Surround Sound

[cantona]

Hi

I am just wondering if it is possible to hook up this certain home theatre system to your computer inorder to obtain surround sound:

Details about product found at:

http://www.centralshop.com.au/products/product.aspx?productId=HTK250

I emailed the guy of the shop in perth and he said that these were very good for surround sound but required digital fibre optic or analog inputs.

My PC specs are:

120 GB
512 DDR RAM
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum
AMD 64 3200+ (Skt 939)
GeForce 6600 Gt (128MB)
Win XP (SP2)

I am just wondering if my pc has what is required and is the product really that good?

If not do you guys know of any products (please take into account I live in Australia) that are worth a look at?

Thanx

 

[CarpeNoctem]

If analog inputs are RCA cables, then yeah, you can have that surround system connected to your computer.

Your best bet is to go with an Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro which has 5 stereo inputs
http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=204&product=4925

or an Audigy 4 Pro that has 6 stereo inputs
http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=434&product=10853

 

[TRDCorolla1]

I would just plug the output from your sound card into the AUX input on your stereo for a simple soultion.

 

[setishock]

Yep...

All the surround sound data is encoded on the front channels of a surround capable sound card. You need a 3.5mm to rca patch cord.
Plug the cord in to the sound card and the other end to an used input on the decoder/amp. TV or vcr in works nicely on mine. set the volume on the decoder/amp to about 1/4 and adjust the computers sound level to just under distorting, then back off a bit more.
Don't worry about mismatching output from the computer to the decoder/amp. The output from the card is line level and will work just fine.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

The problem that I am having is that I am plugged into my soundcards 1/8'' slot going to an RCA plug. Which is plugged into a spliter that allows me to input to my right and left speakers. The only problem is that I only get the left channel on both speakers. So I was forced to go mono.

Are you saying that if I send it through my vcr first that I will have both right and left channels going to the proper speakers?

 

[setishock]

Noooooooooo...

Straight to the amp.
If you're just getting left channel then try checking the amp settings. It may be set to mono. Do the same for the sound card. If still no joy then try another patch cable.
There was a serious spelling error in my first reply. It should have read UNused input. Sorry I drink too much coffee...lol

 

[The_Other_One]

How many wires are you useing? if it's RCA/Phono, you should have 6(2 front, 2 back, center and sub) if it's headphone, you should have 3.

Now if you can use digital, I beleive it can all be done with a single cable, but that's all if your amp and computer are capable...

Now, this is assuming you want real surround sound? If you just want to go into your amp, yeah, just 2 channels are needed

 

[setishock]

The problem that I am having is that I am plugged into my soundcards 1/8'' slot going to an RCA plug. Which is plugged into a spliter that allows me to input to my right and left speakers. The only problem is that I only get the left channel on both speakers. So I was forced to go mono.

Are you saying that if I send it through my vcr first that I will have both right and left channels going to the proper speakers?

Wait a min. Does the wire only have on rca plug on it? If it does then true you're only gonna get mono. You need a stero cable. And you don't have to hook up all the outputs of the computer to the amp. The front channels have all the info to decode the rest of the sounds channels.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

Wait a min. Does the wire only have on rca plug on it? If it does then true you're only gonna get mono. You need a stero cable. And you don't have to hook up all the outputs of the computer to the amp. The front channels have all the info to decode the rest of the sounds channels.

Ok I have two cables. One that is a 1/8'' (soundcard size) to RCA. Then I have a small splitter that splits the one RCA plug to two, which is plugged into my receiver.

When I had winamp set to stero, I couldn't hear any of the musics right channels. So if the vocals were only outputed to the right side, i couldn't hear them.

Then I decided to go to mono. But when I move the balance to the right i get no sound. And to the left the sound is outputing to both speakers.

I don't know whether or not my cable is mono or stereo.