Audio from laptop to 5.1 home cinema system?

Hi

I'm looking at hooking up my recently new laptop to a 5.1 home cinema system, probably this one here.

But I don't know how to go about connecting it.

The laptop in question is an Asus M70VM, it has an SPDIF output, and a headphone output, both are 3.5mm sockets. I know I can connect a headphone output via 3.5mm headphone plug to 2 rca plug lead as long as the corresponding inputs are available (i.e. 2 rca inputs, usually red and white) but I'm not sure about the SPDIF.

The item in the link says it has optical and coaxial inputs, what would that mean?

As I understand it SPDIF would give me the 5.1 dolby digital sound I would want so how would I use the SPDIF output to connect to that system, or any similar system?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice on this.

 

You need to have a SPDIF port for your 5.1 system, just use a digital coax cable to connect the laptop to the receiver.

 

Ok thanks. Dumb question but what does a digital coax cable look like?

 

http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Cable-Digital-B-SDC-1M/dp/B00008RW90

cheers ...

 

Ok thanks. Next dumb question then, how do I plug one of those cables into a laptop that only has a 3.5mm headphone style output for the SPDIF?

 

By the looks of reviews etc the laptop as an optical 3.5mm jack that gives out the digital signal so the cable above will not work.

The other problem is that the system you linked to cannot process Dolby Digital signals, it supports then in that it can take a 6 channel input but it cannot process the signal into the required channels. To get 6 channel Dolby Digital you would also need a Dolby Digital decoder as well.

Easiest way is to find a set of speakers that have an optical input (usually a good sign it has DD abilities) and then a SPDIF to 3.5mm optical cable (usually sold to connect Sony Minidisc players to CD players as the minidisc uses 3.5mm optical connections).

-edit- just read the reviews, looks like the speakers do support optical in and DD decoding.... Will be back in a bit with a cable for you...

-edit 2 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/OPTICAL-TOS...?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1226925409&sr=8-14 but please double check the speakers do support optical in and true Dolby Digital decoding as they only list Dolby surround decoding on the Argos page.

 

Ah thank you. That lead looks a little short (only 3ft) but at least I know what to look for now, an optical lead.

I wish things like this were not so complicated, I have no idea what I'm looking for and I doubt very much that I can find out if the speakers do support optical in and DD decoding unless I buy them and get them home, at which point it's too late...

Nop use asking the staff in Argos (well my local one anyway) as they know about as much as I do...

So if I use just a headphone>2 rca lead and output the sound that way can I assume I won't get surround sound, thus making the fact the speakers are a 5.1 system redundant?

 

Yes, looks like it will do Dolby pro logic as a fall back, which means a very basic surround sound setup with all the speakers.

Only comment I can make regards Argos is to voice your concerns to someone at Argos and explain that you would like to inspect the connections on the back before purchase and if it has an optical connector then you would like to purchase them. They should be willing to allow this as you are just double checking the product before purchase and it will not leave the store so no chance of damage etc.

I dont know what the longest optical led you can purchase is, you cannot really add extensions to optical cables as it degrades the signal unless a signal converter box is used. You could try your local Hi-Fi store and see what they have in stock.

 

Cool thanks.

I did a search on Amazon using the name of the optical cable you linked me to and I can get a 5m and a 10m one from what I recall so that'll be plenty long enough.

Thanks for the advice.

 

Just make sure that one end has an SPDIF / TOSLink end and the other is a standard 3.5mm jack that has the optical end in it (it will usually be black plastic, sometimes with a metal tip but holding the other end of the cable up to a light should show a light in the end of the 3.5mm jack)