how do i use SPDIF? im noob!!

[thomn]

hey

i have no idea about anything watsoever about digital sound or anything really... well basics of course :)

but ok i just got the sblive 5.1 ... cause b4 that i was using the crappy onboard sound :o

and i also have a panasonic 5 channel stereo amplifier (100w x 5) with sub out... i have a sony 100W active 12" subwoofer connected to the subout and i also have a set of whafadale 100w satelitte speakers (5 of em! :D) i bought these all separately as stereo components but now i wanna hook it up to the computer properly so that i can get sound coming out properly!!

how do i do it? cause at the moment i'm running a 3.5mm cable to 2 rcas at the back thru "CD" (the input)... which is already wrong!!! well not wrong but not properly using it right :P

how do i set it up (wiring wise and cable wise) so taht i can get my sound to split so that i get front channels for 2 speakers and rear channels for 2 speakers and then wat about the middle speaker?

cause i still get BASS through my speakers - i don't want that!!! i just want it to come out of the subwoofer... how do i make it not come out of the speakers cause sometimes it distorts !!! (depending on how loud i turn it up and the mp3 itself)

cheers guys... i need some help please!! i know some of this will be real basic for you but i've never done it b4 :P

[_N_]

firstly, how many inputs does the amp have?

secondly, on my 5.1 sound card, I have a connector for front, connector for rear, and connector for sub.

On each line you hook up a seperate amp, and speakers onto that amp, or if your amp supports more channels type of thing, then do that.

Does it have a Low Pass filter for the sub on the amp?


you need to give more info on your amp etc, take some pics if you can or give us the model number


>>cause i still get BASS through my speakers - i don't want that!!! i just want it to come out of the subwoofer... how do i make it not come out of the speakers cause sometimes it distorts !!!

Get better speakers, :D

your sub needs to be on a low pass filter, and the speakers on a high pass filter,

[thomn]

ooohhh ahhh so that's how you do it =D

it's a panasonic SA-HE90... i found lots of pics of the FRONT on the net, but like can't find any of the BACK =(

i'll see if take pics of the manual or something for you guys... hmmm

awww do you have to have separate amps? =
well my amp supports 5 x 100w? does that mean it supports 5 channels? (a lil confusing i see......)

i thought you could just use like the SPDIF out off the soundcard and plug that into somewhere at the back of the amp and that would do it for you? (isn't that OPTICAL output or is that something different again?)

i don't think it has a low pass filter for the sub =( not sure will check the manual... hmm home stereo components are hard to hookup for surround sound with a comp aye?

eg. my buddy has a logitech sound system and it's real easy cause the speakers go straight to the soundcard grrr... (but cheap and nasty aye!!! <compared to home systems?>)

cheers for help !!!

[_N_]

argh, FFS, I wrote a nice big reply, and then I went to post it and it said, oh, the board is being upgraded and I lost my post, so here it goes again

this is your amp:

http://www.panasonic.com.au/hometheatre/components/detail.cfm?CatID=6&ObjectID=SA-HE90

it says it has digital input,

your sound card has digital out aka SPDIF,

anyway, with it, you only need to use one cable, cause the circuits inside the amp split up the channels cause they are pumped in digitally at higher speeds,
you can also use optical cables too.

So basically, chuck a RCA cable onto your SPDIF out, and chuck it onto your amp, have your amp set right and it will work,
you can use a standard RCA cable, since the signal's are digital, they don't get better quality using golden connectors and more expensive cables etc...

also, make sure SPDIF is enabled in your sound options in windows, and it should work automatically, well, hopefully, :)

[ktulu]

Originally posted by thomn
eg. my buddy has a logitech sound system and it's real easy cause the speakers go straight to the soundcard grrr... (but cheap and nasty aye!!! <compared to home systems?>)



depends... the Z680's sound like they'd give some systems a run for their money.

anyway... from memory the SB5.1 has a front (left and right) ouput (3.5mm), a rear (left and right) ouput (3.5mm) and a 3.5mm out put for sub and centre (this one doubles as your digital output to your AMP if you're not using anything else).
Have fun.