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choosing tv tuner card vs 5.1 audio
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Author:  fwah23 [ Sat Feb 14, 2004 10:31 am ]
Post subject:  choosing tv tuner card vs 5.1 audio

I just realised my Asus A7n266vm mobo has 5.1 sound using the 3 audio i/o ports, meaning that it takes up my line-in as well..

All along i've been wanting to get a leadtek winfast 2000xp, but that apparently doesn't support btaudio and requires a line in to tv card connection.

Is there any workaround so i can still get 5.1 audio and audio from the 2000xp for mythtv?

or will i just have to start shopping for a wintv instead.

thanks.

Author:  cesman [ Sat Feb 14, 2004 10:35 am ]
Post subject: 

Another soundcard or another tuner.

Author:  rusty0101 [ Sun Feb 15, 2004 10:59 pm ]
Post subject: 

Linux supports multiple sound cards. As the KnoppMyth distribution uses the alsa system, you will want to look at the alsa-project.org web site for information on how to configure things.

The down side of getting a sound card is that you are probably going to have to get two sound cards as the BIOS will most likely disable the onboard audio.

As a couple of alternatives, the full 5.1 should be available through the spdif interface on either your motherboard if it supports it, or on sound cards that have that interface. If it's available on your motherboard, you may have to go online to find a cable that will plug into the spdif header on the motherboard.

I picked up a couple of Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 cards a month or so ago, and they both have Digital Out ports on the back. In fact that port is labeled Out-3 as an alternative to being the Digital Out port. There are also Out-1 and Out-2 along with Line In and Mic In ports, plus the ubiquitous Joystick/Midi port, and between three and 5 inputs on the card itself for multiple CD, Speakerphone Modem patches, CD Digital Audio (spdif) and other inputs. There is also a couple of header blocks to attach other sound card expansion devices to the card.

Since I don't have a component that will take the digital audio out, or three stereo out connections, I can't vouch for the capability of doing 5.1 out of alsa at this time.

My personal recomendation would be to confirm that 5.1 out is a feature you can use before buying hardware specificly to support it. I am pretty sure that they only place you are going to be able to use them for is DVD's for the time being. If you have a DVB card or a HDTV capture card, you may be able to use 5.1 from your provider or local station, but I don't think you are going to find it useful off of analog cable or off the air "legacy"/NonHDTV broadcasts.

I remember when it was a big deal that the local TV stations started broadcasting in Stereo. It wasn't that far back, as I remember that people were commenting on the fact that some broadcasters were not yet broadcasting Babylon 5 in stereo, which would have been around 10 years ago.

-Rusty

Author:  fwah23 [ Mon Feb 16, 2004 1:35 am ]
Post subject: 

thanks, well i just wanted to dual boot the system, and not have to deal with swapping the line in for the tv tuner and for games all the time

you said that the spdif out has adaptors? would there possibly be a spdif to 3-stereo plug adaptor?

but you're not sure if that's supported i guess.

well right now i'm just looking to buy an ATI TV wonder so that i can run btaudio and not bother

Author:  rusty0101 [ Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:25 am ]
Post subject: 

fwah23 wrote:
you said that the spdif out has adaptors? would there possibly be a spdif to 3-stereo plug adaptor?


Um, no. The spdif out port would have to connect to something that accepts digital audio in to be at all useful. Examples of devices that I know (because I have them) have this kind of an input include MD players (which require an optical, not copper spdif) and the Terrapin VCD recorder. Most DVD players over $80 have optical out digital audio connectors.

I believe a lot of new receivers on the market will support digital (optical or copper) inputs, but I suspect you will have to ask, and have it pointed out. I know you can buy the optical patch cables from RadioShack already, so if you are in the market for a new receiver, you might check there. Though to be honest I would rather get a receiver from a dedicated home theater store.

-Rusty

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