How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

Hi All,

I would very much like to hook my surround sound system up to my PC if possible. Below are the details of both my PC and the surround sound. I'm hoping its as easy as buying a Digital Optic Cable (If thats the right term?) and connecting the two as the two devices appear to have these slots available.

Grateful if anybody could clear this up for me and point me in the right direction of a decent cable that will do the job for me?


DESKTOP: Acer M3800 Tower Desktop, Core 2 Quad Q8300, 4GB RAM, 750GB HDD, DVDRW, ATI 5450, Windows 7
Home Premium 64bit

Close up picture of Back Panel (Mine is same machine as this but next model up with 4GB RAM):

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/225771





SURROUND: Samsung 5.1 HT - Z320

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2010/11/41.jpg


Thanks in advance.

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

:welcome: 1st of all

having a quick look at the pc on Ebuyer it looks like you got Optical on it... below the psu where you have the 2 USB ports. If correct that should be output and on the Z320 its input so via that method it should work.

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

Cheers for the response.

So I just need to order a digital optical cable?

Would this do the job fine?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hi-Q-1M-Optica...item19c08c7b4e

Thanks again.

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

that should do the trick...but make sure that my eyes where correct and check that you have SPDIF (Digital) at the back of your pc and that it is output.

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

Ok I shall check but what exactly am I looking for? I might just order the cable anyway as its only 4 quid and not end of world if not correct.

Is there a chance my PC could have another type of Digital Optical output and that would require another cable. is that what you mean?

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

at the back of your pc you have 2 "floating" usb ports??? If so there should be a Optical connector next to that... at least thats the case on the pc you referenced to on Ebuyer. If you pull out that black connector that is the optical.

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

Ye the back of that machine I posted is pretty much exact same as mine. I remember seeing similiar optical port on my PC at home. Thats enough information for me to order the cable. Though it was a bit weird the way it was shaped compared to the cable but clearly I have to pull out the piece.

Appreciate your help.

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

Ok so I have got my digital optic cable and connected to both my pc and surround sound. I have placed surround sound on to d/in channel but nothing happening.

I have checked connections are secure and the cable is working as red laser is present when removing from either end to test. I have looked under sound in device manager but can't see anything that suggests digital optic. I have a pre built piece of software on here called realtek and this is failing to pickup any audio devices.

Any ideas on how I can get this sorted? I'm thinking maybe driver issue but dont want to jump the gun.

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

you will need to set the PC up to output digitally.

in control panel Hardware and Sound/sound what options do you have? there should be a digital option

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

look here but pick digital optic.
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35118678-post3.html

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

This is what I have. However I have now disabled my HDMI sound as said by other guy but am left with no sound at all now as it fails to detect anything.


The sound was coming through HDMI as I'm hooked up to HDTV so auto came through that but want it through my surround which is all connected up.

---------- Post added at 17:35 ---------- Previous post was at 17:16 ----------

Useless thing. Why can't it just be simple :(

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

have a look at the option in the realtek manager. My system is realtek hd audio but I have the option where you do not

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

I get this mate:

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2010/11/35.jpg

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

do you know what mobo you have as you might have to reinstall the drivers for the soundcard

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

Is this the info you mean mate?

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2010/11/87.png

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

download the latest realtek hd drivers try that as on sound properties its only picking up the ati sound driver

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

Will do, cheers matey.

---------- Post added at 21:40 ---------- Previous post was at 19:57 ----------

Dude, looks like this did the trick!

Installed the latest drivers, rebooted and went in to sound settings and there was the S/PDIF aswell as my HDMI :) Selected the S/PDIF and boom!

I am only running on 2:1 surround at minute but its just what I need to be honest and gives me enough of what I need for my PC. I will look into getting it to 5:1 if I can but this is more than I'm happy with at the mo. May be a case that my sound card only supports 2:1 perhaps??

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everybody that took time out of there own to assist me in getting my surround hooked up, I'm very glad I joined up on here.

Thanks again man!

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

no worries Essolfc :) glad to help you out.

reason its 2.1 is that afaik the build in sound cards dont support 5.1 through optical. not 100% sure on that.

if you want full 5.1 then a dedicated soundcard would do it

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

2:1 on this sound system is just brilliant for me mate. Thank you so much.

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

well you know where to come now for your pc issues if you need a hand with anything...there are loads of knowledgable people around here :)

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

Ye defo mate. I work in IT 1st line support but PC Audio has always been a weak point of mine but I've now been educated and learnt a fair bit that hopefully I can pass on :P

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

its a case of try and if not working try harder ;)

I'm 2nd line normally myself....unemployed 1 at that now :(

but stick around the forums you never know you might pick something up or can advice others in problems you've seen before ;)

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

Definitely mate. Something I can browse at work and try to increase my knowledge and move up to 2nd line :D Managers might understand my internet usage a bit more if I tell em I'm using it to better myself haha.

Re: How to setup my PC with my Home Theatre System?
 

it will transmit dolby dig and dts via optical as long as the soundchip has a decoder. Pretty much anything else is normally a stereo signal anyway