Let me preface this by saying that i have ONLY ever used an optical cable to connect my DVD player to my receiver for 5.1 sound.
Okay, I purchased a new Media Center PC, and it has a digital audio out coaxial connector on the back. The receiver I have also has a digital coaxial in. Now I used a standard RCA cable to connect the PCs digital audio out to the receivers digital audio in, just to try it out, and I only get stereo sound coming out of the receiver.
My question is, is 5.1 possible from digital coaxial, or is it only possible through optical? If it IS possible through digital coaxial, what am I not doing right, why am I only getting stereo sound? Do I HAVE to use digital coaxial cable to get the 5.1 sound, and is that maybe why I am only getting stereo sound at the moment?