[codeeater]

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.1.0
MediaPortal Skin: Blue2 Wide
Windows Version: Windows XP MCE, all updates
CPU Type: AMD 64 3500+
HDD: SATA Samsung 250GB
Memory: 1GB DDR2
Motherboard: asus m2npv-vm
Video Card: onboard, Geforce 6150, I think
Sound Card: Sound Blaster Xtreme Music (with Digital I/O Module from Creative)
1. TV Card: none
HTPC Case: Antec Fusion
Cooling: Thermalright SI-128, no additional active cooling except the two case fans
Power Supply: came with case
Remote: MCE
TV: Samsung 26" LCD
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI via DVI adapter

When I started building my first HTPC a few weeks ago, I never thought it would be that hard, especially since I thought I knew a thing or two about putting a PC together... Enough whining, here's my problem.

I bought most of the hardware because of recommendations from different sources. Goal: get all audio connected to my Onkyo Dolby Digital Receiver by SP/DIF (I never thought that would be a problem, because I have connected another amp to my desktop PCs onboard sound - Realtek chip set - and never had a problem).
At first I wanted to use the motherboard's onboard sound because I thought it would be good enough and I'm not too much of an audiophile. Then I found out that the SP/DIF connection panel is included in the package (hello??? what were they thinking? why would I buy a sound device with digital sound out capability and then not use it???).
Anyway I managed to get the right panel from ebay, waited a few days for it to arrive and built it in. But I didn't get it to work. After searching the forum and googling (should've done that in the first place, yeah I know) I found out, that this was obviously not a problem only I had. I tried fiddling with the drivers but still no digital sound.
Then I decided to buy a Sound Blaster Xtreme Music (another recommendation by many sites for "audiophile" sound even with MP3 through use of the 24 Bit crystalizer etc. etc.). This time I googled _before_ and found out, that I need an additional Digital I/O Module for SP/DIF (they are kidding, right? I pay 80 euros for a sound card that is labeled "Music" and I have to pay another 25(!) euros for SP/DIF capability with is a standard in non computer audio devices??).
Seems like there's not many places where you can get this thing, so I ordered it from Creative, waited like another 10 days and kept my mouth shut, hoping this would do the trick.
On Monday the "Digital I/O Module" arrived, built it in, tried it: I had definitely no problem getting AC3 sound (passthrough to my receiver) from DVDs (which seems to be a big problem for many people according to the number of forum posts). But I don't get anything from MP3s or Audio CDs or any other sound source out of the SP/DIF (Optical or Coax). No difference using Windows Media Player, MCE or MediaPortal.

To close my rant: I mainly set the whole HTPC up for running as a digital music jukebox with my MP3 and CD collection on it, DVD and TV will only be nice to have. Why do hardware manufacturers make it so difficult to get this running, something my 50 Euro DVD player (half the price of the sound card) can do out of the box (through SP/DIF)???? I'm beginning to think this was all a big mistake and I should return to my previous solution (streaming sound through an Airport Express from iTunes to my Receiver) and sell the whole stuff.

So, please, please, pretty please: tell me there is a way to get this running and tell me what to do!!! I hope I'm not being stupid, but as I said: I've connected another amp to my desktop PC and have been happily playing all my CDs and MP3s through SP/DIF for years, so I know this must work somehow. I really need help because this is driving me nuts!

Thanks a lot in advance!

[Saki]

Hi,
I bought also Creative XtremeMusic. First of all, not need to buy Digital I/O Module, only need to use mono 3,5" jack adapter to RCA. I made one, but i think you can find it on shop.
Your creative settings is not ok, because for me working everything across spdif.
You need turn off decoders on creative and set to make it in reciver.

[codeeater]

Thanks for replying, but:

* I wanted to use the optical spdif, that was one reason for buying the io module (and I wouldn't have complained about the price, if it wasn't for all the trouble I went through before that... ;-)
* Settings: I did that, and it obviously worked for DVDs because my receiver gets the ac3 passed through

Would you mind sending me the exact settings you have in the Creative consoles? I really experimented a lot with them and never got it to work (maybe Screenshots?).