <gravityhammer at gmail.com>
>  > > > wrote:
>  > > >
>  > > > >
>  > > > >
>  > > > >
>  > > > > On Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 10:00 AM, Kevin Kuphal <kkuphal at gmail.com>
>  > wrote:
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > On Sun, Mar 9, 2008 at 12:54 PM, Rob Beard <rob at esdelle.co.uk>
>  > wrote:
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > > Hi folks,
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > I'm hoping someone might be able to advise me on an issue I have
>  > > > trying
>  > > > > > > to find a sound card.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > Basically I've upgraded my PC to a new Phenom 9600 with MSI K9A2
>  > > > > > > motherboard (the cheap version).  Now my old motherboard (an MSI
>  > P35
>  > > > > > > Neo2 with Pentium Dual Core E2160) had SPDIF output on the
>  > motherboard
>  > > > > > > which I was able to use an SPDIF header with to output AC3 and DTS
>  > > > audio
>  > > > > > > to my surround sound amp.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > The new board does have an SPDIF header on the board but it is
>  > only
>  > > > > > > 2-pin rather than a 3-pin header.  I have tried enabling the SPDIF
>  > > > > > > output in the Alsa mixer and sending the DVD audio to SPDIF using
>  > the
>  > > > > > > passthrough but I don't get anything (despite trying different
>  > > > > > > combinations of the 3 pins).
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > So, after giving up on that I decided to look for a sound card
>  > that
>  > > > > > > would enable SPDIF passthrough.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > I've bought an external Sweex USB 5.1 Sound Card which has TOSLINK
>  > > > > > > in/out.  It's supposedly based on the CMedia CM106 chip.  This
>  > works
>  > > > in
>  > > > > > > Windows perfectly well as far as Windows sounds are sent over the
>  > > > > > > TOSLINK connection to my amp.  So far so good.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > I then reboot into Ubuntu 7.10 and although I can play sounds
>  > through
>  > > > > > > the analogue outputs on the card I can't get anything through the
>  > > > > > > TOSLINK connection, if I try SPDIF passthrough I get what sounds
>  > like
>  > > > > > > noise (a bit like if I was going to play a data CD in a CD
>  > player).
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > I've also got a SoundBlaster Live 5.1 Digital (I think it's from
>  > an
>  > > > old
>  > > > > > > Dell) which I've tried connecting the digital out to my amp using
>  > a
>  > > > > > > 3.5mm to 2 x Phono cable and this doesn't seem to work either
>  > (I've
>  > > > > > > tried all sorts but from what I can tell it needs some specific
>  > > > commands
>  > > > > > > sending to the EMU chip?).  The analogue connection works but the
>  > > > > > > digital connection doesn't do anything.  I wasn't able to try this
>  > in
>  > > > > > > Windows as I can't seem to download a driver, just a driver update
>  > > > which
>  > > > > > > won't install!!!
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > So I'm on the lookout for a new sound card which is supported by
>  > > > Ubuntu
>  > > > > > > 7.10 (or 8.04) AMD64.  I have an coax SPDIF to optical TOSLINK
>  > adaptor
>  > > > > > > (which does work - my amp has optical input) so either with
>  > optical
>  > > > > > > TOSLINK, coax SPDIF outputs or both would be ideal.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > Would something on the CMI8768+8CH chip (such as this:
>  > > > > > > http://www.ebuyer.com/product/106539) be suitable?
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > If anyone has got any suggestions, or even knows how to get the
>  > SPDIF
>  > > > > > > output on a SB Live 5.1 Digital working then that would be ideal.
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > I can *strongly* recommend two cards:
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > TurtleBeach Riviera:
>  > > > > > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829118105
>  > > > > > AOpen Cobra AW870LP
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > The first is a 5.1 with optical that *just works* out of the box
>  > with
>  > > > ALSA
>  > > > > > and passthrough (no crazy asoundrc files) and the second is a low
>  > > > profile
>  > > > > > card that works just as well in case you have a smaller case and are
>  > > > looking
>  > > > > > for that.  I cannot recommend the Riviera strongly enough for
>  > optical
>  > > > > > passthrough.
>  > > > > >
>  > > > > > Kevin
>  > > > >
>  > > > > Kevin -
>  > > > >
>  > > > > I also have one of the AOpen Cobra cards, and use the cmipci module.
>  > > > > I had this card working fine for AC3 and DTS files in a previous box.
>  > > > > I updated a frontend the other day to digital output (and 0.21) , and
>  > > > > put in this card.  I have digital audio working, but it's in stereo.
>  > > > > I have tried speaker-test, but I only get audio from the front left
>  > > > > and front right channels.  Is there any direction you can point me in
>  > > > > to get multi-channel working over the SPDIF?
>  > > > >
>  > > > >
>  > > > >
>  > > >
>  > > >  I never had to do much more than put in the card, set ALSA:default in
>  > the
>  > > > Myth config, make sure the IEC958 or whatever is unmuted in alsa-mixer
>  > and
>  > > > set Myth to AC3 passthrough.
>  > > >
>  > > > Kevin
>  > >
>  > > That's what I seem to remember, as well.  Argh.
>  > >
>  > >
>  > >
>  > >
>  >
>  > Try to upgrade/downgrade your ALSA drivers.  Maybe it's an issue with them.
>  > Also, in 0.21, check the upmix settings and be sure it is set to Stereo and
>  > Passive.  On mine, setting it to anything else was a disaster.
>  >
>  > Kevin
>
>  Thanks - I''l try that.
>
>  I re-emerged the alsa stuff (and, in the process, myth).  Now, it
>  looks like I'm getting the full AC3 track, but not DTS.
>

Now it looks like I can get full Dolby Digital and DTS from some VOB
files I have *if* I play them through mplayer.  I am unable to play
the audio from any of the DTS files and most of the DD files through
the Internal player.  Any suggestions?