Digital Optical Out problem on USB LIVE Exter

Jpc's guide to digital outputs was great but it didn't seem to address the problems I'm having with my Soundblaster LIVE USB External! I've contacted support on numerous occasions but with no solution...can anybody help me?My Problem:?I have the Soundblaster LIVE USB External Card and I'm trying to play DIVX movies with AC3 soundtracks in VLC media player and also standard DVDs with Dolby Digital 5. soundtracks using both WINDVD and PowerDVD. The Soundblaster is connected to my YAMAHA Home Cinema Recei'ver via the front Optical out (Not the Rear Coax SPDIF) and the amp is set to decode DD or DTS. I have my speaker settings in the Creative Soundblaster software set to Optical Out Only (the little checkbox) and the speakers are then fixed on 2.. In VLC Media player I've selected SPDIF output and I am getting sound but it's just stereo and the Recei'ver is showing that it's receiving a PCM sound signal. In PowerDVD under the config it shows that the Soundblaster is (in use) but under SPDIF is shows (not in use) and I can find no options in Power DVD to select SPDIF! Again I am getting sound but not full-on DD 5.. In WINDVD under sound config is shows options for selecting SPDIF but it's greyed out and unselectable! The only thing that is slected is Analog sound device! I have sound, again stereo!?So that's it really... I'm just trying to figure out why I am getting sound (in stereo only) but nothing that I try will give me full 5.! I understand the concept that ticking the Optical Output only box in the Creative Soundblaster software should then send a pure AC3 signal to the receiver and that should then decode it as it would a DVD from a DVD player! I have tested the front port of my Recei'ver with a set top DVD player and It gives my 5. with no problem!?Any help would be fab!?I'm so at my wits end with this that I'll offer a prize to anyone who can solve this for me!?CheersOlyMessage Edited by olyscott8 on 03-9-200705:48 AM

Thanks for the reply but i'm running Power DVD Delux and even earlier versions of Power DVD had 5. as standard. I think this is not the problem though. I don't want Power DVD to decode the AC3 I want it to pass through the card to my Yamaha Recei'ver and have that decode the AC3 tracks on both Divx and DVDs. So I click the box that says Digital Output Only and it makes no difference!
I did get this to work about a month after buying the card back in September 2006 now it aint working. I've tried every trick in the book from re-install (6 times) to a cleam boot in XP!!!! nothing works! could it be a duff card!
Remember there's a prize for whoever can solve this!
Cheers
Oly

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I'm having a similar problem / issue with the digital outs...
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The larger issue is that playback works fine as long as the Audio driver is being used... i.e. iTunes playiing something back. When I stop any audio playback... about 30 seconds later, the MOTU sync light starts flashing as it's NOT receiving a sync signal from the iMac anylonger. Then if I start playback again it takes about 2-3 seconds for the playback to sound. Totally unacceptable...
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Anyhow, I have no advice to help you out rwcoch... I wish I did... this is ridiculous! I'm going to search a bit more and see if anyone else has anything remotely similar...
Can anyone else try to replicate my issue? Try sending a digital signal to another sound card... ?
Thanks

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[Restart holding AppleOption+OF: at prompt type: reset-nvram: Mac returns O.k. then type: reset-all.]

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