Is it possible to connect a PC to a Audio/Video control center.

[Xellos2099]

I got a small question for all the expert here. I will soon receive a unit of Sony Audio/Video Control center with Digital Signal Processing STR-DE915 with its 5.1 speaker SS-V345 and subwoofer. I noticed in the back there are several plug for Optical in for like cds and dvd. I have a pc with Creative X-fi sound card with optical in and out. I am wondering if it is possible to connect optical out from my pc to one of those optical-in slot to made use of the 5.1 system.

I know it sound like a lot of work but if it should work, it would beat my Logitech x540 speaker set by far. It is like it is not about if it should be done, could it be done?

 

[Swivelguy2]

Yes.

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

by audio/video control center, you mean a sony receiver, right? The answer is yes.

 

[jtvang125]

Yes, that's what those connections are for. All you need is an optical cable connected to optical out from sound card to an optical in on the receiver. Set sound card to do SPDIF passthrough. Set receiver to use that optical input for DVD. IIRC the OEM version of PowerDVD will only output 2 channel stereo. You'll need the Deluxe version for 5.1. If you want to play video files encoded with an AC3 soundtrack you'll need to download and install AC3filter so it can decode and passthrough the 5.1 soundtrack.

 

[Xellos2099]

You mean as in the window's Control panel for sound? Under playback there is an option for SPDIF Out, is that what you mean by SPDIF passthrough?

Also, for games and stuff would the receiver automatically recognize 5.1?

 

[vshah]

You mean as in the window's Control panel for sound? Under playback there is an option for SPDIF Out, is that what you mean by SPDIF passthrough?

Also, for games and stuff would the receiver automatically recognize 5.1?

yes, you should set spdif out as the default output device

 

[jtvang125]

You mean as in the window's Control panel for sound? Under playback there is an option for SPDIF Out, is that what you mean by SPDIF passthrough?

Also, for games and stuff would the receiver automatically recognize 5.1?

Yes, set it to SPDIF out. As for games it would depend if the game supports 5.1. Most don't so you'll only get 2 channel stereo. You can however set your receiver to Dolby Pro Logic II where it will take the 2 channels and mix it into 4 ch or 5.1. If your sound card can do 5.1 encoding on the fly then you'll get 5.1 too.

 

[Xellos2099]

Well, I set the receiver and speaker up but so far I only have left, right and center speaker working as I head no sound at all coming from the the other 2 rear speaker. The receiver is not new so could it be that the cap on the rear module on receiver is busted or am I just not setting it correctly. The sound seem a lot more clear than my old logitech x540, but 540 seems to do 5.1 fine.

Here is the thing, am I going to be better of with my old speaker or this new/old receiover with 2.1 sound?

 

[DaveSimmons]

You get stereo from games and web videos because most sound cards and motherboard sound chips do not to real-time dolby 5.1 encoding (Dolby Digital Live), they just send 2-channel PCM stereo over the digital cable. If you play back a DVD you'll get 5.1 because the DVD has pre-encoded audio.

My guess is you used 3 analog plugs to connect the Logitech. Most soundcards only do analog 5.1 like that.