Why don't PC games support Dolby Digital?

I was wondering as a new pc gamer...why don't pc games support Dolby Digital? My computer has a Coaxial Digital output which I run through my home theater reciever, but when I'm playing Gears/Crysis/etc, none of them send a DD signal to the reciever. I know that the computer does indeed send a DD signal when I play DVD movies though.

Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated please. I played through Gears on 360 and the sound was much, much better than PC. Now I'm playing with much better graphics, but worse sound! lol.

Thanks again for any info guys.

BTW: I have "Realtek High Definition Audio" that is integrated on my MB if that helps at all. I just don't understand why it plays through movies just fine, but not my games. Thanks!

Many games have dolby digital but you must use the analog connections on the sound card. It wouldn't work through coax. Connecting a coax cable is useless when it comes to PC games. All you will get is stereo sound. I don't know why they don't support it.

Many games have dolby digital but you must use the analog connections on the sound card. It wouldn't work through coax. Connecting a coax cable is useless when it comes to PC games. All you will get is stereo sound. I don't know why they don't support it.

Deihmos

Digital coax will carry a 5.1 Dolby Digital Signal.

[QUOTE="Deihmos"]

Many games have dolby digital but you must use the analog connections on the sound card. It wouldn't work through coax. Connecting a coax cable is useless when it comes to PC games. All you will get is stereo sound. I don't know why they don't support it.

TheCrazed420

Digital coax will carry a 5.1 Dolby Digital Signal.

Because Dolby Digital is a home theater format first and formost. In addition, it's an outdated audio codec, in-game engines are providing their own 5.1 surround that is becoming superior to DD.

[QUOTE="TheCrazed420"][QUOTE="Deihmos"]

Many games have dolby digital but you must use the analog connections on the sound card. It wouldn't work through coax. Connecting a coax cable is useless when it comes to PC games. All you will get is stereo sound. I don't know why they don't support it.

Deihmos

Digital coax will carry a 5.1 Dolby Digital Signal.

All I was saying is digital coax can carry a Dolby Digital signal. Most television stations run all of their audio that way. :)

Any PC game that would output a DD5.1 signal going to a audio card/receiver that has a Digital coax in could potentially work that way. It doesnt have to encoded by the devs any differently, its just another type of cable, like a fiberoptic one.

As to why no games support it, I would predict its somewhat like any peripheral that only a select few of your target audience has(like the power glove :P), theres not enough demand for it to qualify spending the extra money and resources to put it out. Purely theory though...

try redocnexk for coaxial output with creative cards

i played COD5 and FEAR2 in Dolby Digital with Audigy 2 ZS on vista x64