Which card to get for use with a receiver?

[jubjub]

I'm using the on board via audio right now and have it connected to my A/V receiver.

All the cards out now have 5.1-7.1 support. I'd assume I would just need to use the front out to my receiver and let it separate the signal for surround sound??

Which sound car should I get? Santa Cruz? Audigy? Or should I just stick with on board? Does creative still have a problem running with via boards, or was that just for the SB Live?

Card would be used 90% for games, 10% music, dvd's

[imayoda]

For 90% games you would want an Audigy or Audigy 2. They have the best EAX support.

[Isezumi]

as long as it has a digital out...youre fine.

I dont know what A/V reciever you are using...but unless it does 24/96 analog, the benefits of an Audigy are strictly limited to EAX support.

[SkyDog]

Originally posted by jubjub
All the cards out now have 5.1-7.1 support. I'd assume I would just need to use the front out to my receiver and let it separate the signal for surround sound??

To get 5.1 surround sound from your receiver, you would either need to send your receiver a digital signal and let it decode the surround (if it has a 5.1 digital decoder), or you would need to send it all six analog channels of a 5.1 signal.

If you send it just the front, you may be able to get sound from all speakers, depending on what pseudo-surround modes your receiver supports, but they won't be real surround sound. As an example, let's say you're playing a game and there's a sound in a rear satellite. If you're only sending front L and R to your receiver, the receiver won't get that sound signal.