I am building my 2nd convergence PC. My 1st which I felt was sucessful used a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz/ Hollywood Plus Cards for interfacing DVD's/ Mp3's stored on my PC. Both were used in an analog mode on an Onkyo TS-DX484. I am going to upgrade to a 1050 - Sigma Designs X-Card for DVD. Reccommendation for Audio?? I am considering Creative's Extigy or The Stereo-Link. Thanks in advance............

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Jeffrey A Febre'

What you have listed there seems pretty good. I don't remember the Stereo-Link, but the Extigy is supposed to be a prettyy good audio solution. I've wondered how well a digital connection would work in this setup. I was going to be building my own PC this winter sometime and will most likely use an Audigy 2 card. I wouldn't be able to hook it up to my home theater anytime soon, but was planning to use the optical digital out for this when I get the chance.

Is this the primary audio setup for your computer or is your computer close enough to your HT that it's fun/convenient to have the connection? What is a converence PC? Is that where the computer is specificly for storage pf things like movies and music, it's not really meant for gaming or everyday use?

Thanks for the response.....convergence is the buzz word simply as you descbribe digital audio/video manipulation with the PC as the center of the set up. I have set up my PC in my Home Theater Room for that reason.

I am aware of the Audiology II but thought getting the Sound Device out of the box would be benificial. But the USB interface to the PC is not ideal as a firewire approach also check out the www.stereo-link.com....

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Jeffrey A Febre'

Do either of you guys have any ideas on integrating a laptop into the HT? I haven't built my HTPC yet but I have a unused decent laptop that would work well for getting mp3's to the HT via my network but not sure on getting them out of the laptop?


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m-mmeyer
GO TWINS
My DVD's

I think I read in either on Creative's site Or the stereo-link site in my other post about a reveiw from a laptop user......both the Extigy( Creative) & the stereo-link are usb hook to PC.

I'm not sure if I can help much more because what I have looked at needs to be a gaming card to work in the computer. The connection to HT is an afterthought. That's why I was looking into the Audigy 2. It would be kind of expensive for you to go the same route. I'll keep my eyes open if anything else pops up.

I prefer to use a standalone DVD player, as they tend to be better and last longer. I do have a DVD drive on my computer, but I prefer what you can get out of standalone player more.

If I read it correctly, the Creative Labs Audigy can decode Dolby Digital EX (6.1) but not Dolby Pro Logic II (for old tapes I still listen to) or DTS.

Have you found a sound card that decodes Dolby Pro Logic II? DTS?

The Audigy 2 does Dolby Digital EX (6.1). The Audigy does not to my knowledge. I have an Audigy presently. It takes a stereo sound and mixes it to all five channels, but I'm not sure which format it uses to do it. I did not see DTS listed anywhere, but Audigy 2 will do DVD-Audio. Now someone needs to make a drive that can read it.

I have looked more at both the Extigy and Stereo-Link. Both of them look good. I like the Extigy a little more because of it's features and it can handle more channels. The Stereo-Link only does 2 channel, not too good if you want DVD. I still wonder if something like an SBLive 5.1 with the input/output bracket would work well. This would give a digital connection. I don't know if it decodes Dolby Digital 5.1 though. That's the bad part with the Extigy, in that it can't do it with the optical cable either.

JT that is eactly my concern with both Stereo-Link(2-Channel) & the Etigy(No firwire/ opitacal). But also with the Aud...II that it was inside case subject to all that interference/ hum/hiss(...which is what I get with my current set up Onkyo-Turtle Beach Santa Cruz!!!


FYI I E Mailed Stereo Link about 5.1/6.1 support & Opitical/ Firewire support....