New PC...how to setup sound?

azibux1

azibux1

azibux1

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Hi,

I recently built a PC and I just wanted to ask you all a question to do with getting sound from my PC. Sorry for the stupid questions but sound/audio isn't my area of expertise, but I still like to have it sounding as good as possible with the equipment I have

I have an Asus P8Z68 V LX as my motherboard and a Sony DAV-DZ260 home theater system currently set up with my TV (which is next to the PC)

Currently I have a 3.5mm cable going from the headphone jack (on the front of the PC) going to the 3.5mm audio in port on the Sony. Am I losing any quality from this? I'm not getting 5.1 surely?

I was just wondering would this work:

Have an optical splitter / switch connected to the port on the Sony system, and have one cable going into it from the TV and one from the optical out on the motherboard. Then use the switch to swap between PC and TV depending on which I will be using.

Are these optical switches reliable or do they affect the sound quality??


The other option is to carry on using it how it is set up now

Or I have a Creative Inspire 5.1 5100 speaker system (I think that is the correct model), set up with a PC downstairs (Dell pre-built), however this PC does not support 5.1 channel sound so it is just setup using two speakers and a sub.

Could I use the Creative system with my PC (does the motherboard have the correct connections for 5.1), then I could buy a creative 2.1 speaker system for the PC downstairs for around 25 pounds


What would you say is the best option?

Hope you can help,
 
Well you want to be using the optical into the Sony, not the 3.5mm connection, if you are going to connect that to your PC.

Sound quality is not affected by using a splitter with the optical connection, as it's digital. Splitters only affect the sound quality, when analogue is used.

If you want to use the Sony system, then it depends what you want to use the system for. If you want it for gaming, then you will need a sound card that can encode to 5.1 in real time.

The connection on your motherboard is not enough. It's fine for DVD's etc, as the 5.1 tracks will be passed from the DVD to the Sony system, to be decoded. Unlike DVD's, the majority of games do not have Dolby or DTS 5.1. Without Dolby or DTS encoding, you will only get stereo.

Some motherboards come with Dolby Digital Live, or DTS Connect, which are real time 5.1 encoders. It's normally the higher end boards. The one you have does not have these features.

You will need either a Xonar DS, which has DTS Connect, or a Xonar D1/X, which has Dolby Digital Live. Unless you can get either used, then you're looking at £40 at least, for the DS.

The cheapest option, would be to use your 5.1 Creative speakers, with your main PC, and buy some cheapish 2.1 speakers for the other PC.

Your motherboard in your main PC, has 5.1/7.1 onboard audio, so you will have no problem connecting the Creative speakers to it.

Really depends whether or not you want to use the Sony system for gaming.
 
Thanks for the response :)

I will not really be doing that much gaming, I use my PS3 for that :)

I also thought about it and it would be a bit odd having two 5.1 systems in one room

So what I was wondering is if just listening to music / watching DVDs, will I get 5.1 channel surround sound from the optical out on the motherboard, going through a splitter, into the optical in on the Sony?? I am thinking yes I will?


Thanks for your help :)
 
Yes, you will. If you are watching a DVD, then the software player can send the 5.1 track on the disc to the external decoder. In this case, your Sony system.

Music won't be in 5.1, not true 5.1 anyway, unless it's on a DVD, etc. Music is stereo, so if you are playing MP3's, your Sony system has likely got Dolby Prologic, which will take the stereo and upmix it to 5.1.
 
OK, thanks! :D

I think what I will do is get an optical splitter and a couple of optical cables and try that method and see how I get on

So am I right in saying that any cheap (£5ish) optical splitter from fleabay will do the job since it is digital so it eaither works or doesn't?

Thanks for your help, :)
 
I would have thought so. I've seen other people say they have used cheap ones and had no problem.

I don't know if there are any good quality ones.
 
Grab yourself one of these splitters

tos_switch.jpg


You can then connect your PC, PS3 and TV to it and switch accordingly.

I was using this exact model for about 18 months with the Dav-DZ260 until I upgraded to an Onkyo a couple of weeks ago.
 
pepp77 said:
Grab yourself one of these splitters

tos_switch.jpg


You can then connect your PC, PS3 and TV to it and switch accordingly.

I was using this exact model for about 18 months with the Dav-DZ260 until I upgraded to an Onkyo a couple of weeks ago.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that :) I can see some of those on fleabay so will get one of those :)
 
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