Hi si-fus,

First! Let me say I've tried google but I can't find any conclusive results

Basically I have a pioneer 5.1 hifi that I pair to my xbox360. Recently I picked up an XFi cos it has digital out via co-ax so I can plug it in as well.

But! I guess I didn't do my research beforehand ... even using the digital out, I can only have 2 channels of audio ... after doing some research, my conclusion is that I can only get 5.1 audio when playing DVDs with Dolby sound cos this will passthrough to the receiver, but otherwise the Xfi will not generate (for example in games) more than 2 channel audio through the digital ... is this true?

I think I should have rephrase as, I found conclusive results but I was in denial, hahahaha.

Bah if I had planned in advance I'd have bought a computer 5.1 speaker set and then a sound card with optical in >_< oh well, nvm lar ;[

OK I've done even more research.

I've got the most cheapest X-Fi (Xtreme Audio) which doesn't have DDL, so I'm screwed for 5.1 on anything other than DVD's or AC3-encoded AVI's.

Cheapest X-Fi with DDL seems to be the PCI-e X-Fi titanium ... 380-ish? Hmmmm ... even if I can sell off my Xtreme Audio, that's still a $200 extra investment ... hmmmmm!

Well, what's done is done, it's too late to regret

I'm looking at the X-Fi XtremeGamer now, OEM is RM140 in Garage Sales. According to Creative site this supports DDL:

Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect (Win Vista Only) Encoder
Purchased Separately

DDL software available for USD4.76 on Creative site so I'll buy that separately. What worries me is that the Digital output is Optical Out¹ via shared 3.5mm mini jack, i.e. non-standard toslink jack.

So ... I'll need something like this cable, any idea if this cable/adaptor is easily available in M'sia?

THX is not an "effect." It's a certification just to say that, if your entire sound system is THX certified then you will hear exactly what the producer of the DVD / whatever wants you to hear, nothing more.

Argh!

I just bought a X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro. According to the DDL Unlocker Page, this card supports DDL. But after installing the drivers, when I run the DDL installer I get the following error:

"Setup is unable to detect a supported product on your system."

In the console launcher there is no option available to output digital only via the spdif. In the device info (attached screenshot 1) my product seems to be only identified as SB X-Fi Audio. In the creative website software auto-update, I get the message that "Creative Software AutoUpdate was unable to detect any Creative products attached to your computer."

Any ideas? I'm at my wits' end and I've restarted my PC installing and un-installing drivers like 10 times already today.


Attached thumbnail(s)

Well! After hours of fiddling around I've finally gotten DDL to work!

But for the life of me I can't get DDL to be enabled in "game mode," only "entertainment mode." Is this by design or am I missing a step?

Also, in certain games, for example CoD:WaW, after 5 minutes the DDL just turns itself off (I get nothing out of the digital spdif, and static from the analog out). Then I have to quit, turn off DDL and turn it on again and MAYBE it'll work, otherwise I have to restart the PC.

But other games like WoW seems no problem. Any ideas?