Sound from my PC

So I have my computer connected to my receiver via an optical lead. However it will only output 2.0 sound. Which would be fine except when playing BF3 etc I would like the full 5.1. It is set as surround in settings etc.

Any idea why it won't change?

I also have my computer connected to my receiver via hdmi however I used to only be able to get that to work when I had my tv on (it is also connected to receiver).

However even that no longer works. I recently bought a home server which I installed XBMC onto and I now use it to play most things (connected to receiver via HDMI also). Since I have set this up the hdmi out from my computer is no longer picked up. Weird I know.

However as I barely use the computer to play videos on etc anymore I am not too bothered. I would like the optical to output 5.1 though!

I have been using receivers for a long time and they never work well over hdmi with computer. There is always one problem or another so I am used to it. But getting surround sound from my computer when playing games would be nice.

Optical can only support the bandwidth of 2.0 unless you compress it. So you need Dolby DTS or whatever the correct licensed equipment is.

AH I thought BF3 came with dolby at which point the optical would just pass it to the receiver and let it do the work. Oh well. THanks

Yeh you'd need your sound card to support dolby to do that. A 5.1 Monitor audio system could do with some sound card love!
As you are using digital you would't need the most expensive stuff anyway. Most of the xfi cards support dolby, I imagine the asus xonar ones do.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by krazy_olie

Yeh you'd need your sound card to support dolby to do that. A 5.1 Monitor audio system could do with some sound card love!
As you are using digital you would't need the most expensive stuff anyway. Most of the xfi cards support dolby, I imagine the asus xonar ones do.

---

From the DS(X) upwards they do.