Plus (DD+ or E-AC-3): Supports increased bitrates and 7.1 channel surround sound, and may be used to simulate/synthesize 7.1 surround sound from 5.1 sources on DVD (such as Dolby Digital, upon which this format is based). The DD+ specification supports up to...

extra money? If you really want to hear the high-end audio and view the best possible video, you may be better off buying standalone players because they include the audio codecs to handle 7.1 and 8 channel surround sound schemes, but also because...

can run its Windows drivers. Note that it works with Windows 2000 and newer versions, and drivers are included on an accompanying CD, but it makes no mention of Vista in current offerings. This tiny add-on device provides support for 7.1 channel surround sound,...

of satellites 4 Speaker power 7 RMS watts Subwoofer 30 RMS watts Center channel 21 watts Bandwidth 35 Hz - 20 kHz SNR 76 dB Inspire 5700 is a 5.1 system with four 7-watt speakers, a 21-watt center channel and a subwoofer of 30 RMS watts. It has...

From 16 Bit To 24 Bit Surround!. creative. Touted by its maker as a revolution, with specifications that are admittedly mouth-watering, does the new X-Fi audio processor from Creative really deserve our attention - and yours? The answers to that question are...

remote control. Using the remote, you can individually control outputs to the subwoofer, center, and surround speakers, S/PDIF outputs, 6 channel direct, and more. There is even a mute button to silence the entire system quickly. About our only issue with the...

directed to the transducers at the rear. The transducers in the center reproduce sounds from the front right and left, with the ones at the front assuming center channel duties. These phones therefore reproduce Dolby Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1, stereo etc....

support at least 5.1 if not 8 channel audio as well, they can easily combine picture and sound without requiring any additional effort from their users. Note also that without an entertainment system that supports 5.1 surround sound or better, you really can't...

• -Components For The Ideal Media PC, Continued

Logitech X-530, Continued. 5. The 5.1 surround sound experience is a growing must-have for gamers and film buffs who demand life-like resonance for gun shots, explosions and the like during Doom III or DVD play. We look at three entry-level systems to see if...