The Vortex 2 DSP is configured in its driver with absolutely separated digital output. I.e. all inputs from AC97 are not routed to digital output. I think if you'd use CD digital input on your card you could get CD Audio tracks on digital out. Try digital tract between CDROM and your Aureal card. It's two pin 2,54 mm step size cable.

PARUS wrote on 2020-05-22, 12:41:

The Vortex 2 DSP is configured in its driver with absolutely separated digital output. I.e. all inputs from AC97 are not routed to digital output. I think if you'd use CD digital input on your card you could get CD Audio tracks on digital out. Try digital tract between CDROM and your Aureal card. It's two pin 2,54 mm step size cable.

I'm unable to find a CD digital input on this card. There are some pins on it which I can't figure out what for

maverick85, Vortex 2 has at least two digital inputs. First is connected to AC97 with its ADC and attached to analog mixer, second is attached to separated S/PDIF input. It can be used with CDROM or any other S/PDIF source. All you need is reveal on your "some pins" power +5V line and do not touch it in any case (you may damage your spdif sources). One of other pins is spdif input, try any pin with CDROM and you'll find it. Of course you should tune S/PDIF slider in Windows mixer.

PARUS wrote on 2020-05-23, 16:20:

maverick85, Vortex 2 has at least two digital inputs. First is connected to AC97 with its ADC and attached to analog mixer, second is attached to separated S/PDIF input. It can be used with CDROM or any other S/PDIF source. All you need is reveal on your "some pins" power +5V line and do not touch it in any case (you may damage your spdif sources). One of other pins is spdif input, try any pin with CDROM and you'll find it. Of course you should tune S/PDIF slider in Windows mixer.

I have female to female dupont cables, which I can connect to my dvd drive. But where do I connect the other end of the cables. Unlike the soundblaster audigy 2 zs, it doesnt have a CD spdif connector clearly labelled..
There are rows of pins on the aureal card (top right or bottom left) but I dont know where to connect the cables.. where is the ground and where is the +5v?

It's top right. Bottom left is for MIDI daughterboards.
I have a same board on green PCB. Need to find it if not lost. I'll try to find it and then tell you where are +5 and ground.

PARUS wrote on 2020-05-23, 20:07:

It's top right. Bottom left is for MIDI daughterboards.
I have a same board on green PCB. Need to find it if not lost. I'll try to find it and then tell you where are +5 and ground.

were you able to find it?

I didn't find it yet. Was looking photos in www very closely. Power +5V is fourth pin at the bottom line from left to right. Probably another +5V pin is fifth at the top line from left to right. You may seek digital TTL output on other pins .

Did you ever get this working? I'm looking to hook up digital CD audio to my vortex 2 sq2500.

wiibur wrote on 2023-06-18, 00:20:

Did you ever get this working? I'm looking to hook up digital CD audio to my vortex 2 sq2500.

Can't remember. Like most projects bits and pieces keep getting swapped out, broken down, rebuilt etc ...