S/pdif To Sony Amp Problems

[bucknaked007]

Hello

I am trying to hook-up my PC to my amp, I have a S/PDIF out from my ASIS P5LD2 SE motherboard and the connection in my amp [sony STR-DB930] I'm trying is the DVD Coaxial IN.

Unfortunately I'm getting no sound

2 reasons I can think of are, I'm using the wrong connection in my amp, my other choices are 'optical in' or the 5.1 inputs, both of these would involve me getting a new sound card?

or that I'm trying a cheapo RCA lead? As far as I can tell from searching, that should work OK

Any help would be much appreciated

Terry

[Eth Nick]

Have you made sure your Motherboards' SPDIF output volume is unmuted or enabled for that matter?

[Neon Kitten]

I am trying to hook-up my PC to my amp, I have a S/PDIF out from my ASIS P5LD2 SE motherboard and the connection in my amp [sony STR-DB930]

Almost the same motherboard as me (P5LD2 here, the "un-crippled" version of what you have ) and almost the same amp as me (Sony STR-DB870 here) and I'm running digital just fine.

I'm trying is the DVD Coaxial IN.

Unfortunately I'm getting no sound

If your amp behaves like mine, you can assign the different digital inputs to particular "channels"; make sure you have the coax input selected. Also make sure the amp is not receiving any signal at the optical DVD digital input - this shouldn't matter, but it's a possibility.

Also, grab the latest audio drivers for your board from the site of the company that makes the onboard audio chipset; I notice that the audio on the LD2-SE is a completely different chipset to the LD2 (mine's a Realtek chipset, while yours is listed as "ADI1986A" which is made by the amusingly-named but well resepected Analog Devices. So while I could tell you the ins and outs of enabling the digital out on the Realtek audio chipset, that won't help you much

ADI's info page on your audio chip is here: http://www.analog.com/en/prod/0,2877,AD1986A,00.html

However, unlike RealTek they don't seem to offer driver downloads. You'll need to go to the Asus support site, which I see has an audio driver update dated late November last year, version 5.10.01.4160.

2 reasons I can think of are, I'm using the wrong connection in my amp, my other choices are 'optical in' or the 5.1 inputs, both of these would involve me getting a new sound card?

Well, the 5.1 inputs are analogue

Optical is a viable choice only if your computer is close to your amp. Long optical cables are VERY costly.

My LD2 does have an optical output as well as coax, though. I would have assumed yours would as well, but it appears not going by the specs. If you did have one I'd be advising you to check in the audio chipset's control panel applet that the right digital output is selected.

or that I'm trying a cheapo RCA lead? As far as I can tell from searching, that should work OK

I'm running digital audio via a 5-metre cheapo RCA lead and it works fine - I doubt that's the problem.

[bucknaked007]

Thanks for the replies

One thing I didn’t mention, I also have a Sound Blaster card installed, is it likely that because I'm running that the onboard sound card is disabled? I can't find any reference to it to enable it, checked the Bios and there's nothing. Maybe I need to remove my sound card and see if it becomes the default?

Good to know it's not the cable I'm trying.

cheers

[Neon Kitten]

One thing I didn't mention, I also have a Sound Blaster card installed, is it likely that because I'm running that the onboard sound card is disabled?

Perhaps not disabled, but rather maybe the Soundblaster is taking priority as the main sound device. Try running a program that lets you choose the specific audio device to output on, and also try the "sounds and audio devices" control panel (in XP) that will let you choose the default device for sound output.

Or even better, rip out the Soundblaster, you don't really need it with the onboard audio already perfectly capable

[bucknaked007]

Perhaps not disabled, but rather maybe the Soundblaster is taking priority as the main sound device. Try running a program that lets you choose the specific audio device to output on, and also try the "sounds and audio devices" control panel (in XP) that will let you choose the default device for sound output.

Or even better, rip out the Soundblaster, you don't really need it with the onboard audio already perfectly capable

Your last option sounds the go

What I didn’t understand was that there was no other choice to select other then the SB Audigy. In my device manager Audigy is the only installed sound, can it be that I need to install the Soundmax drivers for it to show?

Appreciate your help with this NK

[Neon Kitten]

What I didn't understand was that there was no other choice to select other then the SB Audigy. In my device manager Audigy is the only installed sound, can it be that I need to install the Soundmax drivers for it to show?

Yep, absolutely, the drivers for the onboard audio almost certainly are not part of XP.

You'll have received a CD with your motherboard, that'll have the drivers on it. Be sure to only install what you need and not the whole suite of rubbish software Asus tend to put on their CDs

Check the Asus web site for those updated audio drivers I mentioned earlier, by the way. I see they have two updates there, one about 10MB and one around 50MB (!) I'm guessing the larger one contains all the usual bloated "media hub" software that sound drivers usually seem to come bundled with

Once you've installed those drivers, though, both sound devices should show up. But if you're going to use the onboard audio you might as well lose the Audigy unless you have a pressing need for it.

[Eth Nick]

...can it be that I need to install the Soundmax drivers for it to show?

Yeah, sounds like you do. But before you do though, to avoid any conflicts, & if you're sure you don't need your sound card any more;

*look for the latest audio drivers for your motherboard,

*uninstall your Sound Blaster drivers,

*uninstall your sound card,

*run a program (in Safe Mode) called Driver Cleaner http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Driv...nload-6505.html to flush out all previous sound-related drivers,

*restart PC,

*install your new/existing motherboard audio drivers

*restart PC,

*Test your setup.

Whoops, Neon Kitten jumped in there. Sneaky.

[Neon Kitten]

Yeah, sounds like you do. But before you do though, to avoid any conflicts

While that driver-cleaning idea is never a bad thing, and was 100% necessary on older systems, my experience with this range of Asus boards has shown me that all of that isn't necessary.

Whoops, Neon Kitten jumped in there. Sneaky.

Must be Stealth Kitten Day

[bucknaked007]

Thanks guys will try it out tonight

This is a great site, I've always got a lot of help here

[bucknaked007]

All sorted

did as suggested and works perfectly

cheers

so is my onboard sound as good a product as my SB Audigy I removed?

[Neon Kitten]

so is my onboard sound as good a product as my SB Audigy I removed?

Most likely it's better. But then, I'm no fan of Soundblaster cards