iTunes analog to surroundsound, and all else to digital... how? Two sound cards?

GreenFleurDeLis · Mar 10, 2005, 08:28 PM

I'm a newbie, but I've read the FAQ and done a number of searches to see if my question has been answered or not already. If it has, I can't find it. So, as a consequence I'm here posting my query...

Goal:

I want to be able to play my music from my computer through my surround-sound system at the other end of my house, yet have the computer sounds play on my local computer speakers.

Original Configuration:

Windows XP, SoundBlaster Live Value sound card, Boston Acoustic digital computer speakers with subwoofer.

Yamaha receiver, connected to computer via mini-jack to RCA at the receiver.

My music is on iTunes, which doesn't seem to have the capability of being pointed to a particular sound card (more on this later).

I don't want to abandon iTunes because of my iPod, and because I love the playlist capability.

Actions taken:

a) I first simply tried to connect both outputs to my SB Live sound card. Alas, there is only one line out.

b) So perhaps a simple splitter would work? No. The surround-sound speakers use an analog output and the computer speakers use digital. They both work, but I'd have to toggle the damn "Digital Output Only" checkbox buried deep in the Control Panel. (I could live with this, but it is not very user friendly for my wife)

c) So I bought a second sound card, an Audigy 2ZS. Now it appears that the Creative drivers still won't allow one to have digital output and the other to have analog.

d) On another message board I got pointed to KX drivers, with the idea that I could drive one sound card with the Creative driver, and the other with a KX driver. Or alternatively, use KX drivers for both.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might be able to accomplish my goal of routing analog signals to my surround-sound speakers and digital signals to my computer speakers? (iTunes to analog, and everything else to digital)

**dj_stick** · Mar 10, 2005, 10:30 PM

the SB Live! should have either 2 or 3 Line Outs

As for the SB A2ZS you should be able to use digital and analog at once

using kX would make things much easier if you use the A2ZS… please reply if you want more information

GreenFleurDeLis · Mar 11, 2005, 03:40 AM

Thanks for your reply dj_stick. I appreciate it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

the SB Live! should have either 2 or 3 Line Outs

Hmmm. OK. I have, in order, black, green, pink, and blue ports. The green is the line-out. The black looks like a line-in. The pink is microphone. And I'm not sure what the blue is. Perhaps because it's a SB Live! Value, not SB Live! 5.1?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

As for the SB A2ZS you should be able to use digital and analog at once...using kX would make things much easier if you use the A2ZS… please reply if you want more information

Yes, YES... I'd love more information. Even if the same output goes to both my surround-sound speakers and my digital computer speakers -- that'd be a better situation than I have today. (The reason I say this is because I am becoming highly doubtful that iTunes has the ability to be directed to a particular sound card or particular line out.)

I cannot get my Boston Acoustic computer speakers to work with the SB A2ZS. Well actually, I cannot get anything to work with the SB 2ZS (but I still have the SB Live! soundcard installed, so that may be jazzing things up a bit.) I can get either sets of speakers to work with the SB Live! as long as I toggle the "Digital Output Only" check box.

I have to confess that I'm a bit intimidated by the KX drivers. It seems by reading some of the posts that this software is for perhaps a more sophisticated user than me. So what I guess I'm saying is ... get pretty basic with your instructions please.

If it would work, I'd happily remove the SB Live card and use the A 2ZS for both functions.

**dj_stick** · Mar 11, 2005, 05:45 AM

black is rear out
blue is line in

are the digital speakers stereo or 5.1?

GreenFleurDeLis · Mar 11, 2005, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

...are the digital speakers stereo or 5.1?

I'm assuming simple stereo. There are two speakers, plus a sub-woofer.

I have made some progress however on my main issue. I finally found out (via an Apple message board) how to point the iTunes output to the Audigy 2ZS soundcard. Turns out one has to make that selection in QuickTime. QuickTime is apparently the interface between iTunes and the soundcard.

So, my current status is that I now have the surround-sound speakers playing via the Audigy 2ZS, and the PC sounds playing via the SB Live Value.

Now, should I replace the Creative drivers with kX drivers? That is where I'd like your advice. What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so? Is the user interface easier, or more complex? What about the sound quality? Is it a difficult or confusing replacement process?

I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to the capabilities and features of modern soundcards. I sense that I could do some fancy sound enhancement to take advantage of my surround-sound speaker system. True?

I appreciate any and all advice.

**dj_stick** · Mar 11, 2005, 09:03 PM

the kX interface is much more complex, and will take a fair amount of time to work out waht you need to do

the way you have things setup now should work fine for you

GreenFleurDeLis · Mar 12, 2005, 05:34 PM

Thank you dj_stick for your honesty regarding the complexity of installing and configuring kX drivers.

I guess I will bid you G'Day then. (If that's not common "Oz speak", then simply substitute what works for you.

Thanks again.

Mar 10, 2005, 08:28 PM	#1
GreenFleurDeLis DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0	iTunes analog to surroundsound, and all else to digital... how? Two sound cards? I'm a newbie, but I've read the FAQ and done a number of searches to see if my question has been answered or not already. If it has, I can't find it. So, as a consequence I'm here posting my query... Goal: I want to be able to play my music from my computer through my surround-sound system at the other end of my house, yet have the computer sounds play on my local computer speakers. Original Configuration: Windows XP, SoundBlaster Live Value sound card, Boston Acoustic digital computer speakers with subwoofer. Yamaha receiver, connected to computer via mini-jack to RCA at the receiver. My music is on iTunes, which doesn't seem to have the capability of being pointed to a particular sound card (more on this later). I don't want to abandon iTunes because of my iPod, and because I love the playlist capability. Actions taken: a) I first simply tried to connect both outputs to my SB Live sound card. Alas, there is only one line out. b) So perhaps a simple splitter would work? No. The surround-sound speakers use an analog output and the computer speakers use digital. They both work, but I'd have to toggle the damn "Digital Output Only" checkbox buried deep in the Control Panel. (I could live with this, but it is not very user friendly for my wife) c) So I bought a second sound card, an Audigy 2ZS. Now it appears that the Creative drivers still won't allow one to have digital output and the other to have analog. d) On another message board I got pointed to KX drivers, with the idea that I could drive one sound card with the Creative driver, and the other with a KX driver. Or alternatively, use KX drivers for both. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might be able to accomplish my goal of routing analog signals to my surround-sound speakers and digital signals to my computer speakers? (iTunes to analog, and everything else to digital)

Mar 12, 2005, 05:34 PM	Thread Starter #7
GreenFleurDeLis DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0	Thank you dj_stick for your honesty regarding the complexity of installing and configuring kX drivers. I guess I will bid you G'Day then. (If that's not common "Oz speak", then simply substitute what works for you. Thanks again.