New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

DTS in a Sager 8890?

post #1 of 23
2/9/04 at 1:46am
Thread Starter 
Hey all!

Maybe my title was a little misleading. The question here is that I'm trying to figure out a way to run some Logitech Z-680 speakers with my Sager 8890, while getting the most out of them. (505 Watt RMS would be amazing) The problem is that the Sager 8890 doesn't have that incredible of an onboard sound device. Infact, calling it 6 channel when trying to sell one of these guys is a little misleasing in my mind. I like the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 cards but obviously they wern't mean to be in laptops. Perhaps in external enclosure?? Do any of you have any suggestions?

Thank you much,
Denny Metcalf
dennymet@bu.edu
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 23
2/9/04 at 7:44am
huh? Maybe I am wrong here but my understanding is that the Z-680s take DTS directly so the sound card is not handling any analog conversion - it is digital all the way. Have you connected the 680's via the little splitter cable that came with your 8890? That allows you to connect the 680s via coax.

If someone who is more of an audiophile can explain this any better please do as I would like to understand as well.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 23
2/9/04 at 10:09am
Thread Starter 

DTS in a Sager 8890?

Hey all!

A really good review on these speakers can be found here: http://www.bit-tech.net/review/266/. It has a built in DTS decoder in the hardware that can take DTS signals and play them. So they are basically an independant unit. I'm just unsure of whether or not this Sager 8890 can put out those types of signals.

Aussie: Are you refering to the SPDIF cables that came with the notebook? I'm currently running the Logitech Z-640 and am splitting my sound through three analog cables that connect through all of the jacks on the Sager. If and when I get the Logitech Z-680s, I want to be able to run digital. Unfortunetly for this notebook (and all mobos with onboard sound) it required processor power to do anything audio related. Any other ideas or solutions? Thanks much!

Denny Metcalf
dennymet@bu.edu
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 23
2/9/04 at 12:34pm
Audigy2NX

External USB 2.0 audio to audiophile standards with the whole alphabet soup for surround

'Nuff said!!

(Recent review at http://www.tomshardware.com/video/20031114/index.html)

That will make sure your Z680s are worth the investment...
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 23
2/9/04 at 1:54pm
Thread Starter 

DTS in a Sager 8890

I've heard many mixed reviews about the Creative Audigy2 NX USB. Idealy I was hoping to run either a Audigy2 ZS PCI or M-Audio Revolution 7.1 PCI. I suppose I'm asking for too much though. I'm trying to find a way to run PCI cards externally through USB 2.0 or Firewire. Perhaps I'll have to make my own external enclosure. Thanks though.

Denny Metcalf
dennymet@bu.edu
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 23
2/9/04 at 2:19pm

Wow

Wow, if you can make an external enclosure for the pci card then u need to start up your own little biz!!! Let me know if u can get it to work as I could use the same.

Thanks,
SkyB0lt
skyb0lt@cfl.rr.com
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 23
2/9/04 at 3:34pm
If processor use is an issue for you, I'd suggest staying away from USB external cards as the USB interface has a fair amount of processor overhead, that's what makes an extigy perform worse than a dirt cheap PCI card in games. If you're really capable of building that kind of external enclosure I'd suggest PCMCIA for optimal performance.

If it's gaming performance you're thinking of, then the 8890's on board sound running via spdif out is quite capable, and although it will eat up more processor than a good audigy the 8890 does have the processing cycles to spare in games, being that the 9600 is usually the limiting factor.

Digital sound output is also crystal clear as you might expect, the same cant be said for the analogue outs but that is exucsable on an on board chip and by the sounds of it you wont be needing them anyway. As aussie said the analogue quality of the card, SNR etc, is irrelevant on the 680s.

If you're an audiophile and you're after quality analogue clarity then fair enough, but if you're a gamer then I cant see that it would be worth the effort going any other route, an external PCI card running through some sort of enclosure might yield a few extra fps at most, and a USB card would likely slow it down.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 23
2/9/04 at 5:16pm
Thread Starter 

DTS in a Sager 8890

Robert602,

Are you saying that the SPDIF cables that come with the Sager 8890 will yeild good results? I'm mostly interested in movies and music, hense I'm going for a good 5.1 system as opposed to a 7.1 which really only helps games.

Denny Metcalf
dennymet@bu.edu
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 23
2/9/04 at 5:30pm
Yeah the SPDIF works great for me, plus make sure you have the latest drivers from realtek. The diffrence in sound quality is like night and day.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 23
2/9/04 at 5:49pm
Quote:
if you can make an external enclosure for the pci card then u need to start up your own little biz!!!
actually, these exist. and theyre really expensive - something like $800 for a 2 PCI slot enclosure. I saw them somewhere hoping to use one as a lower-cost audio recording option, but changed my mind when i saw the pricetag.

It connects into the PCMCIA slot...
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 23
2/9/04 at 6:21pm
Thread Starter 

DTS in a Sager 8890

Vval,

Yeah, i figured that they existed. It doesn't seem all that hard to make one, it's just acquiring the needed materials. (obviously) I wouldn't be able to make a lot of them as I only have so many spare.... etc. you know what I mean.

Okay, so then if I run the SPDIF then I should be fine if I get the Z-680s? They have a DTS decoder built into the hardware, so I don't have to worry about that right? Hmmm... interesting.

Denny Metcalf
dennymet@bu.edu

EDIT: Durgal, which drivers are you refering to? Are their any more recent drivers that what is located at http://www.sagernotebooks.com because they are pretty old.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 23
2/9/04 at 6:32pm
Most notebooks have only SPDIF pass-thrus, meaning that they can only output 5.1 DTS/AC-3 signal through their digital outputs. For all other sources the digital output can be only used for Stereo PCM audio. The only soundcard that ENCODES AC-3 audio is the onboard card of the nForce 2. This card can encode surround DirectSound signal into AC-3, greatly expanding your options. I assume 8890 lacks this capability, as onboard notebook audio chips are very generic. Therefore when playing games the SPDIF output won't provide surround sound. However I am curious as to what kind of sound the 5.1 analogue outputs provide. If they actually do output 5.1 signals then there is a AC-3 decoder somewhere onboard. Also they may possibly be used to output DirectSound surround sound from games. Anyone can verify this?
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 23
2/9/04 at 7:26pm
you can buy an external PCI enclosure that hooks up through a PCcard and a really thick cable

its about 300$ if I remember correctly
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 23
2/9/04 at 7:39pm
deltawalkerl the 8890 does support AC-3 encoding and full 5.1 DTS sound (specs from its user manual page A-3). You have to hand it to Sager, they built a gozilla in the 8890 .

Coming back to Denny's original question, yes the splitter cable allows you to connect a coax cable to the Z-680's and run digital 5.1 down to the Z-680 decoder giving you full digital surround sound. The analog ports can also be used but why would you bother if you have the Z-680's.

/edit: I forgot to add that the 8890 also supports DirectSound 3D acceleration.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 23
2/9/04 at 8:25pm
By DTS 5.1 sound, do you mean that the 8890 encodes into DTS as well, or does it only pass through DTS? Or can it decode DTS signal, but not able to encode it? (I have never heard of a notebook capable of encoding AC-3. The 8890 is truly amazing)
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 23
2/9/04 at 8:35pm
Thread Starter 

DTS in a Sager 8890

Delta,

I'm almost certain that the Sager 8890 does not decode 5.1 DTS. I think that it can "pass through" the signal so that the Z-680s can decode it. Well then, looks like all I need is to get a Digital Coax Cable to run through the SPDIF. Am I correct on this assumption? Cause I can't do optical right?

Denny Metcalf
dennymet@bu.edu
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 23
2/9/04 at 8:39pm
I am downloading the D800 manual right now. I assume that the 8890 can encode and decode AC-3, but can do neither to DTS. The digital output can send AC-3 or DTS pass-thru, PCM, or internally encoded AC-3. The analogue output can send decoded AC-3, directSound from games, or just regular stereo.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 23
2/9/04 at 9:58pm
Encodes and decodes both DTS and AC-3
That is how it can split the incoming digital signals into their analog components when driving the 5.1 analog output mode.

You ain't telling me a thing about how amazing the 8890 is. I still am trying to pimp the thing out - I am waiting on the 80GB 7200 RPM disks, 4x DVD dual format writer and 2 GB DDR400 memory. Still have to load Adobe's video editing collection, vmware and RH linux. And somewhere in all that buy a set of Z-680's. Did I tell you how much I love my 8890?
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 23
2/9/04 at 10:03pm
Don't know about AC-3 to/from DTS - that might take some extra work.
Denny the 8890 has to be able to decode 5.1 because that is how you are able to hook up analog speakers to the 8890 without needing a decoder.
Yes the splitter cable (supplied with your 8890) and a coax cable are all that's needed. And no the 8890 does not have optical connectors (nice if it did tho).
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 23
2/9/04 at 10:09pm
Do u guy know if 4780 have the same DTS 5.1?
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Sager & Clevo Notebooks