Is 6 channel sound supported on SPIDIF (SB LIVE)

[NateMate]

Hi, Ive been using linux for about 6 months, but after getting rather annoyed with using my NF7-S and having hardly any support for the devices that are included with the amazing nForce 2. I built me a new machine, nothing to write home about, though unfortunately.

But. I wanted decent sound, Id had a SB LIVE Digi before, but only ever used it with analouge 5.1 speakers, i dont know about how to get Linux to output a 6 channel signal through SPIDIF.

Can anybody tell me if it is possible to get 6 channel sound through SPIDIF (AC3 passthrough would be nice..), and if it is how to do so?

Any replies appreciated.

[thaddaeus]

I own the SB AUDIGY and i forget using which server (OSS or ALSA) the digital(SPDIF) works. I think i used ALSA in KDE, although the mixer was very large, about 20 sliders, and it took a wile to find the correct settings on the mixer, some of the IO's screwd the sound up and had to mute them but it worked, as long as it uses the right drivers and not generic ones it should work great!

[NateMate]

Do you know which driver ill need? Also, how about a screenshot of your KMIX/Aumix to show me what needs changing?

Thanks,

Nate

[saithan]

you need emu-tools package.

then you can type: man emu-config
which will explain setting the spidif and other built in effects.

[AndrewD2]

I'm not sure, but last I remember SPDIF (Sony Philips Digital Interface) could only carry 2 channels of audio. Well at least that was the case of recording at my old school. Optical outputs support 8 channel. But things could of changed.

Andrew

[NateMate]

How can that be, as optical is basically SPIDIF sent through a fibre optical cable. Also, my DVD player is capable of sending AC3 (Dolby Digi) though Coax).

saithan > Thanks, Ill look into that tomorrow when I can let rip with

[NateMate]

Well, thanks for the help folks, got AC3 working today, with mplayer and DVD's.

:)