NotebookForums.com › Forums › General Notebook Discussions › Notebook Audio & Video  › Logitech z640s and SPDIF...help?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Logitech z640s and SPDIF...help?

post #1 of 15
8/9/04 at 4:19am
Thread Starter 
Well, ive searched this topic for about an hour now and im still a bit confused. I got a set of z640s on ebay (will arrive tomorrow) for 53 bucks and i cant wait to use them on my Area51m.......thing is: now i read that im not gonna get 5.1 with them by just pluggin it into the spdif port ....It even says on the site that my computer supports 5.1 with the spdif and i read it doesnt now? I mean i read it will work for dvds and stuff but not for games and mp3s?? I bought my aw this past Christmas if they are 5.1 ready now and did not used to be...Im kinda confused tho to be honest. But if you guys could tell me what to expect and exactly what im gonna need to get 5.1 working on everything and not just dvds that would be great

Thanks
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 15
8/9/04 at 3:40pm
spdif ports do not change so old area51's and new area51's will be the same. You probably need a 1/8" adapter to rca coxial to plug into the z640's. It might be different since I have the z680's. Also spdif only works for 5.1 encoded media like dvd's. Games need analog for 5.1 ie a 5.1 soundcard is needed. But plugging them through spdif sure beats the hell out of the headphone port.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 15
8/9/04 at 3:52pm
Thread Starter 
So it should work with dvds but not games and mp3s....ive heard some talk about this little guy here : http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....3&type=product would buying this allow me to have 5.1 for dvd, games, and mp3?
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 15
8/9/04 at 3:59pm
i have the same problem you do green flash, I bought some z-640's from newegg and it appears that i won't be able to get true 5.1 sound with the ports on my 4750 although it has a 5.1 internal sound card. I'd like to know the cheapest way to do this. the 640's have left, right, and center analog inputs, so is there any sort of adapter or something that would make 5.1 work? I really want to avoid spending more money on a sound card than I did on my speakers ...
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 15
8/9/04 at 4:26pm
Thread Starter 
OGRE, im pretty sure you can just buy that Audigy 2 NX external usb card, plug her up and be done with it...but im not expert on sound by any means so i would like some reasurrance from someone.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 15
8/9/04 at 4:40pm
yeah, I think I might just hafta buy one of those cheap from newegg, but that kinda bums me out that I can't just plug them into my lappy and get 5.1 sound
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 15
8/9/04 at 4:57pm
Thread Starter 
yea it bums me out to..espcially since the internal sound card says its 5.1....i would have never thought that i had to get another card. (if thats all i need). Im gonna end up paying more for the Audigy card thatn the speakers.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 15
8/9/04 at 5:18pm
i actually have the z640s and the audigy 2nx. its really really awesome stuff. i found its the best way to get 5.1 (As wel as 7.1 if you got an extra pair of speakers). sound is great, remote can be hacked to control amost anything ect ect.. and its freaking freaky while playing doom... awesome realism, especially on my 8790 =D

i would highy recommend the audigy, its def worth the price i paid for it ($55) i got my speakers for a mere $39 , both incl. shipping.

besides, you get loads of other outputs and inputs with the audigy, optical i/o, analog mic and line in, even RCA spdif out =D good stuff.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 15
8/9/04 at 5:25pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks so much mattszeto!!! So i can go buy the audigy 2nx, and thats it right? i wont need any other cables or anything.. Just my speakers laptop and the audigy correct? Also one other thing.......i have some decent 2.1 logitechs now, and i was wondering why they sound better plugged into my old dell desktop than my laptop via spdif? On my laptop it sounds like the sub is drowning out the two satellites. Im assuming the Audigy would address this as well?
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 15
8/9/04 at 5:29pm
yeah thnx mattszeto, it's good to hear from someone who actually has both. can't wait to play doom with it
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 15
8/9/04 at 6:54pm
Thread Starter 
Got my speakers now....they still sound pretty good imo playing mp3s but im only getting sound out of the sub, front speaker, and two of the satellites. Guess its time for a trip to best buy
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 15
8/9/04 at 7:14pm
try pushing the matrix button, that should get the rear speakers duplicating the front ones.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 15
8/9/04 at 9:31pm
Thread Starter 
The matrix just turns on the front speaker it doesnt affect the rear two that arent putting out audio. I stuck my ear up to two speakers with the matrix on and off and it didnt make a difference except for the front control speaker. Audigy 2 NX here i come.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 15
8/10/04 at 3:34am
the reason that you cannot get good sound out of the spdif socket is because it is probably digital and analog out (or just digital). i get the same problem when i stick anything in that socket, be it headphones or other non digital decoding speakers (ie. your "old" logitechs) on my 8790.

green - yup, the audigy actually comes with its own gold plated 7.1 cable set... 'twas a pity i could not use them with my z640s. other then that, it comes with everything you need. one more thing, ive read that usb audio might not work if you plug it into a usb hub. i dont have a hub, so i can neither confirm nor deny that. just something you should test out if it dosent work. o, and sorry for the late reply, somehow ive gotten the cold... in the summer...
oh, and if you want to, you can use your old logitechs as rear speakers, put your z640 rears to left and right, and viola! youve got 7.1 sound! now you can hear low-end explosions from both front and back!

OGRE - yea im playing doom with the audigy and the z640s... simply amazing.. wow... its terrifying to say the least. and with the high fps of the 8790... it owns.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 15
8/10/04 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 
Sounds awseome man! Thanks so much for the response I do have a 7 point usb hub so ill test it and see if its true or not....im kinda hoping i can use the hub b/c i like to have as few wires coming off the side as i can.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Notebook Audio & Video
NotebookForums.com › Forums › General Notebook Discussions › Notebook Audio & Video  › Logitech z640s and SPDIF...help?