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[Bebpo]

If I want to watch a movie on a tv and use my pc as the dvd player (sending the video output to the tv). How do I get the 5.1/6.1 audo tracks from my computer to my audio reciever so that the reciever can decode it and send the sounds to the various speakers?

I'm guessing I need to buy a soundcard made with this in mind?

thanks,

 

[Zaptruder]

my speakers have a spdif input...

my sound card doesn't.

 

[ShyGuy]

You need a soundcard that has an SP-DIF OUT either optical (toslink) or co-axial.

Either way, you need to connect the SP-DIF OUT from the back of the PC into the "digital in" of your receiver.

Your receiver should already be connected to 5.1/6.1 speakers.

 

[Mandoric]

Some cheaper 5.1 sound cards will (re)use three of the jacks on the back to carry the channels; if your sound card supports this, and your receiver has seperate inputs for each channel, it might work even lacking a SP-DIF output.

 

[Uncle Dukey]

If I want to watch a movie on a tv and use my pc as the dvd player (sending the video output to the tv). How do I get the 5.1/6.1 audo tracks from my computer to my audio reciever so that the reciever can decode it and send the sounds to the various speakers?

I'm guessing I need to buy a soundcard made with this in mind?

thanks,

As the others have said, cards with SPDIF out will work fine with movies / television.. However, if you want surround sound output in a Dolby Digital 5.1 format from games, you'll need a card with "Dolby Digital LIVE" (Turtle Beach's Montego DDL for instance)..

 

[HokieJoe]

Bep, I used an M-Audio Revolution soundcard to achieve what you're talking about. It has a SP/DIF digital and 7.1 analog outputs. I use both since my receiver has 6.1 preamp and SP/DIF inputs. There are other solutions out there though. My suggestion would be to hang out in the HTPC forum at the AVS Forum for up to date recommendations.