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looking for cheap optical 5.1 DTS/Dolby audio card

bololabich

I have Sony STR-LV500 receiver (manual with specs), sadly my MB has no SPDIF output nor does my HD 7870 support 5.1 so I can't buy HDMI to SPDIF converter.
My MB doesn't have any PCI slots, just PCI-E so that limits my options a lot. So far I've found these 2 cards:

PCM2704 - some people claim it does support both Dolby and DTS 5.1, others say it's stereo only
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/PCM2704-USB-DAC-USB-to-S-PDIF-Sound-Card-Decoder-Board-3-5mm-Analog-Output-New/263750780692

CM6206-LX based no name, according to the chip maker's website it does support both DTS and Dolby but it needs extra drivers

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/1X-6-Channel-Sound-Card-USB-External-Digital-Optical-SPDIF-Audio-for-PC-T4C8-/283267332520

Will either of these work with my receiver or do you have other suggestions? I'm a total noob, I've never used a surround setup with a PC.

I've also found some Asus SupremeFX X-Fi cards for decent money but I can't get any info regarding them. 

 

 

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Do you have dolby/dts content already (eg movies) and are just looking to get that to your receiver, or do you need to encode pcm content (eg games) to dolby digital or dts?

 

If it is the former, then probably most things will work. But if you need hardware with an encoder, then the selection is narrowed.

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I think I need an encoder just playing movies won't do. 

I've managed to encode legacy Dolby Pro Logic 2 signal via ac3filter the filter only works with movie players so I have movies covered albeit Pro Logic is probably lower quality than DTS or regular dolby. 

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In other words if I buy that asus creative SupremeFX X-Fi it should have it? Some early pci-e creative cards did not have encoding according to their manuals I read so I'm kinda worried if it does have it. Only thing I found about these cards is that they are based on ad2000b.

 

If I were to buy some expensive audio card than I'm better off replacing the entire receiver and speakers (as the independence would be different) for one with both analog and digital inputs I think. Perhaps it would be possible to just solder in some inputs before AMP? 

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honestly i would replace that receiver....its the old basic dolby and dts.....youll get much better surround going hdmi to a newer one supporting the newer stuff..even a lower/mid end one like this (i have this one and it works very well) for only 198.00 (damn i paid more when i got mine lol
Pioneer Surround Sound A/V Receiver - Black (VSX-532)

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200€ is a lot of money, far far too much and it's not like I can even fit more than 5.1 in my room, besides I could buy another one with both analog and spdif inputs but ones I saw for sale needed 8ohm speakers, mine are 3 and 6 so it's not worth replacing it. 

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So for now I hunted one MEDION-MSI motherboard locally for ~20€ and there is a high chance that it supports DTS Connect with hacked drivers so I hope swapping my motherboard will do the trick.

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