Running my ps3 audio through my computer

[joevh09]

Hi all, I just recently bought the Creative Sound Blaster Recon 3d pcie sound card to run my ps3 audio with an optical cable into my computer and then output through my 5.1 speakers but I can't seem to get it working. Can anyone give me a hand at fixing this?

[Geek-9pm]

Your output is a 5.1 speaker system. But it is not clear what the input device is. And it is not clear why you had to buy a sound card.
And is the sound card for the computer or the PS3.
An which device has optical output?
And which device has optical input?

The optical input on many new computers is for a network. You did not say what model computer you have.

Please rotate what you are doing and you will get some help right away.

[joevh09]

The optical output is from the ps3 into the the pc optical input on my soundcard. I had to get the soundcard because i had no other way of hooking the ps3 audio into my pc to run off my speakers. My pc is a custom built and its specs are listed on the specs below my picture on the left.

This is my soundcard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102041
Her's my mobo  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131665R

[Geek-9pm]

Excuse my ignorance. I didn't know the PS3 has three audio outputs. But for 5.1 audio you can not use the basic audio connection. It has to be either HDMI or Optical. The optical is PCM and should be compatible with eh sound card.
Audio Output Settings for PS3
So hyou already check the basic audio out and got two cannelse using arhe analog connection. But your want the 5.1 sound, a feature of then PS3. which has to be optical to get into your sound card.

Well, I am not much help. The is not easy way to test an optical link. Not any I know of. But I know zero about optical links anyway.

[joevh09]

I've done everything that i could with the ps3 settings for the audio output so its somewhere with the pc settings but I can't figure it out.

[Geek-9pm]

I can't ind the manual for the card you have. This must be a picture of it. It shows an optical input.



Maybe somebody else here knows about this card.

[BC_Programmer]

My pc is a custom built and its specs are listed on the specs below my picture on the left.

Except Operating System.

Assuming Windows 7.

1. Right click speaker on task bar
2. Choose "Recording Devices"
3. Choose Auxilary or Line-in; Optical Input may in fact show up as a separate entry, but only when it's plugged in.
To find out which one you want, have the PS3 play sound; it should show up in the small graphic leveler to the side of most entries.
4. once you've found it, select it and choose properties, or right-click and choose properties. Then, on the dialog, choose the "Listen" tab, and check off "Listen to this device".

[joevh09]

Thanks for the reply BC_Programmer. The graphic leveler light up for the on the optical input that you said to try and i followed the steps but all I'm getting for sound is a scratching/super quick ticking sound (kinda like static from the old tv's). And yes I am running Windows 7 too.

[Geek-9pm]

Sorry, it is not  PCM I am so embarrassed.   

Also, under "BD/DVD Settings" in the PS3 settings menu make sure the Optical Digital Output is set to "bitstream" not to "PCM."  This will pass the Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks to your receiver for true multi-channel sound decoding.  If set to "PCM" then you will only get two-channel PCM sound over the optical connection.

http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/ps3-optical-no-sound-1439.shtml

[joevh09]

Thanks guys it seems to be working, I will do an actual test later tonight since I am currently on my lunch break and mark it as solved at that time.

[joevh09]

I lied. It only plays the key clicks but when I go to watch a movie on the ps3 it makes that awful staticy/clicking noise. After messing with the settings on the ps3 it still makes it but having different settings turned on cause it to change frequency.

[patio]

Return the card under warranty...

[joevh09]

I'm probably going to have to do that. Is there another in the same price range (about $80-$90 or cheaper) thats just as good but may work better?

[Geek-9pm]

I don't know. But I like PCWorld magazine and believe their reviews are fair.
Dolby Digital Sound Cards Head to Head <== click on it.

The article is old. But in Digital sound there is hardly much really new.  Dolby 5.1 is about as good as it gets for home theater. Beyond that is mostly market hype.   

By Joel Strauch, PCWorld    Oct 26, 2000
A Dolby Digital 5.1 sound card can reproduce sound through six separate channels: front left, front right, center, rear right, rear left, and a subwoofer for deep bass. (The subwoofer, as the low-frequency channel, is represented by the .1 in the 5.1 name). Regardless of what sound card you may choose, note that your card and speakers must have matching digital connections, and that sometimes the Dolby Digital encoding is handled differently by various manufacturers. If you plan to buy a card from one vendor and speakers from another, check with the vendors to be sure that their products can make sweet music together.

You already know that. I put it here for clarity for newcomers.

The $199 Platinum 5.1, powered by the EMU10K1 audio processor that comes standard in all Sound Blaster Live cards

So the sound blaster chip-set was a good choice back then.
Here is another review.
http://www.guru3d.com/review/creative/platinum51/

BTW: Do you have any optical device to test the PS3 output?
This reference looks  interesting
http://reviews.cnet.com/home-theater-systems/?filter=501414_5423419_

Hope this helps.

[joevh09]

Thanks for the reply Geek. My speakers are logitech and they don't make sound cards and they are about 6 or 7 years old but still good speakers. I don't have anything else i can test the ps3 output with but I think i'll try and get or borrow a friends pair of creative speakers and test them with it and see what happens.