Soundcard -> Receiver Hookup?

Friend doesn't have optical in on his reciever (older model), but needs to use his home entertainment speakers through his reciever as the sound for his new computer system. Would hooking 1/8" jack -> component cables up do the trick or is it not that simple?

How about coaxial out?

It would, the signal isn't going to be as good as digital but its going to be just fine.

Thats how mine works, I use an old analog receiver.

is this just for stereo sound or surround? check out this thread: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=346043 for stereo.

So using 1/8" jack -> component (also called RCA's by some) would work? It wouldn't be surround sound though, correct? Is there a way besides optical to get surround sound?

What do you mean by coaxial?

There are two types of digital audio outputs commonly found. Optical and coaxial. Optical uses the standard toslink optical cable and coaxial uses an RCA cable. Some sound cards have the coaxial digital output and its just one of the 1/8" mini jacks. You can use a 1/8" to RCA cable to connect the coaxial digital output from the sound card to the receiver. But it'll only work if the receiver has coaxial digital inputs.

If the receiver has 6 channel analog input then you can use three 1/8" to RCA stereo cables and connect them to your receivers multi channel analog input. If the receiver doesnt have the 6 channel analog inputs then there really isnt much you can do to get surround sound.



Ryan

Thanks for all the info, the soundcard is the chaintech of course - and i'll have to see exactly what he's got for open hookups on his reciever.