Creating 5.1 DTS Surround Music
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Posted on Jan 18, 2007 12:19 pm
tateros
Member Since: Jan 18, 2007
Hi,
I'd like to find a way to create surround sound music.
I have the PC, the 5.1 creation software & the 5.1 setup. All that's left for me to choose is a soundcard that is compatible with DTS Dolby Digital, ASIO, GSIF, WDM, and has a MIDI input, an Optical out and two audio inputs, preferably universal like the Gina 3G features.
I bought a SoundDisaster X-Fi Elite Pro only to be completely let down by the fact that it will only output a proprietary form of true Surround, "DTS EX", which is only compatible with a couple of EA games & not much else, it seems. Even when I fed my Xbox 360 through it, it converted the DTS DD signal into Dolby ProLogic II. I was disgusted.
Needless to say I got rid of it & just ordered an Echo Gina 3G.
I'm not sure if the Gina 3g will do the trick, but while I haven't gotten it yet, the specs look promising. But then again, so did the X-Fi's.
I've already looked into Auzentech's X-Meridian, which is a true DTS Surround Sound card. Not for musician's, but for audiophiles. This means it's not GSIF compatible, nor does it have a midi input. There will be a breakout box for it, which will add some things, but I don't think it will add GSIF compatibility, among other recording goodies.
Am I going to have to use a combination of these two cards to achieve what I'm looking for, is there another soundcard solution that meets my requirements or is a little bit of Gina all I need?
I would like to stop this charade and finally figure out exactly what I need to get my samples swirling through my 5.1 speakers as I pan them in real time, instead of having to keep going through this trial and error method, which is getting me nothing but uninspired.
Thanks for your help!
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Jan 18, 2007 12:24 pm it appears the Echo will do the job for you, I would use the optical outs if your speaker system will accept an optical input. It's the best for 5.1 signals in my opinion.
How to get things swirling around depends on your software. You have to set up the busing and such for your specific system.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Jan 18, 2007 02:26 pm Indeed, I have the Echo Layla24 setup from 4 years ago and it can be configured for 5.1
There new stuff is nice looking, the ASIO support is spot on and I've never had a problem with the actual sound interface at all. Now the computer I use to record, that's another story :)
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 18, 2007 10:35 pm If I'm not mistaken the ESI ESP1010 will do all including the GSIF.
Feb 08, 2007 12:11 pm So after a long wait, the Gina 3G finally arrived. Unfortunately as it turns out, I need an SPDIF receiver in order to achieve 5.1 surround, if I use the Gina 3G. The Toslink input in my home theater receiver is not going to cut it apparently.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can use in order for my to be able to output 5.1 from my computer using a toslink cable & my home theater system?
I'd been looking into the Auzentech Meridian, which will definitely output in Dolby Digital, but it is not GSIF compatible. If I buy an Auzentech & run it along side my Gina 3G, do you guys think I will able to output Gigastudio sampler sounds through the Auzentech Meridian, or will I just be digging myself a bigger hole & still have to output GSIF sounds through the Gina?
I've been trying to achieve something that is as simple as possible & every which way I turn it just seems to get all the more complex.
Thanks for your help!
Feb 08, 2007 01:01 pm I prefer the optical Toslink for 5.1 myself...few cards have them, but more are starting to. I use an ESI Juli@ which has the optical...
I don't believe there is an "adapter" as such...there probably is somewhere though.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Feb 08, 2007 01:20 pm So wait? You have optical in for your speaker setup and the optical out from Gina won't work with it?
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Feb 08, 2007 01:43 pm At the risk of hijacking...
I'm about to upgrade my 5.1 sound system in the house (for home theatre etc.) and the old one will be coming into my studio!!
Is there a way to mix in 5.1 that will play back in stereo without sounding weird? Or should I not worry ?
Feb 08, 2007 02:15 pm Gina 3G'S Optical out works, but will only give me two digital channels. My home theater registers the input as 2 channel "PCM Stereo". So when I try to setup 5.1 encoding in Adobe Audition, I am limited to channels "D1" & "D2". I can set these to left, right, center & so on, but I am limited to only 2 digital channels. The problem is that the rest of the channels are analog. What I need is D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6. I'm beginning to think that channels D3, D4, D5, D6 don't exist within the Gina.
Here's the E-mail I sent to Echo & here's the incredibly vague tech support response I got (He put his answers within my E-mail):
> I would like to create 5.1 Surround sound music in Dolby Digital using the
Gina 3G & my 5.1 Dolby Digital home theater. I tried a demo of Adobe Audition &
I don't know how to achieve a 5.1 surround output from the Gina. I used the Wave
device Configuration window to link Digital outs 1, 2 ,3 ,4 ,5 & 6 together. The
mode shown is WDM & the Width is at 6. The analog channels are not linked,
Echo Reply- We only support surround sound playback via SPDIF....
> nor did I link Digital Out 7 & 8 because I do not have a 7.1 surround sound receiver. I linked the Digital in's in the
same manner.
>
Echo Reply - You need a receiver with a SPDIF input or 5.1 - 7.1 software plug-in.
> When I set the Audio Driver in Adobe Audition to ASIO Echo PCI, I'm only given
two digital channels to work with on the 5.1 Output Channel Mapping window:
Channel [07M] Gina3G D & Channel [08M] Gina3G D2. The rest of the channels are
analog. Where are the other 4 digital channels?
>
> I am able to set these 2 digital channels to left, center, left surround, etc,
but shouldn't there be 6 digital signals so I can set one for each 5.1 channel?
>
> What am I doing wrong? When I plug the Gina 3G into my 5.1 stereo, the signals
achieved are PCM Audio & Stereo. I would like to achieve the same signal as the
Xbox 360 (Dolby Digital), which is shown on my receiver as a red Dolby Labs Logo
& the letter "D" after it.
>
Echo Reply - You need a SPDIF input....
> Thanks for reading & please help a newbie out!
Feb 08, 2007 02:21 pm I am notfamiliar with that specific card, so I really can't add much. I can say, however, I have personally had the same vague help from Echo years back, so I sold their card.
Feb 08, 2007 02:23 pm Yea. Although I didn't get much of a response, I still definitely got an arrogant vibe from that E-mail.
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Feb 08, 2007 03:28 pm Weird, I've called echo twice. I got a real person in no time and they were very nice.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Feb 11, 2007 06:19 pm M-Audio and a couple others make a converter that will input and output in several digital formats. I believe MOTU does as well.
Here is a page that has some different converters. www.maplin.co.uk/searchte...%20TO%20TOSLINK
I don't have time at the moment to check out the others but they do exist. I have even seen ones that do mulitple formats in one box.
