Optical Audio Receiver/Dolby Digital 5.1?

U

Ub3rChief

CAGiversary!
Apparently I need something with "optical inputs", or a receiver for my 360, since I bought a VGA cable. I'm planning on putting the video through my monitor, but I haven't a clue as to what to do with the sound - I originally thought I could just run it through my PC monitor, but I don't think my monitor has an audio input, just a headphone output.

I'd really like to buy some DD 5.1 surround sound speakers, as I've heard the sound is wonderful on them, but I'm looking to spend around $50, maybe $100 if necessary.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance for reading and replying.
 
If your VGA cable has the RCA (Red/White) cords on it, you can just use an adapter like this one to adapt it into a headphone jack to plug into your monitor's speakers.
 
You can easily get a stereo setup for less than $100. But a 5.1 setup will often go over $100.

Your best bet is to get one of those HTIB (Home Theater In a Box) systems, or Logitech 5.1 speaker systems with built-in DD/DTS decoders and optical input, Then buy a optical cable to hook it up to your 360.
 
What if I got the cables that reiji was talking about, the VGA cables with Red and White output? Any way I could get something to plug those into for cheap?

The whole 5.1 surround sound setup is a bit pricey for me right now, so I'll look for that instead.
 
Well, forget all that. If I've got a line-in in the back of my PC, can I plug that adapter reiji mentioned in and have audio coming from my PC (I have speakers hooked up to my PC)?

EDIT: That last post didn't sound very clear. Alright, here's the deal:

I am buying this: http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-de-49-en-70-16s8-4-6.html

I want to know if I can use this

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...&cs_id=1021804&p_id=666&seq=1&format=2&style=

to take the audio from the cord I'm buying and put it into my PC's line input in the back of my PC.

Will this setup work, or no? I'd have the audio going from my PC to my PC's speakers, if that matters.
 
Okay. So if you wanted to use your PC speakers and monitor with your 360, I'd have to suggest that you pick up a KVM switch with audio jacks. What this will let you do is have your PC and 360 hooked up to the same monitor and speakers, and then switch between them by pressing a button.

This might sound pretty complicated, but you'll basically need the Switch and a few adapters to get everything hooked up:

KVM Switch
RCA/3.5mm Adapter
Stereo sound Coupler

It'll cost you about $25 though. Basically, the KVM just saves you from unplugging everything to switch from PC to the 360. If you don't mind that, then all you'll need is the RCA/3.5mm adapter to use the VGA cable with your current speakers.

Let me know if you need clarification on anything. Like I said, it will take some creative cabling if you're willing to go that route.
 
Wikipedia is a useful tool. :)

So that KVM switch would have 2 VGA inputs in it, and I'd just hook the PC and 360 up to it?

Right now I don't care about taking the time to switch from PC to 360 hookups, so I'd be getting that KVM switch later (maybe when there's a coupon?). But thanks for all of the help.

I really don't get the Stereo sound coupler Female-Female thing or its role in the setup, so an explanation on that would be nice.

Just to confirm, the 3.5mm stereo plug thing + the VGA cables mentioned earlier = output of video from my LCD monitor and output of sound from my PC speakers (via the line in port in my PC)? The line thing is the only thing that I'm worried about, as I have no experience at all with it.
 
The female-female coupler would only be needed if you wanted to use the KVM switch because you'd have to change the gender in order to get everything to plug in correctly.

Yes, you are correct. You'll only need the 360 VGA cable and that 3.5mm/RCA adapter. However, getting the line-in to work might be tricky. Maybe someone else can help you out with that. You'l be able to just plug your PC speakers directly into the VGA cable using the 3.5mm/RCA adapter though. (you'll just have to change them when you switch from 360 to PC)

Hope that clears everything up!
 
*Frown*

Just realized that my speakers don't have input, only output. They hook up to my PC's speaker port. And the speakers on my PC monitor (HP vs15) only have a headphone output, I'm pretty sure (when I hooked up a pair of headphones into the port on my monitor, sound came out).

So I guess the 3.5mm/RCA adapter won't work, then? I tried to read up a little on the line in for my PC and it just mentioned recording, not audio output. I'll still give it a shot for $8, though, when that darn adapter gets back in stock. Any other places I can get it for such a low price?
 
the connection from your PC to your speakers IS the speakers' input. If you were to purchase your VGA cable and the adapter, you can just unplug the speakers from the PC and plug them into the adapter.
 
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