Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
spdif quality on sound card
I'm asking this question, since I don't know very much about SPDIF,
and this forum seems to be the right place to pose this question. I am planning to build an HTPC based on Microsoft's Media Center Edition OS (2004). I want to integrate the HTPC into my home audio system which includes an Onkyo 801 receiver capabale of 7.1 surround sound. My question is whether I need to worry about the "quality" of a sound chip/card if I'm planning to hook SPDIF out on the HTPC to an optical input on my Onkyo receiver. I see a 7.1 SPDIF sound card from Chaintech for $20, whereas SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS has 7.1 SPDIF for $200 (that's right 10X the cost of the Chaintech). If I'm passing the audio signal via SPDIF (no analog conversion), do I need to worry about signal to noise ration of the cheaper Chaintech card? I know the SoundBlaster will do a nice job, but wondering whether I need to spend the extra bucks, if I'm only going to use SPDIF anyway. Thanks for your help! -Hungmeister |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
spdif quality on sound card
En Hung Tran va escriure en 4 Jul 2004 23:31:50 -0700:
I'm asking this question, since I don't know very much about SPDIF, and this forum seems to be the right place to pose this question. I am planning to build an HTPC based on Microsoft's Media Center Edition OS (2004). I want to integrate the HTPC into my home audio system which includes an Onkyo 801 receiver capabale of 7.1 surround sound. My question is whether I need to worry about the "quality" of a sound chip/card if I'm planning to hook SPDIF out on the HTPC to an optical input on my Onkyo receiver. I see a 7.1 SPDIF sound card from Chaintech for $20, whereas SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS has 7.1 SPDIF for $200 (that's right 10X the cost of the Chaintech). If you end up deciding to spend $200 on a SoundBlaster, have a look at this befo http://www.behringer.com/BCA2000/index.cfm?lang=ENG $259 list price, probably less at your prefered shop. (I have no relation to behringer other than being a happy client) Toni |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
spdif quality on sound card
En Hung Tran va escriure en 4 Jul 2004 23:31:50 -0700:
I'm asking this question, since I don't know very much about SPDIF, and this forum seems to be the right place to pose this question. I am planning to build an HTPC based on Microsoft's Media Center Edition OS (2004). I want to integrate the HTPC into my home audio system which includes an Onkyo 801 receiver capabale of 7.1 surround sound. My question is whether I need to worry about the "quality" of a sound chip/card if I'm planning to hook SPDIF out on the HTPC to an optical input on my Onkyo receiver. I see a 7.1 SPDIF sound card from Chaintech for $20, whereas SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS has 7.1 SPDIF for $200 (that's right 10X the cost of the Chaintech). If you end up deciding to spend $200 on a SoundBlaster, have a look at this befo http://www.behringer.com/BCA2000/index.cfm?lang=ENG $259 list price, probably less at your prefered shop. (I have no relation to behringer other than being a happy client) Toni |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
spdif quality on sound card
En Hung Tran va escriure en 4 Jul 2004 23:31:50 -0700:
I'm asking this question, since I don't know very much about SPDIF, and this forum seems to be the right place to pose this question. I am planning to build an HTPC based on Microsoft's Media Center Edition OS (2004). I want to integrate the HTPC into my home audio system which includes an Onkyo 801 receiver capabale of 7.1 surround sound. My question is whether I need to worry about the "quality" of a sound chip/card if I'm planning to hook SPDIF out on the HTPC to an optical input on my Onkyo receiver. I see a 7.1 SPDIF sound card from Chaintech for $20, whereas SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS has 7.1 SPDIF for $200 (that's right 10X the cost of the Chaintech). If you end up deciding to spend $200 on a SoundBlaster, have a look at this befo http://www.behringer.com/BCA2000/index.cfm?lang=ENG $259 list price, probably less at your prefered shop. (I have no relation to behringer other than being a happy client) Toni |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
spdif quality on sound card
In article ,
Hung Tran wrote: I am planning to build an HTPC based on Microsoft's Media Center Edition OS (2004). I want to integrate the HTPC into my home audio system which includes an Onkyo 801 receiver capabale of 7.1 surround sound. My question is whether I need to worry about the "quality" of a sound chip/card if I'm planning to hook SPDIF out on the HTPC to an optical input on my Onkyo receiver. I see a 7.1 SPDIF sound card from Chaintech for $20, whereas SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS has 7.1 SPDIF for $200 (that's right 10X the cost of the Chaintech). If I'm passing the audio signal via SPDIF (no analog conversion), do I need to worry about signal to noise ration of the cheaper Chaintech card? I know the SoundBlaster will do a nice job, but wondering whether I need to spend the extra bucks, if I'm only going to use SPDIF anyway. You might want to check the full set of capabilities of these cards, particular with respect to their ability to send data at its original sampling rate. Some sound cards - particularly those built around commodity AC97 codecs - do all of their A/D and D/A processing at a rate of 48 kilosamples/second. If you try to input (or output) data at a CD-native rate of 44100 samples/second, the sound card uses a built-in sample rate converter to massage the data. This can have adverse effects on the sound quality, as these resamplers are often less than wonderful. So, if you want to be able to play CDs through your Media Center, you should make sure that the S/PDIF card you choose is capable of outputting the original data samples, bit-perfectly, without sample rate conversion, at 44100 samples/second. -- Dave Platt AE6EO Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads! |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
spdif quality on sound card
In article ,
Hung Tran wrote: I am planning to build an HTPC based on Microsoft's Media Center Edition OS (2004). I want to integrate the HTPC into my home audio system which includes an Onkyo 801 receiver capabale of 7.1 surround sound. My question is whether I need to worry about the "quality" of a sound chip/card if I'm planning to hook SPDIF out on the HTPC to an optical input on my Onkyo receiver. I see a 7.1 SPDIF sound card from Chaintech for $20, whereas SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS has 7.1 SPDIF for $200 (that's right 10X the cost of the Chaintech). If I'm passing the audio signal via SPDIF (no analog conversion), do I need to worry about signal to noise ration of the cheaper Chaintech card? I know the SoundBlaster will do a nice job, but wondering whether I need to spend the extra bucks, if I'm only going to use SPDIF anyway. You might want to check the full set of capabilities of these cards, particular with respect to their ability to send data at its original sampling rate. Some sound cards - particularly those built around commodity AC97 codecs - do all of their A/D and D/A processing at a rate of 48 kilosamples/second. If you try to input (or output) data at a CD-native rate of 44100 samples/second, the sound card uses a built-in sample rate converter to massage the data. This can have adverse effects on the sound quality, as these resamplers are often less than wonderful. So, if you want to be able to play CDs through your Media Center, you should make sure that the S/PDIF card you choose is capable of outputting the original data samples, bit-perfectly, without sample rate conversion, at 44100 samples/second. -- Dave Platt AE6EO Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads! |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
spdif quality on sound card
In article ,
Hung Tran wrote: I am planning to build an HTPC based on Microsoft's Media Center Edition OS (2004). I want to integrate the HTPC into my home audio system which includes an Onkyo 801 receiver capabale of 7.1 surround sound. My question is whether I need to worry about the "quality" of a sound chip/card if I'm planning to hook SPDIF out on the HTPC to an optical input on my Onkyo receiver. I see a 7.1 SPDIF sound card from Chaintech for $20, whereas SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ZS has 7.1 SPDIF for $200 (that's right 10X the cost of the Chaintech). If I'm passing the audio signal via SPDIF (no analog conversion), do I need to worry about signal to noise ration of the cheaper Chaintech card? I know the SoundBlaster will do a nice job, but wondering whether I need to spend the extra bucks, if I'm only going to use SPDIF anyway. You might want to check the full set of capabilities of these cards, particular with respect to their ability to send data at its original sampling rate. Some sound cards - particularly those built around commodity AC97 codecs - do all of their A/D and D/A processing at a rate of 48 kilosamples/second. If you try to input (or output) data at a CD-native rate of 44100 samples/second, the sound card uses a built-in sample rate converter to massage the data. This can have adverse effects on the sound quality, as these resamplers are often less than wonderful. So, if you want to be able to play CDs through your Media Center, you should make sure that the S/PDIF card you choose is capable of outputting the original data samples, bit-perfectly, without sample rate conversion, at 44100 samples/second. -- Dave Platt AE6EO Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads! |
Reply |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
cable for amp and sound card | Tech | |||
Computer PSU / Sound Quality | Pro Audio |