Let the computer world mature. Soon computers will control the audio and visual in every home theater rooms.
Consumers still have 56 kilobit modems.
Consumers still have 56 kilobit modems.
Well Extigy does provide Dolby Digital. Though few movies utilize Dolby Digital. Receivers that output 6.1 or 7.1 simulate those extra channels. Sounblaster LIVE! 5.1 to Audigy can output more than 5.1 channels (probalby to 10 channels) although Creative Labs are programming very slowly. You have to program the Soundblaster LIVE! 5.1 or Audigy yourself to get the options, (delay, channel size setup, subwoofer filter, etc) that you see on recievers. Hacking into the advance speaker button found in Surround Mixer from Creative Labs might help.
I may have answered my own question ...
I just downloaded PowerDVD's Audiophile pack, and it does DTS and Dolby decoding. I hooked it up to my old Stereo (Technics SA-500) and some PC speakers for the rear chanel. Although the rear speakers were pretty overwelmed, it worked pretty well, and didn't seem as noisy as I expected.
This was using the audio out from my SB Live! I just didn't expect it to be any decent from a SN perspective, given I know the kind of environment inside a PC, but then again, this isn't hi fi yet either. Obviously, if I can get 6 digital channels out of the card, or upgrade to an Audigy external, that would be better.
I'm getting a DVI cable on Monday so I can see the difference between DVI and RGB.
So I'm really leaning toward a remote boot PC setup in the living room via networking for DVD playback. I have the ATI 8500DV so I could even use that for TV / cable decoding (although we have digital cable, I'd have to use the video in).
Software vs Hardware decoding - given that I'm using PowerDVD and for some reason my hardware video acceleration was working weird with one title last night, I was doing EVERYTHING in software. I didn't notice any pauses in the DVD; this is with a 1Ghz athlon.
I just downloaded PowerDVD's Audiophile pack, and it does DTS and Dolby decoding. I hooked it up to my old Stereo (Technics SA-500) and some PC speakers for the rear chanel. Although the rear speakers were pretty overwelmed, it worked pretty well, and didn't seem as noisy as I expected.
This was using the audio out from my SB Live! I just didn't expect it to be any decent from a SN perspective, given I know the kind of environment inside a PC, but then again, this isn't hi fi yet either. Obviously, if I can get 6 digital channels out of the card, or upgrade to an Audigy external, that would be better.
I'm getting a DVI cable on Monday so I can see the difference between DVI and RGB.
So I'm really leaning toward a remote boot PC setup in the living room via networking for DVD playback. I have the ATI 8500DV so I could even use that for TV / cable decoding (although we have digital cable, I'd have to use the video in).
Software vs Hardware decoding - given that I'm using PowerDVD and for some reason my hardware video acceleration was working weird with one title last night, I was doing EVERYTHING in software. I didn't notice any pauses in the DVD; this is with a 1Ghz athlon.
I don't know if this thread is still current, but a Technics SH500 DD/DTS decoder is a good option. I used one when my old preamp didn't have either. The nice thing about it is the adjustable sub xover and night time suppression. It also does Pro-Logic.
They still go on ebay for ~180-250.
Mine sounds as good or as my Sony TA9000 preamp.
They still go on ebay for ~180-250.
Mine sounds as good or as my Sony TA9000 preamp.
If I had an SH-500, that might work, but I have an SA-500; it's over 20 years old. 55w / channel stereo, no remote, no Dolby. I'm not sure Dolby was around then in a consumer setup 😕
It's having some minor problems with the switches getting old, sometimes I loose a channel.
Yea, I know, I need a whole new amp setup.
It's having some minor problems with the switches getting old, sometimes I loose a channel.
Yea, I know, I need a whole new amp setup.
You can add the SH500 (it has pass through inputs for other devices).
It's basically an add on DD/DTS processor.
It's basically an add on DD/DTS processor.
pguidry said:
I have one of these driving a mix of NAD stereo bits (3140, 2140, 7020) for my HT. I am going to can the separate HT soon and integrate it with my main hifi.
There are some proven mods for this processor that make it better yet.
dave
That's ATI's bad drivers and PowerDVD beta support for hardware acceleration. I have PowerDVD and I get a frozen computer on certain movie scenes when using hardware acceleration. My computer, 800 Mhz Athlon Classic, does just fine doing software decoding.
Try using LINUX although it might be hard to setup a DVD player like Xine and Dolby Digital sound. The advantage of using LINUX is that you can control a PC anywhere through any telnet like application. I'm trying to setup Xine myself but it may take another few months to get it working. I'll try to post the steps on how to setup Xine under LINUX on my web site. I have Mandrake LINUX 8.1 so the steps might work in Red Hat.
My Radeon VIVO card has RCA and S-Video outputs so I can not help you setup DVI support under LINUX. I do have Radeon VE gathering dust that has DVI output. I'll try to hack into ATI's Radeon VE drivers under Windows then convert them to LINUX. This may take a few years to write the code.
I have a Technics SA-AX7 A/V reciever. It has 6 channel (5.1 channels) output. Sounds very good with my sound card. I moslty have it set to 6 channel DVD, but the active filter is not activated in the reciever. This makes a little easier to invest in a better active filter for the subwoofer.
I think the video acceleration issue was a BIOS setting, I tried turning on fast writes. It works flawlessly now. Although I only saw one slight pause during software acceleration.
I think the DVI support would be automatic, assuming you have the right cable, otherwise you couldn't see the BIOS screen.
The only drawback I see so far with this setup is that if I'm playing TV or a HiFi SVHS tape, I won't get Dolby decoding on the 2 channel sound. I think I could stream it into the PC via the video card or the sound card, but then I'd need another kind of decoder, I don't think PowerDVD would take it from the audio IN.
Also, my wireless ATI remote doesn't work. It's an X10 OEM product, but it seems to be different than their regular products. I could buy a wireless mouse, but I'd rather have a 'real' remote <G>.
I think the DVI support would be automatic, assuming you have the right cable, otherwise you couldn't see the BIOS screen.
The only drawback I see so far with this setup is that if I'm playing TV or a HiFi SVHS tape, I won't get Dolby decoding on the 2 channel sound. I think I could stream it into the PC via the video card or the sound card, but then I'd need another kind of decoder, I don't think PowerDVD would take it from the audio IN.
Also, my wireless ATI remote doesn't work. It's an X10 OEM product, but it seems to be different than their regular products. I could buy a wireless mouse, but I'd rather have a 'real' remote <G>.
Do you have any of these mods available or can you perhaps give links if you have. I'm thinking of buying this unit. Thanx
Neopsp
Neopsp said:
The following is from a post on the JoeList -- i haven't ripped mine open yet so cannot attest to the improvements. I have thou done similar mods on other gear with big improvements.
dave
"Feeling bold following my success with cap upgrades to my Pioneer
DV-333 DVD player, I have finally completed cap upgrades to my
Technics SHAC500D surround sound processor. This unit is really a
digital preamp using the Crystal Semiconductor CS4226 surround chip
with lots of features and remote volume capability.
The unit sounded good for the money, but had some slight compression
and veiling to the sound which I attributed to the mediocre electrolytic
caps that came in the processor.
This thing has a TON of caps in it unlike the Pioneer player which
only had a handful. I swapped out both power supply and audio
coupling caps using mostly my favorite Nichicon KZs and FAs along
with two pair of Black Gate NXs in the most critical places. This helped
a lot but I didn't completely let all the music out until I replaced six
300pf
ceramic caps near the output with polystyrene film caps. That finally
brought the unit up to full glory with all the top end air and detail that
I suspected it was capable of.
Now those Silverline classical surround discs sound better than ever
through my 4.5 watts total of 4 channel SE DHT room-filling thunder.
Utterly incredible....
- Ralph"
I use an SH-AC300 in my test bench. I highly suspect the 300 and 500 are virtually identical in construction.
You can see some info here...the residual THD and noise are basically measurements on the DAC, as my output device and ADC are better than the DAC.
I think it sounds pretty good. You might consider grabbing the analog directly from the decoder daughtercard...it has a long and windy path through the motherboard. Upgrading (or simply replacing) the signal path components should certainly help. As far as the power supply goes it actually looks like someone was paying attention when they designed it.
You can see some info here...the residual THD and noise are basically measurements on the DAC, as my output device and ADC are better than the DAC.
I think it sounds pretty good. You might consider grabbing the analog directly from the decoder daughtercard...it has a long and windy path through the motherboard. Upgrading (or simply replacing) the signal path components should certainly help. As far as the power supply goes it actually looks like someone was paying attention when they designed it.
I get dolby surround sound with my sound card when connected to a stereo VCR. I had to enable AC-3 and 5.1 speaker setup on my sound card. However I'm using RCA (phono) cables from the VCR. I constructed my own cables because I can not find shielded cables that has 1/8 inch stereo plug to two phono plugs.
Electro:
Which sound card do you have?
I hear you on the cables, I spent a few days last week looking for a 'decent' phono plug and couldn't find anything.
Which sound card do you have?
I hear you on the cables, I spent a few days last week looking for a 'decent' phono plug and couldn't find anything.
Soundblaster LIVE! MP3+ 5.1 channel
The X-gamer or Platium series have gold plated connectors.
Any electronic store has phono plugs. I suggest you get gold plated. I didn't use gold plated plugs for my cables. I use double shielded four conductor 30 feet cable from Radio Shack. Each of the three cables that I cut are about 6 feet in length. My phono and stereo plugs are all from Radio Shack too. This is only for the 5.1 channels. For the four cable that goes from my VCR to the sound card line-in is a non-shielded stereo to phono cable from Radio Shack.
I can not find a 1/8 inch plug that is four pole. Creative Labs might know where to get one.
If you look on my site under the link section. You will find some electronic stores. Jameco Electronics and Parts Express has phono and stereo plugs.
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