HELP! 2 X-Fi cards -> Philips Receiver

[hung]

What's new, OCF? :)

Kinda in a pickle here. So I have two computers right now, one with a X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatality Pro, and the other with an X-Fi XtremeMusic. I want to share my Logitech X-540 5.1 channel surround sound speakers using a receiver with my 2 desktops so I can switch between both, but I think I ran into a wall here. :bang head

First off, the receiver I want to use is this old Philips FR975. Below is a picture of the back connectorsI have to work with,

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s166/svcjames/receiverconnectors.jpg

Now, the sound system (for anybody who isn't familiar with the Logitech X-540) has 5 separate speakers that all connect to the sub via RCA connectors. Then of course, from the sub, the standard 3 mini jack connectors (orange, black, green) plug into the sound card. Shown below,

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s166/svcjames/logitech_x540_08_thumb.jpg

From what I've read on this forums, and dozens of others, is that I can use a Toslink miniplug cable to connect the Flexijack on my X-Fi card to the optical on the receiver, correct? Here is the cable,

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s166/svcjames/33.png

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this should give me 5.1 channel sound all throughout, right? Would there be any problems with decoding the sound if I want DD or DTS?

Next, I wanted to unplug all the speakers from the sub and plug them into the receiver somehow. If you look at the receiver pic above, #16 for the connectors show "6 channel/DVD input." Which is for front, center, and surround. Would I be able to plug in my Logitech speakers straight into
there? I've read that I might need to cut the ends of the speakers and feed them directly into the receiver?

Now, I wanted to get rid of the Logitech sub and just use the satelite speakers because I have a different Philips sub I want to use instead. That sub has a single black connector on the back, which I think can plug into #30 (subwoofer pre-out) of the receiver diagram.

But mainly the point of all of this is for me to have both comps turned on and being able to switch from channel to channel on the receiver to whatever PC I want. So please, any input is appreciated. Now I wait for the next post from someone who tells me there's a bigger picture in all of this and I'm missing it. :P

Cheers! :beer:

[jivetrky]

This may have changed but I believe that in the past X-fi cards could not decode and send 5.1 through digital. if this is the case, I think you might have to connect it via analog to get 5.1. Or you might just be able to have the receiver do the decoding. I've never really done anything like this (yet) so I'm just going on bits of info that I've read in the past.

Regarding using the speakers, I believe you should be able to do this, you will just have to pop off the ends of the speakers (at least by the looks of the picture, hard to tell as it's not the best picture).

And about the sub, yes I think that is the subwoofer output you would want (although the description in the picture is confusing as it calls is an input)

[Old Thrashbarg]

Next, I wanted to unplug all the speakers from the sub and plug them into the receiver somehow. If you look at the receiver pic above, #16 for the connectors show "6 channel/DVD input." Which is for front, center, and surround. Would I be able to plug in my Logitech speakers straight into
there?

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend doing that. It may work, but those satellite speakers were designed to run in conjunction with the Logitech subwoofer and the built-in amp, so I can't imagine using them otherwise will give you very good results. You might be better off buying a home-theater-in-a box system, and sell your current speakers and receiver.

In any case, you certainly can't run your speakers off of the receiver's input. You have to hook speakers to the speaker outputs.

[hung]

Hi jivetrky,

So I called Creative and first off, they said I can't use the Toslink cable because my sound card doesn't have an optical port and that cable isn't used in a situation like this. So the rep said the only way for me to connect to the optical drive is with this,

http://images.americas.creative.com/images/products/large/14701.png

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=16&product=1780

So that basically takes care of the connection between the PC to receiver. I just wish this little device didn't cost so much. I'm gonna try to find an alternate adapter that's a little cheaper. haha, sorry for the pics, bro.

@ Old Thrashbarg,

That's what I figured. Output...duh, silly me :screwy:

[jivetrky]

Hi jivetrky,

So I called Creative and first off, they said I can't use the Toslink cable because my sound card doesn't have an optical port and that cable isn't used in a situation like this. So the rep said the only way for me to connect to the optical drive is with this,

http://images.americas.creative.com/images/products/large/14701.png

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=16&product=1780

So that basically takes care of the connection between the PC to receiver. I just wish this little device didn't cost so much. I'm gonna try to find an alternate adapter that's a little cheaper. haha, sorry for the pics, bro.

@ Old Thrashbarg,

That's what I figured. Output...duh, silly me :screwy:

ahh right, you do have to have that adapter. I forgot to mention that.

[Old Thrashbarg]

Now hold on... why not just use the coaxial output on the cards and run that directly to the receiver, rather than try and deal with converters and such to use the Toslink? Digital is digital, doesn't matter which type of connection you use, it'll be the same signal.

I could be wrong on exactly what sort of connections you need, as I'm not entirely familiar with the X-Fi, but I'm at least pretty certain you've got a coax output of some form on your card, so if you can adapt that to plug into the coax input on the receiver, you should be golden. It looks like all you'd need is a mono minijack to RCA cable. (Or equivalent adapters, like one of these (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062459) and one of these (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103847), for example, as I found it surprisingly dificult to just find a direct mono minjack to RCA cable... everything I turned up was stereo.)

[jivetrky]

Indeed, you can just use that little adapter (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062459) and connect with electrical digital (which is what I'd do to save money on cables and adapters and stuff)


And I've done a little more poking around and I think the deal with the X-fi is that is cannot send 5.1 over SPDIF unless it's pre-encoded. So 5.1 coming from DVD's would pass through fine. But 5.1 from games will not and it will only be stereo. If you want 5.1 from games to goto your receiver, you will have to connect via analog connectors.

[nightelph]

And I've done a little more poking around and I think the deal with the X-fi is that is cannot send 5.1 over SPDIF unless it's pre-encoded. So 5.1 coming from DVD's would pass through fine. But 5.1 from games will not and it will only be stereo. If you want 5.1 from games to goto your receiver, you will have to connect via analog connectors.

Correct.

[hung]

Afternoon fellas,

Dam, I was close. I was looking at one of these,

http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pRS1C-2264937w345.jpg

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102693

But thanks for clarifying.

Alternately, wouldn't this cable give me full 5.1 for anything I play, watch, or hear?

http://images.americas.creative.com/images/products/large/14181.png
http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=13&subcategory=55&product=14309&nav=3

But this still leaves me without speakers. No one else has any ideas? I'm thinking of buying some cheap RCA extenders for my logitech speakers and cutting the ends off and feeding them into my receiver...???

[jivetrky]

That adapter would work fine if you still wanted to do digital

And that creative cable there would actually give you 7.1. For 5.1 you won't need a special cable like that. Just need 3 cables that go from 1/8" to RCA like this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2453699


EDIT: oh and I suppose it is worth trying the extenders on the Logitech speakers. But I wouldn't cut up the speakers as you could sell the set to someone if you don't like what you hear.

[hung]

Just to be on the same page, the mono to RCA adapter would plug into my Flexijack, correct?

But then even with that adapter and the adapter in your last post, I still wouldn't get 5.1 for my games either way?

With that being said, it would make sense that if I were to use the analog connectors and convert them to RCA using 3 of those cables, I would then have full 5.1 channel support for games and movies alike, right? Where as...if I were to use JUST the mono to RCA adapter, and plug it into the Flexijack, I would only get 5.1 for movies?

[jivetrky]

Just to be on the same page, the mono to RCA adapter would plug into my Flexijack, correct?

But then even with that adapter and the adapter in your last post, I still wouldn't get 5.1 for my games either way?

With that being said, it would make sense that if I were to use the analog connectors and convert them to RCA using 3 of those cables, I would then have full 5.1 channel support for games and movies alike, right? Where as...if I were to use JUST the mono to RCA adapter, and plug it into the Flexijack, I would only get 5.1 for movies?


Yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, and yes sir. :)

[hung]

jivetrky..you jive turkey lol thanks!

[jivetrky]

:D