hda: handling stuff like Dolby or DTS

[Chuck Robey]

I have a system with a Asus Striker Extreme motherboard, and that's what 
I'm using as a basis for my work, if I can.  The audio resources seem, 
so far, to be all wrapped up in the AD1988b chip, which I do have some 
docs on.  I don't know whether or not the motherboard's Nvidia chipset 
(680 based) handles any of it or not, or if it requires some Windows 
software (grrr...).  I haven't been able, so far, to locate ANY docs on 
the Nvidia chipset.

So here's my questions, answer any or all, I'm not pushing, and any 
hints you might be able to give me will point me towards more research 
on my own.  Up to a point, I might even be willing to buy some docs, but 
they would really need to be on-point, if you take my meaning (I'm now 
permanently retired due to disability, so my income's a bit limited). 
Ok, here it is:

(1) Looking towards multichannel stuff like DTS or Dolby, anything 
beyond merely supply the required number of pipes, anyone know if things 
like maybe synthesizing those extra channels, or decoding them, might be 
some function of either the AD1988b (one I have looked for, but so far 
can't locate), or, perhaps some function of the Nvidia 680 chipset?

(2) Anyone know of a source for technical docs (NOT just reviews) for 
any Nvidia chipset?  Extra points if you can point me towards info on 
the 680.  This is even if it doesn't supply any audio processing, 
because it will at the very least tell me where NOT to go looking.

(3) This one I haven't really done all my homework on, so don't go to 
any real lengths to ansewr this, it'd really embarrass me to have you do 
that, I'd feel like some mooch.  Anyhow, I need info, any sort, 
descriptive or circuitry, schematics or just features, on stuff I need 
ot work into a really good driver, like synthesizing Dolby, DTS, etc. 
Anything beyond mere amplifying or connecting, that part's implicit. 
Most especially, if you can point me towards stuff saying that such and 
such is paid only, must pya this guy (just point me towards the info) 
and I would really, really want to use this.  I don't want to implement 
a minimum, empty driver, I would REALLY like to do something that I 
would personally like to use and share with friends (you qualify in that 
list).

Thanks for any more info.  I'm sorry if I am leaning on you folks for 
all this.  Especially on that last point, if all you can offer is 
descriptions, well, if I have even a close idea of what is being done, 
maybe I could experiment, and hack up something you folks might find to 
be useable?  Could happen ... and I do know analog & digital signal 
processing, though I could perhaps learn a lot more (some of the math is 
right at the far edge of my capabilities, not all, but some).

I mean, the docs that came with the Striker Extreme motherboard said it 
did a lot of stuff that the mere AD1988b doesn't seem to supply, so that 
  there just has to be something I'm missing.