Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - Panasonic sa-he-100 Audigy 5.1 sound card

I have recently installed a new audigy 5.1 sound card to play into the HE100.

I can't get a signal into the receiver, I have verified that the sound card (to the best of my knowledge is outputting a signal) The 2 channel is working fine, the 5.1 is fed from the coax output into the coax of the he100. I have confirmed a 5 channel output.

I have tried the digital input both on cd and on tv tied to the coax. The are 4 digital inputs, 3 optical(cd, dvd, tv) and the coax input.

I have run the coax cable into one channel of the analog cd. Then when I run a speaker test it confirms centre channel only to be up. Perhaps a signal is getting to the receiver but there is no decoding linked and thus no output. Have too many hours into this already.

Any thoughts appreciated.

digital coax carrying the 5.1 signal into the DVD input on the receiver, (set receiver for DVD) then see if you get 5.1 sound. It's possible that the DVD input is the only way for the stereo to properly decode a 5.1 signal. (I'm not familair with the panasonic, but on my stereo the Coaxial Digital input is for DVD/Laserdisk only and I can't use the optical input at the same time-I have to use one or the other).

I'm not sure what you mean when you say that "I have tried the digital input both on cd and on tv tied to the coax" as far as I know the only TV input for coax would be a video signal-Does your stereo have a Coaxial digital input for a DVD player??? If not, then this is probably the source of the problem. Try using an optical cable if possible??

If this DVD input works, then maybe use a Y-connector for your DVD player?

Are there any menu settings that you may need to look at for the stereo? Is the soundcard is set for "Dolby Digital" type output on the Coxial output??

Hope this helps!

1. How have you confirmed 5 channel output if it isn't working? Ther is a difference between digital and analog outputs. JHust because one is working, doesn't mean the other is.

2. I'm concerned that you hooked up the digital output to an analog input. This was not a good idea. You should not have gotten anything with this connection. IS this multi-channel (6 channel) input or stereo input? Do you know the difference between 6-channel and stereo input? What did you get that suggested the center channel was "up"?

3. There is a difference between digital coax and rf coax. There is a difference between digital coax with rca jacks and stereo cables with rca jacks.

4. Most DVD players need to be told to use the digital output. Does you card need t be told?

5. The digital inputs on my Onkyo are assignable. Are yours? Did you make the proper assignment?

6. I haven't heard of digital coax to/from a tv either. Why would a tv have such a connection? TV doesn't need 5.1 input. Methinks you have terms, connections, and cables mixed up.

7. My Onkyo also lets me switch between digital, analog, and multi-channel inputs. Are you sure you are not still switched to the analog input?

I would suggest you purchase a true digital coax cable and try that. Also verify that you have told the computer (card) to putput the digital coax. Make sure you are using the correct input or make the correct assignment.

1.You are correct in that I have not confirmed I am getting a 5 channel output, the only way I think I could do this would to input the signal into a 5 channel digital set of speakers which I do not own. I have gone into the Creative help site and changed the output of the my Nero software dvd player and ensured spdif output, on the sound card the ac 3 has been deactivated as instructed. This I understand means that the receiver decoder should decode the signal as noted in the receiver manual. The changes ensure the signal is not decoded in the sound card.

2&5). There a 4 digital inputs on the back of the reciever, 3 are optical digital and are labelled tv, dvd, and cd, the 4th is marked coax input. They are assignable and can be switched, I have tried them all including the dvd input after reassigning. The reason I thought the centre channel was up was when completing a speaker test off of the soundcard software it confirmed a centre channel response, from where I was sitting it may or may not have been the centre speaker or perhaps a couple of speakers responding.

4. I am using the Nero player software, using a music video file off of my hard drive, I have verified that the 5.1 sound track is playing as per my response in #1.

6.) Go figure why there is a digital optical input for tv but there is one labelled.

7) There is a digital input switch, I learned all about it when I installed the digital optical cable from my dvd player so I have ensured it is on.

3. Penny wise but pound foolish? I am using a video component cable, I was told it would work and as I needed 20ft from my computer to the receiver
saving $30 or $40 seemed the right way to go. I think I covered all your questions here and will seek a coax digital cable tomorrow. thanks

I just found this on the Creative Website: http://ask.americas.creative.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE/,/?St=157,E=0000000000039930047,K=8567,Sxi=0,Question3969=obj(3969):obj(3983)

Has pictures, but only text tranferred:

"Below is an outline of various configurations


Sound Blaster Audigy 2 series and Home Theater Systems
Overview
The Sound Blaster Audigy 2 and Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum cards have a dedicated Digital Out in the back plate of the main board, in addition to 3 dedicated line-out jacks.

The Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum has one additional pair of Optical digital I/O and one pair of Coaxial Digital I/O connectors in the Audigy2Drive. The standard optical Digital I/O and coaxial I/O on the Live!Drive2, Live!DriveIR, or AudigyDrive are for processing single stream audio data such as compressed Dolby Digital (AC-3), or stereo PCM audio, ideal for watching DVD movies or games, or recording to and from external digital recorders.

Analog Line Out to Analog Line In
The Line-Out jacks on the audio cards are 1/8" mini stereo jacks, identified as Line-Out 1 (Front Out), Line-Out 2 (Rear Out) and Line-Out 3 (Center/Subwoofer, or Center/Rear Center/Subwoofer). The common analog audio input connectors on Home Theater systems are RCA (mono) sockets. Each input will be labeled as Front Right (RF), Front Left (RL), Rear Right (RR), Rear Left (RL), Center (C), Subwoofer. Rear channels may also be identified as LS and RS for Left Surround and Right Surround, respectively.In the Creative Mixer, be sure to disable the option for Digital Output Only, and set the number of speakers accordingly. For example, if you have a 5.1 channel speaker system, select 5.1.


If the home theater unit is a 5.1 channel system with discrete analogue RCA input jacks, Line Out 1, Line-Out 2 and Line-Out 3 each requires a standard mini stereo mini jack to dual RCA converter.Connect one mini jack to the Line-Out 1 jack, then connect the RED RCA plug to Front Right Input jack and WHITE RCA plug to the Front Left Input jack on the amplifier; connect another mini plug to the Line-Out 2 jack, then connect the RED RCA plug to Rear Right Input jack and WHITE RCA plug to the Rear Left Input jack on the amplifier; connect the last mini plug to the Line-Out 3 jack, then connect the RED RCA plug to Subwoofer Input jack and WHITE RCA plug to the Center Channel input jack on the amplifier.


If the home theater unit is a 6.1 channel system with discrete RCA input jacks, Line Out 1, Line-Out 2 each requires a standard mini stereo plug to dual RCA converter. Connect one mini plug to the Line-Out 1 jack, then connect the RED RCA plug to Front Right Input jack and WHITE RCA plug to the Front Left Input jack on the amplifier; connect another mini plug to the Line-Out 2 jack, then connect the RED RCA plug to Rear Right Input jack and WHITE RCA plug to the Rear Left Input jack on the amplifier

Line-Out 3 requires a special 4-pole mini jack to triple RCA converter. If it is not shipped with the speaker system, it is often available in electronics stores. Connect the last mini plug to the Line-Out 3 jack, then connect the WHITE RCA plug to the Front Center Channel input jack, connect the Yellow RCA plug to the Subwoofer, and the RED RCA to the Rear Center channel input on the amplifier

Digital Out to Digital Input
There are currently two common types of Digital Input connectors on Home Entertainment / HiFi amplifiers: Optical and Coaxial SP/DIF. It should be noted that Coaxial and Optical Digital I/O connectors are perfect for recording, transferring audio files from one source to another, and for playing Dolby Digital / DTS encoded movies. Audio will be limited to the front two channels unless a full AC-3 signal is transferred and the decoding feature of the sound card has been turned off. They cannot be considered a choice for Multi-channel audio in gaming, music, or effects auditioning etc., as the rear - and center/sub channels will not be transferred.



The connection from Coaxial Digital Out to Coaxial Digital In requires a digital coaxial cable (RCA type cable); the connection from Optical Digital Out to Optical Digital Input requires a TosLink to Toslink cable.

If the sound card is connected exclusively to the Coaxial or Optical Digital In, in the Creative Surround Mixer, select 2 Speaker setup, and enable Digital Output Only".


It looks like the section above is what you want to do. Your only other option is the analog route, using three seperate cables.