[Kevlar217]

I have a MSI motherboard with a "3 in 1" audio jack. I can get sound over HDMI through my Radeon HD 4350 graphics card but my receiver doesn't do audio over HDMI. I have a 3.5mm to digital coax converter and my motherboard does support SPDIF out but I don't have any digital connections (optical/toslink or coax). Is it possible to get 5.1 audio to my receiver this way? Should I just buy a sound card and be done with it?


I'm pretty sure I've done it this way before with an older motherboard but now I can't be certain.


Thanks,


Kevin

 

[hirent]

It depends on your reciever.

What model do you have? Does it have Optical/Co-axial inputs?

Your motherboard should output SPDIF if you connect the right adapter to the MB header.

 

[Kevlar217]

Yes my receiver is capable. I have a denon avr-1508. You wouldn't happen to know which header, on the motherboard, that would be? Also, I'm not sure that it came with the correct header cable.

 

[hirent]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevlar217 /forum/post/18240681


Yes my receiver is capable. I have a denon avr-1508. You wouldn't happen to know which header, on the motherboard, that would be? Also, I'm not sure that it came with the correct header cable.

Need to know the Motherboard model. It should be printed on the board itself.

Also, you can take a flashlight and scan through the pin headers on the board. If it does have SPDIF out, it can be a 3-pin or 4-pin header with SPDIF_OUT written next to it.

 

[justinm0424]

Does your tv have digital audio output? Mine has coaxial and I know many others have optical. It seems though that I can only set the pc to output 2 channel through the HDMI but I believe my PS3 outputs 5.1 this way without a problem.

 

[Kevlar217]

The motherboard is a msi g31m3 v2. I have been reading that spdif header to coax adapters are rare and most people make one. Is this the general concensus?


In regards to my tv I have a projector with no digital out so I am going to my receiver for all audio. I am not having trouble with 2 channel vs 5 but rather I can't get any sound from my computer to receiver at this point.


Thank you so much for all the quick responses!

 

[hirent]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevlar217 /forum/post/18240872


The motherboard is a msi g31m3 v2. I have been reading that spdif header to coax adapters are rare and most people make one. Is this the general concensus?

!

Acc. to the manual the board does have SPDIF.


Making a SPDIF is indeed the norm.

You can buy off-the-shelf from here or build something similar.

Note: The Frontx connector doesn't match your motherboard pinout; you will have to switch out the lines if you buy that.

However, considering the costs (approx. $5-$10) and time investment, it is easier to buy a Creative PCI sound card from ebay.

Just do a search for 'Creative Live' or 'Soundblaster Live'.

All of these Creative cards come with a digital port. Simply plug in a 3.5mm-to-RCA cable/adapter and you have a co-axial connection.


Depending on your luck you can be done within $10 for a plug and play solution.

 

[Kevlar217]

Thank you so much for helping me through this! I have one more question regarding the creative soundblaster live. I'm running windows 7 and I wanted to know if anyone runs these cards with w7? Or should I bite the bullet on a newer card?

 

[TonmmyD872]

Creative is a solid choice, but if you want to be totally amazed go with the Auzentech X-Plosion 7.1. It has 3 direct 3.5 mini inputs along with a Toslink and digital coax inputs.


Plus, you can swap out the opamps (the guts) when new ones become avail without buying a whole new card.


I picked mine up from compsource.com for $93 with shipping. A little pricey, but worth every penny. When I have Clapton on it sounds like he's in my living room!!