Optical Digital Audio Out

[DiscipleDOC]

What can I use to convert 5.1 theater speakers to the Optical Digital Audio Out port?

Are you trying to take the optical out of say the tv then send it to 5.1 speakers? If so then you need a receiver or something that accepts the optical output then sends the sound to the speakers. You have to have something to convert the digital signal to analog to send it to the speakers.

[DiscipleDOC]

Originally Posted by Hogrider

Are you trying to take the optical out of say the tv then send it to 5.1 speakers? If so then you need a receiver or something that accepts the optical output then sends the sound to the speakers. You have to have something to convert the digital signal to analog to send it to the speakers.

Yep that's exactly what I'm trying to do. Welp, looks like I'll be spending $200+ bucks on a receiver.

[Rakeesh]

Originally Posted by DiscipleDOC

Yep that's exactly what I'm trying to do. Welp, looks like I'll be spending $200+ bucks on a receiver.

$200 would buy you a crap one though.

Something like this is good:

http://www.usa.denon.com/us/product/...2-b82562dfac73

I use a similar one for my bedroom. My htpc and my tivo are connected via HDMI

But really it gets more complicated than this. You also want to buy a good set of speakers and a subwoofer.

[frenchy2k1]

Like everything, it all depends on your budget, your setup and your tastes.
You can find computer 5.1 setups for ~$150, including a decoder (received the SPDIF format, either optically or electrically). After that, sky is the limit. You can buy an receiver amplifier/decoder and speakers separately, price rises with quality (most of the time), all in one packs (usually lower quality) and so on. Depends on what type of setup you want and how much you're ready to pay.

Don't necessarily listen to people though, what is enough to you, may be perceived as "crap" by others...

[Bman212121]

Originally Posted by Rakeesh

$200 would buy you a crap one though.

Something like this is good:

http://www.usa.denon.com/us/product/...2-b82562dfac73

I use a similar one for my bedroom. My htpc and my tivo are connected via HDMI

But really it gets more complicated than this. You also want to buy a good set of speakers and a subwoofer.

That's a bit overkill. If I understand him correctly he already has speakers he would like to utilize. Kind of silly to replace those with better speakers and a receiver that costs more than what he already has.

@DOC: Do your current speakers have a way to be powered? Do you have a receiver for them already and just want a way to get 5.1 sound?

[DiscipleDOC]

Originally Posted by Bman212121

That's a bit overkill. If I understand him correctly he already has speakers he would like to utilize. Kind of silly to replace those with better speakers and a receiver that costs more than what he already has.

@DOC: Do your current speakers have a way to be powered? Do you have a receiver for them already and just want a way to get 5.1 sound?

I have the 5.1 speakers, just not the receiver. I'm going to have to buy a receiver.

[Bman212121]

Originally Posted by DiscipleDOC

I have the 5.1 speakers, just not the receiver. I'm going to have to buy a receiver.

Yea there is no way around that. The receiver isn't just a thing that tunes the channels and passes the audio. It also has an amplifier in it that boosts the sound to actually drive the speakers. No amp = no sound.

DD if you just need 5.1 (like I do) then the RX-V467 Yamaha receiver I have is great and the cost is nice too. You can get it for $234 here http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-V467.../dp/B003CP0K8W
For $70 more you can get the RX-V567 which is 7.1 and has an on screen display plus HDMI upscaling if you really need that (I don't) http://www.amazon.com/product/dp/B003CP0K96

[Shatmusket]

I can vouch for the Yamaha RX-V367, it works great. I have it paired with Polk Audio speakers.

Edit: Ooops, read the model number incorrectly.