Connecting 5.1 to Single Jack Socket

Danger Phoenix · 20 Feb 2007 at 12:19

Is there a way of connecting a 5.1 sound system to a single laptop jack socket, without reducing the volume output?

Topgun · 20 Feb 2007 at 13:19

The speakers should have built in amplification and are not powered from the laptop so the volume is not an issue. Have you already bought your speakers? Check if your laptop can support spdif digital output as this is the easiest way to get proper 5.1 out of a laptop. You will need an external 5.1 decoder if you take this route.

Danger Phoenix · 20 Feb 2007 at 16:24

Topgun said:
The speakers should have built in amplification and are not powered from the laptop so the volume is not an issue. Have you already bought your speakers? Check if your laptop can support spdif digital output as this is the easiest way to get proper 5.1 out of a laptop. You will need an external 5.1 decoder if you take this route.

Ive already got the speakers for my computer... but we are having a party on a field next weekend and want to play music from a laptop, and this laptop only had the standard headphone socket...

skanky · 20 Feb 2007 at 19:33

not quite sure what ports your laptop has but it sounds like as your speakers have phono plugs, you arent going to be able to plug them all in as usually there are seperate plugs for front/back/lfe iirc?

your best bet for 5.1 sound from a laptop is a soundblaster zs notebook, vista drivers are in the works atm.

Danger Phoenix · 20 Feb 2007 at 19:45

skanky said:
not quite sure what ports your laptop has but it sounds like as your speakers have phono plugs, you arent going to be able to plug them all in as usually there are seperate plugs for front/back/lfe iirc?

your best bet for 5.1 sound from a laptop is a soundblaster zs notebook, vista drivers are in the works atm.

My speakers connect to the computer by 3 x 3.5mm jack plugs...