Silly question concerning Soundblaster Live 5.1 Digital

[Brutal-Force]

I am getting ready to upgrade from my current system to an i5 bought here on the forums. I am getting the Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD4 board with onboard sound. The only reference that I can see to sound is that it is Dolby Theater?

So for you sound Guru's, is it worth putting my Soundblaster Live 5.1 Digital in it or is onboard sound sufficient?

 

[jhanby]

From looking at Gigabyte's website, the motherboard has Optical and SPDIF out (digital). Also looks like it has 5.1 surround sound out (Analog).

What will you be using to play the sound ?

 

[Brutal-Force]

Well it was intended for my home stereo system.

Couple problems. I tried installing it in my current machine.

A) No Windows 7 Drivers.
B) My sound card goes CPU --> TV ----> Stereo. It never really sees stereo system first.
C) My current MB has HD Audio Device, not sure if its better than the 5.1 (It came from my old P4 system.)

So far its looking like the 5.1 would be inferior.

I use my current set up as my HomePC/HTPC on my 42" Living room monitor. I will be upgrading to the Gigabyte board w/i5 this week/next week. My stereo supports digital input which my 42" uses as the TV ---> Stereo In

SO MANY WIRES!!!

What I want is my computer to supply sound to TV and Audio. (I play Blueray Quality Rips and music from my computer as well as HULU and other streamingi video as well as Pic in Pic from my Internal TV card.)

 

[jhanby]

So do you go Computer -> TV via Analog or Digital ? (What type of wire is it ?)

 

[Brutal-Force]

Analog I believe with 3.5mm to 3.5mm. I don't have digital In for my TV

 

[jhanby]

Is your TV able to accept 5.1 ?

The onboard should be fine for what you're using it. You would just use the same 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable and plug it into the green 3.5mm jack on the back of the motherboard.

However, you could go straight from the digital out of your motherboard to the digital in of your stereo.

 

[Brutal-Force]

Well the new MOBO doesn't go in for a week. Is there a way to split the Optical Digital? So I can have one coming from the TV and one from the Computer? I only have 1 optical digital input on my stereo.

 

[jhanby]

I see, so you would like to have both your TV and Computer going into the stereo via Optical.

You would need an Optical switch box for that.

 

[Brutal-Force]

will i have to manually switch it?

This one says it will automatically sense it?

http://www.amazon.com/Parts-Express-SWOPT2-Optical-Splitter/dp/B0002MQGR2

 

[jhanby]

yes you will have to.

Your have two options :

1. Computer <Analog> TV <Digital> Stereo
2. Computer <Optical>\ TV <Optical>\ Stereo

You could use either onboard or a sounds card for this.

A sound card would most likely give better Analog sound quality.

 

[Brutal-Force]

But the soundcard I was referring two is quite old. I also cannot find windows 7 - 64 bit drivers for it. I would also imagine that if the MOBO has Optical Digital out, that It would be better anyways.

The link I posted shows a Digital Optical Splitter that auto senses would that be an option?

Maybe just look at getting newer sound card. Thanx for your help.

 

[jhanby]

AFAIK, that one would work, as long as only one or the other is sending data at the same time.

i.e. if both your TV and Computer were outputting data via Toslink, it would not work.

If you are using digital (and your mobo has digital out), there is no reason to have a dedicated sound card.