[Ralck]

I'm looking at this sound card:
http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=205&product=14257&nav=1

Basically, my parents bought me an Insignia 5.1 speaker set with reciever. However, the reciever is very basic as it only has stereo input. Here is a link to it: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7965455&st=insignia+200&type=product&id=1153997588854

However, based on Creative's website, it seems to list that sound card as all output channels on one audio jack? It doesn't really make sense to me as normally it's 3 outputs (like on my motherboard).

So my questions are, is it one output for all channels? And also, if it is, will a 3.5mm to component Y-splitter into the stereo input mimic surround sound, or will it leave it at just left/right channels? Are there any ways to get surround sound out of my computer into that reciever? I don't think my parents would be very happy returning those speakers... They were originally going to buy me a set of 2.1 speakers, but on Black Friday, those were the same price so they bought those instead. In the end, I honestly don't care that much about 5.1 sound, as I don't actually do anything on my computer that uses it (besides movies, which I can put the DVD into the reciever and the video out to the input on my AIW video card...).

Okay... good luck whoever can read through that mess of thoughts and ideas!

Cheers!

 

[Rashiki]

Doesn't look like you're going to get full surround sound the way it should be from that. You look like you'll only be able to do the left/right that you're thinking it can do. For true surround, you need speakers set up for computer only or a higher end home system.

 

[Ralck]

Oh well. If I can't get 5.1 then it's not too big of a deal (it doesn't seem like many games, if any at all, use more than 2.1 setup anyway).

On one last thought, kind of pulling at strings here... would a sound card with SPDIF digital coaxial out work with the coxial input on the reciever?
This, for example, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829111001
Has digital coaxial output, would I be able to hook up the reciever to that and get surround? Or is that not SPDIF input on the reciever?

 

[TheMatt]

If you use the orange digital coax on the back next to the S-video, you will get you 5.1. Digital Coax gives you 5.1, and Optical Audio gives you 5.1 (and I'm not 100% sure, but I think 7.1 as well). Just make sure you get a digital coax cable and not just a regular audio cable, they are two different things.

EDIT: Actually they are the same, never mind.

 

[bat21]

You'll find the cable/s you need here

link

 

[Ralck]

Just an update on what I'm doing...

Well, I researched around a bit more. I have decided to go with this sound card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829127001

The reason why, for anyone else thinking about this, is the fact that it has coaxial SPDIF output for my current reciever, and also it has optical SPDIF output for a future upgrade (which anyone with a decent reciever now will probably already have for an input).
This is quite nice on several accounts. First, as stated earlier in the thread, all that is needed is one digital coaxial cable. This can help free up a lot of clutter. Secondly, it makes for a crisp digital sound to your reciever.

The other main reason for this card is the fact that it does Dolby Digital Live. This is really nice as it can encode your games to 5.1 surround sound digital output for impressive game play. Now you can know which direction your oponent is coming from!

Basically, this card is feature packed for a small price. If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to do a review of it when I get it.

Note: I'll probably be buying from a different site since Newegg is out of stock (haven't actually ordered it yet as I don't want to do so until I get back to school in a few days). I just posted the Newegg link since I don't know if there would be any legal issues to the other link. Since we have express consent from Newegg to post their links, I did that just to show the card to make it easy to suggest to others if they are in a similar position.

Cheers and I hope this helps anyone else in a similar position!

P.S. Thanks for the link to the cables. I actually don't need any though since a digital coaxial cable came with both my speakers and my video card!

 

[bat21]

Sounds great tell us how you're liking it so far