S/PDIF to coaxial?

[ste2425]

hey guys well ive just been given a new, to me, surround sound system that i wish to hook upto my computer but i have no idea how to do this. My computer says it has 5.1 out through three jacks and a S/PDIF out header. The surround sound system itself has a coaxial in, optical in and two standard stereo in's. Im guessing the coaxial and optical ins are for the actual surround sound. Now how do i hook it up the best way with least amount of wires. Ive done a bit of researching and i think i need some sort of adapter that will convert the S/PDIF to either coaxial or optical am i right? If so which option would offer best sound quality and do you no of any decent but not too expensive products:P

Thanks guys n galls this is my first surround sound set-up i hope to enjoy it

[freaksavior]

Originally Posted by ste2425

hey guys well ive just been given a new, to me, surround sound system that i wish to hook upto my computer but i have no idea how to do this. My computer says it has 5.1 out through three jacks and a S/PDIF out header. The surround sound system itself has a coaxial in, optical in and two standard stereo in's. Im guessing the coaxial and optical ins are for the actual surround sound. Now how do i hook it up the best way with least amount of wires. Ive done a bit of researching and i think i need some sort of adapter that will convert the S/PDIF to either coaxial or optical am i right? If so which option would offer best sound quality and do you no of any decent but not too expensive products:P

Thanks guys n galls this is my first surround sound set-up i hope to enjoy it

which one is on your board and which is on your surround sound?

[ste2425]

my mobo has neither it has the header to connect a cable inside. My surround sound has both. after a bit more research i think i no how to mod an old RCA cable and an old hdd light header to work as coaxial. ll show photos if it works thanks

[Gzero]

You using your onboard sound?

I take it you don't have something that looks like the yellow round port on the far left like this?

[ste2425]

my board has a header attached to the mobo from which you connect a cable which has the optical and coaxial ports/connections. When i first started this thread i didnt no that and since starting this thread ive spent a good few hours trying to research this as there is nothing on the net about it and found that out. Ive also found that if i connect the ground from that header to the ground of an RCA cable and the live of that, not to the +5v but the other one on my mobo (forgotten its name) boom i have a coaxial socket. (i found the last bit out just recently). So im gonna mod one up and if it works let you guys no that this thread is not needed and thanks for your help if it doesn't work then this thread is still neded

[Mussels]

dont forget that without encoding, you only get stereo audio out of digital connections.

[ste2425]

ok well that may be where i trip over ill see if this cable actually works first then go on to actually getting rig to output in surround

[ste2425]

right well update, ive put the sub together, i forgot to mention it was in pieces set all the speakers and the surround sound itself is working fine each channel plays when it runs through the test. Now im just making the coaxial cable. Should i turn my pc of when i plug it in? BTW this sounds amazing, i love my retro setup but having this sub makes so much a difference, im tempted to just run it own its own with my retro stereo

EDIT:

ITS ALIIIIVE!!!! it works i realy did not expect that Right now this is where i need the help how do i set my computer up into surround sound and how do i test it?

[Mussels]

well without a soundcard with encoding, you wont get surround sound in anything but movies with pre-encoded audio (dolby digital/DTS)

[ste2425]

hmmm right ok what about games if i select the right option instead of stereo?

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by ste2425

hmmm right ok what about games if i select the right option instead of stereo?

no, stereo.

SPDIF can only transmit stereo, you need a card with encoding abilities and a speaker system with decoding abilities, to get any more than that.

[majestic12]

Without the built-in surround (Dolby Digital live or the DTS equivalent) encoding on your motherboard, the best option for surround sound would be to use something like Pro-Logic II on your surround sound system if you have it. Before I shelled out the $4.77 USD to get Dolby Digital Live on my X-fi Elite Pro, I had no problems playing games in surround using the Pro Logic II on my receiver. It works pretty well for the most part. You can use any connection option as well (optical, coaxial, or standard RCAs) to make it work.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by majestic12

Without the built-in surround (Dolby Digital live or the DTS equivalent) encoding on your motherboard, the best option for surround sound would be to use something like Pro-Logic II on your surround sound system if you have it. Before I shelled out the $4.77 USD to get Dolby Digital Live on my X-fi Elite Pro, I had no problems playing games in surround using the Pro Logic II on my receiver. It works pretty well for the most part. You can use any connection option as well (optical, coaxial, or standard RCAs) to make it work.

pro logic is not surround sound, its 'multiple stereo' - it basically mirrors the stereo left and right onto the rear speakers as well, grabs some of the low end for the sub, and the vocal range for the center.

while you get noise off all the speakers, its NOT positional audio (and as far as i'm concerned, not surround sound)

[ste2425]

ok thanks guys well i dont no if my mobo does that ill ave a gander at the specs

edit: right problems, it dont encode in surround sound. On the aplication that installed when i updated drivers i can sellect 5.1 suround for analuge but not for digital outputs so im guesing i would need a new sound card. any sugestions? Also will i be able to use surround at all? what about when watching movies or will it always be stereo until i get a new sound card?

[Mussels]

my suggestion is an auzentech X-plosion - its the model up from mine, with DD and DTS encoding and its got optical and coax SPDIF outputs.

when watching movies, you'll need AC3 filter setup with SPDIF passthrough. they'll need to be encoded into a format your speakers understand however (Do your speakers even support dolby digital?)