What is SP/DIF?

[Guest_imported]

Would someone please tell me what SP/DIF? Which is the superior choice when listening to DVD's....SP/DIF or 4 speaker support?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[tempo21]

i think SPDIF is the optical/electrical digital output. Your sound card may not have this but the option is still visible.

If you do have an spdif out and a DVD decoder/DTS/Dolbydigital system (ie: a home cinema amp of digital speakers) then the digital or SPDIF output on your soundcard is the best option. You will need the appropriate cable (optical/coaxial/BNC).

if you have a computer speaker like the FPS1500 that simply amplifies analogue signals from your souncard then you must use 4-speaker support.

perhaps ypu can give me details of your system?

 

[Guest_imported]

Thanks for your help! My system (with regards to my audio system) is: Creative Sound Blaster Live 5.1 SE and Cambridge Soundworks FPS1500. In the audio options of my DVD software player (Intervideo WinDVD) I (presently) have the option of 2 speaker Dolby Digital, or SP/DIF. The four speaker option is greyed out for some obscure reason, although I am trying to sort that out. Anyway, at present...which is better? 2 speaker dolby digital, or SP/DIF. And when I sort that problem out, then would SP/DIF be better, or would four speaker support be better?
Thank you again for your time, and advice!

 

[tempo21]

i also have the FPS1500 speakers. You can only use the 2/4 speaker analogue option. The FPS systems have no digital capability and act as amplifiers to the (relatively) small output of your soundcard.

Try to think of it this way - the analogue output (front/rear/phones etc) acrtually play the sounds/music to the speakers which amplify it so you can hear it. The SPDIF sends lots of 0's and 1's to a DAC (digital/analogue converter) which decodes the digital information into sound producing higher quality. (the DAC's on outboard speakers are usually alot better than that on your sound card.

Aim for four speaker output - your front and rears connected to different ports on your soundcard. To test you have it right run the EAX demo in your soundcard software or from

http://www.soundblaster.com.

 

[Guest_imported]

Great, I'll keep that in mind....will hopefully get four speaker option up and running before too long. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it Tempo21!