[messhen]

Hi.


I'm building a HTPC for a environment of 75% music (include future use of DVD-audio) and 25% movies.

I guess that the operation system will be the Windows XP pro.


The feature that the sound card must have:

24/192 7.1 output.

Minimum recording quality 24/96 or better (if possible more then 2 channel).

In/Out SPdif, if possible also in/out Toslink (optical).

ASIO 2 support.

Ability to connect a phono directly to the sound card.

Ability bypassing the windows kmixer.

Good Headphone output preamp (not so important vs the requirement above).


Since my receiver is the Pioneer Elite 47TX, does the RME DIGI96/8 PAD is not

a overkill in term of quality?.

If it possible, please post a link to a RMAA test result page.


Thank You.

J. Henkin

 

[dm]

From a software prospective, the only DVD-Audio solution is creative audigy. WinDVD 5.1 has a DVD-Audio player , however non-Audigy cards play back at a crippled 16bit/48khz version of DVD-Audio.


Things may change, but if DVD-Audio is a requirement you are at the mercy of the rights managment people and their attempts to handicape the PC crowd.

 

[Cyphatic]

If you want to wait I think M-Audio has a DVD-A solution coming up.


Cyphatic

 

[BigguyZ]

I was told by Cliff Watson that a DVD-A M-audio card wasn't in development and wouldn't be around for 1 year+

 

[RayL Jr.]

Well, if you hook up an existing external DVD-A, SACD, DD EX, or DTS ES capable DVD player to a sound card with analog (or digital inputs for regualr rez) you'll have just about all bases covered. About the only thing you wouldn't get is DTS-ES Discrete (True 6.1) from of course viewing DVD's in the HTPC (unless it was passed out digitally to an external decoder eg. in an a/v receiver)...


For 7.1 you might be able to look at cards with outputs in "4 - 2 channel pairs" to possiibly expand your options.

 

[messhen]

So if I want the HTPC to play DVD-Audio, I'l need to add a Audigy2 sound card additionally to a good quality 7.1 sound card.

It just ridiculous, since I'm planning to use a nForce2 mobo (AFAIK all the nForce2 have a built in sound card),

in this situation I'l end up with 3 sound card in the computer.


Jack