X-fi 5.1 Games, multichannel to optical?!

SevasTraSi · 07-11-2008, 06:31 AM

Hi,
*first post, obviously I need some help*
So I bought an X-fi sound card a while ago and as I already had a speaker system with Optical (Toslink) digital in, I splashed out on the set with the front panel with optical out. I should have done my research, X-Fi will not output 5.1 through optical with anything but dvd's (et al). So the only way to get 5.1 with everything (Games etc) is with the multichannel analoge output on the back of my system. However my Decoder/head unit on my speakers does not have any Dolby Digital capable input except for Optical and Digital Coax.
So my question is: Is there anyway to convert 5.1 using 3 stereo coax cables as outputed by X-fi into a digital output and retain 5.1. Or even better get X-fi to output full dolby digital 5.1 to my external decoder from all sources.

Thanks for reading and I hope that doesn't sound too muddled, I'm not an audiophile I just want 5.1 gaming!(incidently some 5.1 headphones I bought work perfectly with the multichannel analogue on the back so theres definetly 5.1 games happening, its just getting them into my speakers!)

Btw my speakers are (cheap) Kiiro DA-AV5 if that helps anyone.

MrOuija · 07-21-2008, 08:44 PM

I've been over just about all of it with my XFi over the years. To the best of my knowledge the only way to get 5.1 support out of the XFi is over the analogue outputs [which is a major drag, I remember]. I don't know of anything that converts 5.1 analogue to toslink/coaxial digital... it would require a processor to mix it, being the reason. DTS and Dolby 2 are both streams of customized audio data if you will...

The way I got 5.1 sound was to buy a receiver that supported it [Sony model: STR-DG500].

I recently discarded my XFi [for other reasons] in favor of the HT Omega Claro+ soundcard, which *will* mix a 5.1 stream on your computer into a digital DTS or Dolby Digital signal... for output to a speaker system with an external decoder.

This comes at a bit of a sacrifice, Claro+ only supports EAX2.0 which is quite a step backwards from the XFi and it's EAX5.0 libraries. I've had some problems with games that don't want to disable the newer EAX features.

Im going to try and dual sound card it with an XFi for gaming audio and see if there's anyway in hell I can toslink that to my HTOmega which can remix it into DTS/Dolby and output it to my speakers... I am extremely doubtful but will keep you posted.

Sorry about the bad news, I was disappointed when I realized my XFi didn't do everything I wanted it to as well.

Cheers!

--MrOuija

SevasTraSi · 07-22-2008, 04:32 AM

Well I got it working.
With unofficial drivers which support Dolby digital live over optical. 5.1 games works flawlessly.
Drivers by daniel k a quick google or torrent search will throw up something of interest but I probably shouldn't discuss drivers of questionable legality here.

MrOuija · 07-23-2008, 11:42 PM

I just stumbled across the same thing myself... they're great aren't they?

... now what to do with this extra Claro...

07-11-2008, 06:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
SevasTraSi Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3 OS: XP	X-fi 5.1 Games, multichannel to optical?! Hi, first post, obviously I need some help So I bought an X-fi sound card a while ago and as I already had a speaker system with Optical (Toslink) digital in, I splashed out on the set with the front panel with optical out. I should have done my research, X-Fi will not output 5.1 through optical with anything but dvd's (et al). So the only way to get 5.1 with everything (Games etc) is with the multichannel analoge output on the back of my system. However my Decoder/head unit on my speakers does not have any Dolby Digital capable input except for Optical and Digital Coax. So my question is: Is there anyway to convert 5.1 using 3 stereo coax cables as outputed by X-fi into a digital output and retain 5.1. Or even better get X-fi to output full dolby digital 5.1 to my external decoder from all sources. Thanks for reading and I hope that doesn't sound too muddled, I'm not an audiophile I just want 5.1 gaming!(incidently some 5.1 headphones I bought work perfectly with the multichannel analogue on the back so theres definetly 5.1 games happening, its just getting them into my speakers!) Btw my speakers are (cheap) Kiiro DA-AV5 if that helps anyone.

07-21-2008, 08:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
MrOuija Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2 OS: WinXP x64 Pro	Re: X-fi 5.1 Games, multichannel to optical?! I've been over just about all of it with my XFi over the years. To the best of my knowledge the only way to get 5.1 support out of the XFi is over the analogue outputs [which is a major drag, I remember]. I don't know of anything that converts 5.1 analogue to toslink/coaxial digital... it would require a processor to mix it, being the reason. DTS and Dolby 2 are both streams of customized audio data if you will... The way I got 5.1 sound was to buy a receiver that supported it [Sony model: STR-DG500]. I recently discarded my XFi [for other reasons] in favor of the HT Omega Claro+ soundcard, which will mix a 5.1 stream on your computer into a digital DTS or Dolby Digital signal... for output to a speaker system with an external decoder. This comes at a bit of a sacrifice, Claro+ only supports EAX2.0 which is quite a step backwards from the XFi and it's EAX5.0 libraries. I've had some problems with games that don't want to disable the newer EAX features. Im going to try and dual sound card it with an XFi for gaming audio and see if there's anyway in hell I can toslink that to my HTOmega which can remix it into DTS/Dolby and output it to my speakers... I am extremely doubtful but will keep you posted. Sorry about the bad news, I was disappointed when I realized my XFi didn't do everything I wanted it to as well. Cheers! --MrOuija

07-22-2008, 04:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
SevasTraSi Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3 OS: XP	Re: X-fi 5.1 Games, multichannel to optical?! Well I got it working. With unofficial drivers which support Dolby digital live over optical. 5.1 games works flawlessly. Drivers by daniel k a quick google or torrent search will throw up something of interest but I probably shouldn't discuss drivers of questionable legality here.

07-23-2008, 11:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
MrOuija Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2 OS: WinXP x64 Pro	Re: X-fi 5.1 Games, multichannel to optical?! I just stumbled across the same thing myself... they're great aren't they? ... now what to do with this extra Claro...