Is there any need of sound card for z-5500 ?

[Chaoseater]

I have Samsung 40" C630. Connected Z5500 to TV through Optical cable. I play movies through USB from the TV. The TV can passthrough Dolby (AC3) and DTS audio and to Z5500 (it cannot decode AAC). The Z5500 can decode these and does a pretty decent job.

Is this possible on a 32" C530. Will check right then.

 

[Gannu]

^Yes, very much possible.

Gannu , How much did you get the Philips HTS3571/98 for ? Is it still available locally ?

Nope! Discontinued. I got the display piece from E-Zone for around 2k less. Paid 16k for that.

 

[matrix0683]

I have been using Z5500 for more than 2 years now with Auzentech Xplosion card. If i understand the posts correctly, sound card has no role to play if the input is provided to Z5500 reciever through optical. However, when I provide analog output to Z5500 and try to play dolby digital content, it doesnt show that on OSD. As soon as I switch to the Optical/SPDIF and provide the input, it shows playing Dloby Digital content as per the OSD.

Would providing analog input improves quality over the digital input in case of Auzentech Xplosion/Z5500 case ??

 

[Gannu]

However, when I provide analog output to Z5500 and try to play dolby digital content, it doesnt show that on OSD.

It wouldn't which implies your sound card cannot decode Dolby D/DTS signals.

As soon as I switch to the Optical/SPDIF and provide the input, it shows playing Dloby Digital content as per the OSD.

Perfectly normal. This is how it should work.

Would providing analog input improves quality over the digital input in case of Auzentech Xplosion/Z5500 case ??

Someone with a similar setup can answer that. Why don't you give it a try? SQ may be better or worse but you'll give up on the surround setup when you switch to analog inputs.

Which Gigabyte board are you talking about? I definitely didn't have it on my Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6.

Your previous board did not support Dolby HT since I see no mention of it anywhere so that is the board's limitation but it does support DTS Connect which is essentially the same but probably you did not bother fiddling with the application. hellgate OTOH might have used a X58 board from Gigabyte which supports Dolby HT.

Refer the 2 links below:

X48 board - GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 775 - GA-X48-DQ6 (rev. 1.1)

X58 board - GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 1366 - GA-X58A-UD5 (rev. 2.0)

 

[matrix0683]

[quote name='Gannu']It wouldn't which implies your sound card cannot decode Dolby D/DTS signals.

I have an Auzentch Xplosion Sound Card and it does have Dolby Digital & DTS connect decoding capability. I am not sure what I am missing here.

 

[emmarbee]

I've got Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty soundcard connected to the Z5500 (both digital and analog). I prefer hearing through analog as it delivers clear and crisp sound, rather than the optical sound which is a little bit muddy losing small details.

 

[GunsNRoses]

It wouldn't which implies your sound card cannot decode Dolby D/DTS signals.

No, it implies that the soundcard decoded DD/DTS signal to analog. The Z-5500 pod now obviously doesn't know what source that analog signal is coming from, so it shows "6 ch direct".

Had the soundcard not been able to decode DD/DTS, all you would hear is static (I'm guessing that isn't the case).

Someone with a similar setup can answer that. Why don't you give it a try? SQ may be better or worse but you'll give up on the surround setup when you switch to analog inputs.

Again, if he has the soundcard drivers/speakers set up correctly, he'll get 5.1 surround without any problem.

@matrix0683: check your setup. Usually sound drivers have a speaker test (as well as windows vista/7). Do that speaker test and ensure each speaker responds in the correct order. If that is so, you're fine. May need to tweak the settings at other places a bit for optimal setup.

PS. As far as my experience goes, I had an ASUS RIIE with a daughter soundcard. I used analog and optical connections through that and, to me, the optical connection sounded louder and crispier.

Besides, I liked those dts and DD signs glowing on the pod.

You can also convert other 5.1 signals (like AAC) to DD/DTS signals by using post-processing filters. ffdshow for audio can do that for AAC.