2 PC and 1 set of speakers, how ?

ikshaar · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 8:12 pm Post subject: 2 PC and 1 set of speakers, how ?

Tired of dual-booting, I am moving to a two PC set-up. 1 Windows XP PC for gaming (EAX 3D sound), and 1 Gentoo PC for everything else (web, music, movie... stereo mode or emulated surround). Speakers on the windows machine mandatory for 3D sound in game.

I have a Creative 24 external USB Live (work under windows, limited under gentoo) and a Creative Audigy2 (works on both). Plus the onboard sound but I don't use those usually.
Finally a set of speakers 5.1 using three connections front/rear/bass+center.

I wonder between those solutions:

Software solution: it would be to use PulseAudio. Fairly happy when I tried it ... but once in a while hiccup when network get busy.

Hardware solution 1: Using USB Live on Gentoo and using the SPDIF output to forward sound to Audigy2 in Windows... pb: not sure if SPDIF on USB Live24 works under Gentoo and how Audigy is good at mixing.

Hardware solution 2: Audigy2 under Gentoo, SPDIF output to onboard sound windows machine (Live24 does not have SPDIF input), then output with Live24.... pb: Can SPDIF output be use for any stream in Gentoo (music, video in files - not DVD) ? Can Windows use 2 sound cards (on board and USB) simultaneously and send the SPDIF input of onboard to the Live24 ?

I don't have yet the windows machine so I cannot test the SPDIF questions ... so if anyone had had same problem, I am eager to know how you did your set-up or your suggestion.
_________________
"May God stands between you and harm in all the empty places where you must walk" - Babylon 5

pappy_mcfae · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 8:29 pm Post subject:

Does the USB unit only offer SPDIF? If not, why not just patch analog signals. Like going out of the line out of one sound device into the line in of another. If the USB unit only provides SPDIF, obviously that won't work, and just pretend I didn't say anything.

GRIN

Blessed be!
Pappy
_________________
This space left intentionally blank, except for these ASCII symbols.

ikshaar · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:15 pm Post subject:

No the USB output analog too, but the analog input of the other Creative (1 channel only) is pretty bad usually (noise-wise) and would prevent me from using microphone.
_________________
"May God stands between you and harm in all the empty places where you must walk" - Babylon 5

bertaboy · l33t Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 604

What you're looking for is essentially an AV switch. Here's a link for a single switch if you can't find anything better:

http://electronicsusa.com/mk1and2.html

I had a similar situation before in that I had two audio sources and one output (granted, my issue was for my home stereo system.) Because my receiver is pretty old, it has separate jacks in the back for Stereo B output and Rear Surround. What I ended up doing was attaching some stereo cable to some RCA plugs and using one of these A-B switches. That's probably not the exact model I used, but it's the same concept. Good luck, & have fun!

ikshaar · Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 7:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks. If there would be one able to switch 3 connections at once (front/surround/sub+center) it would be nice. I don't want to buy 3 of those and having to switch them all.
_________________
"May God stands between you and harm in all the empty places where you must walk" - Babylon 5

bertaboy · l33t Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 604