5.1 speakers with just my HDtv and pc?

[ThestudentLife]

i have a pc (no sound card, motherboard not 5.1 capable) and an HDtv.

my pc is connect to my tv via hdmi cable. i use the pc for everything, watching movies, playing games etc. relying solely on my tv's built in speakers. (which is really weak and ill placed). i want to purchase a set of 5.1 surround sound speakers. what are the stuff i need? the bare minimum to make it work. with the objective of having 5.1 surround sound with as little clutter as possible.

the pc/home theater 5.1 speakers, receiver, sound card thing confuses me.
i just rely on my my hdmi cable connecting my gpu and tv for audio and sound.

thank you.

 

[mauller07]

the speakers will need their own built in receiver with optical input on them as well as analogue for the pc (higher quality still than optical)

 

[chrisso]

misead. soy

 

[americanaudiophile]

If your TV has an optical audio output then that could feed the 5.1 channel speaker set up if that has surround processing in it. A home theater is a box (HTiB) with optical input would be just that.