X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty problem with 7.1

[mr2sw21]

got a X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty I am connecting it with optical cable to a 7.1 home theater amp (yamaha RX-Z7) but regardless what I do to it to make it 7.1 it keep detecting I have 5.1 only even I force it for 7.1 when I do the sound test it just skipped or say no sound at the last two to middle two speaker. So I have to force my amp to use all channels instead of digital decode mode.
I am running x86 xp with most updated driver.
Tried to call creative they keep tell me it must be the movies I am playing doesn't support 7.1 I told them I can't even get xp to set up a 7.1 mode, seem like they don't really want to investigate on my case further.
Also at some point I thought is xp problem so I tried win 7. also runs with most current driver but still the same result. as long as I use digital output I can't get to 7.1

[wiretap]

I think the optical will only allow for 5.1 channels. For my X-Fi, I use the Creative Home Theater Cables to hook up to my Onkyo receiver. Then all you need to do is tell the Creative drivers to do 7.1 and expand the rear channels to the side channels. For DTS, Dolby Digital, TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc.. you can just do PC-side decoding with FFDshow set as your primary filter. It does a perfect job.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/wiretap25/Temp/HDbits/cable.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/wiretap25/Temp/HDbits/txsr605_rear_300.jpg

[PaganII]

Titanium is different than regular X-Fi. You can't use Creative Home Theater cables. Must use 4 x mini stereo to rca.

[wiretap]

Titanium is different than regular X-Fi. You can't use Creative Home Theater cables. Must use 4 x mini stereo to rca.

This is the card we're talking about.. correct? If so, Creative's website states it uses the same 3.5mm jacks, thus it will work.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/wiretap25/Temp/Creative_sb_xfi_Titanium.jpg

[PaganII]

Yes that is the card. No, it uses 4 - 2 channel jacks. I have both X-FIs. They are different.

Scroll down to connectivity, 4 - 1/8" mini jacks
Edit for link: http://www.soundblaster.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=208&product=17791&nav=1

[mr2sw21]

Sorry I am a little confuse now. What do I need exactly to get 7.1?

[mr2sw21]

I think the optical will only allow for 5.1 channels. For my X-Fi, I use the Creative Home Theater Cables to hook up to my Onkyo receiver. Then all you need to do is tell the Creative drivers to do 7.1 and expand the rear channels to the side channels. For DTS, Dolby Digital, TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc.. you can just do PC-side decoding with FFDshow set as your primary filter. It does a perfect job.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/wiretap25/Temp/HDbits/cable.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/wiretap25/Temp/HDbits/txsr605_rear_300.jpg

So it means optical cable can't get me to 7.1 for sure?

[wiretap]

Yes that is the card. No, it uses 4 - 2 channel jacks. I have both X-FIs. They are different.

Scroll down to connectivity, 4 - 1/8" mini jacks
Edit for link: http://www.soundblaster.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=208&product=17791&nav=1
Oh, well that's ghey.. it even says it supports it right on the Creative Home Theater Cables product page. :p:

So it means optical cable can't get me to 7.1 for sure?
Analog or HDMI.

[mr2sw21]

Oh, well that's ghey.. it even says it supports it right on the Creative Home Theater Cables product page. :p:

Analog or HDMI.

the card doesn't have HDMI port so Analog is the only choice I guess.

[mr2sw21]

I think the optical will only allow for 5.1 channels. For my X-Fi, I use the Creative Home Theater Cables to hook up to my Onkyo receiver. Then all you need to do is tell the Creative drivers to do 7.1 and expand the rear channels to the side channels. For DTS, Dolby Digital, TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc.. you can just do PC-side decoding with FFDshow set as your primary filter. It does a perfect job.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/wiretap25/Temp/HDbits/cable.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a1/wiretap25/Temp/HDbits/txsr605_rear_300.jpg

pouched the cables on e-bay waiting for the shipment but though the pictures which cable goes to the sub?

[mr2sw21]

Just read the manual again from X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty
The Green port for Center/ sub
The orange for Front
The Black for rear
The Gray for side

So doesn't that mean if I go for analog. I will either have no center or sub if I plan to connect the card to my A/V receiver?
If I go to digital then I got 5.1

I also tried the HDMI from my Graphic card but unfortunately I got the sound but no video if I connect the pc to amp and amp to TV it just can't detect the TV as a monitor...... Totally killing me.

[wiretap]

If that's the case for the X-Fi Titanium, the Creative Theater Cables will not work fully like you want. Two of the connectors are 3 channels. Left Front/Side/Rear, Right Front/Side/Rear, and Sub/Center. You can get 3.5mm to Stereo RCA cables from Radio Shack and plug them into your analog input to your receiver and you'll get functional 7.1.

[Donnie27]

Just read the manual again from X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty
The Green port for Center/ sub
The orange for Front
The Black for rear
The Gray for side

So doesn't that mean if I go for analog. I will either have no center or sub if I plan to connect the card to my A/V receiver?
If I go to digital then I got 5.1

I also tried the HDMI from my Graphic card but unfortunately I got the sound but no video if I connect the pc to amp and amp to TV it just can't detect the TV as a monitor...... Totally killing me.

Misunderstandings! The first thing folks here helping you should have asked is; What source are you playing or using? Are you using Blue Ray or etc.....? I'm using a Liteon Blue Ray, Power DVD being decoded by a Pioneer 819H that supports True HD and DTS Master Audio.

At minimum you need to have DTS-ES (6.1), Dolby Digital EX and THX Surround EX (7.1). Please NOTE! These formats are really only 6.1 because the two rear speakers are Matrix-ed and or are playing one mono sound through both speakers. New Lossless formats has these same to speakers playing discretely. AFAIK Coax and Toslink can't do full lossless 7.1 TrueHD or DTS Master Audio. I'm thinking the card would have to have a true 1.3 HDMI out.

As was mentioned you have to have the cable mentioned above. I have the home CHTC cable it the orange 4 pin plug is for the Combined Orange input on only the X-fi's before the Titanium. The X-Fi's before the Titanium DOESN'T support TrueHD and DTS Master Audio even in Analog or Digital mode=P They do support DTS EX and etc......

All's not lost though. A pleasant surprise KO'd me. My Auzentech X-Fi Prelude does a sweet job playing back True HD in 5.1 mode with Doby's THX placement with speakers to the sides. This kind of sucked for DDL though with any Creative Cards before though. Creative want's them at the rear where Aureal 3D's tech did a great job there.

History.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-uOSfe5ivN6T/learn/learningcenter/home/hometheater_surround.html


http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_hometheater_hd.php

Edited to add Power DVD and Receiver used!

[wiretap]

A video encode with a TrueHD or DTS-HD audio track can be decoded by FFDshow and sent over analog to the receiver. You don't need a protected audio path if you do it that way.