Audio Decoder/Receiver/Surround question

[Incongruent]

I have a support question that has nothing to do with GBPVR really (well maybe indirectly with the decoder settings). I only ask it here because I know I'm likely to come across serious home theater enthusiasts that likely can help. May I suggest a section be added to the forum for general Home Theater questions not specifically about GBPVR? Or do you think that would clutter the area.

Here's my problem. I have the M3A78-EM motherboard which supports surround sound. I have plugged in a miniplug to miniplug to my TV which then has a audio-out to my receiver (Technics SA-AX6). But I just figured out my receiver is only supporting Dolby Pro Logic I/Dolby Surround. This means it only has L,R,C,S,SW. So I get mono sound to the left and right surround speakers. I've configured my soundcard for 5.1 surround (there is no setting for dolby pro logic) and all my decoders for Dolby Pro Logic I. Which works just fine.... except I want that stereo L&R for my surrounds.

So what option do I have at this time? My receiver also supports DVD 6Channel sound so if I hook this up properly would I get the stereo L&R surrounds? I've never really heard of 6ch dvd so maybe I need a little education?

Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts on my options using my current hardware?

[Pob]

If I understand correctly you are connecting the green speaker output on your motherboard to the TV, and then the TV to your receiver?

If you want proper surround you will need to connect the PC direct the the receiver, using either cables going into the DVD connectors, or see if your motherboard has an SPDIF digital output that could be connected to the receiver with one cable.

If using SPDIF, in theory you could go PC - TV - Receiver, but often this just does not work with many models; and the TV output is only stereo - the other channels dissapear somewhere!

[Incongruent]

I figured this would be the first question...

yes I am connecting a miniplug from green output to tv, and RCAs from TV to Receiver.

My receiver does not have SPDIF in. It only have RCA in... BUT it does have DVD 6 Channel inputs (which is 6 RCA inputs).

It seems that my PC is correctly outputting the Dolby Pro Logic encoded sound to the receiver over the single green out and it is getting output correctly to L, R, C, S & SW speakers. The only other option I am considering now is if I can get left and right channel on the surround by using this 6 channel dvd output. I can't find much info about the dvd 6ch.

Will the soundcard be able to generate this info and what kind of special cabling do I need to get that working?

Green--->(Front L/Front R)Miniplug to 2x RCA?
Purple--->(Back L/Back R)Miniplug to 2x RCA?
Yellow--->(Center)Miniplug to 1x RCA?
Black--->(SubWoofer)Miniplug to 1x RCA?

Has anyone ever set this type of thing up before for DVD 6ch?

[whurlston]

I figured this would be the first question...

yes I am connecting a miniplug from green output to tv, and RCAs from TV to Receiver.

My receiver does not have SPDIF in. It only have RCA in... BUT it does have DVD 6 Channel inputs (which is 6 RCA inputs).

It seems that my PC is correctly outputting the Dolby Pro Logic encoded sound to the receiver over the single green out and it is getting output correctly to L, R, C, S & SW speakers. The only other option I am considering now is if I can get left and right channel on the surround by using this 6 channel dvd output. I can't find much info about the dvd 6ch.

Will the soundcard be able to generate this info and what kind of special cabling do I need to get that working?

Green--->(Front L/Front R)Miniplug to 2x RCA?
Purple--->(Back L/Back R)Miniplug to 2x RCA?
Yellow--->(Center)Miniplug to 1x RCA?
Black--->(SubWoofer)Miniplug to 1x RCA?

Has anyone ever set this type of thing up before for DVD 6ch?

That is called Multi-Channel inputs on most receivers. Whatever they call it, it's simply individual inputs for each speaker. If your souncard has multichannel out, you can connect them just like you said: 1/8 stereo plug to 2x RCA. Note that with most soundcards, the Center and Sub Out are on the same plug so this would also use a 1/8 miniplug to 2x RCA.

[Incongruent]

very interesting...

Is there a cable-kit I can get somewhere that might save me the trouble of scraping together 4 Miniplug to RCA adapter cables?


My onboard audio for the M3A78-EM motherboard says that subwoofer and center are two different back ports... so I guess i need 4 cables? Whats a good place for such cables? monoprice?

1 cable, fronts
1 cable, surrounds
1 cable, center
1 cable, SW

[mikeh49]

Definitely monoprice. Absolutley the lowest prices (that I've found), good service and good enough (for me) quality (at least as good as Radio Shack, but they don't look like Monster). The prices are so low that the shipping becomes somewhat painful, by comparison. But still cheaper than anywhere else, and you can get exactly what you want.

That said, if you just need these four cable, you might as well go to Radio Shack. Probably about the same price if you figure in shipping.

[tblockey]

Newegg has a $10 sound card with an optical out that I use. Sounds fine. It is by PPA international.