CD-DIGITAL from cd drive

[ComputerTime]

Hi,

I have just upgraded to win7 64bit, with Audigy 1, and TDK CD-RW. I realised that I am unable to switch to cd-digital (spdif) when I am playing Audio CD.

I know that this may sound stupid to use digital cable, since we can use the IDE cable, but I just hope to reduce the bus load. Also, I can individually control the wav output and cd audio output by using cd-digital.

Please advise how shall I go about enabling it. The audio driver is the latest driver from Creative.

Thanks in advance.

Regards.

 

[fireberd]

As I read your post, you want to disconnect the IDE cable from the CD drive and connect some other cable so you have digital audio out. Is this correct? You can't do that. If you want a digital audio output (e.g. S/PDIF) you will have to install a sound card that has this capability.

Both the Audigy 1 sound card and the old CD-RW drive are "old technology". All new optical drives are CD/DVD burner drives. The newer SoundBlaster Xfi sound cards (PCIeX) or the PCI type HT Omega Striker 7.1 sound card have digital outputs.

 

[ComputerTime]

Thanks for reply, but I that is not my intention.

The CD drive is still connected to IDE, otherwise, I won't be able to use it to read data CD. The Audigy 1 support CD-Digital input, aka spdif, where the audio signal is passed directly to the sound card from the CD Drive, instead of IDE. Although this is a digital signal, to the windows, it is still considered as Analog. Therefore, I need to enable this Analog signal in Windows. However, when I open the drive properties, the "Analog" choice is grey out. Therefore, I can only play the audio as "WAV", instead of "CD-DIGITAL".

As for the output, I am not connecting to any HT or hifi system. I connect it to Creative 5.1 speaker via analog signal, and I have no issue with it.

Hope you understand what I am driving at.

 

[stormy13]

I'm not even sure that that connection is even supported in the drivers any more, at least as far as 7 or Vista goes as it isn't needed (and hasn't been for a lot of years). As far as reducing bus load, I doubt that you would even notice a difference it it did work with that connection.

 

[fireberd]

Oh OK. I see now. In the "old" days the analog audio signal from a CD drive was a separate cable to the sound card. As noted, that is no longer used, XP/Vista/Win 7 (and maybe earlier) now all use "digital" audio via the IDE Ribbon I/O cable.

Thus you have "CD Digital" from the CD drive to the sound card. The sound card is processing the "digital" audio data and converting it to analog for the Speakers. The Audigy 1 may not be 100% Windows 7 compatible and thus not all functions may be available. This is what happens when you use "old technology" hardware with a new OS such as Windows 7 that is designed to work with current technology hardware.

 

[ComputerTime]

Thanks for all the advises. I tried the windows volume control and find that we are able to control the output volume for each sound generation process, so I think I will be fine with it, though feeling not maximising the sound card.

By the way, do you think that onboard sound will be better than audigy 1?

 

[stormy13]

Despite the Audigy's age, probably find it still sounds better (and yes I have a bias towards onboard sound, couldn't even tell you how it sounds from my last 3 motherboards). Only person though that can really answer that question is yourself by trying each with your set up (speakers or headphones), and seeing which sounds better to you.

 

[ComputerTime]

Haha, That's what I feel. That's why I still plugged in the Audigy onto the new system.

 

[Aphelion]

Haha, That's what I feel. That's why I still plugged in the Audigy onto the new system.

I remember reading (somewhere on the Microsoft site) that the only type of CD/DVD audio supported in Win-7 was bus audio.

However, if it has the output pins, a CD or DVD drive always puts out audio from digital out connector.

Have you used the Windows audio configuration to try and set this up?
There is a method to show hidden devices.

May not work but worth a try.
Right click on the Microsoft speaker icon in the task bar.
Select Playback Devices.
Right click in the middle of the playback devices window and enable:
-Show Disabled Devices
-Show Disconnected Devices

A longshot but you never know.

Ap

 

[stormy13]

If it helps any I have an old Audigy ES (that isn't a typo, same as the original Audigy minus the firewire port (has a gameport instead), and non gold plated jacks) running just fine on 7 32 bit using this,

Download Audigy_SupportPack_3_6.exe

There is an updated version,

SB Audigy Series Support Pack 3.8 (04/19/2010) - Creative Labs

had problems with it. Probably be fine on a clean install, but if you have anything already installed need to clean it all out first.

 

[Aphelion]

If it helps any I have an old Audigy ES (that isn't a typo, same as the original Audigy minus the firewire port (has a gameport instead), and non gold plated jacks) running just fine on 7 32 bit using this,

Download Audigy_SupportPack_3_6.exe

There is an updated version,

SB Audigy Series Support Pack 3.8 (04/19/2010) - Creative Labs

had problems with it. Probably be fine on a clean install, but if you have anything already installed need to clean it all out first.

Hmmmm... I have an Audigy w/firewire and gold plated jacks (model SB0090) I would've rather used it than the Realtek, are those support packs all that's needed for an install?

(nevermind.. all I had to do was go look!)

Ap

 

[stormy13]

Only thing I have ever used for them in 7 (my ES is the SB0160). Also have an Audigy 4 that used the same pack with no problems, right up until the motherboard died (old NF4 939). And that one had 4 GB of ram and ran fine with none of the crackling or other issues that others have had.

If you go with the pack just do a custom install and only install the bits you want or need.