5.1 Dolby Digital using only a DVD player and computer speakers (NO receiver)

[Gabbage]

I was looking to buy a basic DVD player on amazon and had a fun idea. I had originally planned to buy a basic DVD player as I was on a limited budget and knew that I couldn't afford a full-blown audio setup with a receiver, speakers, etc, but I think I may have come up with a cheap solution.

Now, I am not 100% sure that this will work, but that is why I am consulting you folks. I am sure that somebody around here has seen one of those DVD players will the "built-in Dolby Digital decoding" feature. These units are fairly cheap; I've seen them run for around $200, only about $50 more than the standard DVD player. Now, by standard practice, even these players require a connection to a compatible "Dolgy Digital READY" receiver, but if wisdom tells me correctly, this is required for only two reasons:

1) The receiver is still required to amplify the speakers
2) It also provides the gauge wire connections for standard home audio speakers

However, if this is true, logic tells me that it SHOULD be possible to use multimedia speakers to bypass receiver functionality, since 1) computer speakers are self-amplified, and 2) they do not use standard speaker gauge wire connections. Thus, unless I am very wrong, it SHOULD be possible to use a 5.1 multimedia speaker set like the Creative Inspire 5.1 (under $100) with the DVD player rather than spend big money for a Dolby Digital receiver and speakers. You can find a back panel picture of a Sony DVD player with built-in Dolby Digital decoding HERE

As you can see, it would be very easy to make the RCA-to-miniplug conversion using garden variety Radio Shack convertors (the Inspire set has three miniplug inputs, intended for use with 5.1 Live and Audigy cards). This setup certainly sounds feasible, but I am not entirely sure that it will work because I may be wrong about the Dolby Digital Ready requirements. Still, I think there is a good possibility that I am right. Tell me what you think.

FIXED LINK

 

[bizmark]

You're right. It should work fine. All of the DD processing is done in the DVD player and it outputs simple analog audio through the RCA plugs for each of the six channels. Set up your speakers correspondingly, and you've got a surround sound system on the cheap.

There's really no reason to buy a 5.1 speaker system, actually. Three 2-channel systems would work fine and even give you an extra "rear" surround if you cared to mess with matrixing the left and right surrounds together (this is essentially the new "6.1" specification that you see on higher-end receivers nowadays). This matrixing might be possible with a simple RCA "Y" adapter used in reverse: feed in two signals and extract one that's the sum of the two. I've never tried this, it might result in terrible noise, but it'd be interesting. Or you could just double your center channel with the extra speaker. Anyway, just an idea if you wanted to save money or if you could find better speakers in a two-channel system than in a 5.1.

The only real problem that I can see with this setup is balancing the speaker levels (some DVD players may not have good controls for this, especially for the subwoofer or .1 channel). Also, don't expect it to perform like a "real" home theater system. Computer speakers are good for what they do, but I wouldn't use them in my living room.

 

[Gabbage]

I do realize that computer systems will never replace a $2000 Polk Audio system, but lately I've been extremely impressed by the quality of some of the available speakers from Cambridge, Klipsch, etc. In fact, I never would have thought about the idea if I didn't already use my Cambridge Soundworks for DVD player, though of course it's a 2.1 setup. In any case, good computer audio seems to be incomparably better than the sound that you get out of built-in TV speakers. I would not be using the 5.1 system in a large living room, so I think the volume would be fine (lately, I tried the Cambridge with a front-projector in a large basement and the results were positive). I suspect that the sound quality would be no worse than the kind of results that you could get out of those $250 JBL systems that they advertise at Best Buy, and the price tag would certainly be lower if you factor in the additional price of a Dolby Digital receiver.

As for balancing the surround sound levels, that did strike me as a potential problem. So I checked Crutchfield for the Panasonic RA60 DVD player ($200 at Circuit City), which also has built-in DD decoding, and I saw that it had volume controls for all six channels, which is a definite plus. Your 6.1 idea is interesting, and I think this setup has a lot of potential for flexibility. Of course, the primary reason that I'd want to buy a 5.1 system anyway is cost, as it seems to be possible to buy the Inspire set for about $70...but who knows. If things work REALLY well, it would be interesting to try the same setup with a Klipsch 5.1 set and see how the results compare to more expensive standard home theater setups (though of course not ones in the $1000-2000 price range). In any case, I am glad that you agree that the idea will work because it strikes me as interesting.

 

[imgod2u]

Well, if I remember correctly, the Creative Inspire does have a digital coaxial or optical input, and most decent DVD players have such outputs, so I don't see what you're worried about.......

 

[Gabbage]

The digital connections are useless in this situation. Standard DVD players just pass on the undecoded 5.1 signal, but nothing can be done with it unless it is decoded by a receiver. Remember that in this scenario there is NO receiver. Besides, the Inspires don't even have a digital connection.

 

[Mday]

uh, speakers are speakers... they all have a live, and a common line. just because you have that mini stereo for the speaker connection does not mean you cant get some adapters and hook them up that way... i have no idea what you mean by "2) they do not use standard speaker gauge wire connections"...

your conclusion about some decoding players requiring a receiver is correct...

what you will need is a set of speakers that have 6 inputs if you want true DD... which the inspire 5300 apparently has...... http://www.vr-zone.com/reviews/Creative/Audigy-Inspire/page5.htm has a pic of the back of the input dealie...

anyway, player with decoding and these speakers should work fine, as long as teh cabling is long enough ;-) (i suggest replacing whatever cabling (if any) they give you)

but i will say this, um, these are fairly weak speakers, and are not really meant to fill any sized room.

--

frankly the versatility of a receiver is the ability to amplify, as well as provide multiple inputs. here, you are limited to your DVD player only. so, you cant use these speakers for your stereo, television or anything else. and well, you can turn the volume with a remote either. and you are rather stuck with the speakers so, when you want to replace speakers...

here is the pattern ppl go through... get a good receiver, and okay speakers... then upgrade to nice speakers.