HL2 & Doom3 sound (dolby digital)

[Big G]

All,

I believe HL2 and Doom3 are going to have dolby digital sound, which is great. However, will a soundcard that can *encode* dolby digital be required? i.e. nforce2? Or will the latest creative labs (audigy ex, audigy zs) be capable of this too?

Cheers

G

 

[Deadmanwalking]

From this site it looks like the ZS at least has the new dolby digital EX standard as part of it.

 

[Big G]

Yeah, that's all very good for decoding DVD's into 5.1 and 6.1, but what about games?

I read here that the nforce2 was the only card that could encode (for games n stuff).

I'm not too sure on it all, s'why im posting.

G

 

[Ch3tan]

I remember reading that you needed a card that can encode into digital, and that the nforce i still the only one that does.

I'm not buying a new soundcard until someone else releases one that does.

 

[lovedaddy]

Yep, the sound chip on the nforce and nforce2 is the only soundcard solution that can encode DD5.1 streams.

The real pisser is that the nforce3 150 (the amd64 solution from nvidia) DOESN'T have this included. As of yet there are no plans to include it =(

There is talk that they are going to make a PCI card with this included, but that sort of takes the technology back in that it could do boatloads of 2d and 3d streams without overloading the PCI bus.

I say email your fav manufacture now and start demanding nforce3 + good sound. (I know my email is on the way to abit)...

 

[Deadmanwalking]

Ah sorry i apologise i read your post in a hurry.

Yes it seems that only the full nforce2 chips can encode into digital.

Edit: I will have a dig around mind and hope we are wrong

 

[(Shovel)]

From FatBusinessman, since his connection is currently disfunctional:

This is, of course, assuming that you really need SPDIF-out. Any 5.1-capable sound card should be able to output the sound as separate channels, into which you should be able to simply plug the speakers without needing to go through a Dolby Digital receiver.

For that, you'll probably want three of these to convert between the 3.5mm jack to twin phono sockets, and then some couplers so you can plug the speakers in (assuming here that you've got a decoder with phono connections for the speakers)

 

[Ch3tan]

FBM, I already do that, but you can buy 3.5 to two phono leads (good quality ones in Richer Sounds too). Thing is, I want to use optical out, why have quality sound hardware when your restricted to anaoluge signals?

 

[Big G]

I use the digital out for my raw AC3 signal for DVD's, but i see this being useless for HL2/Doom3.

So infact, with the audigy 2 or audigy zs, you won't get 5.1 in these new games? Only the nforce2 will be any good?

I'm kinda lost; considering you only get soundstorm on an nforce2 mobo, so you have to buy a new mobo just to get a soundcard capable of 5.1 in games.

Soz if that makes no sense.

G

 

[FatBusinessman]

It makes no sense, but it's true

 

[Big G]

So those who shelled out £165 on an Audigy 2 ex with DTS:ES, Dolby EX, 6.1 support etc etc aren't gonna get true 5.1 in HL2/Doom3?

Why am i repeating my posts?

Why am i rep........

G

 

[Big G]

Just found this on Dolby's website.

Interesting quote:

The best way to enjoy Dolby Digital while playing games on your PC is to get a system that supports interactive Dolby Digital encoding, such as ones with NVIDIA® nForce™ or nForce2 motherboards. These motherboards are the first PC hardware pieces to be designed from the ground up to deliver Dolby Digital audio during game play, and as a result, they have the most powerful audio processing hardware ever seen on the PC.

So it appears these mega pricey creative cards are gonna disappoint.

G

 

[Ch3tan]

And anyone who doesn't want a totally new mobo or use an AMD processor is stuffed. Someone really needs to develop a PCI soundcard capable of this.

 

[WPKenny]

/me strokes his Asus A7N8X Deluxe and goes looking for some cheap 5.1 speaker sets


EDIT: oooh. Creative 5.1 5100 for 55 quid-ish.

What's the difference between the 5100 and the 5300 speakers?

 

[lovedaddy]

cheap speaker sets = not so good with nforce/2 - they require a dd5.1 decoder to get the best out of them (ie decode the 5.1 stream thats been sent out via either a digital coax or digital optical).

The sblive/audigy/2 etc can do 3d streams, but they will be often limited to 4 point surround during the game.

If you want to get the best out of your nforce2, I'd suggest the logitech Z680s. Whilst not as good as most hi-fi speakers & decoder combos, the sound is excellent and it does DD5.1 and DTS decoding.

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/companypages/products/speakers/logitech/spelogz680/spelogz680.htm


Play Halo or Sega GT on the Xbox (aint tried Halo on the pc yet) with DD5.1 and a good set of speakers to realise how poor PC sound really is.

 

[Big G]

Originally posted by Ch3tan
Someone really needs to develop a PCI soundcard capable of this.

I can't believe there isn't one yet, that sucks major ass.

G

 

[PR.]

Its been like this for years, Creative holding the compatibility monopoly over the market, and their moto "You don't need it til we sell it".

 

[Tom]

heh I've just bought a mobo with nforce audio on it!

yay!