Digital Playback of CD's?

Vampyromaniac · Jan 20, 2003, 08:25 AM

Hi everybody

I just installed my new Philips Acoustic Edge sound card, and I'm trying to figure it all out, I'm not used to so many settings

Anyway this is about playing CD's digitally (I'm trying to figure out the other stuff on my own.) Well the Philips sound card has a 2-pin digital input, and came with the 2-wire digital cable. So I took off the 4-wire analog cable from my CD-RW, and plugged in the digital one instead.

The problem is, (as you may have guessed) I can't hear the music when I play a CD. I have:
- opened Windows volume control, looked at the Main and CD volume, both are high
- under Recording volume control, looked at SPDIF volume (thinking this was the digital input), set at high
- for the hell of it set the Playback SPDIF volume at high
- in the Philips control panel, enabled SPDIF-In, thinking it's for the CD input as well as the external input

nothing gives me my music digitally

It played just fine with the analog cable.

One thing that does allow me to hear the music is this setting in the Multimedia Control Panel (this is Win98se, btw):

but, as far as I know, this enables playing the CD via the ATA data cable, not the 2-wire digital audio cable.

Please guys, how can I get this to work?

Thanks

P.S. The sound quality is outstanding from this card

DriveEuro · Jan 20, 2003, 08:42 AM

I always thought that digital was via the ATA cable...and analog was via the 4 pin audio analog cable form the cd player to the sound card.

Vampyromaniac · Jan 20, 2003, 10:49 AM

Well, there's still the digital input on the sound card, next to the analog; and the digital output on the CD-RW, next to the analog . . . .

Seems silly that both the card and the drive have this connector, and it doesn't work . . . or at least not easily like the analog does

RIV@NVX · Jan 20, 2003, 11:01 AM

Not 100% sure, but - do you have digital speakers?
Because, if you don't, analog conversion must happen before putting sound out to speakers and it doesn't because you have chosen to play CD digitally.

Vampyromaniac · Jan 20, 2003, 11:36 AM

You mean you think the sound card doesn't have a DA converter? I think it should . . .

I have regular analog speakers

Frodo301 · Jan 20, 2003, 01:57 PM

I'm using the digital two pin output with no problems. I just ticked marked the Enable digital CD audio for this Cd-rom device as shown earlier. But it's worked since I installed both Win98se & Win XP originally. I have had some problems ripping cd's from this drive since I did this though.

edit from the install book:

The "Digital CD In" connector is not required for most applications because current cd players and games typically use digital extraction (no cable required) or the included "CD Analog Audio Cable" to bring CD audio into the sound card. If you connect "Digital CD In" connector to your CD or DVD drive you will not be able to use the external "S/PDIF In" jack on the "S/PDIF" cable which plugs into the rear of the card.

Honestly though the only problems I've had are related to ripping cd's. They play without problem and I've had no problems related to gaming.

merry · Jan 20, 2003, 02:12 PM

I don't have either analog or digital cables from my CD unit to the soundcard (mobo, actually, don't have a scard). Under XP, I can listen to audio CDs, so I guess, provided you use XP, you won't need that cable.

edit: for me, ripping audio works under both 98 and XP w/out any audio cable, analog or digital.

Frodo301 · Jan 20, 2003, 02:16 PM

I don't know if it makes a difference but I use the dig out with a DVD-Rom. Doesn't seem like that would make a difference but who knows.

merry · Jan 20, 2003, 02:20 PM

Don't have a DVD either, so I don't know. As far as I know, it shouldn't make any difference. And I also never had a digital cable, maybe there is some sort of conflict when you use the IDE (for ripping) and digital cable simultaneously.

Frodo301 · Jan 20, 2003, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by merry
And I also never had a digital cable, maybe there is some sort of conflict when you use the IDE (for ripping) and digital cable simultaneously.

Hmm, never thought of that before. I think it's time for some experimentation.

merry · Jan 20, 2003, 02:29 PM

Hey, good luck. ANd read your PM, hobbit.

DriveEuro · Jan 20, 2003, 05:26 PM

I have digital speakers. I don't have any cables running to my sounds cards. I just have 1 cable running to the speakers and it has 4 or 5 channels on the plug....... Can't remember. And it is definetly digital i know.

Vampyromaniac · Jan 20, 2003, 08:51 PM

Thanks for all the replies, guys

Well, OK. I know if you don't have and cable going from drive to card, or it you have that box checked, it plays digitally. But it's via the ATA (data) cable, I can tell because the lights blinking pattern on the drive, and the spinning speed, is like copying a file from a CD-ROM.

But that's not what I want

I don't want my drive spinning so fast (32x or whatever), just when playing a CD. It should be 1x, right?

So I'm trying to get the CD to play via the 2-wire digital cable going from the drive to the card. I don't uinderstand why it doesn't just work, like with the analog cable.

Ahh, Frodo I saw that part in the install book, and I got to wondering . . . Could it perhaps be the software I'm using? Maybe the CD-Player programs I have are not capable of using the digital cable?

EDIT: I just tried with all these programs, none of them play

Windows CD Player
ATi CD Player
MusicMatch 7.2
Real Jukebox 2
winamp 2.8

All of them showed the time count progressing (as if it were playing), except for WinAmp. It didn't play any of the tracks, gave an error for each of them: "Unknown host cda://J,1" the 1 being the track number . . . .

I dunno what else to think of

Why do they go to the trouble of putting the digital connector on the sound card and the drive, if they don't work?

reno · Jan 21, 2003, 06:03 PM

Okay, when you go to properties in the audio control panel (the little speaker that might be in your system tray) there should be an option "CD Digital." On my audigy, at least, this enables the two pin digital line from my DVD rom.

There should be something similar to this with your card, BUT, one thing to let you know, I can't use it in Win98...heck, I can't even enable digital playback (like you show in your picture) in Win98. So, your results may vary...as long as you have it connected properly, you're just going to have to find anything CD Digital or related.

I wish I could give you a definite answer, but that's about all I gots fo' sho'.

Vampyromaniac · Jan 22, 2003, 03:01 AM

Ahhh . . . d'oh!

well that sucks

Man, I hate it when results vary

I want consistent results dammit! Hehe

Thanks man

merry · Jan 22, 2003, 11:04 AM

I can't listen to CD audio under 98 (no cable for audio, just the IDE). Under XP, it works all the way, whatever winamp, cd player etc.

Jan 20, 2003, 08:25 AM	#1
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	Digital Playback of CD's? Hi everybody I just installed my new Philips Acoustic Edge sound card, and I'm trying to figure it all out, I'm not used to so many settings Anyway this is about playing CD's digitally (I'm trying to figure out the other stuff on my own.) Well the Philips sound card has a 2-pin digital input, and came with the 2-wire digital cable. So I took off the 4-wire analog cable from my CD-RW, and plugged in the digital one instead. The problem is, (as you may have guessed) I can't hear the music when I play a CD. I have: - opened Windows volume control, looked at the Main and CD volume, both are high - under Recording volume control, looked at SPDIF volume (thinking this was the digital input), set at high - for the hell of it set the Playback SPDIF volume at high - in the Philips control panel, enabled SPDIF-In, thinking it's for the CD input as well as the external input nothing gives me my music digitally It played just fine with the analog cable. One thing that does allow me to hear the music is this setting in the Multimedia Control Panel (this is Win98se, btw): but, as far as I know, this enables playing the CD via the ATA data cable, not the 2-wire digital audio cable. Please guys, how can I get this to work? Thanks P.S. The sound quality is outstanding from this card __________________ *Digitalis 3.3* Athlon 64 3000 // ASUS K8V SE Deluxe // 1024MB PC3200 (2-2-2-10 1T) ATI All-In-Wonder 9700 Pro // 20" Dell 2005FPW (DVI) M-Audio Revo 7.1 + Philips Acoustic Edge // Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 320/16 Western Digital WD3200KS + 120/8 Seagate 7200.7 NEC ND-3550A 16x DVD±RW + Lite-On 52x24x CD-RW Antec Sonata case // 480W Antec TruePower personal bests \|\| Aq'3: 46796 \| 3D'01: 20461 \| 3D'03: 6336 \| 3D'05: 2677 \| PC'04: 4605 \| PC'02: 7691,9092,1250

Jan 20, 2003, 08:42 AM	#2
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	I always thought that digital was via the ATA cable...and analog was via the 4 pin audio analog cable form the cd player to the sound card. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Jan 20, 2003, 10:49 AM	Thread Starter #3
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	Well, there's still the digital input on the sound card, next to the analog; and the digital output on the CD-RW, next to the analog . . . . Seems silly that both the card and the drive have this connector, and it doesn't work . . . or at least not easily like the analog does __________________ *Digitalis 3.3* Athlon 64 3000 // ASUS K8V SE Deluxe // 1024MB PC3200 (2-2-2-10 1T) ATI All-In-Wonder 9700 Pro // 20" Dell 2005FPW (DVI) M-Audio Revo 7.1 + Philips Acoustic Edge // Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 320/16 Western Digital WD3200KS + 120/8 Seagate 7200.7 NEC ND-3550A 16x DVD±RW + Lite-On 52x24x CD-RW Antec Sonata case // 480W Antec TruePower personal bests \|\| Aq'3: 46796 \| 3D'01: 20461 \| 3D'03: 6336 \| 3D'05: 2677 \| PC'04: 4605 \| PC'02: 7691,9092,1250

Jan 20, 2003, 11:01 AM	#4
RIV@NVX Freedom is a feature. Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Croatia, Rijeka Posts: 4,476 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Not 100% sure, but - do you have digital speakers? Because, if you don't, analog conversion must happen before putting sound out to speakers and it doesn't because you have chosen to play CD digitally. __________________ -- Vedran

Jan 20, 2003, 01:57 PM	#6
Frodo301 Outraged Join Date: May 2002 Location: The mountains Posts: 584 Rep Power: 0	I'm using the digital two pin output with no problems. I just ticked marked the Enable digital CD audio for this Cd-rom device as shown earlier. But it's worked since I installed both Win98se & Win XP originally. I have had some problems ripping cd's from this drive since I did this though. edit from the install book: The "Digital CD In" connector is not required for most applications because current cd players and games typically use digital extraction (no cable required) or the included "CD Analog Audio Cable" to bring CD audio into the sound card. If you connect "Digital CD In" connector to your CD or DVD drive you will not be able to use the external "S/PDIF In" jack on the "S/PDIF" cable which plugs into the rear of the card. Honestly though the only problems I've had are related to ripping cd's. They play without problem and I've had no problems related to gaming. __________________ The greatest thing you'll every learn is to love, and be loved in return. Last edited by Frodo301; Jan 20, 2003 at 02:09 PM.

Jan 20, 2003, 11:36 AM	Thread Starter #5
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	You mean you think the sound card doesn't have a DA converter? I think it should . . . I have regular analog speakers

Jan 20, 2003, 02:12 PM	#7
merry gargouille Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha Posts: 962 Rep Power: 0	I don't have either analog or digital cables from my CD unit to the soundcard (mobo, actually, don't have a scard). Under XP, I can listen to audio CDs, so I guess, provided you use XP, you won't need that cable. edit: for me, ripping audio works under both 98 and XP w/out any audio cable, analog or digital. __________________ There is a war between the ones who say there is a war and the ones who say there isn't. ~~Leonard Cohen

Jan 20, 2003, 02:16 PM	#8
Frodo301 Outraged Join Date: May 2002 Location: The mountains Posts: 584 Rep Power: 0	I don't know if it makes a difference but I use the dig out with a DVD-Rom. Doesn't seem like that would make a difference but who knows. __________________ The greatest thing you'll every learn is to love, and be loved in return.

Jan 20, 2003, 02:20 PM	#9
merry gargouille Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha Posts: 962 Rep Power: 0	Don't have a DVD either, so I don't know. As far as I know, it shouldn't make any difference. And I also never had a digital cable, maybe there is some sort of conflict when you use the IDE (for ripping) and digital cable simultaneously. __________________ There is a war between the ones who say there is a war and the ones who say there isn't. ~~Leonard Cohen

Jan 20, 2003, 02:29 PM	#11
merry gargouille Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha Posts: 962 Rep Power: 0	Hey, good luck. ANd read your PM, hobbit. __________________ There is a war between the ones who say there is a war and the ones who say there isn't. ~~Leonard Cohen

Jan 20, 2003, 05:26 PM	#12
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	I have digital speakers. I don't have any cables running to my sounds cards. I just have 1 cable running to the speakers and it has 4 or 5 channels on the plug....... Can't remember. And it is definetly digital i know. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Jan 20, 2003, 08:51 PM	Thread Starter #13
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	Thanks for all the replies, guys Well, OK. I know if you don't have and cable going from drive to card, or it you have that box checked, it plays digitally. But it's via the ATA (data) cable, I can tell because the lights blinking pattern on the drive, and the spinning speed, is like copying a file from a CD-ROM. But that's not what I want I don't want my drive spinning so fast (32x or whatever), just when playing a CD. It should be 1x, right? So I'm trying to get the CD to play via the 2-wire digital cable going from the drive to the card. I don't uinderstand why it doesn't just work, like with the analog cable. Ahh, Frodo I saw that part in the install book, and I got to wondering . . . Could it perhaps be the software I'm using? Maybe the CD-Player programs I have are not capable of using the digital cable? EDIT: I just tried with all these programs, none of them play Windows CD Player ATi CD Player MusicMatch 7.2 Real Jukebox 2 winamp 2.8 All of them showed the time count progressing (as if it were playing), except for WinAmp. It didn't play any of the tracks, gave an error for each of them: "Unknown host cda://J,1" the 1 being the track number . . . . I dunno what else to think of Why do they go to the trouble of putting the digital connector on the sound card and the drive, if they don't work? __________________ *Digitalis 3.3* Athlon 64 3000 // ASUS K8V SE Deluxe // 1024MB PC3200 (2-2-2-10 1T) ATI All-In-Wonder 9700 Pro // 20" Dell 2005FPW (DVI) M-Audio Revo 7.1 + Philips Acoustic Edge // Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 320/16 Western Digital WD3200KS + 120/8 Seagate 7200.7 NEC ND-3550A 16x DVD±RW + Lite-On 52x24x CD-RW Antec Sonata case // 480W Antec TruePower personal bests \|\| Aq'3: 46796 \| 3D'01: 20461 \| 3D'03: 6336 \| 3D'05: 2677 \| PC'04: 4605 \| PC'02: 7691,9092,1250 Last edited by Vampyromaniac; Jan 20, 2003 at 09:13 PM.

Jan 21, 2003, 06:03 PM	#14
reno Painlord of Ichor Join Date: May 2002 Location: bloinkin! Posts: 1,610 Rep Power: 0	sdf Okay, when you go to properties in the audio control panel (the little speaker that might be in your system tray) there should be an option "CD Digital." On my audigy, at least, this enables the two pin digital line from my DVD rom. There should be something similar to this with your card, BUT, one thing to let you know, I can't use it in Win98...heck, I can't even enable digital playback (like you show in your picture) in Win98. So, your results may vary...as long as you have it connected properly, you're just going to have to find anything CD Digital or related. I wish I could give you a definite answer, but that's about all I gots fo' sho'.

Jan 22, 2003, 03:01 AM	Thread Starter #15
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	Ahhh . . . d'oh! well that sucks Man, I hate it when results vary I want consistent results dammit! Hehe Thanks man __________________ *Digitalis 3.3* Athlon 64 3000 // ASUS K8V SE Deluxe // 1024MB PC3200 (2-2-2-10 1T) ATI All-In-Wonder 9700 Pro // 20" Dell 2005FPW (DVI) M-Audio Revo 7.1 + Philips Acoustic Edge // Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 320/16 Western Digital WD3200KS + 120/8 Seagate 7200.7 NEC ND-3550A 16x DVD±RW + Lite-On 52x24x CD-RW Antec Sonata case // 480W Antec TruePower personal bests \|\| Aq'3: 46796 \| 3D'01: 20461 \| 3D'03: 6336 \| 3D'05: 2677 \| PC'04: 4605 \| PC'02: 7691,9092,1250

Jan 22, 2003, 11:04 AM	#16
merry gargouille Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha Posts: 962 Rep Power: 0	I can't listen to CD audio under 98 (no cable for audio, just the IDE). Under XP, it works all the way, whatever winamp, cd player etc. __________________ There is a war between the ones who say there is a war and the ones who say there isn't. ~~Leonard Cohen