Want to use headphones, but TV only has optical output

[NTB]

Just curious...my hearing isn't all that great, so I bought a set of wireless headphones to use at night, rather than run the risk of waking everybody up 😛 Unfortunately, I forgot to check the TV *before* I bought the 'phones, so I got home with my new purchase only to find out that the TV only has a single audio-OUT, and it's optical, rather than L/R RCA or stereo minijack.

My first thought was a soundcard - I have an HTPC set up, and at the moment I'm only using an ATI video card for LPCM-over-HDMI. The card could be either PCI or PCI-E, if anyone has any suggestions. If you know of another way to accomplish this, I'll be happy to take those suggestions, too.

Thanks!

Nathan

 

[Tiamat]

The "higher" end versions of the Creative cards have optical inputs. I remember my Platinum version having that feature. Certainly, in your position, a computer with soundcard having optical input is the easiest (least costly) thing. Otherwise, you have to deal with a receiver or a digital to analog convertor in general, both of which may not be as cost effective for your needs.

Granted, I haven't done much with sound cards for a while, but looking at newegg for only 2 minutes, I found this. It might suit your needs as it does have fiberoptic input.

 

[moonboy403]

Get yourself a used receiver or a decent new receiver. Those should run you about $140 or so. An example would be the Marantz SR3001 for $148 shipped on ebay. You'll get loads of features and it preps you in case you wanna go the home theater route.

 

[kalrith]

What TV do you own? What's the sound source (i.e. TV antenna, cable box, cable from wall, etc.)?

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: moonboy403
Get yourself a used receiver or a decent new receiver. Those should run you about $140 or so. An example would be the Marantz SR3001 for $148 shipped on ebay. You'll get loads of features and it preps you in case you wanna go the home theater route.

That's something I *plan* on doing at some point, but at the moment it would be (A) overkill, and (B) too much heat - the TV and PC are set up in a bedroom, rather than a living room. The living room in the house is just down the hall though, which is another reason I wanted the 'phones - so I could hear whatever -I- am watching, without having to crank it up just to drown out the TV in the front room 😛

Nathan

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: kalrith
What TV do you own? What's the sound source (i.e. TV antenna, cable box, cable from wall, etc.)?

The TV is actually connected to an AT&T Uverse STB, which I realized - after I posted this, of course...😱 - does have L/R RCA outputs. I fiddled with it for a few minutes last night, and couldn't hear anything; I'll have to try it again when I get home this evening.

Nathan

 

[kalrith]

Some STBs have all the outputs on all the time, but some do not. It's possible that it's only transmitting the sound to the connection your TV is using and not through the RCA jacks. There might be some setting on the STB to change the audio output. I would think that a cable or adapter with two RCA plugs to one 3.5mm stereo jack (example) would work just fine with your headphones.

 

[sivart]

More than likely the sound coming out of the U-verse box isn't amplified on the analog ports, so you would need something to amplify it first (I.e. receiver)

 

[NTB]

Turns out I had the base for the headphones (they're RF wireless) plugged into the wrong power source 😱 No wonder they wouldn't work, and I'm lucky I didn't fry the thing. Once I got the power straightened out, they fired right up, and I *did* get sound from the RCA outputs on the AT&T box. So I guess all I need is an RCA --> 1/8th-inch stereo cable to run the sound into the computer, or some other source switch. Otherwise I'll have to switch the cables at the transmitter if I want to use the PC instead of the TV tuner, or vice versa.

Nathan