How to use SPDIF out on my Motherboard

[StephanieRice]

I just bought an Nvidia 9600 GT graphics card and cannot find the appropriate SPDIF connection spot on my motherboard. My motherboard has a 5-pin S/PDIF output connector that I would like to connect either to a DAC or HTR. Are these outputs mainly for graphics cards or can you buy a bracket or module that can be used to get the signal out of the computer case. I would like to set up some sort of surround sound for playing games and such.

[Willard21]

SPDIF stands for Sony/Philips Digital Interface. If you want coaxial output the easiest & cheapest way is to get a RCA socket and two wires. Connect the body and center of the RCA socket to the ground pin and OUT pin respectively of the SPDIF header. It is a standard for digitally transferring audio. Digital transference, as opposed to analogue transmission, is immune to noise and according is the kind of transmission loved by audiophiles, musicians and professional people in the audio field that use computers as a tool. In many cases, however, the computer provides a SPDIF connection capability, unused due to unfamiliarity of user's or technician that assembled the computer.

[Santanio]

What MB do you have? It sounds to me that you should have some kind of adapter to plug into that that came with your motherboard. do you have any tool from AC '97 like Soundmax or Soundman in system tray??? If you don't install that tool from your motherboard CD. In there you can enable/disable SPDIF OUT.

[StephanieRice]

Can anyone tell me where should i plug in my pins and do i need to make a digital coaxial cable connected to the S/PDIF pins on the motherboard. I used SPDIF_OUT for the center conductor in the RCA cable/jack, and either GND or VCC for the ground/outer conductor.

[Myron]

If you want coaxial output the easiest & cheapest way is to get a RCA socket and two wires. Connect the body and center of the RCA socket to the ground pin and OUT pin respectively of the SPDIF header or Pin 2 would be the center conductor of the rca jack, pin 6 would be the outer. Make sure you use some decent shielded cable to go from the motherboard pins to the rca jack. Mount the jack either on the front of the case somewhere or on a blank spacer on the back.