BigBodZod

Well, if you live in the states then you know retailers just love to have the day after Thanksgiving as a mad rush to bargains for the holiday season.

From a local retailer named Video Only, I picked up the following
Samsung, 40", LCD, 1080p, 120Hz and it came with a free BluRay player too boot, the Samsung BD-P1600
I paid only $849.00 (USD) for these items instead of what Newegg charges

I'm sure the BD Player is an entry level model but I really like the TV so far.

Got back from Fry's to pick up some more HDMI cables and another gigabit switch as both the tv and bd player support ethernet.

One of the first things I did was connect up an DVI -> HDMI cable from my 4870 into the HDMI 1 port and switched the source to this input, upon booting Windows 7 it automatically detected both dispays and set the Samsung TV as the default/primary display at 1920 x 1080, very nice indeed.

Now I want to use my gaming rig as my main input device and route the audio output through the Creative Labs X-Fi Sound Card and the attached 5.1 speaker system.

Has anybody ever been able to connect the OPTICAL Auido Output jack up to a SPIDIF type connector ????

I think this Samsung model has another SPIDIF type, non-optical connector as well, just have to check what kind it is.

BlueMak

So, IF I understand this, you want to connect (audio always) the bluray player to the TV, then the TV to the PC, and the PC already outputs to your speaker system?
BUT, your only option for audio out from the TV is through OPTICAL audio and your only input in the SB is a SPIDIF or Line In (which I guess doesn't allow 5.1?)

If yes, I don't know. The optical cable transmits light, right? If you don't already have appropriate input, I am not sure how you could use this.

Anyway, there is this option, Amazon.com: Sound Blaster Digital I /o Module: Electronics but still not sure how well it would work for you.

__________________

The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis
This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm Sic semper tyrannis.

Judas

if i recall the options available on the player.. (the 1600 is actually a new version of samsung player which it's previous model was a 1500, they are both low end, but the 1600 is considerably better supporting far more features)

The Samsung tv you ended up getting however i do not know what model, so i can't comment, however the price you mention perhaps suggests a series 6 earlier revision perhaps the 610/630, i'm leaning towards the 610 though. They are the lowest end of the 6 seieres with i beleive a matte finish on the tv and far lower quality lcd display (but still looks amazing)...

I do not think with your current hardware you can do what you like..

And i haven't checked but that player i do not think has seperate analog audio outs for 6 channels. If it does that's probably your BEST bet.

What ever you do, do not run the audio into the tv and then out from the tv to an audio system, the TV and like most other devices will convert even digital surround audio into a digital stereo pcm audio sample. For example if you run HDMI to the tv (which you should) and then use the output from the tv to a sound system, it'll be stereo.. NOT surround sound.

__________________

BigBodZod

OK, I had a senior moment, I have the X-Fi Platinum with the I/O drive and hadn't really noticed that it has a both an optical in and out port

I will test the output for what kind of signal from the TV it happens to be but I think I remember reading that HDMI is a protected link for both audio and video and this will be the only way to get full, non-compressed auido from a HD source like the BD Player.

So I take it this BD Player will not output 5.1 either via an optical cable only through the HDMI ???

If so, I think I will have to forgo my initial thought of using the computer as the 5.1 Audio Playback unless getting a BD Player installed will alleviate this issue ???

I know that my Comcast HD-DVR has an optical output as well, I wonder what if this outputs 5.1 or just stereo ????

EDIT:

@BlueMak, thanks for the I/O Drive pointers, I completely spaced why I purchased this model in hopes that one day I would use more then just the headphone jack on this panel

@Judas, it's actually a 630 model.

BlueMak

No problem, good luck.

__________________

The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis
This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm Sic semper tyrannis.