Plugging in a 5.1 system into your pc

Off-topic
1

hows it going everyone?:smiley:

trying to plug in a 5.1 surround sound sysem into my pc and im getting totally confused cable wise lol
on the volume controller for the 5.1 there 6 inputs for all of the speakers (fl,fr,ce,sl,sr,sw) plus 3 other spaces where the pc will be connected to it. front, surround and sub

i have a standard sound card (line in (green) line out (blue ) and mic (red) sockets in the back of my pc, looking it up online it is possible to do it this way so long as its configured correctly vi control panel etc, but whats confusing isā€¦what cables go where???

i have 2 cables which have the headphone jack at one end and a 2 phono ones at the other (red and white)
i have the sub cable (yellow) which is phono on both ends
and 2 cables with headphone jacks on both endsā€¦

which ones go into the computer??? which cables do i use? are these even the right cables?

if this makes sense to anyone, or u have experience in this feild please feel free to reply to this threadā€¦u would be helping me out A LOT

cheers in advance,
Shin

2

on mine iv got 2 into one rca plugs so six cables going out of speaker base box then into 3 (dont know what type of plugs but they are white) plugs then into my pc

i hope this helps :slight_smile:

3

yes like a head phone maby you need 3ā€¦so the 6 rca go into 3 head phone cable thingys

4

Post some pictures of the setup and maybe I can help. Also do you know what type of sound card (brand wise) your computer has?

5

thanks for the replys so far guys, Iā€™m gonna try and take some pictures a lil later and brand info as Iā€™m not with it at the mo. I know itā€™s a standard issue soundcard, it suppers 5.1 in the settings though,

stUntmartin, how do u mean out of ur bass box? All 5 speakers and the sub plug into a ā€œvolume controlā€ unit on my unit. that leaves 3 more spaces on the volume controll (front, surround and sub). The back of my pc also has 3 ports, so if I used the two into one cables, it would mean that I would only using one half of the cable (either the red or White) into the volume controll unit/pc. Iā€™m not sure if thatā€™s how it works, but since thereā€™s an actuall sub cable (yellow one) would I only need 2 two-Into-one cables? Or do I need 3 single cables that plug directly in each end?

6

Have a look in control panel. Usually there is an application for the drivers to alter the input/outputs functions for 5.1. Or there is a digital out (either electrical or optical) to plug into a 5.1 receiver.

7

im not sure how yours will work maby post up some pics

on mine i have rear L rear R front L front R center, subā€¦rcs plugs both ends and they go 2 into 1 with a head phone style plug then into pc

once youve sorted the plugs right them do like kev said on control panel

8

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/268/2

the third picture down is what the back of my volume control unit looks likeā€¦

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/268/4

lusing he first pic as a reference, i have the line in, the line out and the mic (red green and blue ports) only, and not the rear in, sub or or any other ports.

My sound card is a SOUNDMAX ingrated digital HD audio, made by analouge devices last updated 2005, cant find any newer drivers

i have the cables u described stntmartin, but as all my speaker plug into the volume control,ā€¦ im using a line out, line in and sub cable to plug that directly into my pc.