[Xcited1]

Im using a nf7-s mobo, and have my av receiver connected to the mobo via the toslink optical.


What settings do I need to modify in XP to get this link working in 5.1 sound?

 

[Xcited1]

bump please

 

[gamma_seraph]

If I remember correctly it is under the volume control settings. Can't be sure because I am at work.


Double click the volume control on the task bar--->options--->advanced controls.


Should be a check box for digital out only.


That is all you have to do in XP.


Make sure your programs have SPIDF selected also.

 

[Xcited1]

I did that, still not working.


I use the test tones that come with my nforce driver with speakers set to 5.1.


I still only get sound from the fronts. Both the surround and center speakers come from the fronts when its their turn, if you know what I mean?


HELP!

 

[orogogus]

You need to enable digital out in the Nforce driver as well, and set the correct number of speakers.

 

[Xcited1]

how do you mean in the nforce driver?


I use the nforce software to make the changes I have. How do I change it in the driver if the software isnt doing it for me?

 

[Xcited1]

surely others have been through this before ?


i need some help as this has been going on for ages now.

 

[gamma_seraph]

I am not sure if this is your problem but here goes. I use a SB Live SPDIF out and it will not pass-through multi channel audio via SPDIF if it is not from a DVD. Therefore stuff like test tones and games can only be multi channel if I hook up the analog audio outs. I don't know why but it will only pass PCM stereo the the receiver. On the other hand, DVD's work great if I select SPDIF pass-though in my DVD player application(Zoomplayer, PowerDVD, etc.). So you might try a DVD an see if your receiver lights up with DD or DTS.


This might not be a problem with Nforce but I hope it helps anyway.

 

[CraigInOttawa]

Diito what gamma_seraph here for my AC97 (Realtek) setup in the Shuttle PC; test tones are "2 speaker only", but play a DVD and I get 5.1 Dolby (or DTS) with WinDVD set to S/PDIF.


Give a real DVD a shot and see what happens...


Craig

 

[boiler11]

Quote:

Originally posted by gamma_seraph This might not be a problem with Nforce but I hope it helps anyway.

Nforce encodes to DD 5.1 on the fly. It's the only (currently) chip that does this. He should be able to get 5.1 audio from games, mp3, anything ...


I don't know my settings off hand, but they are pretty obvious. You just use the Nforce configuration tool that gets installed with the drivers. You can find it through the control pannel. If this is what you are using, I don't know what the problem is. Maybe you need to make sure your windows audio configuration is set to 5.1 speakers. This is a different configuration reached through control pannel->audio (or something like that). It's the same one where you set the default sound devices etc.


Sean.

 

[gamma_seraph]

Quote:

Nforce encodes to DD 5.1 on the fly. It's the only (currently) chip that does this. He should be able to get 5.1 audio from games, mp3, anything ...

Wow, I did not know that. I was going to upgrade to an Intel 2.8c (recomended for FFDshow) but I may rethink and go with AMD now.

 

[Xcited1]

nforce boards are great, and nicely overclocked.


forget the toslink problem, USER ERROR.


Lets just say it was my receivers fault. I had enabled every thing under the sun, it ended up being a digital setting on the receiver.

 

[orogogus]

Quote:

Originally posted by gamma_seraph Wow, I did not know that. I was going to upgrade to an Intel 2.8c (recomended for FFDshow) but I may rethink and go with AMD now.

I'd only recommend nForce APU if you are a gamer that wants 5.1 in games over digital (like me)- otherwise an Audigy 2zs or an Envy24 based soundcard (with analog) would probably be a better option if you are set on an Intel CPU.


Is FFDshow optimized to use SSE3 or something? Otherwise don't the AMD cores have better FPU units? Just wondering wher the Intel recommendation comes from.

 

[boiler11]

Also, I believe SoundStorm (the soundchip) is not available on Nforce3 boards. So you don't get the nice soundchip on 64-bit motherboards.


Also, there is a new AC3Filter that does DD enconding in software. I think it still has some bugs, but the developer is working on it. However, this is only an audio filter, so I don't think you can use it for games, only for playback of media such as WMV.


Sean.

 

[Suutar]

I also recall reading in a different thread that NForce 3 doesn't have the soundstorm chip (the one that does DD encode), so if you really want it you may need to find an nforce2 board.

 

[gamma_seraph]

orogogus-


Yeah I think that if I want surround in games I will just hook up some analog lines. Gonna go with the Northwood 2.8c like Owen uses.


The general consensus is that an Intel will run ffdshow better than AMD but no conclusive tests have been made though. These are some threads that discuss this:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...el+AND+ffdshow

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...51#post3736351

 

[orogogus]

thanks for the links-


and yes, the nForce3 does not have the soundstorm APU- only nForce1/2 has the option.

 

[Sailn]

additionally the nforce2 can provide multichannel via spdif when using microsofts HD dvds under windows media player.