toslink to analog 5.1 output??

Jarbran · Sep 26, 2007, 07:14 AM

Sorry if this has been covered but i'm running out of time to get this figured out before I buy a new receiver for this weekend.

Can I use the Toslink optical input on the front of my Creative Live and it convert to 6 analog outputs?

I already have a really nice 8 channel amplifier that can be configured and bridged as I please and have been using it like that through MCE but now i want to use external sources as well.

(ie: switching over from MCE to watch my H20 DTV receiver in order to watch HD content because they wont allow me to see it through MCE Yet :-( errgghh )

I dont think DIgital to Analog down conversion can be done without the creative ddts-100 decoder that they dont make anymore. Maybe i'll have to breakdown and get a new receiver with HDMI and everything else.

Thanks for any input.

J

**dj_stick** · Sep 26, 2007, 08:22 AM

if your soundcard supports dolby digital decoding, then yes you should be able to do what you want

that was an SB Live! card you have? iirc that has AC3 decoding

Jarbran · Sep 26, 2007, 03:38 PM

Yeah, it's a Creative Sound Blaster Live! Platinum and it has the Toslinks on the front Panel as well as all the other connectors. I just can't seem to get this thing to give me analog output with my H20 dtv receiver plugged in to the front panel toslink.

any suggestions?

Maddogg6 · Sep 26, 2007, 04:38 PM

(assuming default DSP config)

Is the COAX/OPTICAL slider in the kX Mixer 'Ins & Outs' page adjusted and not-muted?

Is the 'toggle 'S/PDIF-In AC3 Decode' mode.' checked on the kX Mixer 'Master' page?

Is 'Toggle 'AC3 passthru mode' ' set to 'Off' (may not matter?) on kX Mixer Master Page?

Ac3 decoding does function with my card - but, its not great - it can be 'choppy' or stuttering - I improved on this by increaing the # of AC3 buffers in kX Setup/Buffers.

But - I notice sound-video sync gets worse over time.

And - if the source material is stereo only - output is wrong (FR > RR & FL>FR)

Jarbran · Sep 27, 2007, 05:12 PM

Thanks so much for your reply and information,

ok i hooked it all back up and i had sound, maybe it was from removing it and the drivers and reinstalling it all, However, when I have it on normal channels its fine but when I go to ANY HD channel the sound goes to a loud oscillating Hissing noise, which i assume to be the data from the HD20 not being properly decoded. Normal Channels have normal audio.

If i turn off Dolby Digital on my H20 Receiver and back to Regular PCM it stops.
and i can then hear the audio from the program.

When the dolby digital setting is off the H20 is not sending out surround information, Correct?
is the PCM setting going to give me surround?

Thanks for your time.

ereg · Jan 10, 2008, 05:26 PM

I would like do the same (ac3 on Digital-in), and decode both AC3 & DTS. And downmix it and output i to Stereo. Any suggestion how to do that?

Maddogg6 · Jan 10, 2008, 07:41 PM

If the SPDIF is 'ac3' encoded - enabling AC3 decode from SPDIF in (kX Mixer MASTER PAGE) - is 'supposed' to decode it - and does -sorta... but I have found that, in my case - from my cable box, if the material is STEREO but in AC3 format - channels are wrong - Front Rigt comes out front left speaker - and Front left comes out rear left speaker... I *never* caught actual AC3/dolby digital being sent from my cable box. So, its possible my cable provider is doing something to screw it up?? Or possibly, the 'NTSC' stations are not sending dolby digital, even when all my channels are supposedly 'digital' now - it would seem its my cable provider doing the 'digitizing'.

But, if a DVD is used, and is Dolby Digital Encoded - it works.... but... usually leads to lost sync between video and audio over time, and can be 'choppy' (on, off), which increasing # AC3 buffers sizes in kX Set-Up Buffers settings helps improve, but never totally eliminated for me.

So - it sorta works, but I never use it, I use DVD software with an internal DVD drive to decode AC3/Dolby Digital. And it works best (next to a Home theater receiver with all the surround modes and a set top DVD player)

AFAIK, DTS isnt supported... but I havent specifically, tested and recorded results in any organized fashion... Tho I get 5.1 from Power DVD in most all movies, but I have netflix, and I *almost* never see the 'marketing' info normally found on disks. (netflix now labels most all their discs as their property now - and the ones that aren't dont give much info)

Sep 26, 2007, 07:14 AM	#1
Jarbran DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	toslink to analog 5.1 output?? Sorry if this has been covered but i'm running out of time to get this figured out before I buy a new receiver for this weekend. Can I use the Toslink optical input on the front of my Creative Live and it convert to 6 analog outputs? I already have a really nice 8 channel amplifier that can be configured and bridged as I please and have been using it like that through MCE but now i want to use external sources as well. (ie: switching over from MCE to watch my H20 DTV receiver in order to watch HD content because they wont allow me to see it through MCE Yet :-( errgghh ) I dont think DIgital to Analog down conversion can be done without the creative ddts-100 decoder that they dont make anymore. Maybe i'll have to breakdown and get a new receiver with HDMI and everything else. Thanks for any input. J

Sep 26, 2007, 03:38 PM	Thread Starter #3
Jarbran DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Yeah, it's a Creative Sound Blaster Live! Platinum and it has the Toslinks on the front Panel as well as all the other connectors. I just can't seem to get this thing to give me analog output with my H20 dtv receiver plugged in to the front panel toslink. any suggestions?

Sep 26, 2007, 04:38 PM	#4
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	(assuming default DSP config) Is the COAX/OPTICAL slider in the kX Mixer 'Ins & Outs' page adjusted and not-muted? Is the 'toggle 'S/PDIF-In AC3 Decode' mode.' checked on the kX Mixer 'Master' page? Is 'Toggle 'AC3 passthru mode' ' set to 'Off' (may not matter?) on kX Mixer Master Page? Ac3 decoding does function with my card - but, its not great - it can be 'choppy' or stuttering - I improved on this by increaing the # of AC3 buffers in kX Setup/Buffers. But - I notice sound-video sync gets worse over time. And - if the source material is stereo only - output is wrong (FR > RR & FL>FR)

Sep 27, 2007, 05:12 PM	Thread Starter #5
Jarbran DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Thanks so much for your reply and information, ok i hooked it all back up and i had sound, maybe it was from removing it and the drivers and reinstalling it all, However, when I have it on normal channels its fine but when I go to ANY HD channel the sound goes to a loud oscillating Hissing noise, which i assume to be the data from the HD20 not being properly decoded. Normal Channels have normal audio. If i turn off Dolby Digital on my H20 Receiver and back to Regular PCM it stops. and i can then hear the audio from the program. When the dolby digital setting is off the H20 is not sending out surround information, Correct? is the PCM setting going to give me surround? Thanks for your time.

Jan 10, 2008, 05:26 PM	#6
ereg DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	I would like do the same (ac3 on Digital-in), and decode both AC3 & DTS. And downmix it and output i to Stereo. Any suggestion how to do that?

Jan 10, 2008, 07:41 PM	#7
Maddogg6 Tail Razer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bernyurass, AZ - USA Posts: 4,027 Rep Power: 0	If the SPDIF is 'ac3' encoded - enabling AC3 decode from SPDIF in (kX Mixer MASTER PAGE) - is 'supposed' to decode it - and does -sorta... but I have found that, in my case - from my cable box, if the material is STEREO but in AC3 format - channels are wrong - Front Rigt comes out front left speaker - and Front left comes out rear left speaker... I never caught actual AC3/dolby digital being sent from my cable box. So, its possible my cable provider is doing something to screw it up?? Or possibly, the 'NTSC' stations are not sending dolby digital, even when all my channels are supposedly 'digital' now - it would seem its my cable provider doing the 'digitizing'. But, if a DVD is used, and is Dolby Digital Encoded - it works.... but... usually leads to lost sync between video and audio over time, and can be 'choppy' (on, off), which increasing # AC3 buffers sizes in kX Set-Up Buffers settings helps improve, but never totally eliminated for me. So - it sorta works, but I never use it, I use DVD software with an internal DVD drive to decode AC3/Dolby Digital. And it works best (next to a Home theater receiver with all the surround modes and a set top DVD player) AFAIK, DTS isnt supported... but I havent specifically, tested and recorded results in any organized fashion... Tho I get 5.1 from Power DVD in most all movies, but I have netflix, and I almost never see the 'marketing' info normally found on disks. (netflix now labels most all their discs as their property now - and the ones that aren't dont give much info)