Sound card issues with Mac/FCP?

[drjrt]

I didn't get any response to this in the FCP section.

I'm getting started with FCP on my G5 system. My current 5.1 speaker system/amp does not have an optical input so my options are to: 1) stick with stereo, 2) buy a new speaker/amp system that has an optical input, 3) buy an audio card, 4) buy a standard amp with optical input that can drive my existing speakers.

Of those options, an audio card for the PowerMac seems to be the least expensive.

So, are there any cards I should avoid? Any known problems with FCP? Any other suggestions?

Thanks for your recommendations....

[tigeba]

What are you trying to achieve? Do you want to listen to movies, or are you trying to mix in 5.1?

[drjrt]

Thats a good question!

I doubt we will producing anything anytime soon other than in stereo/mono, so I don't need 5.1 for video production.

Probably primarily for movie playback. I guess the main reason is
I had it on my PC (and used it primarily for movie/music playback)
and just assumed I'd want the same functionailty on my new Mac.

[235 Studios]

listen to movies, or are you trying to mix in 5.1?

What would be the difference? Wouldn't the setup be the same either way? I'm just begining to look into setting up a 5.1 mixing environment, what would be different in this setup?

[taubkin]

Well, the quality of the output would have to be higher for a 5.1 production monitoring than for a 5.1 home theather, not to mention he would probably have to spend a load on MUCH better speakers than those he have...

[235 Studios]

Yeah I understand the need for batter speakers to monitor with, but for just the output, connecting the computer to the reciever, it should be the same requirments or am I mistaken?