Question Analogue to Digital Audio conversion

[HollyGen]

I was recently gifted a basic 5.1 surroundsound system, an Ultimea Poseidon D50. This has limited audio input options, with HDMI eARC and Optical being the only ones that can output the full 5.1 experience. I'm looking to link this up to my PC. However, I only have my motherboard's (Gigabyte z590 Aorus Pro AX) built in audio (Realtek Audio) which can support 5.1 audio using the multiple 3.5mm jack ports, but only duel channel out of the S/PDIF optical port.

I was wondering if there was a reasonably priced means of taking the analogue line-out from the 3.5mm ports and converting them into a digital 5.1 channel output I can plug into the Poseidon, or would I be better off getting a separate soundcard which supports 5.1 channels over TOSLink?

 

[kanewolf]

I was recently gifted a basic 5.1 surroundsound system, an Ultimea Poseidon D50. This has limited audio input options, with HDMI eARC and Optical being the only ones that can output the full 5.1 experience. I'm looking to link this up to my PC. However, I only have my motherboard's (Gigabyte z590 Aorus Pro AX) built in audio (Realtek Audio) which can support 5.1 audio using the multiple 3.5mm jack ports, but only duel channel out of the S/PDIF optical port.

I was wondering if there was a reasonably priced means of taking the analogue line-out from the 3.5mm ports and converting them into a digital 5.1 channel output I can plug into the Poseidon, or would I be better off getting a separate soundcard which supports 5.1 channels over TOSLink?

This discussion talks about some options -- https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/does-a-5-1-analog-to-digital-converter-exist.1166039/
Not sure if this is "reasonably priced" -- https://us.focusrite.com/products/scarlett-8i6

 

[dwd999]

I was recently gifted a basic 5.1 surroundsound system, an Ultimea Poseidon D50. This has limited audio input options, with HDMI eARC and Optical being the only ones that can output the full 5.1 experience. I'm looking to link this up to my PC. However, I only have my motherboard's (Gigabyte z590 Aorus Pro AX) built in audio (Realtek Audio) which can support 5.1 audio using the multiple 3.5mm jack ports, but only duel channel out of the S/PDIF optical port.

I was wondering if there was a reasonably priced means of taking the analogue line-out from the 3.5mm ports and converting them into a digital 5.1 channel output I can plug into the Poseidon, or would I be better off getting a separate soundcard which supports 5.1 channels over TOSLink?

Are you sure that your motherboard only supports 2 channels over spdif. I have a motherboard with the same Z590 and ALC 4080 sound chip (ASUS) and it supports 5.1 channels just fine. Perhaps you have a driver problem or control panel setup problem. Are you using the Realtek_Audio_Driver_V6.3.9600.2368_for_Windows_11_64-bit? Note that although the control panel sound app may say that it only has 2 channel spdif if you use an app like MPC-HC to play your 5.1 channel content the dolby and dts 5.1 signal will reach the soundbar via spdif. Mine works fine.

 

[HollyGen]

Are you sure that your motherboard only supports 2 channels over spdif. I have a motherboard with the same Z590 and ALC 4080 sound chip (ASUS) and it supports 5.1 channels just fine. Perhaps you have a driver problem or control panel setup problem. Are you using the Realtek_Audio_Driver_V6.3.9600.2368_for_Windows_11_64-bit? Note that although the control panel sound app may say that it only has 2 channel spdif if you use an app like MPC-HC to play your 5.1 channel content the dolby and dts 5.1 signal will reach the soundbar via spdif. Mine works fine.

I was pretty sure it had to be doable. Why have the facility for 5.1 over the 3.5mm ports, yet not include it with the Optical output?

I've been trying to get this to work on and off for the past week, following various online guides with no success, and it turns out I've been hobbled by Gigabyte - The latest Realtek driver I got from their website (V6.3.9600.2306) was not outputting 5.1 on S/PDIF.

Following seeing your post, I picked up V6.3.9600.2368 from Realtek directly, and suddenly everything works. Still annoying that Windows still only reports 2 channels, but I can adjust balance/EQ through the soundbar directly, so that's workable.

Thanks