Help with Home Entertainment Setup

[14k]

My current setup:
-TV
-Desktop PC with SB Audigy Platinum (Drive Bay) + Creative 5.1 Speakers
-Radeon 9200 Video card.

I watch movies (DVD / XVID / whatever) on the TV through the s-video connection from the PC. I am looking to get a DVD player to watch DVDs, but how do I make use of my speaker setup? (which is connected as per norm to the PC through the sound card)
I can probably connect the audio output of the DVD player to the Audigy, but what if I don?t want to boot the PC up just to use the speakers when I want to watch a movie. I don?t think disconnecting the speakers from the PC and reconnecting it to the DVD player is viable as I want to keep using the speakers with the PC for music / games, etc..

Is there a solution to this? I am just guessing but will it all piece together if I buy an EXTERNAL audigy. Can I connect it to the PC and the DVD player simultaneously ? and will I be able to turn the Audigy on separately to use just for sound with the DVD player?

Thanks again.

 

[shortylickens]

Forget the Audigy. You can hook up the speakers right to the DVD player.
But I need to know exactly which speakers you have.
Do they have multiple inputs?
If so, just use whatever you can. If you use the digital inputs for the Audigy, then use the analog inputs with the DVD player. Or vice-versa. Does the speaker system have an input selector?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Yeah, what you can do is dependent on your speaker system. z-5500s would handle this easily from what I hear but if it's promedias or something it may take some doing.

Also, what kind of outputs does your DVD player have?
RCA stereo?
digital optical/coaxial?
6 channel already decoded?

 

[14k]

So how would I have the speakers hooked up to the PC at the same time as the DVD player then?

I haven't actually got a DVD player yet. I was thinking of getting the Philips 642 (DivX/DVD player) - just a standard one to play my burnt discs

I have Creative Inspire 5.1 speakers that all go straight into the subwoofer and then connects to the sound card.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Is there a reason you just don't want to get a DVD drive for your computer? (I guess you don't want to have your computer on, is that it?)

So, you have this except without the decoder?

They sell the decoder separately and you'd be able to hook up multiple inputs throught it.

To me it seems pretty stupid to buy something that's $120 to get more stuff to play on a $50 set of speakers. But it's one option.

 

[14k]

I have a DVD-ROM for the PC. I just want to be able to use the speakers with the TV setup as well as my PC setup (and not have to do any unplug / replug stuff)

Yeh, I have a similar speaker setup to that without that decoder box thing.

Well I was thinking that my sound card is due for an upgrade soon. If I get the Latest Creative Audigy External version then won't this act as a speaker 'console' where I could use the speakers with the TV setup as well as the PC setup without having the PC left on all the time?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Your SB Audigy Platinum does not need upgrading. You need to get better speakers first.

You could get a set of refub z-680s with multiple inputs for $165.

EDIT: and by first, I mean in general I think buying a $100 soundcard for gaming is stupid. To get the most out of a really expensive soundcard, you're going to want a $300 set of computer speakers. At that point, you've spent $400 and could get an entry level HTIB that will have all the inputs you want, will have better upgradability, and will be more versatile.

 

[14k]

But my speakers sound fine! =(
So how would I set my system up if I were to just upgrade my speakers? How would that enable me to do all the things I've mentioned above.
Thanks

 

[PurdueRy]

Hey Jello, some people don't care about having the best. Lets just get his speakers he has setup and then let him decide whats best


Sending information into a computer like that is hard to do I think and so what you want with it. Why not just keep using the computer as a DVD player? Does it not do something you want it to? Quality of XVID and other formats like that is usually hairly highly compressed. Some DVD players even have a hard time reading certain formats. You would not gain much quality wise if you were to switch IMO.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I know everybody doesn't need really nice speakers, I'm saying that rather than invest more in something that will allow for more connections for those speakers, why not get a speaker set that performs better and has the additional inputs built in?

I'm just saying that if you already have a very nice soundcard, don't upgrade it if for a similar cost you could get those inputs and aditional sound quality.