Auzentech X-Fi HomeTheater HD
Price: 249 US Dollars
Purchase Location: e store Auzentech
Hello guys....
Good Afternoon
As you guys know I own compatible Blu-Ray TV and Blu-Ray HTS and Incredibly Capable system to Run Full Blu-Ray Disc's But I don't possess a compatible Blu-Ray sound card or other source to Run Blu-Ray Lose-less Audio such as
Dolby TrueHD and
DTS-HD Master Audio. you can click them for more Info.... Both Data rate Variable, up to 26 Mbps. DVD Standards are in kbps..
Till this May 10th, I have X-Fi Titanium Sound card and used to hear DVD standard's DTS and Dolby format even with Blu-Ray Source. Though for Normal Movie Goer it's quite and most enough for Best movie experience.
But for me it's different I give most preference for Audio than others and I am very peculiar about small details too...
Last spring, one of my Friend needed good setup and we used Asus HDMI sound card in his HTPC connected to
Definitive Technology HTS. We just didn't believe the sound from Blu-Ray Source compared to DVD Standards. From then onwards my Hunt started for good HDMI sound card which can Bitstream HD audio but None Available in India as well as in USA. So finally this Feb at eStore of Auzentech I saw BackOrder of this Product and ordered it since ASUS discontinued their HDMI product line. Asus one is Cheaper in price and also it comes with full version of Arc TotalMedia Player for HDMI sound unlike stupid Auzentech who gave only Trial Version of CyberLink PowerDVD. Considering the Cost they should have given PowerDVD full version...
ok now lets go to UnBoxing and goodies in it....
Here it is... Very neatly Designed Package
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/1.jpg
Side view and you can see Two Box Sets are folded like this into one Box.
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/2.jpg
Top Box Contains only Sound Card with very good care.
And lower Box contains all the accessories to connect this Sound card to any source without any missing components.
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/3.jpg
Sound card in Static Cover..
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/4.jpg
there it is...... This is really Big sound card and if anyone trying to put in mini HTPC cabinet then you are out of luck.
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/5.jpg
Little closer look at 20K2 X-Fi 2 Processor and X-Ram.. Underneath Heatsink it's Processor and Right side one is X-RAM..
I Observed that initial Release cards don't have Heatsink and it's good to have it on mine considering the Indian Climate..
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/1-2.jpg
Rear Connectors ....from left to Right HDMI in and out , S/PDIF optical output, Headphone and finally the Breakout cable to connect Analog upto 7.1 Speakers.
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/6.jpg
Front Panel connectors for your Cabby.. such as AND_Ext and SPDIF IN...
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/7.jpg
Another View....
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/8.jpg
These are the Accessories bundled with Card....Check Below Image
Analog Break Out Cable -- (With this cable you can connect to 2.1,5.1 upto 7.1 Speakers such as my Creative Gigaworks S750 71.)
HDMI to HDMI cable -- (This cable is connected from HDMI output in Sound Card to compatible A/V Receivers such as HTS for uncompressed Audio from Blu-Ray Movies)
DVI to HDMI cable -- ( This cable is connected from one of your DVI port in Video card and to HDMI input in Sound Card, This is used for Sync between Video and Audio when you are using HDMI output Source)
S/Pdif cable -- This is optical cable for sound Source.
Quick start manual -- (AS you all know what is MANUAL)
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/9.jpg
Finally into System.... Red light lits ,if it detects output HDMI source.
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/10.jpg
Connections:
If you know what you are doing then Setup is really piece of Cake and this is the way I connected to my HTS and its working charm...
*www.auzentech.com/site/images/connect1_hthd_med.jpg
Software and Format Recognition
Well, once you are done with connections then boot into OS and install the software came with CD and one more restart.. boom
The software is just same as it comes with every X-Fi Series. so nothing new except the new HDMI Block. I didn't have to worry about any settings and just only one Imp step to take care of it is to MARK "
Play audio from Speakers through HDMI". This option must be selected to get uncompressed Audio from your speakers.
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/HDMI.jpg
Now MoVEEE Time....:
Load Blu-Ray Disc and of-course open PowerDVD.... Bad News is Except PowerDVD no other Player can output Uncompressed Audio through this Sound card. Even ArcTotalMedia Player too failed to BitStream to A/V Receiver. Good News is PowerDVD is able to do the JOB well in Video and Audio.
Make sure to set "High-Definition Audio output to External Device" in Audio settings of PowerDVD. If not set this option properly then Downsampled Audio will output to your receiver..
Example: If Dolby TrueHD is the Main audio of your Blu-Ray then you would see in your receiver displaying only Dobly 5.1 which is limited to upto 640kbps.
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/1-1.jpg
If the above option set properly in Audio Settings of PowerDVD then you would see this in Player
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/2-1.jpg
And In your Receiver you should see this...
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/3-1.jpg
Same with DTS HD Master Audio.. I really like those
RED Symbols in Receiver
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/4-1.jpg
In receiver
*img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/sunil_9/My%20Rig/Auzentech%20X-FI%20HD/5-1.jpg
PowerDVD shows output as "
Compressed Data" but it is
not...It's a bug in PowerDVD and confirmed with PowerDVD support as well as saw in Reviews too.. Whatever your Receiver displays is the one you are getting from the Source. Hence
IT"S UNCOMPRESSED AUDIO.
The others Players too can output sound but it's limited to DVD standards only.. Seriously my PowerDVD is working really well with A/V receiver and it's fine with almost every Format.
Audio Experience:
If you believe that there is a difference between DVD video and Blu-Ray Video Quality then it's True and unbelievable with Audio too...
Everything Sounded Loud and Crystal Clear and I felt many Times What exactly I have been missing all these Years with Blu-Ray. Same MoVees sound Different and sometimes I feel like is it the same HTS i have before....
Onkyo is truly remarkable HTS and considering the price my HTS is sounding Damn well. But I feel now that my HTS is still not the system to do justice for Blu-Ray. It doesn't mean it's not good it's DAMN GOOD..It's just i feel above 50K HTS 7.1 is the right speakers for my sound card now. Well I am broke pretty well now and I am fine with current speakers and won't be upgrading atleast another year or Two for 7.1 Speakers.
I am watching Blu-Ray Movies for almost one month with this card and I must say it's Purely GOLDEN moments for Movie Lover.
Transformers Series 2007-2011:
Transformers series sounded ultraSharp and when ever Prime or Megatron speaks I am speechless with Crystal clear Low Bass Vocals. Treble is now more clear than before with optical cable. Blastings and Gun Fires sound very powerful and real life sounds feeling you will get when you are watching Movies.
Black Swan 2010:
Black Swan is a dark tale and shows clearly how people sometimes too involve and suffer from psychosis with Characters they do in concerts or in their Professional life. I really Liked this Movie and loved every scene in this Movie. During Climax, Natalie Portman final Dance as Black Swan and Background score made sure I watch with Goosebumps all the time. Feathers and her Black feeling vocals sounded so clear that you believe it's happening right in-front of you..
This Movie is not for Kids.....
The Grey 2011:
One thing I would like to say that I never know that Snow Storm sounds so strong and dangerous. If you didn't watch this Movie watch it you will know What exactly i am Referring too..
The List goes on and on....If I start telling about my awesome Experience with uncompressed Audio....
Conclusion:
Rating: 7.5/10 (Rating is little low considering the price)
+Ve
1. Awesome Sound when used with Analog Speakers too and supports upto 8 Channels
2. HDMI in and out Slots.
3. BitStreams HD audio such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD MA and 192 kHz PCM
4. Easy setup
5. Comes with Vital Accessories
6. X-Ram (little helpful with Games)
7. Supports deep color 30/36-bit color depth and Resolutions up to 1080p @ 60Hz or 720p/1080i @ 120Hz
-Ve
1. Expensive
2. Not Fit for Small HTPC cabinets.
3. Works with PowerDVD only to output uncomressed Audio.
4. No Full Version Copy of PowerDVD and its costs another 80$.
5. Word is worst Tech support in Internet (Let's hope I won't be having any problems)
Overall I am quite happy and speechless with uncompressed Audio MoVee Experience.....
Thank you so much for your Time n patience to read this Large Post....
Let me know your opinions Please....
