[SurroundSound] Surround Advice Sought

Just loaded a "new" laptop from Dell with Home theater software to
play most formats. This new laptop is a DELL XPS M1710. It comes
with SPDIF output. I notice one important difference between my
previous desktop home theater system and this laptop. The major
difference is playing DVD-A iso using either Foobar or Shaplayer which
worked really well with my analog outputs from my sound card in the
desktop to my receiver/amplifier. 4.0 or 5.1 formats sounded great.
Now with the laptop running Foobar or Shaplayer with SPDIF output to
the same reciever/amp the reciever produces stereo only. The front
panel of the receiver LCD lights up with "96K Stereo"

So, what is causing surround not to be played? Is the receiver
shifting automatically to 96K stereo because it cant handle 24 bit
96000hz 6 channel input? or Is the laptop computer SPDIF hardware not
capable of creating 24 bit 96000hz 6 channel output. Or Is it the
SPDIF standard/technology itself incapable of supporting 4,5,or 6
channel digital signals. (Some posts I have read here say yes others
say no.)

If it is a problem with my reciever/amp does anyone know an
inexpensive one I could purchase that can play DVD-A plus other
formats via SPDIF.

Could a possible solution be an external USB surround card with analog
outputs?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

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