[geov]

Hi All

OK I've got a new toy; its called the "Creative SB Audigy 4 Pro", which I'm hoping will sorts out my Surround-Sound properly. I'm still playing with it, but wow what a difference on just MP3's, which now play in full surround without me having had to change anything in MediaPortal. This also got rid of an irritating buzz when the volume was very high, so now even classical sounds great when it’s loud...
One challenge I’m hoping to resolve it to al last listen to TV that broadcasts in surround, up until now the best I could get was stereo. I’m a bit concerned about how to connect it up without getting a lag between the picture and the sound…but that’s a problem for a different day.

Features:::…

Here are the features as listed on the Creative website.

Audigy 4 Pro Processor

Advanced hardware accelerated digital effects processing
32-bit digital processing, which maintains a theoretical 192 dB of dynamic range
Patented 8-point interpolation that reduces distortion to inaudible levels
64-voice hardware Wavetable synthesizer
Professional quality digital mixing and equalization
High Definition Audio Quality for Playback and Recording

Playback of 64 audio channels, each at an arbitrary sample rate
24-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion of analog inputs at 96 kHz sample rate
24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of digital sources at 96 kHz to analog 7.1 speaker output
24-bit Digital-to-Analog conversion of stereo digital sources at 192 kHz to stereo output
16-bit to 24-bit recording sampling rates: 8, 11.025, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48 and 96 kHz.
Supports Sony/Philips Digital Interface (SPDIF) format of up to 24-bit/96 kHz quality. Selectable sampling rate of 44.1, 48 or 96 kHz
Low latency multitrack recording with ASIO 2.0 support at 16-bit, 48 kHz and 24-bit, 96 kHz resolution.
*(Latency performance may vary based on system configuration)

FireWire® (IEEE® 1394) Connectivity

Compliant with IEEE 1394a specification
Supports data rates of 100, 200, and 400 Mbps
Supports up to 63 FireWire (IEEE 1394) compatible devices in a daisy-chain configuration
Supplies up to 3 Watts to FireWire (IEEE 1394) compatible devices
Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro On-Board Connectors

Line level out (Front / Side / Rear / Center / Subwoofer)
Digital CD Audio in
Aux Audio in
AD Link 1 and AD Link 2 connectors to connect with external I/O hub.
Power connector


Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro External I/O Hub Front / Rear Panel Connectors

Headphone Out (1/4" Stereo Jack)
Line In 1 (1/4" Stereo Jack , shared with Mic In with Gain Control)
Line In 2 (1/4" Stereo Jack)
Line In 3 (2x RCA Jack)
Optical SPDIF In/Out
Coaxial SPDIF In/Out
Digital Out for 5.1 support (6-channel SPDIF Output to Creative digital speakers)
2x FireWire® (IEEE® 1394) ports
MIDI In / Out
Infra-red Receiver to communicate with Remote Control
AD Link 1 and AD Link 2 connectors to connect with Audigy 4 Pro
Audio Performance:

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (AES17, A-Weighted)

Output Voltage @ 2Vrms
Stereo Output 113dB
Front and Rear Channels 113dB
Center, Subwoofer and Side Channels 113dB

Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz (AES17) = 0.003% (2V Rated Output) Frequency Response +/-3dB: 10Hz to 46kHz

Works with the Following Standards:

Windows® XP and 2K
Sound Blaster MIDI and General MIDI
Plug and Play
Sound Blaster PCI
EAX, EAX ADVANCED HD
Microsoft® DirectSound® , DirectSound 3D & derivatives
OpenAL™
PCI 2.3 compliant
AC '97
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital EX
DTS Digital Surround®
DTS-ES Surround™
Meridian Lossless Packing
ASIO 2.0
Sound Font 2.1
DVD-Audio
Windows Media® Audio 9