Standard optical cables do not have enough bandwidth to carry uncompressed 5.1 or 7.1 audio. For PC gaming in true surround sound, analog cables (using the black, orange, and green jacks) or an HDMI cable are actually superior to an optical digital cable. 📌 The Verdict
Many users assume that Realtek Digital Output cannot do surround sound. This is false. Standard S/PDIF supports . However, Windows will only send stereo PCM by default unless you install specific codecs or enable "Dolby Digital Live" (rare on standard Realtek drivers). realtek digital output better