Upgrade my Audio

[supernoob]

currently I'm using an Audigy card plugged into my old stereo input to give me sound in the living room. I'd like to upgrade to something a little more substantial such as the Creative Gigaworks S750. how would I get sage to utilize the 7.1 channels.

Also whats a good soundcard to use with these speakers and SageTV? Thanks

[stanger89]

I'm kind of partial to the M-Audio Revolution 7.1.

[mikejaner]

You can utilize 7.1 if you have a decoder that can decode it. Sage uses whatever sound card you have, so everything should work. Remember though, you can't record 7.1.

MikeJaner

[supernoob]

a decoder as in a software decoder installed for Sage?

So, I could get 7.1 from a DVD but it wont pull 7.1 from any recorded tv shows right?

So whats the absolute best audio setup you could have for a SageTV system without wasting money on unsupported features?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by supernoob

a decoder as in a software decoder installed for Sage?

Yeah.

So, I could get 7.1 from a DVD but it wont pull 7.1 from any recorded tv shows right?

Recorded shows will only be stereo. However it is possible to get surround from them, either through the decoders (nVDVD has Dolby Prologic II decoding) or the Revolution offers Cirrus Circle Surround II, which in my experience works quite nicely.

So whats the absolute best audio setup you could have for a SageTV system without wasting money on unsupported features?

Not sure what you're asking exactly, Sage (and all standalone PVRs) can only record stereo (2ch), but that stereo can usually be expanded to surround with something like DPL or CSII.

If you're talking about hardware the sky's the limit, I've got a Yamaha RX-V595a 5.1ch Reciever with a set of Klipsh Synergys and a Velodyne CHT-12, but I'm planning to upgrade the Reciever to a Anthem AVM-20 and MCA50 or PVA7 in the near future, probably with some Magnepans and maybe an SVS to come later. Both will work well with Sage, and would not have any unsupported features to speak of. Similarly, if your environment budget only allow PC type speakers, those would work also.

[kny3twalker]

Creative Audigy can do CMSS
and one mode is Stereo Surround
to all speakers

I know stanger is not a nig fan but they are great for gaming
and the sound quality is pretty good

other decoders like powerDVD and winDVD can do 7.1 as well

[stanger89]

Yeah I think everybody knows what I think of Creative now

But, truthfully, unless you're going to be gaming, the Audigy has nothing on the Revolution. It's got similar sound quality (I'd guess the Revo is slightly better), but it can't play CD audio correctly, it resamples CD audio (44.1kHz) to 48kHz, plus it lacks sophisticated bass management found on the Revo.

Of course there's always my distaste for their bloated, confusing drivers, but whatever

[kny3twalker]

you do not have to install all the bloat just what you want
I do not install all there crap
just the necessities and the Audigy has added Bass Management
and Who listens to CDs in their computer
but I understand it is nice to have the ability to do it correctly

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by kny3twalker

you do not have to install all the bloat just what you want
I do not install all there crap
just the necessities and the Audigy has added Bass Management

It's no match for M-Audio's BM though. The Revo has BM better than my Reciever

and Who listens to CDs in their computer

OK, so I don't listen to actual CDs on my HTPC , but I do have all my CDs stored losslessly in Monkeys Audio and use JRMC to play them on my HT system.

[kny3twalker]

Yeah installing the hacked drivers for my Audigy to make it an Audigy 2ZS
the only thing that does not work is Bass Management but everything else does
LOL

[edgley]

Kny,

Would you care to explain more please....

if not, just where to get the drivers would be great!

simon.

[g808]

This is an excellent sound card for the money ($25). It uses the VIA ENVY 24HT-S.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...120-103&depa=0

[kny3twalker]

http://www.driverheaven.net/showthre...threadid=45004

try to read through this first before going through the install

the above link can help as well

Some help I can give
download and patch the drivers

then uninstall an old creative software/drivers
when you boot and see the new hardware wizard

then double click the Start.exe
in the CTRun folder in the CD that comes with Audigy 2 ZS folder
after that


also do not install media source
it is a crappy media player
I could not get the DTS update to work
so I figure forget the whole piece of crap
(you are welcome to try though, and I did not include the media source updates or DTS update(but there is no patch needed for them but media source did not work after the DTS update for me))

during the initial driver install
choose custom and only install
AudioHQ
Equalizer
Restore defaults
Speaker Calibration
Speaker settings
Surround Mixer
EAX console
THX setup console
and the drivers of course
(the creative system information gets installed whether checked or not, so I uncheck it cause I do not want it even though I get it)
The other stuff is your decision but it is mostly crap

you need to not reboot yet
run msconfig and anything new that is listed for creative
uncheck
you may go and look at msconfig before that way you know what will be new
goto run in the start menu and type msconfig

now reboot
and let the creative registration software never to show itself again

and then double click the setup.exe in the EAX4DRV_AUDIGY2_1_84_50 update folder

and then you will need to check msconfig again
and then reboot after unchecking it new entries

then you run the setup.exe in the update folder named SBA2_WEBUP_EAXC_031230
and then check msconfig and reboot

then do the same thing for the SBA2_WEBUP_THXCON_1_00_16 folder
run the setup.exe in the folder and check msconfig reboot

this time though hit F8 as much as you can until you get the safe boot screen and choose boot into safe mode

and then you will need to run the patch.exe and then reboot

after this everything should work fine
if you have any troubles with the equalizer

copy the PfMod.dll from the patch folder and paste it in the creative shared dll folder
you do not need to be in safe mode for this
I had this trouble my first time

also there is a new control panel you can do
I did it

there is one line you will need to change
C:\Program Files\Creative\SBAudigy\Program\WDM\COMMON\CtPanel.exe


and make sure to use the correct letter drive
mine is G: but yours is probably C:

copy these two files into your windows\system32 folder and a new icon should appear in your control panel

but this is optional

the sound is better and most functionality is there