Digital Audio Help

[Aggiemem]

I just purchased an ATI HD tuner for my pc. Essentially, I need to know what is the best way for me to have digital audio. Currently the only sound I have is coming from an onboard sound card and factory speakers (yes, I need to upgrade). Here are some of the questions that I am asking:

Do I consider purchasing 5.1 speakers with built-in decoders and multiple inputs?
Do I buy an external decoder and some speakers?
Should I just purchase a high end sound card for my pc and let it do all the decoding (my only concern here would be the inputs ie. I have a couple of gaming consoles)?
What additional decoders do I have to buy for my PC, if any, to accomodate my digital audio choices?
Finally, what products do you all have to go with your suggestions for above?

PLEASE HELP!!!!

[Feanor]

I just purchased an ATI HD tuner for my pc. Essentially, I need to know what is the best way for me to have digital audio. Currently the only sound I have is coming from an onboard sound card and factory speakers (yes, I need to upgrade). Here are some of the questions that I am asking:
...

PLEASE HELP!!!!

Aggiemem, I'm not sure what ultimate configuration you have in mind. Do you want 5.1 digital playback on your computer? Or do you want playback through your home theatre system.

If the former, you'll need a 5.1 sound card, probably internal to you PC, and a self-powered 5.1 computer speaker system.

If you want to feed to an HT system, your simplest, and perhaps best, bet will be a 5.1 internal sound card with 5.1 S/PDIF (digital) output that you can connect to the digital input on your HT receiver. Note that S/PDIF comes in two connection types: (1) optical, also know as Toslink, and (2) coaxial whose connector is the RCA type; your receiver would like have inputs of both types, but check it.

[James Jardine]

nice ... very nice!