I am currently using Altec Lansing 3151 Speakers. They are 5.1 analog only speakers, so I am looking to find a suitable 5.1 digital decoder for them. Does anyone know anything about decoding, and if so where can I go to buy a suitable decoder?
Is it for you PC? Then why don’t you just use a 5.1 soundcard?
Try here, or here, or search for “dolby digital decoder”.
There are two standards for digital 5.1 - AC3 (aka Dolby Digital) and DTS.
Anyway, I hope you know that a 5.1 digital decoder is only useful if you want to play DVDs on your computer and your soundcard doesn’t have six-channel analog output, or the quality is too low (like with most integrated soundcards). You need an S/PDIF output (optical or electrical), and your soundcard has to be capable of streaming the compressed digital signal from DVD to the S/PDIF output.
This may work and is reasonably priced: dealtime.com/xPC-Creative_La … al_Decoder
Edit: Ok, I guess I should have clicked Andre’s links first. 
I am currently using a Creative Labs Audigy 1 sound card, but want to upgrade to a Audigy 2 ZS, or an X-Fi Music. I only want it for DVD’s and MP3 playback. I don’t know jack about most of the connections you guys mentioned, so if you know anything about the card I have or the card I plan to buy, any further advice would be appreciated…
But… as far as I know, Audigy 1 already has a Dolby Digital decoder 
. It has six analog outputs, doesn’t it?
Same for Audigy 2.
You don’t need an external decoder.
[quote=“Andre”]But… as far as I know, Audigy 1 already has a Dolby Digital decoder . It has six analog outputs, doesn’t it?
Same for Audigy 2.
You don’t need an external decoder.[/quote]
How do I set it up for digital? I ask because when I all the guidelines are in Chinese and when I select ‘digital output only’ the sound on the speakers all but disappears, and sounds like it’s reverberating in a far away barrel. Strange explanation I know, but it sounds THAT weird…
What do you mean “set it up for digital”?
You have analog speakers, so you don’t need the digital output.
The soundcard has an integrated Dolby Digital decoder - that is, it decodes the compressed digital sound from DVD and outputs six analog channels.
If you can hear the sound on all six speakers when you’re watching DVDs, it means that the internal digital decoder is working.
If you select “digital output only”, you have to connect an external digital decoder - but there’s no point in doing this, since you already have an internal decoder.
[quote=“Andre”]What do you mean “set it up for digital”?
You have analog speakers, so you don’t need the digital output.
The soundcard has an integrated Dolby Digital decoder - that is, it decodes the compressed digital sound from DVD and outputs six analog channels.
If you can hear the sound on all six speakers when you’re watching DVDs, it means that the internal digital decoder is working.
If you select “digital output only”, you have to connect an external digital decoder - but there’s no point in doing this, since you already have an internal decoder. [/quote]
Why do Creative Labs sell digital speakers? Is there any benefit of digital speakers over analogue when using a soundcard with a built in digital decoder?
Err… not really. But not all soundcards have built-in digital decoders. Even when they do, they might not support the latest standards - like Dolby Digital EX, DTS, DTS-ES and all that crap.
Most external decoders can also create a “fake” 5.1 (or 6.1, or 7.1, or x.y) sound from a standard stereo input - so you can listen to an iPod or CD player (or TV, or whatever) on six channels, even though the “surround” effects are fake.
Not to mention the “incredible connectivity and incredible audio”, adding “an exciting new audio dimension to home entertainment” with its “comprehensive analogue and digital inputs”, delivering “exciting digital surround to 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 speaker configurations”, giving “breathtaking results with music and movies”
I think all Reaperjim needs are the cables from the soundcard to the Altec speakers, no need to worry about what’s digital or analogue or where the decoding is done.
3 pieces of this if I am not mistaken:
[quote=“Rascal”]I think all Reaperjim needs are the cables from the soundcard to the Altec speakers, no need to worry about what’s digital or analogue or where the decoding is done.
3 pieces of this if I am not mistaken:
[/quote]
OK, I may be getting people a bit confused. My sound is fine, but I was wondering about getting digital output, and whether it really is worth buying digital speakers is worth it. I guess that is now the question I want to ask.
“Digital speakers” are just normal analog speakers (well, all speakers are analog 
), with a digital decoder thrown in.
If you can watch any DVD and hear the sound on all six channels through your Audigy1 soundcard, then I guess you don’t need anything else.
“Getting digital output” basically means that you’re bypassing the internal soundcard and have to use an external soundcard (the digital decoder which comes with the so-called “digital speakers”).
Why would you do that, if everything is fine with your internal soundcard? 
I think you’re confused by the “digital” buzzword. 
[quote=“Andre”]I think you’re confused by the “digital” buzzword. :)[/quote]Haha… I remember when CD Walkmans came along, companies started selling “digital headphones”. Of course there was nothing digital about them, at that time anyway.
“Digital speakers” are just normal analog speakers (well, all speakers are analog ), with a digital decoder thrown in.
If you can watch any DVD and hear the sound on all six channels through your Audigy1 soundcard, then I guess you don’t need anything else.
“Getting digital output” basically means that you’re bypassing the internal soundcard and have to use an external soundcard (the digital decoder which comes with the so-called “digital speakers”).
Why would you do that, if everything is fine with your internal soundcard?
I think you’re confused by the “digital” buzzword. [/quote]
That’s cleared up a lot of confusion for me. Music and movies already sound good, but I guess now I just need a better sound card. I guess I will wait for the Creative Labs X-Fi to come out and fall in price. By that time I will also have saved up for some better speakers should I need them also. But they hardly sound great at the moment, just good. Any thoughts on my current speakers, or recommendations for future purchases?