best way to connect PC to Denon AV surround Amp

Lesthegringo · Feb 24, 2023

Hi all

I had previously bought an Audigy sound card that had an optical output in the mistaken belief that it was able to output the surround sound from my PC to the Denon AV Amp and so give me surround sound for my sim games. It turns out that while it had the optical output, it wasn't compatible and so I wasted my money. As the amp doesn't have discrete channel inputs, only HDMI or optical, I couldn't even use it it with a load of spaghetti. My son gleefully took the card for his PC, so at least it wasn't totally wasted.

Nonetheless I still want to output the surround sound to the AV amp, so can you guys please advise on a compatible method, preferably using optical as that way I have no conflicts with the PC seeing the HDMI connection as a monitor. An internal card is preferred of course, but what is there out there?

Cheers

Les

BrunoBæ · Feb 24, 2023

I dont know if you can use this to something but I have used an Auzentech Forte 7.1 for about 6-10 years.
It uses Creatives most advanced X-Fi chip and is among other things able to output optical.
I bought it 2nd hand for almost no money - and considering drivers there is some 3rd party updated to Win7-10.
Be aware that the first batch didnt have a heatsink on the CA20K2 chip. This is needed.

Beef36 · Feb 24, 2023

I'm only guessing here, so this advice may be completely wrong, but I had a similar issue years ago using Optical out to a 5.1 AV receiver, and I vaguely recall having to select "Dolby Digital Live" in the Asus sound card software to make surround sound work.

blekenbleu · Feb 24, 2023

Lesthegringo said:
the amp doesn't have discrete channel inputs, only HDMI or optical

HDMI should work fine.

Lesthegringo · Feb 25, 2023

The problem with the HDMI connection is that it then assigns the AV amp as a monitor, which for race sims is not an issue but for multi screen flight sims like the one I use does create issues. The picture below is my flight sim rig, it uses a total of six monitors, the main screen plus five small (2 x 10", 2 x7" and one 5") LCD monitors. I was using the HDMI output from the 3070 card and it would then allocate the AV amp as a 'ghost' monitor, and seemed to be impossible to keep it set. Every time the PC was turned on for the flight sim it would reset the extended desktop so I would then spend a half hour having to reset the desktop config, and then edit the monitorsetup.lua file to position the instruments correctly.

That's why my preference is for the optical connection as I believe it will take that out of the equation.

Cheers
Les

blekenbleu · Feb 25, 2023

Lesthegringo said:
preference is for the optical connection

Surround sound over TOSlink will never have great channel separation,
but if you are determined to try, here are some links:

The picture below

Love the hammer..

Lesthegringo · Feb 25, 2023

Thanks, but I still need some hardware that has the optical out as the motherboard doesn't have it - it has an HDMI connection but this is non functional with the 3070 card, plus of course it would still give the ghost monitor issue

Cheers

Les

blekenbleu · Feb 25, 2023

Lesthegringo said:
some hardware that has the optical

Not all PC sound card optical outputs support multichannel surround;
even some Realtek do not.

Lesthegringo · Feb 25, 2023

Yeah, that was basically the issue that drove me to ask the question - I got it wrong first time, and wanted to avoid a repeat!

Cheers

Les

BrunoBæ · Feb 25, 2023

Lesthegringo said:
Thanks, but I still need some hardware that has the optical out as the motherboard doesn't have it

Sorry to be a bit stubborn with my Auzentech Forte 7.1 - but isnt it this optical out you are looking for?

Lesthegringo · Feb 25, 2023

Unfortunately that isn't an optical output of the type that is used on the Denon Amp - a shame, otherwise it would be fine

Cheers

Les

blekenbleu · Feb 25, 2023

Lesthegringo said:
The picture below

BrunoBæ said:
Sorry to be a bit stubborn with my Auzentech Forte 7.1 - but isnt it this optical out you are looking for?

Does its TOSlink work for 8 (7.1) channel tactile output
e.g from SimHub via VoiceMeeter on Windows 11?

My experience with Creative was that they too soon quit supporting driver updates.

Neilski · Feb 25, 2023

Lesthegringo said:
Unfortunately that isn't an optical output of the type that is used on the Denon Amp - a shame, otherwise it would be fine

I've no experience with optical audio links but I have assumed for many years that there was a nice standard system in place, to avoid just this kind of nonsense. I guess I was wrong

Lesthegringo · Feb 25, 2023

I'm still running Win 10 (nervous about updating) and never used (or even heard of) VoiceMeeter. Having said that, I should explore options like that to see what's possible, I know from experience that it is all too easy to fixate on one solution at the expense of a better one

I suppose my lack of knowledge on the whole issue hampers me, I was never into surround sound setups for TV so never looked into any of that technology in any depth. The irony is that it probably is more important to have the surround for the car racing sims than the flight sims due to the audio cues it would give in terms of locations of opponents cars, which brake was locking etc, whereas the flight sim is less dependent. The advent of the change to VR stopped me looking in any depth, but having a 7.1 capable AV amp and all the speakers to match makes it daft not to try. It's just sitting there...

Cheers

Les

RasmusP · Feb 25, 2023

I can't be bothered to research this right now but aren't there hdmi doubler/splitter available?
That way you could use one of your already connected monitors as "audio receiver" but grab the signal to your Denon without the graphics card noticing.

I'd imagine it being a little box with a power input, one hdmi input and 2 hdmi outputs.

Similar to what is used in electronic stores to send the same signal to 50 TVs.

blekenbleu · Feb 25, 2023

RasmusP said:
aren't there hdmi doubler/splitter available?

US$15 OREI HDMI Splitter 1 in 2 Out
... but requires the monitor to support multichannel audio.
A dedicated multichannel audio extractor costs more, e.g. US$48
4K HDMI Audio Extractor Splitter, HDMI to HDMI

BrunoBæ · Feb 25, 2023

Lesthegringo said:
Unfortunately that isn't an optical output of the type that is used on the Denon Amp - a shame, otherwise it would be fine

blekenbleu said:
Does its TOSlink work for 8 (7.1) channel tactile output
e.g from SimHub via VoiceMeeter on Windows 11?

@Lesthegringo Sorry I didnt know. Hehe my stubborn postings is probably caused by entusiasm for the quality of the audio of this card. And because this card eventhough it is several years old still hold against Creatives most advanced latest X-Fi sounds cards

@blekenbleu I absolutely dont know. Conserning Creatives driver support then Im running Creatives/Auzentechs latest driver for this card on my Win7. But to the best of my knowledge there is 2 different guys who have succeded updated the driver to at least Win10.

BrunoBæ · Feb 25, 2023

Neilski said:
have assumed for many years that there was a nice standard system in place, to avoid just this kind of nonsense.

You are not alone to have assumed this

blekenbleu · Feb 25, 2023

BrunoBæ said:
latest driver for this card on my Win7

Windows 7 was the last version for which Microsoft licensed surround 5.1 S/PDIF drivers.

BrunoBæ · Feb 25, 2023

blekenbleu said:
Windows 7 was the last version for which Microsoft licensed surround 5.1 S/PDIF drivers.

But does this matter?
I mean the tweaked drivers Im talking about does support 7.1 in Win10.
At least that is as I understand it.
Hehe hearing about this I get more and more glad Im still running Win7

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: Actually Auzentech made an even more advanced X-FI card called Auzentech X-Fi HomeTheater HD which also include HDMI ports. But its harder to get 2nd hand than my Forte 7.1.