Optical Surround Sound in Computer

[RhysAndrews]

Sorry guys, Not too up to scratch on some of the terms for audio and their inputs, outputs, etc.

I certainly know a lot about the standard inputs/outputs... Line In/Out, Aux, RCA, and so on. But I have a question I'd like to ask and I may be fairly noobed in nature here.

I have a Pioneer HTD7 System... it's a home theater system. In the back, it has two plugs for each speaker... subwoofer, centre, left, right, rear-left, rear-right. It's those black/red clips with a positive and negative current. Does that make sense? The system has standard inputs like S-Video, RCA, etc - but I don't think there's any for surround sound.

Anyway... I also have a Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic sound card. Is there anyway I am able to plug in one or more speakers using those positive/negative clippy plugs into my computer? Clearly it'll involve a converter of some sort. If you could just point out the options here, that'd be great.

Just ask questions if you're confused or want to know more. Thanks!

Regards
Rhys Andrews

 

[_-..zKiLLA..-_]

u can get a headphone jack to RCA connector, thats what i use...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882123077

 

[RhysAndrews]

That's definitely useful... but only for stereo. I'm happy using stereo, but it's a bit tedious having the stereo plugs go into my home theater system then playing the front speakers... i'd prefer front speakers directly into the computer.

So if there's any other ideas, that would be great. But thanks! I'll keep it in mind.

-Rhys

 

[Kage]

I have that same sound card, and it does actually have a digital out, but its a Coaxial out, and not the standard one you find nowadays with the red light.
I haven't been sucessful in finding one that'll work with my sound card though...

If your amp supported Coaxial in (unless theres a convertor to digital to from this) then you could use surround then. It must be a surround amp to support rear left and right, unless its only a Dolby Logic decoder and not a Dolby Digital convertor, but for music and films if it has Dolby Logic II convertor, it'd be perfect.

 

[kjman87]

isnt coax spdif the new standard, as far as I know optical spdif is going not as reliable as the coax. though optical has far more bandwidth than the coax.

I personally use coax when i have the choice.

 

[RhysAndrews]

That's interesting. I didn't realise that coaxial / optical out could send signals for 5.1 channels. My home theater system has DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, and some other stuff (But not THX... is that even a decoder?).

It's optical/coaxial port, or at least one of them (i don't think there's any more) looks a bit like the port of a TV aerial... so it's sticking out a lot, has a metal rim to it and a metal stick in the middle of it aren't I great at explaining things?

-Rhys

 

[Kage]

Yep, well, if you can find the 3.5mm to Coaxial convertor for the Creative X-Fi, then you'll be able to output to the amp

I've had no luck in finding one that I think would work, but it'd be great to be pointed to a link with one, that I can find, as I need it for my speaker system too.

 

[kjman87]

That's interesting. I didn't realise that coaxial / optical out could send signals for 5.1 channels. My home theater system has DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, and some other stuff (But not THX... is that even a decoder?).

It's optical/coaxial port, or at least one of them (i don't think there's any more) looks a bit like the port of a TV aerial... so it's sticking out a lot, has a metal rim to it and a metal stick in the middle of it aren't I great at explaining things?

-Rhys

im kinda confused to what you said so:::

 

[Kage]

Yeah, but the X-FI sound card has the Coaxial output as a 3.5mm jack for use as 2 different outputs for some reason.

I found the link to the product you'd need to get. It adds 2 optical jacks to it, and 2 coaxial jacks

http://uk.europe.creative.com/shop/product_bundles.asp?category=14&subcategory=0&product=773&page=

I'm trying to find it cheaper, but I'm going for that if not.
My speakers don't sound half as good through analogue, and I bet they'll be less lag for audio programs too

Nope, I can't find it anywhere else. Ordering now. These are actually very hard to get hold of.

Bought it! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have looked

 

[freestyler105]

That connects through a 3.5mm jack though...it's not going to be top quality. Plus it'll only be 2 channel.