Need help/advice for connecting PC soundcard to Reciever for 5.1 audio playback for movies.

[amacher2772]

Hello,

I currently am looking to buy a new soundcard for my custom built PC. My goal is to save all of my blu-ray movies onto my computer and play them back through my TV. I will be using the integrated graphics of the cpu and the HDMI connector on the motherboard for the picture. (the HDMI will go straight into the TV)

I want to use a sound card that will send the audio to my A/V Receiver so I can listen to the audio in 5.1 surround sound. Sounds simple in words but I don't know what kind of sound card I should be looking for. My receiver accepts both optical cables and Multi-in Red and White RCA for audio.

My question is, what sound card do I need for this? Some only have the 3.5mm jacks on them and the more high end ones only have optical and RCA outputs. Will the RCA outputs plugged into a multi-in RCA input on the reciever get me 5.1 audio? (Assuming the soundcard can produce 5.1) Or should I be using an optical cable to achieve what I want?


Answers/advice and links to soundcards would be most helpful!! Let me know you need more information about my PC and Receiver. My motherboard has all the necessary PCI slots for any form of PCI or PCIe.

 

[atarione]

U'd be much better off going HDMI to your receiver (assuming it does HDMI audio) then to the tv from receiver..

but if you won't / can't optical would be better than analog for this.

 

[amacher2772]

U'd be much better off going HDMI to your receiver (assuming it does HDMI audio) then to the tv from receiver..

but if you won't / can't optical would be better than analog for this.

I agree with you about the HDMI straight to the receiver but the onboard sound card in the motherboard is garbage and none of the soundcards have an HDMI output on them. Maybe I am looking at this the wrong way? Does the soundcard transfer the sound to the HDMI output on the motherboard also?

 

[atarione]

U'd be much better off going HDMI to your receiver (assuming it does HDMI audio) then to the tv from receiver..

but if you won't / can't optical would be better than analog for this.

I agree with you about the HDMI straight to the receiver but the onboard sound card in the motherboard is garbage and none of the soundcards have an HDMI output on them. Maybe I am looking at this the wrong way? Does the soundcard transfer the sound to the HDMI output on the motherboard also?

I know the sound cards don't have HDMI... just use the HDMI audio from your video card to receiver...(if you go digital optical or HDMI... you are basically bypassing the sound processing on the sound card and letting the receivers dac do it..)

if you go optical however make sure it supports DD Live ...cause otherwise you are not going to get 5.1

but even if you mb's o/b audio bites (and it probably does ... if you went optical out..like I said you are bypassing most of it anyways and just sending the digital info to the receiver for it to sort out... so if the o/b audio supports DD Live .. you could give it a go with a couple $ cable from monoprice and see how it works before dumping $$$$ into a high end audio card you are going to bypass most of.)

if you go analog the audio is going to get down sampled...

 

[amacher2772]

U'd be much better off going HDMI to your receiver (assuming it does HDMI audio) then to the tv from receiver..

but if you won't / can't optical would be better than analog for this.

I agree with you about the HDMI straight to the receiver but the onboard sound card in the motherboard is garbage and none of the soundcards have an HDMI output on them. Maybe I am looking at this the wrong way? Does the soundcard transfer the sound to the HDMI output on the motherboard also?

I know the sound cards don't have HDMI... just use the HDMI audio from your video card to receiver...(if you go digital optical or HDMI... you are basically bypassing the sound processing on the sound card and letting the receivers dac do it..)

if you go optical however make sure it supports DD Live ...cause otherwise you are not going to get 5.1

but even if you mb's o/b audio bites (and it probably does ... if you went optical out..like I said you are bypassing most of it anyways and just sending the digital info to the receiver for it to sort out... so if the o/b audio supports DD Live .. you could give it a go with a couple $ cable from monoprice and see how it works before dumping $$$$ into a high end audio card you are going to bypass most of.)

if you go analog the audio is going to get down sampled...

Thanks for the help!