G400 with 5.1 audio?

[beducky]

Will I get 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound with the DVD software that the G400Max uses?

I have a Soundblaster Live and the newer (DTT) speakers from Creative Labs. I'm hoping that either the Matrox software does the right decoding or that the sound hardware will magically understand everything.

Any experience?

[tish beta2]

I heard somewhere that the audiostream will go directly to the soundcard, and that one will do what's nesessary. If you have SP/DIF output, connect it to the digital input on your amplifier/recivier.

If it's a 5.1 dolby digital/THX decoder, then it should get the six channels.



When it comes to the newest 6.1 surround EX system from Dolby Laboratories and Lucasfilm THX, I don't know... Can it too travel through the digital SP/DIF?



[This message has been edited by tish beta2 (edited 09-15-1999).]

[LostOne]

I don't know about Matrox's player, but PowerDVD 2.0 is able to output a Dolby Digital stream to the SB Live!'s SPDIF socket.

DDS-EX isn't a 6.1 format, it's 5.1 with a matrixed center surround channel (as shown in your diagram). There's no change to the DD stream that's sent down the digital cable since the extra channel is encoded into the two rears ala analogue Dolby Surround. Don't count on DDS-EX being of any use in the home either, it's main funtion was to increase the size of the "sweet spot" in cinemas, not a problem at home unless your room is the size of an aircraft hanger...

[tish beta2]

U sure? Firslty, many cinemas aren't any where near as large as an aicraft hangar, and has plenty of speakers all around. It's said that this channel helps 360 degrees surround sound sounding more realistic.

And, the DD-SEX (had to do it ) IS a 6.1 format... It's coded inn all right, but it has it's own signal.