From: Mary Wolden :Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] What is an D/A output on Creative
CD-ROM?


> From: Max Timchenko :Subject: [PCBUILD] What is an D/A output on Creative
> CD-ROM?
>
>
> >   Hello list,
> >
> >   A sudden urge for knowledge possessed me when I noticed an output
> > connector on my CD-ROM labeled "D/A" and similar to that of CD-output
> > to sound card but having only 2 pins.
> >
> >   I would like to know what it is and how can I benefit from it.
> >
> >   Thanks in advance for your help.
> >
>>   <SNIP> Max,
>
> The 2 pin connector that you refer to is for Digital audio (SPDIF) from
your
> cd rom.  If you have a sound card that supports digital audio, you can
> connect your cd rom to the sound card digitally, which according to SB is
> supposed to keep the digital sound signal pure until it is converted to
> analog for your speakers.  If you also have digital speakers then the
sound
> is never converted to analog.  <SNIP>>

Mary Wolden

This is a correction to the above statement.  Dean Kukral reminded me that
audio is analog and that at some point the digital audio has to be converted
to analog.  I went back to Creative's web site and their digital speakers
for the
digital theatre sound system include a 24 bit Dolby Digital to analog
processor, so it appears that you are right.   The output is digital until
the Dolby receiver processes it.  According to Creative this is supposed to
produce better sound.  Whether it is hype or not I don't know, all I did was
repeat Creative's info on the SB Live.  They do not mention on their lower
end digital speaker systems how the sound or whether the sound is converted
or not.  Maybe some other more knowledgeable lister knows this information.

Mary Wolden

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