[Samhain]

I've been curious about this problem for well over 2 years now. I have the Asus P4t533-C motherboard which comes with the AC'97 6 Channel sound onboard. For the past two years i've used the Digital Optical cable from my PC to my Receiver. With the proper codecs I can play DIVX/Xvid movies in perfect 5.1 Dolby or DTS. What I want to know is how to get Dolby Digital 5.1 out of some of the new games that now support it (Tony Hawk 2, UT 2004, Silent Hill 4, etc.) I only get 2 channel analog from all my games.


My assumption is that since the AC97 is not a true Creative Labs Dolby Digital product, that it does not see my AC97 as being capable. If this is the case then there must be a simple way to trick it (ie. a special driver or codec)


Just thought i'd pick some peoples brains about this one hoping that maybe someone has the solution or the same question.

 

[zxlr8]

It is called Soundstorm...the only way you can do it. Get a new motherboard and cpu. Amd is better for gaming anyways.

 

[NorthJersey]

doesn't the new Intel High Def Audio spec allow for DD surround sound out of optical or dig. coax for games ? I thought I read that on the forum

 

[Richard Paul]

Intel HD audio is better than the Soundstorm in many ways and is currently the most reliable method of getting Dolby Digital output to a AV receiver. The reason you aren't getting DD output with games is because virtually no games can encode surround sound audio into Dolby Digital. Instead they output uncompressed audio through the analog output. Intel HD audio can output up to 7.1 channels of uncompressed audio through the analog output and can output up to 5.1 channels through the digital output by using real time Dolby Digital encoding. The Soundstorm can also do real time Dolby Digital encoding but has none of the extra features found in the Intel HD audio standard. Also Intel's HD audio standard will replace AC97 in future motherboards and will be widely used. Besides Intel HD audio and Soundstorm there are no other products that can do real time Dolby Digital encoding for the PC. Since their both motherboard standards buying a new computer is currently the only way to get Dolby Digital audio for games.

 

[Samhain]

Thanks guys! That makes sense Paul. I have read up on the Intel HD Audio standard that is on it's way out. The new motherboard that I am eyeing for my upgrade has this ability. But it will cost me many bones.

It just seems odd to me that with a simple codec I can get 5.1 or 6.1 out of my Divx movies but not with my games. Oh well, i'll have to wait until HD Audio!


Thanks again fellas,

Rob

 

[hdtv00]

Nothing odd about it at al. Try telling a movie thats not the scene you want to see, and get a movie to do ,go or say what you want it.


Games YOU make it up as you control the game. Making the games audio have to be done as you control it.


Movies are set in stone. And just are what they are...simple enough to grasp.


Its a complete shame they are the only two solutions though. Frankly its a joke actually.

 

[turls]

Better than only one, although in reality it is back to one anyway because nVidia has practically dropped SoundStorm from new products.

Quote:

Originally posted by hdtv00 Its a complete shame they are the only two solutions though. Frankly its a joke actually.