[mythtv-users] USB Soundcard with SPIDF digital pass through?

[Scott White]

Does anybody know of a USB soundcard for Linux that will allow one to
watch movies with Dolby Digital passed digitally to a surround sound
amplifier?  (Happy to jump through any hoops).  I believe they call this
"digital pass through"


Background,

I have been unable to get the SPIDF output on my Shuttle Zen to work and
the analogue sound quality is pretty rubbish.  I am currently running
with a Creative Soundblaster USB, (although I have tried others), which
works great with stereo through the SPIDF to my surround sound amp, but
I can not get digital multi-channel format out of it.  As a result I use
Myth for everything but watching movies and still have to switch to the
old faithful DVD player.  I can get great results with a PCI
soundblaster card but my one PCI slot is unfortunately used by a PVR-250
card.  I have also tried changing the PVR-250 for a WinPVR2 USB to free
up the PCI slot but the S-Video capture does not work and the composite
performance is not good enough for a large screen TV.  I am able to make
all these things work in Windows including my various soundcards, but
where's the fun in that?