Others say...

"Maybe Worth It, but Be Warned"
This product did NOT do what I had hoped it would. However, I can't write it off completely since I was not using it for its original purpose. Follow me, if you will...

Setup: Laptop, Creative Sound Blaster external 24-bit USB break out box, Labtec 4.1 speaker system, Creative Digital I/O device, Xbox 360.

Before I purchased this device, I had been running the audio of my laptop through the Creative Labs USB Sound Blaster MP3+ External Sound Card Sound System Sound Blaster external USB device (please note, the link is to a product that is similar, but not precisely the same model), and out through the Labtec 4.1 speaker system. The external device worked just fine, and didn't have any major problems (with an older driver I couldn't get the device to use any profile other than 'headphones' instead of 4 speakers).

I had hooked my Xbox 360 to a LCD computer monitor via a VGA adapter cable, and ran my audio through the 1/8" jack to the Line In jack on the back of the external USB device. Everything was fine. I had audio from the Xbox coming through the speakers I used for my laptop (granted, no EAX abilities were available, but at least there was sound).

I ordered the Sound Blaster Digital I/O Module hoping that I would be able to use a TOSLink cable to get digital sound from the Xbox. Not the case.

I updated my drivers. I ran the TOSLink from the AV cable of the Xbox to the I/O Module and that was run to Line In 1/8" jack in the back of the external USB device. Turned on the Xbox hoping to have some surround sound love from the I/O module.

Nothing. No sound. No interference noise. Nothing at all.

I tried setting the Xbox to Digital Stereo, Digital Surround, and even the Digital WMA setting for the audio. Still nothing.

After some research and a letter to Creative, I was dismayed to find out that the Sound Blaster Digital I/O module does NOT support digital sound.

What???

Creative's solution was to set the Xbox to Digital Stereo output, and plug the 1/8" jack into the Line In port of the external Sound Blaster device. According to them, even though it wouldn't produce true surround sound, I should be able to use the TOSLink to get sound from the Xbox.

Sorry. That's not the case. I've tried every possible combination that I can think of, and I can't get any sound at all from the Xbox via the I/O device.

It's not an issue of the I/O device not being compatible with the other Creative device that I have. I double checked before making the purchase that it would work with the external device that had. I just can't. Make. It. Work.

So I'm back to using a cheapo Radio Shack 1/8" jack running into the external USB sound card to get audio from the Xbox. So, if by chance, you're trying to use the I/O device to get digital sound output, don't buy this product. It is not capable of carrying a Dolby Digital sound through it.

I honestly don't know why they even make this doohickey, other than to lure in gadget geeks like me.

._._.

"Works as advertised, but not entirely necessary..."
I picked up this item since I use my PC as a lossless music server and use a outboard DAC for processing.

Unless you need to use a optical connection, this item is not needed. Just go out and purchase a gold plated RCA to 1/8" adapter and throw it on the end of your coax cable. You'll also be cleaning up the signal path.

"What a waste"
I bought this thinking it would be surround sound with one optic cable right? No way on most of the low end cards, they only send 2 channels!

"This does not deliver 5.1 sound with the X-fi extreme music."
I bought the Sound Blaster Digital I/o Module wanting to hook up my computer to my Sony STR-K740P 5.1 home theater system. The Sound Blaster Digital I/o Module will deliver a digital signal to external devices already decoded or it can be decoded from a home theater unit. Sadly I found that the best I could get with this product is a maximum of 2.1 audio. I found a few message boards with other people having many problems with this device so I would recommend that you save your money and get a sound card that has a digital coax or optical connection built in.

"Works as Advertised"
Plugged it in, connected it to my Integra 7.8 receiver; set receiver to use digital port and it worked. Worked just as it should. No excess packaging but fancy packaging adds nothing to the product except expense and waste. Too bad this functionality was not just included on the sound card to begin with.