Powerbook sound devices

huey782huey782
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I just ordered a 12" powerbook for college, and am planning on getting the Logitech 5.1 digital speaker system. I'm looking for something similar to the creative USB Audigy 2, something for my powerbook that can decode the 5.1 signal through a USB port, so I can get surround sound when watching movies. Anybody know of something like this? Thanks.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Don't look anywhere else but here; http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...ater-main.html, everything else just sucks.



    EDIT, bad link fixed
  • Reply 2 of 5
    huey782huey782 Posts: 3member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Relic

    Don't look anywhere else but here; http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...ater-focus.htm, everything else just sucks.



    Thanks...I think I'm going to order one real soon. Do I need any software besides Apple's DVD player?
  • Reply 3 of 5
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by huey782

    Thanks...I think I'm going to order one real soon. Do I need any software besides Apple's DVD player?



    Nope, that should do it. Well maybe some nice speakers.
  • Reply 4 of 5
    scooterboyscooterboy Posts: 69member
    Wait a sec. The M-Audio Sonica Theater is a great sound card with up to 7.1 surround capability but it does not decode Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 6.1 content. It uses software to approximate, or mimic, 5.1 Dolby. It does not decode the signal, but accepts an AC3 stereo stream that it upmixes using Circle Surround II technology. As there are no software decoders and DVD Player app does not decode, you must buy an additional decoder along with the M-Audio Sonica Theater for true Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS.



    Unless you speaker system includes an on-board decoder, you'll need an addtional decoder such as the Creative Labs DDTS-100.
  • Reply 5 of 5
    scooterboyscooterboy Posts: 69member
    The Sonica Theater has exellent sound quality and though I've been planning to purchase the Creative decoder to go with it, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Circle Surround II does a pretty amazing job at simulating the surround tracks of DVD movies.



    You mentioned Logitech as your speaker choice, but only one of their 5.1 systems has a built in decoder, the Z-5500 Digital system. My Klipsch 5.1 system (which is the best sounding computer speaker system I've yet heard) lacks a decoder.



    But there is a new FireWire sound card for Mac coming soon. The FireWave from Griffin Technology. It's a 5.1 surround sound card made for the Mac, and it includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 decoders and support for OpenAL 3D sound technology used in many games. I'm buying one as soon as they're available.
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